Entries Tagged ‘Wildlife Photography’:

A wilderness journey deep into the pristine fjordlands of Arctic Greenland, travelling unheard and unseen in this world class race yacht, The Polar Bear.  This environmentally sensitive photographic adventure provides an opportunity to explore remote arctic valleys, rugged mountain passes, iceberg-filled fjords and the rich summer tundra of this amazing place on earth,  at the same time leaving less of a carbon footprint as we sail these beautiful waters.

The Arctic summer is magnificent, for a short season the sun makes endless circles above the horizon bringing a unique light and energy that is shared both sides of the Arctic Ocean.  High pressure is usually in charge at this time of year creating more stable weather and for a period of three months or so, we are treated to some of the finest shows on earth.

If you have dreamed of sailing amongst colossal ice-bergs, being surrounded by breaching whales or watching a glacier calve another million tonnes of ice into the ocean, then this amazing 14 day photographic adventure is for you.  Polar Bear is not a cruise ship, allowing for the very best opportunities for photography at a much lower perspective, as the yacht sits lower in the water giving you a truly special  experience.

Sailing in East Greenland is very far from the ordinary, a landscape which is dominated by jagged mountains and glaciers, dramatic cliffs and enormous ice bergs.  Scoresby Sund (70°32’N 24°21’W) which is the the largest fjord system in the world.  It is a sea in its own right, 200 miles deep with many linked fjords offering endless exploration.  The Sund is frozen and un-navicable in winter, however, a typical summer will allow a few short months for us to get in and absorb the atmosphere.

The timing of this 14 day trip has been specially designed with this in mind where it will give the very best and magical opportunities to everyone on broad.  You will see these amazing sites along with the breathtaking wildlife that live in this part of the world, where we will have almost 24 hours of sunlight a day, giving you that magic light a photographer always wishes for. We will have the boat to ourselves as Craig Jones Wildlife Photography has chartered the whole boat along with a small and expert crew to get us into the best places along this magnificent coastline.

One of the main animals we will be looking out for during this trip is the magnificent Polar Bear or Nanuuq as the Eskimos call it in this land of ice and home to this great Arctic wanderer. They spend most of their time at or near the edge of the pack ice, this is where they are most likely to find their food.  Due to the very nature and design of our craft will we be able to approach unseen and unheard in most parts where this will have a major effect on the sightings of various different wildlife in this region, Polar bears being one.

This was one of the main reasons for choosing this ship ; The Polar Bear instead of the ice breakers as it will have alot less impact on the environment, with lower carbon emissions, all helping in the fight against climate change and global warming, at the same time not disturbing the wildlife so much as we creep into the sheltered bays and coves, just perfect for wildlife photography.  Also as you can see from this video sound travels great distances under the ice where the animals both sea dwelling and land based hear everything.

Being powered by sails will drastically cut down on the noise our ship will make allowing wildlife to act normally in this area without any noise pollution from large turbine- engines.  At the same time providing dependable transport and accommodation way beyond the limits of other commercial boats, and very in keeping with my own style of wildlife photography where I like to work the land, photograph only wild animals, approach using fieldcraft, respecting the animal first and foremost, in turn helping them to relax and be less hindered by my presence.  This is the aim of this adventure, carrying forward this standard in this very precious and delicate environment.

With the amazing 24 hour light this means we can take full advantage of all opportunities that happen and present themselves to us as a group.  Whether that be Polar bears, Walrus on the ice or sailing through spectacular icebergs. We will also explore by zodiac and go ashore to capture the wildlife at the same time see and visit the local Inuit people that live here always under the expert guidance of the crew alongside myself.

Greenland is one of those places that is still slightly untouched.  This trip will take you right into the heart of the Arctic Circle. Greenland has around 15 different species of whales that are regular visitors to these Greenlandic waters, but only three of these – the Beluga, Narwhal, Bowhead are most common, with Blue and Killer Whales, also very popular in these food rich waters.  During the summer season it is Humpback, Minke and Fin Whale species that can be seen the most, where the blow holes are the first indicator they are around. The crew of the Polar front often witness these amazing animals in these water during the summer months, another major plus for us sitting lower in the water where we will be almost level with them as they surface for air.

The Land of Midnight Sun
Midnight sun can be experienced north of the Arctic Circle for a period lasting from a single day to five months depending on how far north you travel. In central Greenland the sun does not set from the end of May until the end of August. During this period, the soft, warm rays from the low-lying sun make the surrounding scenery appear almost dreamlike; icebergs and hilltops are bathed in a surrealistic palette of pink, purple, yellow and red hues.

This unusual phenomenon is due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis in relation to its orbit round the sun. North of the Arctic Circle it means that the sun can be seen around the clock during the summer months. In contrast, the dark polar nights are characteristic of the region during the winter. In the southerly regions of Greenland that do not lie within the Arctic Circle there is no midnight sun, although the nights certainly do remain light during the summer months.

