Backyard beasts!
Tom Mason
Pro wildlife photographer Tom has worked around the globe on wildlife assignments, but is just as happy photographing critters found much closer to home.
When it comes to the single piece of advice I’d give to wildlife photographers – be it those starting out, developing their craft, or just looking for a new challenge – it would be to get started on your very own local wildlife photography project!
It doesn’t matter if it’s blue tits in the garden, frogs in the pond or the local street fox, find something close to home that you can work and develop photographically. Over the past few years I’ve had the luxury of working on a variety of international assignments, from watching elephants in the Okavango to camera trapping for jaguars in the Amazon. They certainly offered some amazing opportunities for wildlife photography, but when it comes to developing my work, style and shooting techniques, that’s always been a job for home.
Be it the garden, a local nature reserve or the graveyard at the end of the road, it’s simply amazing the abundance of wildlife photography opportunities you can find in your neighbourhood. Granted, it might not contain some of the more exotic wildlife, but you’ll be surprised by the wildlife we are lucky to have on our shores. The moment you really start to explore, it’s incredible how much potential is right outside your window and how, through a little thought, experimentation and long-term commitment, you’ll be able to make some of your best wildlife photography ever, a mere stone’s throw from the back door!
Time spent on research is never wasted and for local projects it can be a mix of hitting the books as well as getting your boots on
THE PROJECT MINDSET
Now, as much as wandering the local lanes, footpaths and parkland looking for subjects to shoot is enjoyable, in terms of making consistent successful images, it’s certainly less fruitful. We have all done it, just
