In August’s issue of the Wild Planet magazine I have an article covering fieldcraft, something I have always applied and feel is one of, if not the most important tool in your box as a wildlife photographer. From my start right up until the present day fieldcraft has and will always be so very important to me. When working with wild animals not use to humans the wildlife photographer must use his own skills and Technics in order to get close to a chosen subject, which in turn make for more informative images and a better understanding of their lives I believe.
As Wildlife photographers we have a duty of care not only to the subject but also to the public and those that view our images to show them as seen on the ground. To explain and tell what went into that image, how it was taken and then and only then can they judge your skill as a wildlife photographer. Transporting them to that moment in time that the photographer was lucky enough to see and witness and later record with his camera.
The photographer must use his own skills, experience and subject knowledge to achieve this and for me this starts with fieldcraft. In an age where the skill base for this is dying I feel with the ever ready images and all you have to do is turn up kind of images out there taking over. I truly feel as Wildlife photographer we have to take it right back to the beginning, work alongside wildlife, capture what you saw using you own skills. In a time where wildlife is really under pressure the best thing we can do is learn about those subjects, watch those subjects and become part of their lives without impacting on them.
I’m feel so strongly about fieldcraft and ethics and since turning pro I have always worked in this way and my images for me represent that special moment in time I was prevailed to witness and later record with my camera.We really do have a duty of care and by working in a manner like this the rewards are far greatly than just an image, educating many through those images and yourself at the sametime.
We never stop learning about the natural world but in a time where its under the most pressure as in now I feel will can all play a part and as a wildlife photographer this starts with real moments from the wild captured by you, with your camera using simple fieldcraft and becoming aware of your environment, your subject and the habitat they live in.
To read my fieldcraft article click here and download the August issue where I go through everything I use and apply while among the countryside. I hope it helps you and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email me here. Its the second time now I have had an article in this prestigious magazine dedicated to wildlife photography. The first being my moving story about saving the Sumatran Orangutans that can be see by clicking here.
Thank you to the staff at the magazine for publishing this second article and I hope it helps your readers to understand wildlife photography is not something you can turn up, pay your money, take the shot and go home, its about learning and minimizing your impact on the wildlife and the countryside. A better understanding of what your watching and photographing starts and ends with fieldcraft for me, and something I show and teach on my One to Ones and workshops, good luck.
I write to you from the amazing islands that lay off the North Coast of Scotland, closer to the arctic circle than to mainland Britain- The Shetland Isles. A place during this time of year where the sun rarely sets and lights the whole day which can really throw your body clock out. I’m spending a week alone here before my clients on my Stunning Shetland photography photo-tour arrive to enjoy their week with me and this islands wildlife.
There are few places left in the UK where you can be alone and find that solitude we are crave at times, Shetland though is one such place where you can be and see very few people. I’ve had a wonderful week, seeing some beautiful places and wildlife and I hope my clients see the same during their time with me over the next seven days.
One of my favourite places is the most remote point of the UK- Hermness a wonderful and remote places and home to thousands of nesting seabirds. After two ferries I got there and spent two days there camping, photographing the Gannets, Puffins and other seabirds that live there. The cliffs are truly beautiful and they are a picture within themselves. I used them to frame some of my images along with the natural light to create some nice images from my time there.
After a great few days on Hermeness, I then headed to Noss an island that has some of the most spectacular colonies of breeding seabirds anywhere in the world. I took the boat trip from Lerwick and headed to this amazing little island.
Once there the skipper slowed down the boat and for the best part of an hour we slowly drifted around the cliffs there and its an amazing place, the smells, the noises and sites are truly stunning. The following images I hope convey what I saw and the sheer size of this place and the birds.
Its an amazing place and I’m returning there next week with my clients. I spent the next few days just sitting and watching for any wildlife and being at one with nature and the solitude is truly beautiful and something we all seek from time to time. I count myself very lucky to have the great outdoors as my garden as I call it.
Just a few of the wonderful moments I’ve had with nature over the last seven days. I’m hoping the weather holds and the wildlife sightings continue over the next seven days. My photo tour starts tomorrow, and we then head out to Hermness on Sunday, a boat trip with my friend and D-Day veteran Geordie on Tuesday to the island of Noss and in between we’ll visit many sites and places to see the amazing wildlife these islands have to offer.
So goodbye from Shetland and I will post a short blog covering our week. dates and all the information for my 2015 trip are now up on my website, click on my Stunning Shetland trip and its all there, many thanks.