This amazing adventure can be seen here with links to the ships quarters and layout of the ship.  This is where you will live and spend time when not out on deck, watching as we pierce through the sea. It will also show you some information on this ex-round the world racing yacht, giving you the idea of life on broad. The photo tour is for a maximum of 10 people where there are double quarters for couples as well as single spaces for lone travelers.

I feel this trip is very unique and bespoke for the many reasons I have already mentioned and Greenland is becoming a place that is creating great interest around the world so I feel privileged to be leading this photographic trip alongside such a brilliant ship into these Arctic waters. I have had some great interest from many people around the world as well as here in the UK where places are limited to 10 people only.  The UK people that book will have a group flight where we all fly out together to Greenland.  The guys who’d like to book from other countries can meet us there on the Saturday morning, then we all broad Polar Bear together and head out into the wilderness.  For more information please contact me here

“Amongst the higher latitudes, the light, scenery and wildlife seem to work together, providing the perfect ingredients for great photography.  We have been lucky enough to visit the most stunning environments you could imagine, encounter whales and dolphins close enough to touch and watch glaciers calve enormous icebergs before our eyes.  Photography is a passion held amongst us all and we love sharing what we have seen” .. Harriet Norton – Polar Front

I have just returned from a wonderful week on the beautiful island of Mull in Scotland.  The island lies on the west coast of Scotland and it has a breathtaking coastline of 300 miles.  The climate is a mixture of rain and sunshine, and from the moment you step onto this beautiful island the wildlife is everywhere, and the scenery is stunning.  The island is a wonderful place to see Golden Eagles, White-tailed Eagles, Otters, porpoises and a whole host of Hebridean Wildlife.  My main aim was to capture through photographs the UK’s only species of Otter; the European Otter-Lutra lutra that live on this island.

Firstly, I spent two days at Caerlaverock Wetland Centre, a spectacular 1,400 acre wild reserve situated on the north Solway coast of Scotland with clients on one to one’s.  During our winter months this area becomes home to the whole Svalbard breeding population of Barnacle Geese, where some of the best views of this great wildlife spectacle can be seen from the hides within this beautiful place on the north west coast of the UK. 

The weather was a mixture of cloudy and sunny weather where both days the temperature struggled to pass freezing point, the pools that the birds use to drink from were frozen and many of the Geese were using neighbouring fields to feed from, the centre has two daily feeds.  They feed the Whooper Swans and the many other species of birds with a supplement feed consisting of grain, seeds and potatoes. The Whoopers also spend their winters with us before heading back to their breeding grounds in eastern and western Iceland. Whooper Swans are highly vocal, with sonorous bugling calls, used during aggressive encounters, with softer “contact” noises used as communication between paired birds and families.

It was a great two days with lots of good sightings of Barnacle Geese, which were on our most wanted list to see.  We had to travel a little away from the centre to catch up with them but were rewarded with a few shots of them feeding in the nearby fields before heading off to their over night roost sites on the Solway.  After the two days I then headed north, tackling the 326 miles drive to the port of Oban ready for my morning crossing to the island of Mull.

As I set off for Oban the weather looked fine and I was looking forward my morning ferry to Mull. An hour from Oban and I drove into what was little snow at first, but as the miles counted down on my sat nav the snow became thicker and covered the road in front of me.  However, I was so determined to reach my destination. It turned into a blizzard with inches of snow on the roads making driving harder, the ascent into Oban was hard with abandoned vehicles everywhere, motorists were stranded on all the main roads in and out of Oban. 

The police were out helping to dig cars out and in general doing a great job in the absence of any gritters.  I wanted to help the many people just walking around and stuck in their cars but the police just wanted the traffic to keep moving.  In 2 hours, 7 inches of snow fell wreaking havoc and shutting all roads into Oban, I had just managed to get through and finally got to my hotel at around 10pm, a journey that was to take 3 hours and 10 minutes on my sat nav turned out to be over 5 hours.  The cup of tea and free biscuits in my hotel room that night never tasted so good.

From the moment you leave the ferry at Craignure the vast space and amazing landscape of Mull is evident straight away.  Vast, snowy peaks litter the sky line dwarfing the landscape below, a place I truly love.

The main subject I aimed to work on in the days ahead, was the European Otter, whos population in Britain suffered a significant decline from the late 1950s to the end of the 1970s. By then the Otter was absent throughout England, rare in Wales and was only found in numbers in the north and west of Scotland.  The probable cause of this crash in numbers was because of the use of toxic agricultural chemicals which are now banned, this drained into rivers and accumulated in the bodies of the animals through their prey of fish.

In response to its fast decline the Otter was given full protection under UK law in 1978, recent studies have shown a significant recovery in numbers, where both government and voluntary organizations are involved with the protection of this species, which has now become a symbol of the great efforts from many conservation movements in saving this beautiful animal.  I wanted to spend as much time as I could watching this animal and hopefully document their behaviours during my short trip to this magical island.

