Guillemots

We went looking for puffins, but found an army of Guillemots!

Seeing that many creatures all at once, and all so active, felt action-packed and incredible to watch.

I’m not sure if it was the sheer spectacle of there being so many of them, or the place they had chosen to live (on the sides of incredibly tall and dramatic cliffs, with a treacherous sea swirling below), or even the way they looked like mini penguins.

Whatever it was, these sea birds won my heart, and I came away just as happy seeing them as having seen a puffin for the first time in my life!

Sheep

So sheep aren't the rarest of animals, but I still think they're very interesting animals to photograph!

Especially a fierce looking sheep with curved horns, looking straight down the lens. It creates a presence that seems to blend both danger and innocence. Sheep tend to be great posers for the camera. 

Along with that, they live in incredibly scenic places - like here, with beautiful rolling hills and countryside in the background; or bare, winding trees that look like the set of a Tim Burton film or gothic horror.

I tend to gather lots of photos of these creatures whenever I go for a walk, so I'm sure there will be more to add in the future.

All Eyes On Me

All eyes on me!

I caught this guy hanging around on the rooftop of a stately castle in Wales, audaciously screeching at anything that went by. 

A peacock isn’t something most of us see every day; and when we do see one, it has a unique pattern and colouring that makes it fascinating to see.

Like this one: draped in feathers that look like a cloak of blue eyes.

I haven’t been lucky enough to capture a peacock with its feathers in full bloom in the air above it, but I loved the design this one carried, and it was proud enough to hold its pose for me to get a nice clear capture of it.

Bad Swan

What makes a swan so amazing? Is it its grace on the water? Its royal stature? Its artistic curves? 

Nope!

It's the difficulty of observing them, let alone photographing them, without opening yourself up to some kind of attack.

Maybe it’s the camera itself that triggers them, or maybe it’s me.

Whatever it is, as soon as I try to capture a photo, they seem to want to swim towards me and begin making themselves bigger, flapping their wings, and even hissing at me.

In the few times I’ve tried to photograph these beautiful water creatures, I’ve always had to make a quick escape, and haven’t been given much of an opportunity to compose the perfect shot.

So, whenever I see a half decent looking photo of a swan from now on, the photographer will be given the highest of praise from me!