I am a latecomer to the world of photography and started my journey as a desire to record the images I was seeing here in Donegal. My passion for wildlife was triggered in my childhood by a Great Uncle who was very much in the mould of Jack Hargreaves. (only those of a certain age will remember Jack) Learning the ways of the countryside and its inhabitants have played a huge part in my life and being the recipient of a Queen Mothers Birthday Award for conservation has been the highlight so far.
My style of photography is best described as being a hunter using my skills and knowledge of nature to get close to my subjects without causing a disturbance. I mainly shoot handheld which gives me greater flexibility, but maybe not quite as sharp of shots that using a tripod would, (there’s always a trade-off) but I think it is worth it. My greatest pleasure is to share what I witness in the wild with those less fortunate than myself and to generate a greater love of wildlife to them.
One of my best life decisions was to enrol in the IOP Professional Diploma Course, I found it challenged me at every stage to think more about my final outcome in any shot and give me the confidence to record a moment in a few seconds that it was available. A huge thanks to Tim, Phil and all of the team for their invaluable help and support right through the process and for being able to tailor the content for my needs. I have received numerous compliments on how much my wildlife shots have improved in the past year and I recommend everyone to enrol on this fantastic course. It has been a real life-changer for me, so many missed opportunities in the past to get the shot I wanted.
So, what does the future hold for me? With my newfound ability to get consistently decent wildlife images, and my good knowledge of the natural world, plans are in place to set up wildlife tours of Donegal where opportunities will be provided to see my world up close and capture images that could only be dreamed of. Residential courses are also planned for beginners in basic camera and identification etc. It has also been suggested that I put together an illustrated book of Donegal Wildlife.
Had it not been for the excellent IOP Professional Diploma course I would still be stumbling along with no hope of improvement, the journey has been so worthwhile.
