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I am often asked the question 'When did you first become interested in birds' Unlike many people, I cannot remember a time when
I wasn't, there was no 'Eureka' moment that first triggered it, so it is an easy question to answer, my response being simply 'At birth!'
Of course I could be wrong and it could have been earlier!!
I was born in Leeds in West Yorkshire, UK, where I spent my formative years. Although brought up in a
big city, I have vivid childhood memories of a passionate interest in all things bright and beautiful. Unfortunately this also included
all creatures great and small (my sister will testify)
and this often made me unpopular as a child and it took me a while to understand that the smallest representatives of our natural heritage,
usually those with either no legs or more than four, were often off limits to most other people.
I was then and still am now, especially fascinated by birds. I cannot explain why, it's just one of those things.
In my middle teenage years I wasn't satisfied simply to watch the birdie, I wanted to record what I saw and look at it again and again,
and that's where the interest in wildlife photography began. Unfortunately at that time the results were poor. It would be easy to blame
the poor equipment, (I obviously could not afford top end gear) but a more likely explanation is that I was all will and no skill.
After leaving school, I joined the RAF and then, due to other commitments,
the amount of time I had available for wildlife photography reduced significantly.
I still took every opportunity to go birdwatching and my passionate interest in the natural world did not diminish, but photography did.
Then, around six years, as my circumstances changed and I found that I had more time at my disposal, I felt the urge to get back into photography.
Again my lenses were initially focussed on birds but on my first trip to Kenya I was also blown away by the mammals
Wildlife photography is now an integral part of my life. Why? because it enables me to share moments in the life of
another creature, moments that can be exhilarating, awe inspiring, humbling, emotional or all of these, and sometimes the feeling cannot
be described as anything less than spiritual. But it doesn't stop there, later, when I look at some of the images, I don't just remember
taking the photograph. I remember how I felt at that time, the emotion of the moment often floods back and I realise again, as I did then,
how lucky and privileged I am.
I hope you enjoy looking at the images. I remember how wonderful the moment was when I took them.
Martin.
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