Because of the vast size of Mull and the lochs, sometimes the best option for seeing these very elusive animals is to drive around on the off chance you may see a silhouette of an Otter feeding or moving on the rocks.  I have done this in the past but on this trip I wanted to find a place they where using and wait, using all my fieldcraft skills to become part of their landscape where their sense of smell and hearing is amazing. On my first day there I vistied two lochs that I know of, where I have previously witnessed Otters and cubs.  I chose one of the sites and went back for the rest of the first day. 

Whenever I visit a  new or old place within nature I always just sit and watch, look for signs, droppings, ensuring that I’m out of site with no camera, no pressure, staying low, placing every foot print carefully so not to make a sound, testing the wind direction, breaking up my appearance with camouflaged clothing and with no white skin exposed, as this reflects light and gives you away, but for me the moment you break an animals horizon its game over, whatever you are wearing, so the need to stay low and present no silhouette is very important and key to my fieldcraft, without using a hide or car in the hope of trying to get a feel of a place. 

I settled into a little inlet, where at high tide the sea came in really close and at low tide expose the lovely colourful seaweed covering the jet black rocks forming the coastline.  I had seen signs of Otters, broken mussel shells with a single puncture hole and the meat taken cleanly out with great ease leaving the in tact shells littering a high vantage point.  I know the Otters can hunt great distances but saw many black droppings and fish bones on this place telling me that I needed to stay here. So I did, getting myself into place before dawn each day, laying on the very slippery rocks for 7 hours a day without moving, my back was protected and covered by a line of rocks behind me, I had a great  vantage point out onto the loch with the high tide water just touching my boots. 

Tucked into the rocks, presenting the smallest target you could imagine, I waited, bending my frame to fill the steps and contours of the rocks, two days passed after which time you become so tuned into a place every plop, every noise, every dive from a bird you hear you immediately look with great excitement, this for me is one of the best things about wildlife photography, the peacefulness of waiting, the minutes turning into hours, all the time waiting for just that one moment in which you get a view into a wild animals world where the camera enables me to capture what I see, capturing the beauty of the subject, perserving the moment forever.

With every passing hour, sat motionless, you see so many other species of wildlife and over time you become accustomed to their presence and own individual behaviours, they become your friends, keeping you company, ready for the main event should they turn up.  With Mull’s famous own micro-climate the weather changes from clear skies to angry skies in a moment, pouring rain gives in to calm, windless conditions, light you dream of as a photographer is replaced with almost zero visibility.  I use a layers system when staying put in one place for some time, breathable under garments, covered with warm natural fibres finished of with rustle-free, waterproof clothing, this lets me take anything mother nature throws at me at the same time my camera and lens has two covers.

The first two days were long, traveling the 40 minutes from my accommodation to the loch on snow covered tracks.  Great care was needed.  Seeing this landscape awaken is so special with each day you witness these dawns really does make you feel alive.  I got into place each morning as the new dawn was breaking.  In the distance the massive peaks of the mountains looked down on me, the beautiful light choosing when and where it showed up that given day.

Two and a half days had passed when my luck changed, two Otters to my right breaking cover and feeding on something they had caught, slowly I moved my camera, a drill I had gone through many times before practising the turning arch of the tripod, assessing the ground to my front and what I could cover with the least movement as possible. The Otters could not smell me as there was no wind or ripples on the water.  As they fed I waited, they dropped down behind a large rock they had come out on.  I choose to stay put as chasing wildlife is never an option for me.

Then in a flash she was there, I let off two shots very slowly as not wanting to cause her any disturbance, she seemed to stand her ground for a moment, unable to make out what was making this slight noise made by my shutter.  Then she got into the water and began swimming towards me, I could not believe what I was witnessing, two extremes, days with nothing then in a flash a wild European Otter coming towards me.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever envision a wild Otter swimming towards me so boldly, checking out what I was, nestled into the rocks.  She became almost too close too focus on with my long lens, right on the threshold of the minimal focusing distance.  I turned to portrait when she popped up from a deep dive,  coming up and standing in a real proud stance for a few seconds, smelling the air desperately trying to make out what was making this noise.  When things happen this quick you react on pure instinct so my thoughts at the time was that I just wanted to capture something of this magical experience.

Seconds later she went back into the water and started to swim to my left, I followed the trail of bubbles as she dived deep, surfacing only for air. Seconds later she popped up, hanging onto rocks, forcing her body out of the water in a strong vertical line, again to see what I was, just amazing and again acting on pure adrenaline I slowly let off a few shots wanting to capture this moment but at the same time reading her behaviour and not wanting to spook her.  This beautiful, sleek, silent hunter, moving with ease and grace through the water was suddenley out and crawling forward towards me on the rocks, just amazing.

