I've been photographing as a hobby since 2023 when I decided to buy a 'proper' camera to do some wildlife photography. I'd previously thought fiddling around with a camera would be a distraction from watching and studying wildlife but it's added a whole new dimension and I'm seeing and appreciating things I didn't do before - how I wish I'd started sooner! Since then, my interest in photography has grown and I've dabbled with other genres. I did an Open University short course on photography (which I'd recommend) in 2025 which has opened my eyes a bit more and now there are a whole load of things I know I don't know much about! I'm mainly active around the north of England (Cumbria, Yorkshire and County Durham) and I also post as Foresters Lodger on iNaturalist.