Entries in the ‘Articles’

Following on from my role as one of the judges for the high street retail giant CurrysPC World in their extremely popular six week photographic challenge earlier in the year. Where I set the public who entered the task of understanding and displaying composition within their submitted image. I have had my first blog post go live on their website covering Winter Light, side and back.

Winter Light, Side and Back

As the winter solstice will soon be upon us, you can read my first blog post for CurrysPCWorld. There are few greater opportunities for dramatic lighting within your photographs than a good winters day. During the winter months the UK as part of the Northern Hemisphere is at the closest point to the Sun, these days are shorter and the Sun is low in the sky giving some of the best light a photographer can wish for.

On the shortest day of the year, known as the winter solstice, the Sun is at the lowest point within the southern sky. During the short winter days the Sun does not rise exactly in the east, but instead rises just south of east and it sets south of west.

Click here to see more of the Winter Light, Side and Back blog post,  I hope it helps you make the most of the winter light while out with your cameras, many thanks.

A great honour to be asked by Nikon, Japan, to contribute to this one off, special edition book that has now been released, its celebrates the 80th Anniversary of Nikon. I have a number of my images included along with the real life stories behind them. It fills me with even more pride to be representing my country on the world scene by being one of the “Eyes Of Nikon” photographers chosen from the UK

“The book introduces the world’s leading 21 photographers’ original work with story’s around the lens used for the work. The book will also introduce the technology and decades of craftsmanship of NIKKOR lens by the Nikon engineers. Nikon announce the launch of art book of photography, “Masters of the Light” and “Eyes of Nikon” The book celebrates the 80th anniversary of NIKKOR, brand of camera lenses produced by Nikon Corporation, under the theme of “ART meets TECHNOLOGY makes HISTORY” the books have invited worldly renowned photographers to illustrate the art of photography. The photographers have contributed works using Nikon Camera and NIKKOR lens”. – Nikon, Japan.

Eyes of Nikon

“A new art book of photography with photography all taken with Nikon Camera and NIKKOR lens and story around the lens. The book introduces the world’s leading 21 photographers’ original work with story around the lens used for the work. The book will also introduce the technology and decades of craftsmanship of NIKKOR lens by the Nikon engineers”. –Nikon, Japan 

My photographic journey, from nothing to this in four years makes me smile, When I started out I had to learn everything from scratch, processing an image , to working the camera settings out, to sending invoices, writing proper, blogging and marketing my company. I had no experience in any of this having left school to join the army at 16,with no qualifications and not knowing I was dyslexic at the time.

I grafted day and night never giving up and not taking no for an answer to get my work out there. My childhood passion for wildlife and time served life skills from then to now have helped me so much though. Never give up in the pursuit of what you want, I was lucky my mum embedded this belief into me from a young age, whilst learning me about nature around us. My images represent an event that occurred in the wild something that I witnessed and recorded with my camera.

My skill lies in interpreting and presenting this in a way that invokes beauty, mood and emotion with each moment captured My aim has always been to inspire people with my photographs while working in an ethical way alongside the wildlife I see always remembering I’m a guest in their world.

“Wildlife is most active at dawn and dusk and this is when you need to rely on your equipment just that bit more. All my encounters with wildlife are special and I try never to change an animals’ behavior by my presence. The end result is a true image of that time I captured with my heart firstly rather than secondly. I always try to capture the real essence of the subject I’m photographing. In doing so, those images you take show a greater understanding for your subject and in turn show and teach those that view your images more about the subject and where they live and how they conduct their lives..” Craig Jones.

This wonderful book will be available on Amazon very soon and I have a few free ones coming from Japan, a small perk of being in the book I believe. I’d like to thank all my friends,clients, pass and present for your support, those that have helped me and stood by me. This for me rounds off a wonderful year work-wise. I’m looking forward to next year already, my trips, my work and my own projects and ideas I have planned, many thanks.

