What's been happening? Well, after working with Dolphin Watch UK for some time, they sadly closed and I took a decision to set up a project called Sea-Life Conservation Tours. Performing a similar function as Dolphin Watch, my focus was to improve the standards of sea tourism and to create ocean ambassadors. This led to meeting some amazing people who have passion and determination that was a serious honour to be around. SCT ran for pretty much four years, and in that time we had many people from different countries join us on board. People who research, people who want to learn, families, friends, and other conservationists.

A crazy and wonderful time.

Rocking the boat?

I decided to bring SCT to a close in 2024 for a few reasons. One of which was the impact on my health. I knew things were getting to a point where I had to make a decision, when I simply didn’t look forward to developing another season of trips. Coupled with some unsavoury actions on Facebook from other parties, I really had to step away.

I could have handed the whole project off to someone else, but felt that even though there were people who I trusted and would have felt safe handing it to, I would never have really felt closure! It’s a bit like being addicted to sugar. You can stop, but at every turn there is temptation to jump in with both feet again.

Be proud of what you do and who you work with even when you have to pay the bills!

As a part crossover with SCT, I had the chance and opportunity to join a company that fits very much with what I stand for. With economic pressures and the lack of money, I applied to join NHBS Ltd which is a conservation company that retails “Everything Nature”. The company sells over 35,000 nature books along with equipment for conservation and is widely known as the industry standard for this. Even though it’s online it is nothing like Amazon!! You can buy everything from a bat box through to thermal scopes, Harp Traps, plankton nets, books on every animal possible, research, and so much more. Go take a look! NHBS celebrates forty years of helping nature in 2025 as well. No small achievement in itself.

In the same way as with SCT, I have found myself working with people who have an absolute passion for nature. Not just that, they are some of the most wonderful and interesting people. I really cannot believe how lucky I am.

2025

So what of the future? I believe we should all hold the things that we love and have a passion for close to us. Just because you may be working or need down time, passions make up who we are. I wear mine on my sleeve at all times these days - part of the reason I received some challenging communications on Facebook (which I’m no longer logging into).

Recharging my batteries has taken a little while. I have plans that run alongside my work. Photography, filming, writing, and shouting like so many others about what the world needs to be like. I’m married to a woman I both admire and love immensely. Cate has more talent in her little finger than I have in every fibre of my body. She’s an author, activist, editor, a literary giant in waiting.

2025 is going to be a year reintroducing “me”, my work, and more importantly trying to help others I have met in the last few years to give them more of a platform for their passions and work. The first step you may have noticed is that I have closed a whole bunch of pages on this website as they need to be refreshed.

It’s time to get going again … I’m back …

But it might have made you smile...or cry!

We've been hearing about that fact that as the seas have been a lot quieter over the lock down, we have been fortunate enough to be treated to species close up!

Recently I got a phone call from a friend of mine let me know that "Captain, there be whales!!". Unlike Captain Ahab, I raced up to Berry Head near Brixham, grabbing my cameras on the way out the door.

Berry Head is an amazing placed to see a lot of wildlife, as a small peninsula jutting out, you get the birds roosting and breeding on the rocks near by. But also you get the chance to view some of the sea's finest creatures. That day was no exception.

A Minke Whale was spotted of the tip the land, and it had been there for the best part of the morning.

For those who don't know much about this whale, it's one of the smallest species out there. Somewhere between six and eight metres in length depending on sex, and maturity. The Minke can be recognised by its white bands on its flippers. It appears dark grey in colour and has a white underside. Weight is somewhere around 4-5 tonnes, and is currently calssified as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Redlist.

The message is clear in many ways. With the lack of humans, nature has thrived in some cases! The trailer shows Penguins walking streets, Leopards meandering through holiday villas, whales enjoying a sudden peace in the water as shipping reduced, and the noise levels abated. Extraordinary? Not really, if anyone, it is more of what is should be. No doubt journalists will heap praise on the documentary, and maybe some will see the underlying message.

The day before writing this, I also listening to a live conversation on Club House with Dr Jane Goodall. She was, like Sir David, talking about how the world is trying to recover, but with humans, and the human views of “me first” the natural world struggles. I for one was listening and thinking about what I can do. But like many, I probably look at the issues that I see and think they are global, and too big for one person.

