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My hobby of nature photography started about twenty years ago. Up until then, like any other dad, I was taking pictures for the family album, photographing two main subjects, my children Samantha and Michelle. Suddenly they reached ‘that age’ and started to hide their faces or turn away whenever the camera was pointed in their direction. I was then confronted with a real dilemma – I had no subjects so what was I going to take pictures of?
Being a keen bird watcher, I owned a small collection of bird books and spent many hours admiring the stunning images they contained. How were they taken? How did the photographer get so close? I was fascinated and decided the only way to find out was to have a go myself.
A bird table laden with bird food was erected outside my kitchen window. I purchased my first 35mm camera, a Russian Zorki, sat in the kitchen with the camera lens pressed up against the double glazing, and the birds started to come.
I have grown to love the thrill of the hunt and that special feeling I get when the animal or bird I am stalking allows me to settle within ‘shooting range’. Then the adrenaline rush as my subject appears in the viewfinder and I compose my picture, slowly squeezing the shutter – YES!
Now with my wife Pauline, a great spotter by my side, all my holidays are based around My Wild Life including trips to Africa, Yellowstone USA, Finland, Bulgaria, Alaska and Peru. Together we have experienced many magical wildlife moments, the migration of the Wildebeest, Grizzly Bears fishing for salmon and Crested Tits posing on lichen-covered branches. These memories will remain with me forever – the pictures to me will always be a bonus.
My feelings are summed up by an event during a recent trip to Yellowstone. Late one evening a group of us were engrossed in taking photographs of the beautiful fall colour in some Aspen trees. Pauline was watching a small herd of Bison behind us as one came over the brow of a hill, kicking up dust, and for a split second the setting sun formed a silver outline around it.
Excitedly she told our leader what she had seen. “Did anyone get the shot?” he asked. No one did. Pauline pointed to her head, “I did – it’s up here.”
I have now learnt some of the secrets involved in capturing that special moment on film as well as in the mind, but my search for that award-winning image goes on, and long may it continue.
Thank you for taking time to view the pictures in My Wild Life – I hope you enjoy them.
Chris Wallace
Wildlife Photographer
To Purchase or view a specific animal / bird please click on the ALAMY LINK below for a library of over 3,000 of my images