A short film about the Spotlight Sumatra exhibition in London which I’m part of can be seen below, covering the opening ceremony. Those involved talk about their own thoughts about this beautiful island and the plight of those crucially endangered specie of wildlife that live there. It’s something that I’m very passionate about and have been to Sumatra twice in as many years on my self-funded trips to capture with my camera the beauty and the not so beautiful things that are happening there.
SOS have some of the fantastic Spotlight Sumatra panel photographs for sale once the exhibition is finished at the end of May 2014. If you’d like to buy a piece of history at the same time help the cause to save Sumatra and its wildlife then click here to see all the details.
I hope all those that have visited so far have really enjoyed the displays and to those visiting between now and the end you’re in for a visual treat, many thanks for all the support for SOS and those other people and Chartres involved.
Here is another slideshow I did once I came back from Sumatra. It shows me trekking through the jungles of Sumatra on the trail of the Sumatran orangutans, a magical time, tough but magical enjoy.
Sumatra comes to London with a month long exhibition showing the wonderful wildlife this island has and what is happening there. Many of my images from that trip are being used for this exhibition which I’m very proud of. It’s called Spotlight Sumatra a name derived from my first trip there. The Spotlight Sumatra exhibition opened on May 1st and runs throughout the month of May 2014 at More London Riverside, SE1 2DB. The nearest station (tube and overground) is London Bridge. You can find out how to get there here.The exhibition site is next door to the Scoop on the map, which is right beside City Hall.
The exhibition is outdoor and free and you can visit any time of day or in the evening, when it is lit up.
To accompany this amazing exhibition the prestigious Wild Planet Magazine are running an article I wrote covering one of my visits there and also I have the front cover with one of my images called “Hope”. Some of my images are available to buy here with all proceeds going to SOS. I write about my trip in this article and t took me weeks to write and to read this go online here and download.
My words, my images, my thoughts put together for an article for the latest edition of Wild Planet Magazine covering my self-funded trip to Sumatra for SOS/OIC.
Small steps lead to big things, small doors open into large rooms two saying I was taught by my late mum growing up. Things are changing, interest is growing, people want to no more, and the Tigers, Orangutans, Rhinos, Elephants through the hard work by amazing people here, around the world and on Sumatra are giving those animals a voice. I hope all those involved come together, work together to save these animals and this island because what the alternative is doesn’t bear thinking about. Thank you to the editor Keith Wilson for your help and publishing this article you don’t know how hard it was to write not having the best take on writing.
Thank to you Ian SingletonPanut Hadisiswoyo who over the last two years I have had the pleasure of working with your teams in Sumatra and to the many, many people on Sumatra who are standing up against those massive companies that are intent on flattering Sumatra before anyone knows of its plight, often at their own risk as the Indonesian government are all about saving face and these guys on the ground continue to rattle that face and expose the corruption there to help these animals.
One of the many slideshows I did when I came back from Sumatra this one conveys my thoughts and honors those Sumatran Orangutans I left behind.
When you’re stopping rich companies making money things get dangerous, when you expose whats happening behind closed doors those with the most to hide become a threat. Knowledge, photography, fund rasing, court cases, world-wide exposure is bringing those companies to book and in time..small steps, and small doors are and do work.
Just over four weeks ago I was in Sumatra and not a moment has passed since that I haven’t thought of those Orangutans. Watching and photographing the amazing Bengal Tiger recently in India, hanging onto dear life just unlines just how many animals are in danger and suffering at the hands of man and by doing little things the big things happen. Time Out review here
I hope you take the time to read this article and enjoy it, and manage to visit this wonderful exhibition I’m proud to be part of and head up the lead image its great those Orangutans voices are being heard around the world and the fight goes on and will never stop until they are all safe, many thanks.
Just typing those words there at the end of my two week title brings a sad smile to my face, yes is home time nearly and 24 jeep safaris and countless Tigers and other wildlife sightings sadly have come to an end. In five years of running this trip it has been the best so far for overall Tiger sightings with both my jeeps and different sets of clients all seeing Tigers at least once a day and capturing some beautiful images of this beautiful cat.
Three days have passed since my last blog and it will be so hard for me to display all the amazing moments both of my jeeps have caught during that time. So the following images will appear in day order as our routine has always stayed the same so I don’t want to repeat this as I have in previous blogs. I will start with a wonderful Leopard sighitng my jeep had, the other jeep was in another area so we had a few moments with this amazing big cat.
They aren’t the dominate big cat in Ranthambhore , the Tiger is. So they are very jumpy as the Tiger will hunt them down and kill them if they get wind of them. This make the Leopard very nervous and the following image really does capture that. We were very lucky to even see him let alone get a few images of that chance meeting.