This is why Dr Jane Goodall has an organisation called Roots and Shoots. An innovative programme that is worldwide, but with a local view and mission of actions. I thoroughly hope you click on the link and go take a look. It really is one of the solutions to feeling “the problem is worldwide and I am only one person”. In the same way that younger generations (and I hear my dad saying that too me) love “Sir David and Dr Jane”, this organisation is focusing on the same adoring fanbase.

Rootsnshoots encourage local practical positive initiatives to problems empowering children, teens, and adults to solve the problems. Groups can sign up, and then make sue of the many tools available on the site.

More so now, than ever, the younger generations, the ones who will be in charge one day, are already taking charge. Becoming the sensible voice to the irrational adults that we are! Holding us to account, and rightly so.

If you are a parent reading this, then go take a look, and get setup for your children. If you are a child reading this, go look at the site and help.

By the way, that whale was taking from Berry Head in Devon. When the seas become quiet, the wildlife might say hello, and we'll hear it!

Allo-mothering is a behaviour that you can see in some predators, and other species. Elephants and Lions are a great example of this behaviour. In Elephants the matriarchal behaviours where other females look after the offspring of members of their herd are well documented. In Lions we see a similar approach where the females of a pride will "auntie" other female's cubs.

But, it is not something that is typically seen or has been capture on film with Cheetahs. The Cheetah mother is well known for living an independent life bringing up their cubs. Threats to them can be seen from not only other predators, but also from previous off-spring. I recall a situation at AfriCat where they were faced with the situation of having to relocate a Cheetah mother and her three cubs due to threats from a previous seasons cub who had already killed one of the new cubs.

So I find it really interesting when a report comes out from one of the reserves, where they regularly observe the animals behaviours that “Allo-mothering” has been observed at such a level.

Here is the link to the article they posted:

Read Post

Back in 2018 a law was introduced through the UK Parliament that would effectively close many of the routes through the UK for illegal Ivory. It stemmed from an investigation by the UK's Environmental Investigation Agency. This charity, which is seen worldwide as pivotal in policing and exposing illegal acts against nature, produced a report that showed the UK was critical to passing illegal ivory. It actually showed that the UK was the top trading destination in the world for Ivory between 2010 and 2015 (although in 2015 it was the second highest, Italy being first).

• Tracking the Ivory
• The Map

The EIA successfully helped in securing a cross-party political endorsement of a new law, that was supposed to come into effect that year. However, a small group of antiques dealers/traders argued against it, lodging various appeals over the next two years against the enactment of this law.

In August 2020, the final hurdle was removed and the law became a reality. Reported: Click Here

What does this mean? Well, there are a few exceptions, but even with these few, it means the criminal or unscrupulous trader cannot move Ivroy through the UK.

Here are the exceptions:

• Items with only a small amount of ivory. Such items must be comprised of less than 10% ivory by volume and have been made prior to 1947
• Musical instruments. These must have an ivory content of less than 20% and have been made prior to 1975
• Portrait miniatures. A specific exemption for portrait miniatures – which were often painted on thin slivers of ivory – made before 1918
• Sales to and between accredited museums. This applies museums accredited by Arts Council England, the Welsh Government, The Scottish Government or the Northern Ireland Museums Council in the UK, or, for museums outside the UK, The International Council of Museums
• The rarest and most important items of their type. Items of outstanding artistic, cultural or historic significance, and made prior to 1918. Such items will be subject to the advice of specialists at institutions such as the UK’s most prestigious museums.

The penalties:

• Up to five years imprisonment
• Unlimited Fines

Further Reading Information from EIA in 2018 The UK Law Ivory Law 2018

Support the EIA: Click Here

The first template I created came about because of Cate’s work on her slow burn project of America. She has been getting images printed by a company in Polaroid Square 600 format, and I wanted to create a template that allowed me to print multiple sets of this style on a single A4 page.

Using Affinity Photo, my Mac Photoshop killer, I learnt some basics in template creation, and layout. This partiocular template, allows you to click on the image area within each of the "Polaroids", and drop a real image in. Then you can print them on a single sheet, cut them out, and "Bob's your uncle"!

