“This is tricky to choose because I tend to think in terms of ‘story’, rather than individual species. If I were pushed, however, I’d concede to a soft spot for brown bears.

I recall an image I saw many years ago of a bear looking out over a mist-laden lake at dawn in Finland. That image had a real impact on me. I felt like I was there in the silence, smelling the cool air, feeling the soft tendrils of mist on my skin. That’s what a great image does: it transports you into the scene and leaves a visual legacy.

Since then, I’ve been fortunate to photograph bears many times. They are, of course attractive, charismatic animals, but they also have a tense relationship with people, and that’s something that fascinates me. Our perception of wild animals, large predators, in particular, is in many ways a barometer for our wider relationship with wild nature. Across the world, if we’re to live as part of an ecologically rich tomorrow, we need to learn how to co-exist with animals that can impact on our everyday lives. Strong photography can inform and influence that process.”

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My Big 5

Brown Bear
Red Squirrel
Badger
Red Deer
Pine marten