It is with utter heartbreak and shock that I was emailed this week from Sumatra,asking for some of my Sumatran Orangutan images to be asked for a campaign Ian Singleton the director of SOCP are fighting. Once I stopped and read the proposals my heart missed a beat I cannot lie. As each day passes I want to get out there with my camera to do something. Below are Ian’s words and the campaign they are fighting to stop large areas of Sumatra being dug up and lost for ever. Lost is the key word, mankind just never fails to shock me with their mindless greed.

On the 30^th December they rule, when everyone is looking to the New Year and relaxing officials decide whether its good to hand over some of the most precious rainforests in the world to developers hell bent on bleeding the soil of its riches and replace it with a vile, unnatural habitat killing some of the world’s most protected animals found nowhere else on earth.

Dr Ian Singleton –

“The Acehnese Government is pushing to finalize the proposed Spatial Plan in the next coming weeks along with and additional NEW draft governor’s regulation, which opens a door for new permits in large critical areas of the Leuser Ecosystem. If approved, this new plan and the new regulation will result in the rapid devastation of most of Aceh’s remaining lowland forests, the last stronghold for the Sumatran Orangutan, tiger, rhino and elephant. This also totally undermines the legal status of the world renowned Leuser Ecosystem. What’s more, it will not only seriously impact biodiversity and regional carbon emissions, but also seriously jeopardize the lives and livelihoods of many thousands of Aceh’s 4 million people”

I put a slideshow SOCP are using and my images will be used to raise much needed awareness before the December 30^th deadline. In the new year I’m hoping go out there with my camera and report on this I wish I could go tomorrow, in the meantime to everyone who follows my blog please sign the petition on the links below thank you.

This has to be stopped  –

Sign – www.change.org/LeuserHeritage
Fax – ww.endoftheicons.wordpress.com/?p=1710
Donate – www.sumatranorangutan.org

Thank You.

Nikon Celebrates the 80^th Anniversary of NIKKOR Lenses : 80 Years at the heart of Your Images.

“Craig Jones is a professional wildlife photographer, an experienced expedition and workshop leader, who runs his own photo tours to many places throughout the UK and further afield around the world. Skilled as a wildlife photographer by interpreting and presenting wildlife as he sees, in a way that invokes beauty, mood and emotion with each moment captured.”  Nikon,  Japan.

I have been chosen to become one of the -Eyes of Nikon– Contributing photographers –

NIKON, Japan have now released this to the world, and the book is due in December 2013. I’m very pleased to be asked by Nikon to be one of the 20 “Eyes of Nikon” contributing photographers for this book. It’s a collection of stunning images taken with Nikon lenses to celebrate 80 years of Nikon lenses.

The book is due for releases in December 2013 and I’m really looking forward to receiving my copy. There are some massive names among both the “Eyes Of Nikon” and the “Master of Light” contributing photographers and it goes without saying I’m extremely proud to be asked to contribute to this amazing book and the displays at different venues around the world that will accompany the book and its release.

The press release from Nikon, Japan –

A collection of original photos by twenty photographers active around the world, as well as explanations of the NIKKOR lenses.

Release: Scheduled for release on December, 2013
Availability: Japan, the U.S., and countries in Europe and Asia
Languages: English, Japanese, Chinese
Contributing photographers: Ahn Jun, Andrea Bruce, Bob Martin, Colston Julian, Craig Jones, Daisy Gilardini, Donald Miralle, HASHi, Hiroshi Kaneko, Kabo, Marcelo Gomes, Keith and Mark Sutton, Norihito Ogata, Phil Knott, Taisuke Koyama, Takao Fujita, Tomoko Suwa-Krull, Topaz Leung, Yoi Kawakubo, Yuhki Touyama

To see the full story and all the contributing active photographers then please click here to be taken to Nikon’s site. I will update my blog when the book is launched and display some of the images they chose, many thanks.

I’m delighted to share with all my followers of my blog that one of my favorite Sumatran Orangutan photos called Beautiful Eyes has been selected to form part of Nikon Pro special tablet edition of their magazine showing all that’s best with Nikon and the associated products. Read a short introduction to this amazing app here on I am Nikon Blog.

