An interest that turned into a passion

I am a wildlife photographer living in Derbyshire in the UK. I have been interested in photography since I was a boy. My first experience was not actually taking photographs myself, but helping a friend develop and print black and white 35mm film images in his darkroom at home. After that, like most people, I took many photographs without really studying the subject or knowing what I was doing. I didn’t concentrate on any particular genre and just shot whatever seemed interesting or attractive to me.

What changed all that and led me to realise that wildlife photography was what I really wanted to do was going to South Africa. On my first trip I went on safaris in two places and was immediately hooked. Since then I go back to Africa as often as I can, each time looking to record some of the wonderful animals, birds and places I have been privileged to see.

There are many wildlife photographers, both professional and amateur, whose skill and work I admire enormously. Doing it myself shows me how just how accomplished and talented they are and it inspires me to do more and get better. I don’t fool myself into thinking that I can match what they do, but I get so much pleasure from my own efforts - and some of them seem to work out okay.

The purpose of this website is not to pretend that I can compete with the professionals, but rather to share some of the wonderful encounters I have had and, hopefully, to encourage others to try it themselves. Even if photography is not a particular interest of yours, I hope that some of what you see here makes you want to get closer to the wonderful wildlife we share our world with.

Simon