MEET SIMON

I’ve been a photographer for all of my adult life and fortunate enough to have had a freelance career for over 16 years. Previously, I mainly photographed humans. In the last few years I’ve been photographing an amazing array of wildlife, mostly here in the UK and if I’m fortunate enough occasionally overseas.

To me, wildlife photography is the perfect combination of adventure, photography and of course nature. I’m commonly found crawling through muddy fields on my stomach photographing brown hares and hanging around on street corners capturing images of urban foxes. I crave the striking light provided by a decent sunrise or sunset, and so like many animals I’ve become quite crepuscular!

As most wildlife photographers will tell you, much of the time out in the field (or on the streets) yields little photographic success, but to me that’s part of the fun. It makes it so much more rewarding when I finally manage to nail a shot I’ve had in my mind’s eye, or better still, capture something completely unexpected. I find it quite therapeutic, a mindful practise from start to finish, always leaving a location feeling better than when I arrived.

I find joy in discovering beauty in the everyday, which is often overlooked by others. Like the way late evening sun can briefly shine through gaps in fencing, unintentionally creating beautiful light, or the juxtaposition between urban wildlife and their manmade surroundings.

With each image I take, I strive for dramatic light and one or two other things, whether that’s to show anthropomorphic qualities, an animal’s individual personality, to showcase an interesting behaviour, or capture an environmental portrait. I want my images to tell a story not just as stand alone images but as a collection, documenting animals as they grow and navigate their way through life.

I’d much rather focus on a handful of species rather than dip my toe into photographing lots of different animals. I’ve personally found that by spending an extended amount of time with an individual or family group I notice subtleties in behaviour and personalities, which I wouldn’t otherwise be able to observe.

During this process I have witnessed both heartwarming and heartbreaking moments which will stay with me for the rest of my days. I can’t help but get attached to the animals I photograph. This is especially true for the ones I frequently visit close to home and I worry for their wellbeing like I would for a close friend.

I never underestimate what I have on my local patch and would like to encourage others to appreciate what they have on their doorstep, realising that amazing wildlife isn’t just in far flung exotic destinations.

British wildlife deserves a voice just as much as any other species from around the world, which are so often negatively affected by actions of their human neighbours. I hope my images and sharing my wildlife experiences with others will help soften their view on animals and encourage more understanding.