Who doesn’t enjoy looking at wildlife imagery? From seal pups to badgers the animal kingdom offers a seemingly infinite range of species that can be captured by photographers, and Ian Walker has done just that. He frequently explores the UK countryside to photograph wildlife in their natural habitat, as well as occasionally travelling further afield to America.
I hope people get some pleasure from my photographs, and I hope it makes them want to be kind to animals, if I can achieve that in even the smallest way then I would be delighted.
Ian Walker
Join us to discover how Ian became captivated by the world of nature, how he came to appreciate animals, and where he plans to go next to photograph wildlife.
CG: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you became a wildlife photographer?
IW: Like a lot of people, I did some photography when I was younger back when it was still film. Somewhere along the way, life and work took over – it was years before I really started to get back into it. Like a lot of people, I photographed whatever took my fancy, a pebble on the beach, a bad landscape, whatever. Eventually though, I started doing some street photography which quickly morphed into photographing the homeless, which was both incredibly interesting and incredibly sad.
Just prior to Covid, I had started to do some wildlife photography as a way of relaxing and making sure that I got out into the fresh air. After that it just became my sole focus and I found that for a very impatient person, I could lay at the edge of a field or sit in the woods waiting – hoping for hours.
CG: Is there a reason as to why you photograph wildlife and what message would you like to portray with your images?
IW: I love animals. Every passing year makes me appreciate them more, so photographing them was just the obvious conclusion – everything that went before was just good practice. Also, it allows me to go out into nature, to get away from people. I enjoy the not knowing whether you will get to see anything, let alone actually shooting any sort of photograph – knowing that there is always the possibility is enough.
I hope people get some pleasure from my photographs, and I hope it makes them want to be kind to animals, if I can achieve that in even the smallest way then I would be delighted.
CG: Tell us the story behind your most difficult shot.
IW: There is no question as to my most difficult shot. Having been to Wyoming previously and failed to get anything beyond a distant glimpse of a fox – I was determined to put that right the second time round.
I knew that there was a strong chance of seeing the foxes around the Jenny Lake area, but it was winter (the road was closed), and the walk was about 6 miles each way. It’s flat and I do plenty of walking, so it should have been easy, except I’m not used to walking in 3 inches of fresh snow – I was shattered after a mile but I made the 6 miles, got a great experience with a fox, and then walked the 6 miles back. This was the hardest walk I’ve ever done. I went back a few days later when the snow had been compacted by other walkers but didn’t see anything, making the hard effort worthwhile.
CG: What is your favourite image in your Alamy collection?
IW: Another fox from Wyoming, just everything that I had hoped for, a beautiful fox looking back over its shoulder in the snow. It was an incredible experience, and it is one of those rare times when everything comes together. Although if you ask me again tomorrow or next week, I might have a different answer.
CG: Can you tell us about your next big project and where it will be taking you?
IW: I am going to Alberta, Canada later this year – a new place for me. I’m really looking forward to exploring a new area, breathing in the fresh air, and having the possibility of taking some great photographs. In the meantime, spring is in the air and the wildlife is getting active.
We hope you enjoyed Ian’s interview as much as we did and feel inspired to go outside and photograph wildlife near you. If you’re looking for tips on how to capture wildlife, you can read our blog ‘Nature and Wildlife photography: Capturing the Drama of Migration moments‘ to get you started. You can check out the rest of his collection here, keep up to date with him on X, and on his website here. As you already know, come back next month to see who will be in the spotlight.