My heart beat was bursting, I could feel the beats in my neck as she slowly moved up the rocks where I was able to compose her so that all images are full frame, she was that close.  What seemed like minutes was in fact seconds and she ventured no further and went back into the water, heading off to fish, her distance trail of air bubbles leading my eyes off into the distance.  I waited until almost darkness but I never saw her again that day.  I returned the following day and again no sightings. I still could not believe what I had seen that day, this shy, mainly solitary animal coming this close to me.

Otters are mainly nocturnal and hunt in open, marshy places, rivers, lakes, seashores and estuaries. They will often travel a long way overland, from one river system to another, in search of food. They are strong, agile swimmers and catch fish by chasing them underwater, the European Otters that choose to live in and around our coastline are slightly bigger than their river dwelling ones and have adapted very well to this testing environment appearing bigger when you first see them but they are the same species. For the slightly smaller version that live in our rivers, streams they are mainly active at night which makes sightings of them harder, fishing in and around fish farms, campsites etc, clear evidence can be seen when you walk around and look at the water inlet areas where they regularly patrol their territory, marking it here and there with droppings called ‘spraints’.  These have a scent which tells other Otters that the territory is already occupied.

As the days passed, looking and waiting to see Otters, I decided to change tack and the following day I went walking.  I wanted to try and capture wild Red Deer as they are very hard to get near to outside of their park habitat where you can witness and see them during the year.  The morning mist was heavy as I set off walking towards a few of the peaks that dominate this islands skyline.  As I ascended further up the mist seem to become even more thicker I did however see a lone Red Deer Stag but he vanished as quick as he appeared.

I went into nearby woods hoping the mist would clear alittle and photographed the different sizes and shapes of the large majestic conifer trees, using a slow shutter speed capturing the different colours and patterns of the straight lines of countless trees all in rows.

Giving a very arty effect from a simply technique.  The mist was clearing a little, so out came my OS map, and I carried on walking up on the path, now able to make it out again. With the thawing of the snow and the temperatures rising above freezing, there was a lot of water heading down bank causing waterfalls.  I’d often come across many waterfalls bursting with rain water, their power and size truly inspiring within this landscape.

I could see a natural clearing in front of me, the light was really poor, so I decided to get my flask out and have a cup of tea, upon taking my bag off I heard a noise, so I got my camera out and just stopped and listened, tuned into the habitat, listening to any alarm calls from wildlife to tip me off to what was about.  In the next breath this young male Red Deer appeared from the mist, standing there for a few seconds, making powerful eye contact with me, a couple of images and he was gone quicker than I could blink.  I cannot see or make out where he had gone so carried on making the all important, morale boosting hot, sweet cup of tea and a kit-kat my treat for the walk.

Another beautiful encounter I had been privileged to see and come across.  As the mist was clearing I carried on but found no more wildlife until I was descending, again coming a cross a lone Red Deer stag just below me, again a few shots in the poor light and this big fellow went and disappeared.

The week was almost over, time does fly and I would be sad to leave Mull so on the last day I spent 7 hours at the Otter site again.  The trip was well worth all the effort for that one magical encounter I had.  A special and magical moment I will never forget.  I have many encounters with wildlife using my fieldcraft etc but this one will never be forgotten as my time on the island was coming to an end.

I will be returning to the island again before my Magic Of Mull photo tour in June with a second trip added in October for the autumnal colours and the Red Deer rut. Many thanks to the lovely people I met during my stay there and a big hello to you all.

The name of this workshop could not have been better named ‘Winter Waders’, as our three days there were christened with freezing temperatures, treacherous conditions and in parts gridlock on the roads but all and all we made the very best of our time there.  My group had travelled from all over the UK in the coldest snap for December since records began, with one guest having come from Ireland I was really happy that the 7am start time on the first day that all guests had made the slow and dangerous journey safely.

The biting temperatures cut through us all on the first day forcing us to move more rapidly between the various sites and beeches that I know, as the wind and penetrating temperatures worked against us, but the guys were great and we still were able to capture images on this cold introduction to Norfolk.

We had some good sightings on the first day using a mixture of fieldcraft and a touch of luck.  Thousands of Pink, Greylag, Brent geese filled the sky.  They were all over the place due to the strong, prevailing winds driving in from the coastline.  A lot of them were flying above the clouds which made it hard to see but their calls could be heard no matter what.  When the clouds did break briefly the sun came through and we were lucky, and had a few lovely encounters.

I can never predict or promise that the wildlife will turn up and my attuide has always been that there is always an image to be had or captured no matter what, so with the weather being so bad we still were able to capture some lovely images of waders and other wildlife that spend their time in Norfolk.  During our time there the weather was a mixed bag, with the snow not hitting this part of the UK on the first day or so.  However, the following morning we were scrapping the snow off our windowscreens and thats when we knew the snow had caught up with us. The Geese were on the move really early in the mornings and it became hard to capture clean shots of them flying over, but most of the guys had wide angles so we were all able to capture the Geese overhead.