Soon after we carried on searching for the Tigers there but my jeep wasn’t lucky that day, but my other jeep with clients in came back that evening with more Tigers sightings. Not a single day in two weeks had yet passed where one or both of my jeeps didn’t see a Tiger which I was totally over the moon for all my clients on both weeks. The jeep I was in late that day had some wonderful moments with a Black-tailed Mongoose.
I love these animals, they take on anything and aren’t scared of nothing.Here seen relaxing and cooling off on the cool stone, his pose really was a picture with his legs, arms and paws flat out. He then moved on and went hunting where I was luckier enough to capture him almost catching a large fly in the late evening light.
An incredibly time we had with this normally very shy animal, all the images where shot from my jeep with the engine turned off. We headed back that evening and once again all clients had seen some wonderful Tigers and other animals and birds that day.
The following day started as it always had, an early morning start, my morning exercises, shower and coffee then we all head to the Ranthambhore National park and both jeeps were in the same zone on this morning. We followed each other into the zone, and not long after we heard alarm calls from Samba Deer, a Tiger was around. As we turned a sharp bend there he was, the Sultan of Ranthambhore, a male Tiger named after a famous ruler in Ranthambhore.
Smelling the trees and the scent marks of other Tigers. We followed him on that small dirt track, keeping a safe distance from him. I could see his massive feet and pads under each paw and took the following image which I love. Capturing a bit of dirt being thrown u, adding movement, the most beautiful feet in the world.
We then followed him over the next twenty minutes while he hunted and just smelt, listened and watched for anything. Both jeeps got some amazing images as he walked, hunted, watched and passed by our jeep. The following images capture that amazing encounter with this the future ruler of Ramthabhore.
Another truly breathtaking encounter with a Tiger called Sultan, young male that will rule this place one day. Both of my jeeps couldn’t get their thoughts that morning at how close we’d all came and what we’d seen. The rest of the day yielded not much,one jeep seeing and the other not but our luck just carried on and on and it was like- ” is this really happening..?”
The following day was our last day in the national park, two weeks had passed, almost twenty-four, four hour duration safaris had come to an end. Same routine as it never changes and both of my jeeps headed to the national park as the sun was just starting to rise. The jeep I was in was given one zone and my other jeep had another. We got our permits and off we went. Once again we bumped into the Sultan that morning really early. The morning light just illuminating the rocks and his head as he sunned himself in that light.
Soon after he moved out of view and we couldn’t see him. We waited in hope that he would show but he wasn’t to be seen again that day. The time in between searching for the Tigers though is always put to good use photography wise as I always impress to clients there is always an image to be captured around you and the wildlife in Ranthambhore is far more than just the Tiger.
The final hour on our final day blew me and my client away. I always change jeeps during each day, I go with one jeep in the morning and then the other in the afternoon. Im on hand to help and to get the angles alongside my guides. That last afternoon though I chose through luck the right jeep to be in as that final hour was the best I’ve ever known during my whole time in Raanthambhore.
The first hour is always tough the temperature was touching 42 degrees and its hot, dusty and very challenging with your heavy camera gear. We then headed to a nearby watering hole and heard a Samba Deer alarm, and from nowhere a female Tigress came from cover and headed to the watering hole. Right time, right place it really was.
She sat there, bathing in the late evening light, it was amazing to see. You are only allowed a certain time limit during each visit to Ranthambhore Natianl park and that evening we were reaching our cut off time and we had to leave this beautiful Tigress where she was soaking. It was around a forty-five minute drive back to our check point driving fast on very tough and small dirt tracks. We set off, looking over my shoulder to say goodbye to my last Tiger for this year I thought.
Thirty minutes or so had passed as we were covered in dust as the temperature that last drive had dried every bit of moisture in the air and the dust was thrown up from the front wheels as we almost flew to our check point in time. As we turned a tight corner, a small pool of water was to our left..”Tiger” Salim my guide said. We looked over and there was Noor, a female Tigress just sitting in the water very calmly.
Salim my guide said we have to leave to make the time, otherwise you get into real trouble by the guards there. She got up and walked past us as we slowly drove of, another unbelievably moment. We held our heavy cameras tight and headed to the main gate, driving like a rally car would. Stones flying everywhere from the wheels, pinging noises rang out as I just dipped my head to avoid the dry dust kicked up.
We carried on along a small dirt track, “Tiger..Tiger” Salim said at first I thought it was a joke as we often joke around with each other, I slowly looked up and there was indeed another Tiger to our front walking quietly on a small, lonely dirt track. I could’nt believe it, in the space of less than an hour we had seen and photographed three adult Tigers out of Ranthambhore on our very last safari for 2014. The following images capture that amazing moment when we bumped into T28 a massive dominate male Tiger, we just managed to make it to the gate.
