Born in Lytham, Lancashire, in 1950, and spent most of my life in that area.
Educated at Earnseat School at Arnside, then Giggleswick School in North Yorkshire. It was at these 2 schools that I developed my love of wildlife. My father also influenced me and bought me my first camera when I was just 12 years old.
On leaving school, I became involved in agriculture and attended the Lancashire Agricultural College where I received my National Certificate in Agriculture. After working in Lancashire and then for the Duke of Westminster in Cheshire for a couple of years, I became a little disillusioned with farming and applied for, and was accepted to join, the Lancashire Constabulary.
I spent 20 interesting years as a police officer, mainly as a dog handler, and I was trained in all aspects of this, including drug detection, body detection and I became a qualified instructor. I latterly became the dog sergeant for Blackpool and the Fylde, unfortunately leaving after becoming injured in a fight.
On leaving the police force I moved to the family farm at Whyndyke, just outside Blackpool, and that is where my love of wildlife and photography blossomed.
In 2001 I joined Fylde Bird Club where I met Philip Tomkinson, a keen photographer. He was instrumental in my changing to digital cameras and helped me enormously with both wildlife photography and image processing on the computer, and I shall always be indebted to him for all his help and patience.
In November 2004, I made a 3 week photographic trip to S Africa. I stayed with a good friend at Jeffries Bay, and enjoyed taking pictures of the various bird species in that area. I also made several safari trips to local game reserves, including Addo and Shamwari, where I was fortunate to take quite a number of large mammal images, the elephant being the main subject.
In October 2005, I stayed with a couple of close friends in Minnesota. Needless to say the camera gear went with me, and we made a 4500 mile road trip, visiting 13 states. I took quite a number of photographs, but would have liked to have stopped in Yellowstone a lot longer!
January 2006 has seen the biggest, and possibly hardest transition of my life. My wife and I have moved to a beautiful cottage on the Isle of Bute, which has the sea and Seals at the front, and a wood and Deer at the back. The island is a photographers dream, abounding in all sorts of different flora and fauna, and having some amazing landscapes. I also live quite near to Mount Stuart, which itself is an incredible area for photography.
I am a member of the National Union of Journalists, and a moderator on the United Kingdom Nature Photographer’s website.
My equipment consists of Canon 1DS2, 1D2, 20D, and various lenses from 24mm, through 180 macro, up to 800mm. Tripods are Gitzo & Wimbereley head for long lenses, and Manrotto Neotec with variable angled head for landscape and macro. I use various hides and always carry a bedroll for low angle shots and a beanbag when nothing else will do.
