To heal from grief, this photographer focuses on the joyful lives of squirrels

Niki Colemont has photographed red squirrels in the most unusual circumstances – driving cars, shopping for groceries, or even battling dinosaurs. In carefully orchestrated scenes from forests in Belgium, Colemont frames these ubiquitous wild animals in a whimsical light. “Squirrels are so unique, and they can do things like humans can,” he says. But these images are not only a creative endeavour for Colemont; they offer solace from a traumatic past. 

Colemont was originally born in Rwanda, a few years before the 1990 civil war broke out. At the age of four, he was adopted by a Belgian family along with his sister and found asylum in their new country. While he struggled to adjust to the unfamiliar surroundings, Colemont leaned on his sister for support. Later in life, he taught himself how to photograph and began to develop his style. Then, his sister passed away. He turned once again to the outdoors for relief. “Nature gives me a lot of rest,” Colemont says. “I can forget all the things that happened and I can move on.”

With his camera in hand, Colemont immerses himself among the foliage, hidden from the eyes of squirrels. Creating his scenes takes time and patience, and Colemont is meticulous in his preparation. Some days, he’s waited up to five hours for an animal to arrive. But there is peace in these moments. “When I’m in nature, my world stands still. It’s like meditation,” Colemont says. And when he gets the shot? “Pure joy.” 

Colemont has captured the attention of people around the world who have engaged with him on his work. “I want to continue making people happy,” he says. Just as these squirrels have provided him comfort, Colemont is sharing it with others. “I truly believe that nature is the best healer,” he says.

Footage and photos by Niki Colemont, Michiel Thomas, and Karolien Coenen were used in the creation of this film.