He vanished over the top of this small raised hill, we had no time to even think about what we had just witnessed as we heading home. Once back in my room, I finally let go of my heavy lens, as I looked at the palm of my hand, the lens handle embedded into my skin I just couldn’t believe what had just happened during that last hour. I collapsed into the chair, covered in dust with a big smile on my face.
I still, as I write truly haven’t had chance to put all that into context and digest it. We head home very soon and our adventure has come to an end for another year. Each year gets better and offers so much more and you just dont no what you will encounter. The place, the sights, the smells just never fail to knock you off your feet. I’d like to thank every client from the first and second week for your company, I hope you all enjoyed it and I no you all have some wonderful images to take home with you. Ranthambhore never fails to deliver, a truly wild place taken over by nature that offers the best place in India to see wild Royal Bengal Tigers.
I hope you have enjoyed my blog post,I have tired to take you here to this magical place with my words and images. Most days I have worked between eighteen and twenty hours and I’m completely exhausted, with editing images, writing my blogs and making sure my trip, jeeps and guides are all as good as they can be. My aim was too show everyone that reads my blog this place I love so dearly and those Tigers. I hope I have achieved this at the same time showing the true beauty of Ranthambhore, its Tigers and other wildlife that choose to live in this magical place.
My 2015 has a few places already sold, so if you’d like to join me on my trip there next year then please click here to be taken to the Tigers Of India photo tour 2015. Many thanks for reading my blogs and I wish you all the best from India.
As the second day since I last wrote an entry into my blog closes I finished the day reflexing on the story of a much loved Tigeress Machali and her struggle to stay alive. Its been a mixed bag of sucess over the last two days, one of the main zones for sightings and where the cubs are living has been shut by the forest department. There has been no clear answer but one of the four cubs from T19 hasn’t been seen for several days which isn’t good.
The mornings in Ranthambhore are truly beautiful, the light, the smells, the forest noises and the wildlife make it one of the most spectacular places to be on earth at that time of day. The two images above I hope convey my passion for the mornings here, showing those small dirt tracks we have to stay on when trying to find the Tiger.
We have also had a few storms which fills the forest pools so the Tigers dont move around the forests so much to find water. Our routine always stays the same and once more new and old clients from the first week and my second week have had some wonderful images of Tigers. We all set off once more on that morning and entered the national park of Ranthambhore. My two jeeps spilt up going their various routes in search of the Bengal Tiger.
The jeep I was in with my new client on that first morning was not so lucky at first so we stopped off for a brew with one of my friends there.Gaffer, one of the forest guards. 27 years he’s worked at Ranthambhore looking after the Tigers, watching out for poachers and anyone that wants to kill the Tiger. In 3 years he retires and his daughter gets married next month he told me. These Chowki’s as they are called are the frontline against poachers. He made me some amazing Chai tea and it was good to see him it really was.
We then set off and we came across Machali soon after, my client had never seen her so he took some nice images before we moved on, she looked a little better and I decided not to photograph her that day because of my strong views I have as I had found out they had started to leave prey out for her once more after saying they weren’t going to do this.
We carried on looking for Tigers that morning but weren’t lucky again. After a wonderful breakfast and a few hours kip we were back out at 3pm. The thing in the afternoon that hits you is the temperature and boy was it hot. We set off, both jeeps once more going to their own zones. For the last few days sightings had dropped, various reasons for this, weather, rain and just Tigers not hunting due to having killed in the night and not being hungry.
On the way out of the national park I stopped my jeep at a place where the Black-langur Monkeys gather. The sun was setting in the background and I could see the opportunity for some great images for my client. Underexposing, strong shapes create a wonderful effect and there were many of them playing and having fun. Some in the trees hiding and the following images here capture that late light and their antics.
As we headed home that evening, the wind in our faces from the drive the sun was just almost set to our fronts and it was special to see. Today came upon us really quickly and once again I was up, exercises done, showered, dressed and ready for 4am. I go out on the road and always have a routine of coffee and banana, morning sir greets me as I come down the stairs from the night watchman I always have a laugh with before heading to my favourite spot on the road.. Time to reflex, time to think, peace and quite so many things i get from those moments alone.
We then headed to the national park and the guard house for our permits and once again both jeeps headed to their different zones. It wasn’t long before my jeep came across Machali once more. This time she was on a kill and looked so different from the pervious time we meet properly last week.
She looks alot better than my encounter with her last week where she looked frail. The forest department are putting dead Antilope out for her ( unofficially of course) to help her as she finds it hard to hunt. I personaly dont agree with this and it should never have happened in the first place. But as someone who loves aninmals way, way, way before photography I would never want to see an animal suffer and last week she was suffering and I wished she had passed away.