I showed different technique’s to the group, panning, waiting until they were straight over head to add drama, low in the frame, minimal ground, slower shutter speed for the wing blur, capturing impending movement within the image, something I have always loved to do.

Daytime temperatures rarely broke past freezing point but as we moved around different sites it became less of a problem until you remained still, which happened mainly when we were photographing different waders and gulls low on the ground for some time, to obtain a more personal point of view. I love to capture behaviour within my style of wildlife photography and this image of an adult Herring Gull trying to stay upright in the strong winds was very funny to see.  Using the light available I composed him so that the image coveys an air of menace to the gull, which I really liked, with one side of him lit and the other in dark.

The wind was causing all sorts of problems and we saw many different waders in ones and twos, blown off course, struggling to land and stay on the ground as they were trying to feed on what ever they could find.

The pattern of events over the next few days were similar, anticipating what the weather had in store and if the wind would drop, watching and photographing the winter waders and migrants and also spending sometime with the Barn Owls.  We were also lucky that it never rained over the three days as this increased our chances of seeing Barn Owls, even though the ground was frozen.  The days are shorter and the light is less during the winter months and if the ground is permanently frozen the Barn Owls primary prey of fieldvoles and other rodents tend to stay huddled together during the coldest spells at night, only really venturing out during the day which makes for the best times to see Barn Owls hunting during really cold spells.

On most of the days we saw the Owls, hunting with real purpose, diving with such force as to break the covering of snow on the ground, at the same time capturing their prey.  The majority of the time they seemed to fail but on the odd occasion they stayed on the ground where they could have been eating their prize as quickly as possible, replenishing much needed supplies of energy to survive. They were hunting in fog, snow and windy weather, such was the need to feed.  I always feel uncomfortable seeing nature work at a pace which is dictated by the conditions, right on the line on survival but such is nature where they say only the strong survive, but for me still very uncomfortable to see.

On the final evening the clouds broke and we had a lovely sunset, the colours lit up the horizon, the sky full of geese, the sounds of which sounded almost like surroundsound as the geese were having their final feed, then heading off to their overnight roost sites.

Thank you to all my guests who came on my workshop, great company.  I hope you got a lot out of the three days and even with the the weather against us we were still able to capture lovely images and at the same time see this beautiful coastline.  I look forward to seeing a few of your images,  many thanks.

Our wildlife workshops to the island of Mull, Scotland are getting more and more popular as the perfect trip to capture the true beauty of this amazing place, so we are adding another trip to the itinerary for next year. The aim of this second trip is to capture the stunning autumnal colours there at this time of the year, along with the beautiful Otters that live on Mull, and their cubs, also rutting Deer, White tailed Eagles and much more amazing wildlife. For wildlife photographers who are eager to bring their photography to the next level, or people wishing to see the beautuful wildlife this island has to offer, our photo trip really does cover everything.

The Isle of Mull lies on the west coast of Scotland and it has a breathtaking coastline of 300 miles, the climate is a mixture of rain and sunshine. From the moment you step onto this beautiful island the wildlife is everywhere and the scenery is stunning. The island is a wonderful place to see Golden Eagles, White-tailed Eagles, Otters, porpoises and a whole host of Hebridean Wildlife.  

Our base will be the picturesque village of Tobermory, with its brightly painted buildings. Overlooking the harbour of Tobermory and facing out to Calve Island and the sound of Mull is our Hotel, you’ll be treated to picturesque views over the harbour and as well as comfortable accommodation, you’ll enjoy fine cuisine in the restaurant, prepared from the best locally sourced ingredients to make your stay even more memorable, all of the rooms have a sea/harbour view. It will be a wonderful chance to show you the best places that I have found on my many trips to this amazing island and to pass my knowledge of these onto you so you can really enjoy ‘The Magic of Mull’.

This photo tour is for four people maxim, with two places having already gone such is the popularity and beauty of this island. I like to keep all my trip numbers down to around four people if I can as this gives everyone quality time with me while I show and teach everything I use myself within wildlife photography, fieldcraft, composition, camera skills and showing and pointing out photographic opportunities constantly during your time with me.

The dates of this trip are – Sunday 23rd October – Friday 28th October 2011, the price per person is £800.00, this includes all food, including packed lunch, all transport on the island, rooms with sea views, all guidance and expertise from myself.  They are on a first come first served basis, so if you would like to know more info or book then go to my Magic Of Mull page on my website and fill out the booking form or send me an email and I’ll answer any questions you may have many thanks.

I have just returned from three wonderful days at this years Birdfair.  It was my first time as an exhibitor at the Birdfair after many, many years going as a visitor.  We both really enjoyed the three days and found the organisation of the event brilliant and very professional, so full credit to the staff and volunteers.  My stand was set up in the same way as my other exhibitions at Buxton, Derbyshire, with the idea of creating a gallery-style format giving people space to walk around and the oppotunity to ask anything they wished about my images.

