A Wildlife & Landscape Photography Gallery
The portfolio is arranged in separate galleries under different headings to make browsing easier. The British Bird Photography Gallery below now includes Andy's bird photography in France, although many of the birds are common to both countries. Next you will find the Wildlife Photography Gallery, which also includes a shot of very special canine friend who is not strictly 'wildlife', but wanted to be included! Below that, do check out the Landscape Photography Gallery. I will be adding images to all the photography galleries as time goes on, so please do check back regularly for new additions and consider subscribing to my Blog for all the latest developements.
Bird Photography Gallery
When he was 12 years old Andy built his first bird box, painted it yellow, attached a green felt roof and wedged it in a hedge in the family garden. The Great Tits had none of his father's reservations about the colour and the less than perfect angles, and immediately moved in. Andy was thrilled to watch a nest being built and a family successfully reared. From this time on, birds held a large place in his heart and an interest in photography as a means to capture the moment was born.
Wildlife Photography Gallery
Whilst staying in a holiday caravan on the south coast of England, Andy discovered that there was a badger sett directly beneath the caravan. Every evening at dusk, these truly wild badgers would emerge to go foraging around the park. Obviously it was an opportunity not to be missed and Andy took his first shots of a wild animal.
When Andy photographed a baby rabbit, he was visiting a nature reserve. He spotted the rabbit just beside a public path. As he was taking photographs, many people walked past and were completely unaware that they were within a few feet of a wild rabbit. We are surrounded by nature all the time, but we don't slow down often enough to notice it. Andy began to realise that his photography could encourage people to have more appreciation for the nature right under their noses.
Landscape Photography Gallery
Andy relocated to Creuse, France during the Covid-19 pandemic. He managed to organise everything in just six weeks and had a matter of days to settle into his new location before France locked down for the second time. Luckily, his new home provided everything he needed while the country found itself at a standstill. There was time to explore his new surroundings before getting down to all the tricky admin that goes with moving to a new country.
It has taken some time to adjust, but the magical countryside has more than compensated for a few bouts of cultural shock and the difficulties of having to learn a new language. The land walks with him, revealing itself a little at a time and always promising more. It is a reciprocal relationship, almost as if the land responds when a person reaches out in friendship. Andy's adventure in France is an evolving and expanding project. He believes life is about progress, not perfection; we all have the same ultimate destination, but it's the quality of the journey that makes the differences. There is plenty more to come!