Today her spirt, her strength and some of the old skills she has displayed over the years where there to see and I have to admit putting the food out has helped and once again will prolong here life. Its a topic that will run and run, I have heard and spoke to so many so-called experts about her over the last several days. Its funny how people that have never been to Ranthambhore all of a suddenly become an expert on the place and its Tigers and in this case Machali.
My viewpoint is from the welfair not as an expert. Aditya Singh who we stay with at The Ranthambhore Bagh is one guy I listen too more than any so called expert when it comes to the Tiger. People are divided on what is right and what is not but I have to say seeing her pull, wrestle and slowly eat this Antelope today was a clear side that sometimes that helping hand from man can help. I’m just very against playing god with nature, changing nature for your own gain and this is my own feeling.The light was tough here but the image shows her strength, her rear claws standing out and a look you wouldn’t want to see while walking alone in the forests of India
She was the star of today really and one jeep saw another Tiger in the afternoon and my jeep didn’t but theres so much to see and witness in the national park you’re never left without a great view or something to see or photography. My love of a good brew is well known and we finished today off at one of my favourite places, right by the lake. What I’d give to camp out with this as a view, complete with my little india mug.
We have three full days of safaris left before my two week Tigers of India photo tour is over, fingers crossed all clients carry on seeing this amazing animal. Hope you’re still enjoying my blog posts, after the busy days we are having they are keeping me up late to finish them and show you what we are encountering. All the best from Ranthabhore, India until my next blog.
After two days of driving too and from Ranthambhore to Delhi airport, dropping off the first weeks clients and picking up the new ones it was good to be back on the trail of the Tigers. Once again my new client hadn’t ever seen a Tiger and it was his wish and dream to see one in the wild. After our morning coffee and a routine I was so use too now,we entered Ranthambhore this morning. The noise, and chaotic nature of Delhi replaced with the calm and beautiful morning light.
Both of my jeeps were allocated their zones and once more we set off on a well practised routine. The mornings are so special in Ranthanbhore, the smells, the flowers, the light, you can even smell some of the animals and where they have scent marked certain trees etc.
Once we entered our zone it wasn’t long before we heard Samba Deer alarm calls, often this is the first sound you hear that may indicate there is a Tiger around. We stop the jeep, turn the engine off and just listen. By listening and letting nature tell you whats happening around you there is some much you can learn and lots of information that can be gathered by doing this.
On this occasion the noise and calls just slowly stopped and we started our jeep and continued on the small dirt track you have to stay on throughout the whole duration of your safari. While you search and look there is so much to see, as Ranthambhore is far more than just Tigers.
We carried on, then in a flash..”Tiger..Tiger” those famous words over the years I have become accustom too. We looked over to our right and there was a big male Tiger cleaning himself. He was T23, a very rarely seen and shy dominate male of that area. My client took some images, people including myself often freeze on their first view of a wild Tiger but the noise of his shutter going indicated he was fine.
He was very aware of us, and getting a closer view amongst the dense habitat was a little tough. Within a few moments though he got up and vanished as quickly as we had found him. Clients always wish to see a wild Tiger, thats why they book this trip with me but I have to say as I remember it well. There is no better feeling than seeing your first Tiger and now in my case seeing your clients see their first so I was overjoyed here.
We tired to track him but he went deep into the forest and you have to stay on that small dirt track within your zone which is for the welfare of the Tigers and the safely of people in the jeeps. We carried on and once more you settle into the routine of listening, turning the engine off, ands watching for tracks and clues. The mornings for me always often up the best chances to see Tigers as its cooler and they transverse their territories during this time.
After capturing alittle more of the wildlife of Ranthambhore later we had a chance encounter with T19. We didn’t see her cubs this time as she was hunting but it was still a wonderful moment and for my new client having never seen a wild Tiger to now seeing two in his first day was amazing. My other jeep also had some amazing encounters with T19 and her cubs so all and all another great day on the first day of the second trip.
Ever client from my 2014 trip now had seen and got some lovely images of Wild Bengal Tigers which is what I always try to deliver, but nothing can ever be promised as these are wild animals and don’t turn up when you want them or land or sit somewhere where you have enticed them into with food. So nothing can be promised and no image can be planned you really just take what you can and get.
I hope our luck as a group continues after this first day with 5 more days of safaris left. I will report back in a few days time and I hope you are enjoying these blogs back home. If you would like to join me on my 2015 trip then please click here for more information, all the best from Ranthambhore, India.