As every image I take has a name and meaning to why I took it, I like to explain the reasons, style and what I was trying to achieve in the image.  Where its so important in my style of wildlife photography to capture the wild animal, within their natural environment and showing how they live, breed and go about their lives, their behaviours and so on.

The stand and my images went down really well I feel.  I managed to sell some of my Limited Edition Tiger images, which was great, with the cheque having been sent this morning to 21st Century Tiger Charity where I am trying to help in anyway I can towards the survival of the wild Tiger throughout the world, so thank you on behalf of the Tiger for the sales.

I met so many very nice people and made some many good contacts, so a big thank you to all those that came to see me.  There were many people from the various different forums I am on, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter etc, where it was great to put a face to the name.  I have a few ideas I will be working on alongside my current ventures.  I will be field testing a range of brilliant products and equipment from Stealth Wildlife after meeting up and getting on great with their owner Neill.

I will be trying to give him a different customer perspective on an already great range of products from a ex-sniper’s, fieldcraft experts point of view eg-shape, shine, silhouette, toughness, durability, camouflage pattern etc so I’m really looking forward to promoting and adding value to Neill’s products.  The first one will be very soon on his Bag Hide I will be using this on a Kingfisher project that I have been working on from scratch on the river Trent for the past three weeks.  This part of the river runs through the beautiful Trentham Estate, a place I’ve known from my childhood.

With the help of Jack the head warden from the Deer Study Resource Centre who has shown me around this brilliant estate.  I will be running Wildlife One-day Workshops, set in these amazing grounds, where they have a healthy population of Fallow deer, Badger, Fox and Kingfishers that have never been photographed before due to the privateness of this beautiful area.

We are just finalising this great event where I will show and teach everything I use to produce the images, I get from the wild, with the key focus on fieldcraft, tracking skills,approaching your subject with minimal disturbance,wind direction, all designed for you to read whats happening around you and help you to build a picture of the wildlife in the area.  Pool these skills together with the simply composition and camera skills, I will show and teach and you all the ingredients for a great day and in turn improving your wildlife photography skills and competancies throughout these one day workshops.

The day will include hot or cold lunch, drinks and refreshments and will last all day.  More details will follow and I will keep you updated.  Should you want more details in the mean time then please send me an email here or contact Jack at the Deer Study & Resource Center.  With the start of the Rutting season soon these days will be up and running to coincide with this amazing time, capturing the stunning autumn colours of this beautiful countryside.

Just to say thanks again folks to those I met, many thanks for your trade and bookings on my One To Ones/Workshops and I look forward to meeting you all in the future, many thanks.

Over the last two weeks I have found that my time just vanishes and the days turn into weeks,where with the early summer time light you find yourself getting up in the middle of the night,packing your car in total darkness and heading off in search of your images for that day.I always go with a relaxed mind and find this has always resulted in good sightings and images in most cases,where just being out in nature is enough for me.This approach works and by adopting this attitude you put less pressure on yourself to get the image(s).

The image’s below where taken as I was waiting to photograph Kingfishers,a bird that has eluded me this year.As the sun came up it lit up the low lying mist on top of the water,breaking through the dense background and creating this amazing light and colour.I captured two Mute Swans coming into land and together in one of the shafts of light and the third image is a lone Grey Heron perfectly still,watching for the slightest movement below him.Two lovely images that I  never expected

In between this I have successfully completed four great days at the Pavilion Gardens, Buxton where I’ve just finished another two day display this weekend at their Summer Fete event.Again great meeting so many nice people over the two days a few wildlife photographers came to visit me so that was nice,lots of bookings on my Workshops and One To Ones,look forward to meeting you all that booked.My next event at the Pavilion Gardens,Buxton is the Art & Design event Sat 18th,Sun 19th September.

I have had two great High-Tide Workshops in the last week  at Snettisham,where this place can be good for birds all year round but the best shows come only at the very highest tides when the birds are forced into the ‘Pits’ giving a breathtaking experience to those lucky enough to be there,seeing and hearing the sounds of this magical event in mothernature that you’ll never forget within this truly wild place on the Norfolk coast.

There was thousands upon thousands of wading birds flying around.feeding on this rich mud that Snettisham is made up of,where the birds are forced to take off and form vast flocks all the time heading closer into land adding to the drama of the place with the sounds and sights of nature that you will not forget. A quiet and remote experience to the intense noise known as the ‘Norfolk Rhapsody’, a truly astonishing spectacle.

The clients had some amazing views and bothdays where a complete success and joy for me.I have around two dates per month now until next February 2011 so should you wish to book just send me an email to see if the dates suit your needs.The cost is £160.00 per person and are for up to four people,homemade packed lunch,hot and cold drinks all provided and these brilliant,action packed days last from dawn until dusk,where we finish the day off at one of my many Barn Owl sights I visit in Norfolk.