This took me one stage further. With photography, we talk about being visual story tellers. There is nothing more visual, and "story teller" than a comic. This set me thinking about more complex templates that use different geometric shapes to house the images within.

This layout was the first, a prototype if you will. More of them will follow, on the Facebook pages as I play more, and develop a Cheetahworld style of comic book template. If you use Affinity, then you may already be doing this, and if you don't know how to do this, there are plenty of Youtube Videos to show you how. Go play...

I'm now available on Saatchi's online gallery. "The worlds leading online art gallery".

From now on, I'll be producing, separately, a series of collectible works that will be limited editions. Usually no more than 25 in edition size.

It has taken me a while to get my mojo back, and I'm really very proud of the images, and the emotions they evoke. For those who know my way of working, these images will be classed in the Art House category of images. Very much in the art end of my work, they will focus on making beautiful thought provoking images that would look stunning on any wall.

As with all Limited Editions as they run out the price goes up, and when they first get release, the coveted 1/25 will be the first available. It's worth keeping an eye on or registering with Saatchi to make sure you don't miss out. I'll also pre-anounce a new image via my mailling list!

The images will be Giclee printed in London, on Hahnemühle Fine Art Baryta 325gsm paper, and will come with a certificate of authenticity.

They're called Border Noir, which is now my fourth category of images that denote Limited Editions. The edge is black with my trademark signature, however the image will be editioned, and signed by hand.

Go to Saatchi's online gallery now, click here.

In the past I've always taken the view that corporations were the evil empire, and I don't suppose I'm the only one! However, part of that might actually be because of my experience in the corporate world, and more specifically some of the people in the corporate world. Oh the stories i could tell...but won't!

However, as the years have gone by and I've mellowed (sarcasm is still working). I've thought about the continued public frustration seen in some debates, or demonstrations, trying to examine if there is a win/win situation out there. For a lot of corporations the drive is to return profits to shareholders. To demonstrate good efficiencies and an upward growth. To develop new exciting products or services that corner a market that guarantees the future of investment, jobs, and corporate health.

I should say that I'm not a member of any fiscal institute, or have great financial acumen. I'll leave that to those that do. BUT, here's an idea that I feel is worth giving thinking time too. Certainly the response to it on a social network for business gained a little positive feedback...

Many corporations would like to be "seen" to be good corporate citizens. They have "giving policies" for their employees, that may attract some benefit in kind. They may adopt and support a well established charity due to the type of business they are in, or simply because the leaders do feel it a worthy cause. These demonstrations should always be applauded no matter how cynical some may be. But with all these initiatives they are at the discretion of the company.

The world we live on is changing. You have groups such as Extinction Rebellion, and the Wildlife Rebellion demonstrating and raising awareness, and no matter how hard you try to ignore them, they achieve visibility, both negative and positive. What if corporations had the decision made easier for them? Instead of trying to align themselves to a cause that may help there PR, something they could still do, they were required to put some of their profits into conservation and nature.

My personal philosophy has been to give something back because of what I do. I get to take pictures, and enjoy a poor but fun life in photography. I have donated my images to charities that have generously put me up so they can use the images to fund raise, or promote. I'm not the only one that does that, its nothing new. But what if that were extended to corporations in the best possible way.

Could companies be asked to set aside a percentage or even a fraction of a percentage of their gross profits for the environment? If you think about it logically, most of the things we buy involve taking something from the planet. Resources, minerals, animals, air, to name a few. So why not turn it on its head by stating that an extension of the accounting for business would include, for example, a percentage point of the businesses gross profit before tax, that would be allocated to the planet. Sounds crazy doesn't it, but it might work, and it would have to be before tax, so that the wriggle room for creative accounting was reduced.

The method of allocation could be to the area most effected by the business. At a very basic level, a company that sells products that use Palm Oil (however it is farmed), would pay their Planet Tax into managing and supporting rain forests. The money would need to go direct, and not via any government. Sadly the greed of man knows no bounds, and in some countries we have to accept that government interference would make it impossible to get the money where it needs to be without an agency outside of government to administer the funds. Companies that fly people would pay into a section a Planet Tax that could combat global warming, maybe by paying for wind and solar farms to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels? It still doesn't give them the right to continue as they have been though, which is how the current charitable giving does. There wouldn't be a "We've ticked the charity box folks, lets go make even more money!" type of thinking.

