Author

I was born on August 1945 in Zlín (Czech republic, former Czechoslovakia) but I grew up in Slovakia. I spent whole my childhood in Svit, in the centre of beautiful nature of the High Tatras. So it´s quite logical that I've been deeply interested in the nature from an early age. I was keen on catching all the gorgeous moments and vivid memories of my walking in the woods and in the nearby High Tatras Mountains, which became my second home, on camera and share them, in such a way, with my friends and neighbours.

My first attempt at nature photography were made with the Czechoslovakian EtaEtareta viewfinder camera borrowed from my father. Other cameras like Praktica Fx3, Praktica MTL5, Flexareta Va and Pentacon six Tl came after. In1992 I purchased the autofocus reflex cameras - Canon EOS 1000F and Canon EOS 50E. Later I started to take photos with Canon digital reflex cameras: EOS 20D in 2004 and EOS 50D four years after. Basic photography knowledges I gained from my father when I was a boy of 14, and later in my self-studies from the professional photography books and magazines. I learned and developed my skills as a creative photographer at the Popular conservatoire in Ostrava (1981 – 83), where I have completed my studies in the Studio of Arts Photography.

I´m retired now and so I can devote all my free time to photographing nature and wild birds. I make efforts to catch a fleeting beauty and uniqueness of the wonderful world of nature in my photoworks. I try my best to make not the only document like the action which is happening just now. I´d like to create pictures with an idea, with a good visual composition and I make an attempt to catch the unique atmosphere of the place and of particular moments in my photos. To reduce disturbance of shy birds and wild animals for minimum I always use various camouflage constructions in outdoor photography - photoshelters or screens.

Today I live in Valašském Meziříčí (Moravian Wallachia), Czech republic.

Exhibitions

Author 's exhibition: Nature Photos of Ivan Chumchal
Museum of the Moravian Wallachia region, art gallery GRATIS, Vsetín
1. 6. – 14. 8. 2005

Author 's exhibition: Metamorphoses of Nature
Gallery of the Information Centre Pulčín, Francova Lhota
21. 7. 2006 – 30. 8. 2006

Author 's exhibition: Living Nature
Gallery of Leisure centre "Little house", Valašské Meziříčí
21. 3. – 31. 5. 2008

Author 's exhibition: Birds in our countryside
Kromeriz Public Library, Kroměříž
17. 7. – 14. 8. 2009

Common exhibition of  the Nature Photographers Club´s photos: Biebrzański Park Narodowy
The Medical Center Hlinky, Brno
5. 2. – 13. 3. 2011

Common exhibition of  the Nature Photographers Club´s photos: Photography vernissage of  the Nature Photographers Club, Prague
The castle of Linhartovy, Albrechtice
2. 7. – 3. 8. 2011

Author 's exhibition: Scenery and Landscape Details
Milan Borovička's Gallery - Leisure centre "Little house", Valašské Meziříčí
31. 3. – 30. 4. 2015

Used equipment:

Canon EOS 50D

Canon PowerShot A 710 IS

Canon EF 100-400/4,5-5-6 L IS II USM

Canon EF-S 17-55/2,8 IS USM

Canon EF 50/1,8 II

Canon EF 100/2,8 Macro

Extender Canon EF 1,4x II

Manfrotto Triman Tripod 028 + Manfrotto501

Manfrotto 055 XPROB + Manfrotto Basic 804 RC2

Canon Speedlite 580 EX + Better Beamer

Photoshelters and various maskings etc.