Rekindling the Flame — WildArt Photographer of the Year

Rekindling the Flame

by

Rob Read

Above: Little Grebe is a species I’ve not photographed particularly well before. I enjoyed a small group as they drifted in and out of the morning sunlight, allowing me the chance to photograph them in a high contrast style. ©Rob Read.

A very Happy New Year to all our followers and I do hope that you all had a really enjoyable break over the Christmas period.

Apologies for the lack of recent posts, but I took somewhat of an extended break myself after a very busy year with all things related to WildArt and its growing community, including A Wild Read readers of course. The photo competition proved more successful than I ever could have imagined and the WildArt community is set to really grow this year as we all share and enjoy a love of nature.

As I am sure you all know, I have a passion for wildlife photography, and recent years have seen the transition of my photography style from the literal to the artistic. This is a journey I have really enjoyed, although I must admit that I lost my photographic ‘mojo’ towards the end of last year. I blamed my heavy work schedule and the pressures of training and looking after our new dog, Skye. While an element of this is true, it was also a rather convenient excuse for a degree of photographic and artistic paralysis which I allowed to take hold. The Christmas break couldn’t have come at a better time, and a few days off allowed me to recalibrate and reassess where my photography was going.

Now, those of us in the UK will know that the weather of late has been awful. How true this is I don’t know, but the media was full of stories suggesting that December was the dullest month on record. I’m not going to argue as I’m struggling to remember seeing the sun at all. Thankfully, we were treated to a full day of unbroken winter sunshine last week, and I took the opportunity to get out into the fresh air and visit some of my local haunts. Knowing locations well and the species that call them home really helps, and spending time out with the camera has oiled the wheels of my photographic rehabilitation.

Above: Black and White is a style that I aim to explore more in 2022. Coots make good subjects for this medium. ©Rob Read.

As the sun shone, there were plenty of obliging subjects and I was treated to numerous wonderful opportunities with the local waterbirds as the early morning sun started to make its presence felt. After an hour or two of shutter-happy delirium, and I felt my mojo flooding back – oh, how I have missed it! Mother nature must have known I needed this shot of adrenalin, as she dished up another treat as I thanked the waterbirds for their obliging performances. Just by chance, an Otter had decided that it was going to show itself close to the bank and in perfect morning sunlight. I have seen Otters locally plenty of times, but always in dim and unusable light (photographically). For a change, I was in the right place at the right time.

To cap it all, as I watched the Otter, a Cetti’s Warbler belted out its unmistakable call only a few feet away. This warbler is a tricky little so-and-so, and rarely offers itself up in the open, preferring to skulk, rather annoyingly, in the undergrowth and good views are not common. But this bird came and sat out in the sunshine, flicking its long tail up and down and repeatedly shouting its phrases at the small crowd that had gathered to watch the Otter. Not many seemed interested when I pointed the bird out, a shame as it’s a lovely for a ‘little brown job’.

The Otter did the usual Houdini act as the sun rose higher in the sky, it’s light becoming harsh, so I headed back to the car, keen to get home and look at the images on the computer screen. Here is a selection of those images for you to enjoy.

Here’s to a great 2022!

Rob Read. January 2022.