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A Wild Read is our blog space for creative inspiration, practical photography advice, and stories from the natural world. It reflects both curiosity and exploration—an invitation to look deeper into wildlife, photography, and the creative process behind the images we make.
From fieldcraft and technical tips to reflections on artistic practice and encounters in nature, A Wild Read is designed to inform, inspire, and encourage a more thoughtful, expressive approach to photographing nature and the wild.
Make the Bird Smaller, Make the Photograph Bigger
Josh Galicki explores four ways in which shooting small in the frame can transform your bird photography
Josh Galicki
18 minutes ago3 min read
Beyond Technical Perfection - Photographing What I Feel
WildArt judge Jiří Hřebíček shares his passion for ICM photography as a creative tool. ICM is a technique that can help express emotion. © Jiří Hřebíček With today’s cameras and lenses, it is probably easier than ever to take a technically perfect wildlife photograph. Autofocus can follow an animal’s eye, and modern equipment allows us to work in difficult conditions. But one thing is still just as difficult: putting something of ourselves into a photograph. A sharp, well-exp
Jiří Hřebíček
7 days ago4 min read
Why Photography Projects Make Us Better Photographers
For many years, my photography followed a fairly random path. I'd head off somewhere with the camera and photograph whatever happened to catch my attention. And there's nothing particularly wrong with that. Wandering around with a camera and responding to what we encounter is one of photography's great pleasures. But eventually someone gave me a simple piece of advice that fundamentally changed the way I approached my photography: Find a project. It turned out to be one of th
Rob Read
Aug 174 min read
Diversity is key – why judge selection is critical for a strong competition
Image © Rob Read When photographers enter a competition, they are placing something personal into the hands of people that, in most cases, they do not know. And it has to be remembered that they are not simply uploading digital files. They are submitting photographs that may have taken hours, days or even years to create. Images that represent the experiences they have built up, a style they have developed, and a voice they have found. It's an investment that needs to be pr
Rob Read
Aug 144 min read
Clowning Around with Puffins ...and why maybe we all should.
Rob Read takes a fresh look at a popular subject I’ve probably seen more images of Puffins than most people. There have been days judging photography competitions when I've found myself shouting, "Not another bloody puffin!" at the computer screen... only for another 'bloody puffin' to appear a fraction of a second later. Now don’t get me wrong, these birds (along with Kingfishers perhaps) may be the most photogenic species on the planet. And yes, I admit to using my fair s
Rob Read
Aug 64 min read
How the bloody hell did they do that? Unlock the Creative Genie lurking inside ...
I get it. You look at an artistic, creative bird image and think: how the bloody hell did they do that?
Georgina Steytler
Jul 87 min read
See the Light
How turning away from convention transformed the way I photograph birds. If there is one thing that has changed my photography more than any camera, lens or piece of technology, it is learning to see light differently. When I first picked up a camera, I followed the traditional advice. Keep the sun behind you. Light the subject evenly. Show as much detail as possible. It's sound advice. If your goal is to create a clear record of a species, or produce an image that documents
Rob Read
Jun 253 min read
Seeing in Black and White
In a world obsessed with colour, could removing it be the key to creating more powerful bird photographs? The deliberate removal of colour can produce some powerful photographs if used in the correct circumstances. ©Rob Read Nature photography is often celebrated for its vibrant colours. From the electric blues of a kingfisher to the fiery tones of a sunrise, colour naturally draws our attention. Yet some of the most striking bird photographs contain no colour at all. Black
Rob Read
Jun 35 min read
Thinking About Photography Competitions? Read This First
Competitions are a great way to improve your photography, but there are a few tips that could improve your chances of success.
Rob Read
May 264 min read
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