The point of this post is that with the planet needing drastic action now (well decades ago really), we should not only be thinking about solving the current issues, but looking at what we do after the issues have been solved. Just because you've figure out the problem in front of you, it doesn't mean there won't be more after that. But you can always reduce the number of them to come! You see, for the first time, I'm want to be optimistic. I want the humans to succeed in surviving by caring for the planet. Humans have always been great problem solvers in the past when faced with an eleventh hour situation! Admittedly we are leaving it very very late this time, but we can still save ourselves by saving the planet. We have to change, completely change. We need to swallow hard, and stop just "taking" and pointing the finger elsewhere thinking that we are good citizens. Corporations need to do this too, because eventually they will stop making profits, and their employees will be out of jobs, with no money to spend on the products the corporations make. A corporate vicious circle to go with the climate vicious circle...

Recently Piers Morgan and PETA debated the use of the PET. As in "I have a pet".

I'm not on either side for this. I think we are losing sight of the actual fundamental issue. Respect. Respect for other animals because like it or not, WE are animals as well. We might be a predator, might even think of ourselves as moral, ethical, and intelligent, although from the video and commotion caused by the interview, you'd be allowed to think otherwise.

We live in a world where human respect for each other has been eroded away. You only have to look at the UK. What chance do animals have if we don't respect each other.

I get that the words we use in our world can lead to discrimination, racism, hate, and the rest of the issues that we see daily on our newspapers all over the world. But I think the issue I have with this debate is that we are actually guardians and carers for animals. If we take an animal into our house, or field, or have a goldfish. Then we have an obligation to that animal to feed it, care for it, and look after it.

The issue is what you do with the animal, not what you call it. I know there is the rational that changing the way people view something will change the way they behave to that "something" but, you have to be a credible voice to do so. Having a tupence discussion with Piers Morgan will not grant any favour with the public no matter how right you are.

Rant over...

On my first walk of 2020, I came into town and notice what appear at first to be a one legged Turnstone. Seemingly undeterred in its food gathering, this bird was hoping around with the same dexterity expected of these agile birds.

Being curious though I hung around and watched, noticing that the bird actually did have a second leg, however, it was injured. As you can see from this picture taken on my iPhone (yes they really are quite comfortable being around humans). The bird seemed to have a cable tie, around it foot somehow.

You can also see that from the colour difference between the two legs that this is not a recent injury.

Even through we make New Years Resolutions, one that I hope wont take much to keep for any of us, is to dispose of waste correctly. The impact of not doing so is so apparent...

This seems to be a lot of people's favourite images I've taken. A Cheetah just on the move with energy and power. The lovely thing with this image is that it captures and stops the motion. I've seen a lot of images w here the Cheetah is blurred to give a greater sense of motion. For me, I like stopping the motion so you can enjoy the animal. If you look into the image you will also see the Little Rock's and dust particles being kicked up!

This is a wild Cheetah that was released by AfriCat into their large reserve in Namibia. At the time I took this picture I was lying down about ten feet away from the animal. Thankfully I had one of Okonjima's guides with me. Rohan Van Wyck, along with the other guides there are more than accomplished in their tracking skills, and are amazing photographers as well.

Cheetahs are an amazing predator. We all know they are the fastest predator around, and we get to see them on BBC natural history programs, but they also have an interesting history. They've survived two genetic bottle necks in their history. With the last one over ten thousand years ago. The ancestry can be traced back to a handful of Cheetahs. Literally. Technically they do suffer from inbreeding issues, however they have continued to survive, even with the pressures of man.

sadly though, things aren't looking so great. As with many of the predators out there, the total population numbers are declining through habitat loss, along with the fact that in some countries they are seen as domestic pets and prized highly. Yes you heard me right, they are seen as petS because they can be domesticated better than any other predator.

