January 2023 Viewfinder
There are sought-after species and longed-for reunions in this month's Opposite View Wildlife Photography newsletter.
January is traditionally the month of making resolutions and having resolve.
I honestly do not know why we repetitively put ourselves through this torture. We have just (barely) survived the onslaught of Christmas before we are staggering through a rendition of Auld Lang Syne and being asked to come up with a list of all the fantastic stuff we will achieve during the coming year. And we are supposed to make all these positive proclamations during some of the darkest days (literally and figuratively) for many of us. I reckon we should all give ourselves a break. Why can’t we make our resolutions in February when we have had more than five minutes to settle into the year? Or, better still, how about we just wait until we feel capable?
Why am I rattling on about this and not writing about wildlife photography (which is what I am assuming you are signed up for…thanks so much if you are sticking with me here)? Well, here in the UK, we have just finished another informative and inspiring series of the BBC’s Winterwatch and I couldn’t help but notice the continuing importance ‘The Watches’ are placing on the healing power of nature when it comes to our mental health. However, in this series of Winterwatch, there seemed to be an increasing emphasis on how people use wildlife photography (specifically) to find relief and release. The stories of Paul Williams and Ross Lawford touched me - both have found solace in wildlife (mainly hares and otters, respectively) but also in the process of capturing images. As Chris Packham noted:
“When you are looking down a camera and concentrating on a subject, to get a decent photo you have to deal with all the technical things, framing, exposure and the animal behaviour and you are fixed in that moment and the rest of the world disappears and becomes a real form of therapy. You are focused so much on nature that everything else vanishes and you can relax into it.”
I said much the same in an article I wrote for CPRE a few years ago:
“For me, wildlife photography has helped to alleviate anxiety and stress. Firstly, by forcing me to slow down. If I want to find wildlife to photograph, I can’t be marching along as I’ll either miss spotting a subject or flush it from its hiding place. Instead, I must tread lightly and calmly to take in and appreciate my surroundings and not disturb a potential subject.
“Secondly, the beauty of wildlife provides a boost of serotonin (a chemical our bodies release that can control emotion) and, during the more exciting encounters, an adrenaline rush. Thirdly, controlling the camera settings focuses my mind on the task in hand and capturing the image helps to release my creative side and gives me a sense of achievement.
“When I look through the viewfinder, my whole world reduces to what I see, my camera settings and the thump of my heartbeat.”
You can read the full article on the CPRE website.
As wildlife photographers, nature writers, or birdwatchers (etc.), we probably all need to make plans. Having goals keeps us motivated and helps us to get what we desire. But we shouldn’t be forced into setting targets when we feel vulnerable or lost. We need to be kinder to ourselves. Focus on nature and let the other stuff fall into place when it’s ready.
So, that’s what I have done this year. Normally, around this time, I would tell you about this year’s ‘project’ and what I have planned for the coming months. The truth is, I don’t know. This time last year, I probably told you I was planning to spend all winter photographing the foxes before switching to nesting gulls in the summer. I had no idea that I was about to meet some roe deer characters that would drastically change my photography for the better. Will I spend every lunch break watching the deer this year? A couple of weeks ago, I would have assumed so. I have since been reunited with Sonny the fox and realised how much I miss the Burn Foxes. And who knows what will happen if the otters make a reappearance!
My suggestion for a resolution is to resolve to keep doing what you love and remember why you love it, particularly if you’re limited - like I am - on the amount of time you can spend with wildlife. And if you are a slightly obsessive planner (like me), save that list until the end of February.
Finally, a word to the wise: do not fall into the trap of believing what you see on the Instagram grid. Yes, it looks like other photographers see wondrous wildlife every time they step out their front door, but I can guarantee they don't. Even professionals spend vast amounts of time in the field without anything to show for it. Social media feeds are a curation of the best images - whether they were taken last week, or ten years ago. I try to post an image a day. That doesn’t mean I am capturing images every day, or even seeing wildlife every day. In the words of Public Enemy, don’t believe the hype…for the sake of your sanity.
I’ll leave you with Blue and Beta in monochrome - because sometimes we all need a reminder of what is important in black and white. If you have ignored all of the above and made some wildlife photography resolutions, please let me know in the comments so that I can steal be inspired by them.
Best wishes,
Rhiannon
Opposite View Wildlife Photography
Through my lens
Raving over ravens
There are few birds more shrouded in folklore than the raven. I am not just talking about characters in Norse mythology – the two ravens Huginn and Muninn being Odin’s eyes and ears – or the role the raven plays as both creator and trickster in the legends of the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Tales of raven sightings haunted my waking hours, and stories from other photographers of their encounters with these intelligent birds filled my dreams.
In this blog, I share my obsession with ravens, the resignation that I would never photograph them, and the elation of a recent encounter.
Species Spotlight
Chaffinch – the familiar finch with an uncertain future
The chaffinch is the antithesis of the familiarity breeding contempt cliché. Males are colour-shifting sopranos. Females are master nest engineers and boss the breeding season.
In this blog, I explain why the chaffinch is a fascinating subject for wildlife photography but one that is facing a deadly disease.
And finally…
If you read last month’s newsletter, you will know that a local roe deer got hit by a car after being chased by a dog. Since then, another deer has been found dead at the roadside. While this remains upsetting news, I am sure you will appreciate my delight and relief to see rugged old buck Quint this month after worrying that he might have been killed. He may not have his antlers right now, but I would recognise his squinty jaw and gnarled appearance anywhere.
In the image above, he looks like he is jumping for joy as much as I was. Frustratingly, he was running up the field to get some distance from a large German shepherd, which a family had allowed to charge about everywhere off the lead.
I am likely preaching to the converted here, but please keep your dog on a lead or close to you when you are out and about and politely encourage others to do the same. If not for the wildlife, for the sake of the dog.
Keep in touch
Thanks for reading this! If you have any comments or questions, opportunities for photography or if you would like to use any of my images, please leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.
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This is a very deep and meaningful piece of writing Rhiannon, quite moving.
Very true and beautifully said!