Showing you everything I use from expert fieldcraft skills,simply tracking skill’s,building a picture of whats happening around you,reading nature,right the way through to the simple camera settings and composition I use.Where for me its all about nature and a little understanding of the wildlife around you,capturing the subject in their natural habitat,capturing beautiful,wild moments within the natural world.

I have been able to get out photographing wildlife at this wonderful time of year also and its a real joy to be in and around nature during the morning and throughout the day,so much new life and noises going on as you walk through our beautiful countryside.Chicks constantly begging for food they are able to catch for themselves but prefer the easy lunch.The image below kept me in suspense for nearly ten minutes,it’s a juvenile Whitethroat,not long fledged,here he was watching flies and bees going backward and forwards over these colourful berries.

As I watched him through the viewfinder,then in a flash he moved and tired to capture this fly that had become tangled up in this spidersweb.I just managed to capture that very moment here with this image in the morning light,in the end he missed and the fly freed himself ,the whole event had be smiling.I did feel sorry for this fellow as he had tied in vain to capture his breakfast,but still much to learn,lovely moments though just providing there is something you can witness anywhere and get so much fun at the same time.

A big thank you to all the wonderful people who have booked onto my trips,I’m glad I’ve helped and to all those booked on future trips you can see the level of help and passion that’s coming your way!!.My next big event is at this years Birdfair

Where it will be my first time there as a Exhibitor,having been there several times as a visitor so I’m really excited to have a stand there.I am in Marquee 6 right in the center of things which is great.Feet away from the Events Marquee,where there’s loads of talks and events throughout the 3 days.I have also donated one of my Limited Edition Tiger Prints for the Birdfair Auction helping them raise money for the brilliant cause(s) they help and support around the UK and World.The 2009 Birdfair raised £263,000 to support BirdLife’s work in saving critically endangered birds around the world. This takes the total raised, to date, to over £2,000,000 which is just brilliant and something I personally want to help them with so the Tiger print is Lot number 83,please give as much as you can many thanks.

If you plan on visiting this years Birdfair then please do drop in and say hello,where some of my work will be on show along with my Tiger images from this years amazing trip to India,Gift Vouchers,Workshops,One To Ones,30 years of knowledge on wildlife, I have something for everyone,or if you just need some advice in regard to Wildlife Photography then I run an Open-Door policy where I’ll help and answer all your questions on this topic.I look forward to seeing you all there in the meantime should you want any help on the tours and trips I do then please send me an email.

All my Photo-Tours,Workshops have now been updated taking you through until next June/July 2011.My Texel trip is nearly full,Mull trip filling up and my Tigers trip to,which is amazing in these hard times,so a big thank you to all who have booked so far.Next years Masai Mara Migration trip is also up now and my trip to Finland for Brown Bears next June, will be up very soon also.

I also have a Craig Jones Facebook page where I give tips,advice and up to date reports on my trips and day to day goings on,with over 1200 friends its growing all the time,its free to join and becoming very popular.Where it’s good to talk as the saying goes.Thanks again for all the support and hope to see you in the future,many thanks.

I have just finished my two day display at the Pavilion Gardens,Buxton,Derbyshire where the event for me was a great success.Meeting people and showing the work I do,the trips,Workshops and One To Ones is a real passion for me as it gives my images life as each one has a name and a reason I took the shot,where the passion of wildlife is ingrained in all of my work I do from teaching to taking images.

People commented on the images and the main topic was the originality of my work and origin of the images where all where taken in nature,encapsulating the subject in their natural environment,with simply composition.With the key to wildlife photography being nature and an understanding of it way before the camera comes into the picture,where fieldcraft is one of the most important tools in getting close to you chosen subject, and an honesty in the image is key for me where the word ‘Wildlife’ should truly mean its a moment captured, as seen in nature at the time by the photographer,’placing a frame around something you have seen in nature to show others of the beauty around us’

The photo above is of my stand with the key colours following on from my website design,with the black and green swish going through the middle as this depicts my interest in nature that has always ran through me from a very young age.My Tiger images did really well and I am sending my first cheque off to 21 Century Tiger this week with some of the profits of the sale of my Limited Edition Tiger prints,where 50% of the profits from each image are going to helping wild Tigers survive around the world.My professional printed Gift Vouchers sold really well also,for birthdays,and nice presents for loved ones where they can be exchanged for any products on my website,most where brought as gifts for my One To Ones.

It was a real team effort with my wife;Vanessa working alongside me,with her 16 years experience in customer service’s making the two days go just the bit more smoother with her beautiful smile and professional input,thank you Vanessa

Has now got full Chip And Pin facilities available,where its a very convenient and easy way of paying for items, where it is fully protected.All our products can be paided for using this method, examples-deposits and full payments on my Photo Tours (Africa,Tigers, etc),payment for Prints/Canvas alongside my Pay-Pal account that all of my orders come through.By offering this facility we have made is a lot easier for customers to purchase our products over the telephone just like you do from a shop/mail order.Where a full receipt is sent to you.

