A camera has always been a portal to the world around me. My fascination with photography began with a Polaroid i-Zone. A camera designed for kids that my brother and I got as christmas presents one year. My subjects were simply whatever caught my curious eye and with a push of a button, it would instantly appear on the decorative strip with a 38x25mm photo in the middle.

My first true dive into the power of the lens came in 2012. I was incredibly fortunate to embark on a month-long safari across Southern Africa with my family. Sharing my dad's Sony DSLR-A700, I was captivated by the immense opportunity to capture thousands of images of wildlife in it's natural habitat - lions, elephants, breathtaking landscapes, and unforgettable sunsets. It was an intense, thrilling learning curve; I recall spending over an hour on a skiff, utterly absorbed, photographing a pride of lions on the shore, their recent kill still a powerful, raw scene. This trip also sparked my initial, albeit unsuccessful, attempt at astrophotography, a challenge I eagerly anticipate revisiting with new knowledge and gear. The only drawback? Constantly vying for time with the camera!

Fast forward to late 2024, and after years immersed in the digital world of tech, I felt an undeniable pull back to the tangible. I made a deliberate choice to reconnect with the "real world" and reignite my passion for photography. This time, armed with my own gear - starting with a Sony A7CR and more recently adding an A1 II to my bag - I committed to getting out into nature, camera in hand, at least once a week. My loyal dog often accompanies me, though she's not always thrilled about my frequent stops!

My photographic journey largely unfolds around the tranquil nature reserves near lakes and rivers in my local area, though I also make dedicated trips to places like Woburn Deer Park to seek out wildlife I don't typically encounter. My focus has sharpened; while I still capture the beauty of a "pretty bird on a stick," I strive to tell stories and evoke feelings about things, rather than simply taking pictures of them. It's a subtle but significant shift in perspective that continues to challenge and inspire me.

Photography has become an escape from screens and code. It's helping me sharpen my observational skills, particularly when it comes to spotting birds - though those smaller species remain delightfully elusive! My Instagram feed, updated every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, is less about chasing external validation and more about charting my own progress. Each post is a personal milestone, a visual record of my evolving eye, improving editing techniques, and deepening connection with the natural world.

If you would like to follow along on my journey, I invite you to follow my Instagram as I continue to discover the world, one frame at a time.