Nikon Pro is the tri-yearly print and tablet magazine for professional photographers and serious enthusiasts. It features the best in photographic imagery and technical advice from around the world, and is available in print in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish. to subscribe click here

You can download it from iTunes here Google play here

To have one of my images alongside some of the biggest names in the world of wildlife photography is a massive honor. Having only celebrated fours years as a full time professional wildlife photographer last month this is just amazing. So thank you to the guys at Nikon Pro, Nikon.

I feel from a photography point of view my work has only just really started, utilizing my many skills learned over the years. I look forward to spending the next twenty or so years among nature, happy, where I hope to share what I see with my peers and followers. I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me over the last fours years. Below is the Nikon pro press release issued today with the launch of this brilliant App.

Nikon launches Nikon Pro WILD special tablet edition

We are proud to present Nikon Pro WILD – a free special tablet edition, featuring the very best in wildlife photography and giving you a taste of the full Nikon Pro magazine. This special edition issue is themed around Wildlife and is free of charge from the App Store or Google Play. Designed to give newcomers a taste of what the full Nikon Pro magazine has to offer, the WILD version celebrates awe-inspiring photography and the stories behind the image, just as the regular Nikon Pro does

From the chilled-out posture of lounging polar bears to the steely eyes of the Amazon leaf frog, Nikon Pro WILD supplement features a bespoke collection of stunning images and video captured by some of the biggest names in wildlife photography.

Contributors include Vincent Munier, who talks about his latest solo trip to the Arctic, and National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore, who shares video and arresting, portrait-style images of some of the world’s endangered species. This special edition is available for download exclusively via the Nikon Pro app, on both iTunes and for Android on Google Play

Nikon Pro WILD is produced by the Nikon Pro team.

‘Wildlife is a photography enthusiast’s dream,’  Nikon Pro’s editor says. ‘Getting these kind of shots can take weeks or even months of painstaking work, which is why we’re delighted to be able to bring these images together in a single collection on tablet, for people all over the world to enjoy.’

Really proud to show you a wonderful article that has now been released in the world renowned Nikon Owner Magazine. The coverage of this magazine is worldwide and once more the plight of the Sumatran Orangutans will be seen on a global stage. My promise and continued mission for these apes is to give them a voice through my images and that’s what I have done tirelessly over the last 12 months since my visit to Sumatra.

For those of you on here that wont be able to see this magazine I have carefully placed all the pages from the PDF document the owner of the magazine has just sent me so you get to see this. The article is dedicated to those Sumatran Orangutans that are killed, trapped, slaughtered and sold as pets each and every week.

My images though speak for those Orangutans and all these images have been donated by myself to a wonderful charity SOS- Sumatran Orangutan Society headed up by Helen Buckland from their small office in Oxford. She works very hard for these apes and its been a pleasure to work and help SOS and Helen. I will be back there in the early part of next year and also later on in the year with my trip. In the meantime I hope you enjoy the article and thank you.

Nikon owner Magazine can be seen by clicking here or you can see their facebook page here. Some of my prints from this trip can be brought from SOS”s website where 100% of the money goes to helping these great apes in their native country of Sumatra, click here to see and purchase them.

If you would like to visit Sumatra and join me on an amazing adventure into the jungles there at the same time support the charities that work tirelessly to save these great apes then click here to see my 2014 photo tour to this amazing place. Its open to anyone and everyone not just photographers.

I will show you the amazing jungles and the unique wildlife that live there and you will get chance to see the work that’s been done to rebuild the rainforests there. Some of your money too will go directly to the Sumatran Orangutan Society- SOS, a charity set up to help these beautiful apes.

A massive thank you to the team at Nikon Owner Magazine for publishing this article and helping me in spreading the word on what’s happening in Sumatra and extending the Orangutans voices to a wider audience, many thanks guys.

Over the last several weeks I have visited the amazing Natural History Museum in London twice to present two talks. Its been an amazing honour to do so and I thank the staff there for inviting me. I spoke about my images, my background and why and how I see using my camera. My work is true and real and I work with a great passion and I hope this came out to everyone that attended.

Sumatran Orangutans, –Pongo abelii, are critically endangered. Fewer than 7,000 are left in the wild, and they are threatened by the destruction of their forest habitat.