Thank to all the really nice people we both met over the two days there, a great venue and location to be in and I look forward to meeting the people who booked onto one of my One To One days or Workshops.With another display at Buxton planned for the end of July then the Birdfair in August it promises to be a busy time for us alongside what I loving doing and that’s capturing nature with my camera.

I have updated my One To One days showing the places I go to throughout the 12 months of the year, where they are timed to coincide with the changing seasons and natures own calendar to get the very best opportunities to photograph nature at a time of your choice.

My Hide-Tide days at Norfolk which start in late July have become really popular and these run from mid July all the way through until March of next year where you see thousands of waders moving closer to shore,forming beautiful patterns in the sky as the sea comes in and consumes the coastline.For more details of these days and booking on one then send me an email on my Contact form

These days are priced at £150.00 each and include a packed lunch/hot and cold drink.Any questions or further details then please contact me.Thank you all again for the sales,and bookings we got,I hope you have years of enjoyment from the frame photos/unframed images you brought and I was sad to see them go in a funny way.All the best.

I’ve just returned from two wonderful One To One days in Norfolk that a client from Scotland:Bobby had booked with me.I’m always happy when people make the effort in booking onto one of my trips or One To Ones,where in Bobby’s case traveling some distance I took care of everything, the hotel booking,food,packed lunch the lot so no matter how far the client has to travel to attend one of my trips I pull all the stops out,enabling them to ‘Just Press The Button’ and enjoy and capture the chosen wildlife they have asked to photograph and learn more about.

I find the task of meeting a stranger in the early hours of a new day not a problem as I do really like helping people to take better images,where I teach it all from expert fieldcraft,crafted over many years of being at one with nature right through to the camera settings,pressing home all the time that wildlife photography is for everyone,where good images can be obtained with effort and patience.My passion for nature ever present and I show the beauty of whats around us all,where I share my skills and information  from the moment someone attends my trips/One To One days,so when they go home they do so in the knowledge they have learned in parts, the skills,setting,knowledge of nature that I know and use and over time with practise and patience their work will improve as mine has done.

The key target when I am heading east from my Staffordshire home to Norfolk is the beautiful Barn Owl-‘The Ghost’ as call them as you can be waiting for some time,then from know where this white bird appears,almost like a ghost,perfectly silent in flight,going about its business,quartering the fields on the look out for rodents and small voles,briefly looking up at you with its ‘Disc-Like’ face,giving you a split second look at their beautiful faces.My preference has always been to get into place before the light comes up,using camouflaged clothing,and place yourself in nature, where by watching,listening and observing what is happening around you you can start buildling a picture of whats happening around and over time this for me is the best tool to learn with regard wildlife photography and one I always press home on any workshops/trips I run.

The weather in Norfolk was’nt great,but on the first night we where afforded a beautiful sunset,where I was dreaming the Barn Owl would fly past,but some dreams are just to big and will always remain just that,dreams.The colour from the sunset turned the whole place a red/orange colour,it was just amazing to watch with no wind you could here a pin drop,just the noise of the waves breaking the perfect silence.

Bobby managed some great shots and also some wide-angled landscape image,where there is always an image to be had even in the absence of wildlife.The two days went to quick,with only the images on my hard drive now to remind me of my latest trip to Norfolk.I tired to capture the Barn Owl within the farmland habitat in which it share’s its life alongside humans,where there is the close contact between these two and where the Barn Owl seems to be thriving with good numbers of these birds all over Norfolk

For me the Barn Owl never stops thrilling me with its presence,it is a really popular bird within the general public, when you catch one flying around on its quest for food it is just amazing to watch this master at work.This year I have witnessed them feeding in pouring rain,something I reported on in an early blog and behaviour I’ve never seen before.With the recent cold spell at the beginning of the year,one of the coldest in over 50 years, the Barn Owl struggled to feed itself and in some areas numbers have been down,but the real damage of this spell of weather won’t be truly known for some time yet.

I have released a Limited Edition Barn Owl image,with only 100 prints available.Where I had observed this male Barn Owl for sometime during our recent cold spell, I watched as he hunted over snow-covered ground. Here he is captured stopping and hovering over prey, just short of where I was laying down on the freezing ground. I could here his wings flapping during the brief time he hovered then moved on. To celebrate that beautiful moment in nature alongside my own love for Barn Owls I have brought out this Print.Where you can buy with or without a frame by clicking here and scroll down

A lot of my work and prints can be viewed this weekend as I have a display at the Pavilion Gardens,Buxton,Derbyshire.and I’m just making the final adjustments to my stand and choosing the images I will display and sell to the public.Its great to see my work in print as to often its just left on the computer or used at a much reduced Jpeg size,where the detail cannot be truly seen.So if you are in the area this weekend please pop in to say hello and if I can be of any help,or questions on wildlife photography etc than please ask.