Competitions

I’ve always had mixed feelings about competitions. There are plenty of positives such as the exposure, the motivation, and the bit of focus they can give you. They can push you to refine your work and present it more thouthtfully.

That said, I’ve never been too concerned with the commercial side or chasing recognition for its own sake. Early on, I entered a few competitions, had some modest success, but often found my images getting only so far. It was disheartening at times, and I probably let those setbacks knock my confidence more than they should have. Eventually, I stopped entering regularly; it felt like a lot of time and money for little return.

Recently though, some of my red deer images was commended in the Deer Photographer of the Year competition, which was a pleasant surprise and a bit of a reminder that it might be worth giving competitions another chance. Not by changing my vision or shooting specifically for them, but by using them as a platform to share my work and message of conservation more widely.

So now, I see competitions less as a measure of success, and more as another way to reach out and inspire people, stay visible, and keep telling the stories that matter to me.

"I had been visiting Bradgate Park at sunrise, drawn by the beauty of its dramatic winter mornings. On this particular day, I decided to use a 70-200mm lens to capture more of the surrounding scene, creating a sense of place alongside the wildlife. Knowing the Fallow Deer descend the hill each morning, I positioned myself strategically and waited patiently. As the herd moved, one majestic stag froze, gazing across the horizon as if in quiet contemplation. It was a striking moment, and after capturing the image, I paused to reflect on the scene myself. The thought crossed my mind: ‘What have we done to our natural world?’ It was a bittersweet realisation, but also a reminder of the importance of protected areas like Bradgate Park. These sanctuaries are vital for preserving such moments of wild beauty and offer hope for all of us that love nature."

"During moments when the rutting reaches an impasse, it’s fascinating to observe the subtle interactions between stag and doe. These quieter intervals provide a glimpse into their natural behaviours beyond the intensity of the rut. I positioned myself against a tree, helping me stabilise my lens and putting the animals at ease, and observed them grazing. Patience was essential; capturing a moment like this couldn’t have been achieved by simply approaching the animals. Although the animals are used to people, it required waiting for the right moment to unfold. Observing from a distance not only preserves their calm but also allows for intimate, authentic glimpses of their world. This image is a reminder that wildlife photography is as much about understanding and respecting the animals as it is about the technical aspects of capturing the shot."

A couple of zoo images comended by BIAZA

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