They live in some of the harshest environments in the UK, once a year the heather there turns this wonderful colour, showing off the moorland habitat to its best. A true specialist of this environment, the Red Grouse is cruelty killed each year, forced from the ground by beaters, taking off in a blind panic and into the guns of paid shooters from a day they name the “Glorious Twelfth”
Simplicity is often the key to composing a successful photograph. A well composed image should never look cluttered, and the main focal point or subject should be obvious. When composing an image decide which parts of the scene are most important to you and try hard to exclude any elements that are not, or don’t have a role or detract from the composition you are trying to achieve.
The time seems to have flown since my last post on this wonderful project documenting a family of Redstarts I started some weeks again now in the stunningly beautiful Peak District National Park. In my previous blog post you can read by clicking here the Redstart chicks had not long hatched.
I’ve been working on another project in the beautiful Peak District National Park photographing one of the UK’s most beautiful and stunning summer visitors; the Redstart. This attractive cousin of the Robin and Nightingale is one of my favourite summer visitors to our shores. They travel all the way from North Africa to the UK to raise their young before leaving for Africa at the end of summer which I find amazing.
In March of this year I came across a pair of Long-Tailed Tits that where building their nest in a thorny, dense hedgerow. These birds are so tiny and absolutely beautiful, they look like a little lollipop when in flight. The following images, all taken recently are just a few of my favourites from this project.
I’m pleased to announce that I will be part of this brand new event at Pensthorpe Natural Park on the 18th & 19th May. I will be doing talks and practical workshops on both days, showing why I love Norfolk’s wildlife so much and what the place means to me.
There is an aura of power and majesty about the Tiger, unchallenged while patrolling their territory. In the famous Jungle Book Rudyard Kipling acknowledged the undisputed status of the mighty Bengal Tiger by introducing Shere Khan as the King of the Beasts. Although the cat family includes many impressive and attractive animals, the Tiger for me is the most beautiful of them all.
Dawn and Dusk are your best friends as a wildlife photographer, once you understand this and what happens at these times of the day it will change how you think within your own wildlife photography. It will also improve your own images , fieldcraft and general understanding of our beautiful yet fragile natural world.