There are less than 6700 Cheetahs left in the wild. I've said it before and I will say it again. This is a man made mess, and we can all help to reduce the pressures on these animals. It isn't important where you live, as you can still support the charities that make a difference. AfriCat, Cheetah Conservation Foundation, and the Ruaha projects all work towards either reducing Human Wildlife Conflict or creating important research to help in saving these animals.

Not the best shot in the world, but one I quite like because of the bird, and the time of day. Doxey Marsh can be found on the outskirts of Stafford. A town I used to live in. It has a main train line running through it, the M6 running through it, new houses being built next to it; but it still has a wealth of wildlife.

There are a few small rivers running into lakes there, along with a couple of nice hides that have been erected by the Wildlife Trust. If you go there on a crisp winter morning, and watch the sun come up, you can get the most amazing light, steam rising from the water, and the early morning Heron's out to catch breakfast.

This is a cropped image, as the Heron was spooked a little by me even at distance. Using the 70-200 mm lens, with the camera in crop mode (D700), a high ISO (1600), and a medium F-stop, it caught the Heron at the right angle for the light to illustrate the colours and patterns on the wing.

You could say this follows the rule of thirds precisely. The Heron is placed on the intersection of the top right corner third, the landscape is divided into the three horizontal thirds, and the bird is flying into the picture with space in front.

Why do I think it's just an Okay picture? Well, the background has the pylons in for the train line, and the because of the ISO it's a little grainy. The colours are nice because of the lights and the time of year with the grasses giving that lovely brown!!

I've always had a thing for Colour Popping images. Sometimes, very bluntly, and other times, like this image, more subtley. This is the reason why its an Art House image, due to the monochrome background. The use of colour popping does divide people a little. It's a technique that brings out the marmite in people. You either love it or hate it. I for one, feel that when it's used it should really be sparingly but it can help an image.

This was another case of a quick "from the hip" shot. I was with a few other people, and we were discussing a few things about apes, when I noticed that this robing was inside the viewing gallery of the Ape building. As with most Robins they are bold as brass, and very territorial. This fellow was sitting on one of the posts near the exit door, but, he was watching as opposed to panicking and trying to get out.

I remember looking at the image afterwards, and thinking it wasn't anything that special. The background was distracting. However, simply colour popping the Robin removed the distraction from the area around. It also meant you could more easily see the small feather on his head sticking out against a well manicure bird!!

Simple image that shows one of our native birds to full effect. I've seen many shots of Robins in winter, with the snow, ideal Christmas card stock. This however, is really more of a portrait!

Another Art House image (only because of the border). This is a Capped Wheatear taking off!

Here's the situation, I'm in a jeep with my guide and we are driving through 30 degree temperatures towards the centre of Sossusvlei. He's more of a twitcher than me and he spots this bird sitting on a branch. He doesn't have his book of birds to hand and enlists my support to get a picture.

A little tip! If you ever want to catch a bird taking of, wait for it to have a poo! Yes, lighten the load, makes for an easy take off or getaway. It something worth remembering for other animals as well. Especially ones that are flight animals (as in running away from danger, not taking off). Horses will do that as well, they'll reduce their weight as much as they can before running away!!

I like this picture for a few reasons. In no particular order, the colours are pleasing. The bird is flying out of the picture the wrong way, which means its breaking the rules!! However, the branch is coming in from the corner leading the eye in. The bird isn't quite frozen, some blurring exists giving motion to the image, and the background is nicely soft!

A female Red-Crested Pochard! Yes, well there you go. This is an early Art House image. There was some advance thoughts that went into this image when I took it. I remember seeing this duck sitting on one of the wet areas very close to the paths you walked through to get to the hides. The details that caught my eyes, wasn't so much the bird itself, but the interesting reflections that were going on in the water. Perhaps I should have just taken the water is the image, and created something more abstract, however, I elected to shoot the bird.

What caused the strangeness going on in the water? Well, it was winter (you know nothing Jon Snow!), and the trees around the lake were devoid of leaves. The ripples were reflect the stark (I know) trees branches, and because of the warping effect, it gave a lovely level of interest to the background.

Why Art House? Well, the border that I placed on the image, throwing the edging into monochrome. The rest of the picture is natural, but because of this change, I designated it as a Art House image.

Note: If you want to know more about Art House, Natural and Words Worth have a look here on the website: Classifications