MIKE PHELPS
I’M MIKE PHELPS AND I’VE BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT WILDLIFE FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER. AS A YOUNG CHILD, I WAS TAKEN TO SYMONDS YAT TO SEE THE PEREGRINE FALCONS NEST - ONE LANDED SO CLOSE TO ME, I WAS HOOKED! AFTER THAT EXPERIENCE I COULD BE FOUND WALKING AROUND MY LOCAL PARK AND FARM LOOKING FOR ANY KIND OF WILDLIFE THAT I COULD RESEARCH. AS I’VE GROWN OLDER, MYSELF AND MY FAMILY TRY AND SPEND AS MUCH TIME OUTDOORS AS POSSIBLE. I TRY TO ENCOURAGE MY CHILDREN TO ENJOY NATURE AND TEACH THEM THE IMPORTANCE OF IT, AND HOW BEST TO LOOK AFTER IT.
UNFORTUNATELY A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO I WAS HIT QUITE HARD WITH SOME MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, DEVELOPED FROM A TRAUMATIC EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE SOME 27 YEARS PREVIOUS. HAVING BEEN SIGNED OFF WORK FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS WHILST I RECEIVED COUNSELLING, MY WIFE EXPLAINED THAT I SHOULD TRY AND CLEAR MY HEAD BY GETTING OUT INTO NATURE, TAKE A CAMERA THAT I HAD PREVIOUSLY BOUGHT FOR HER WITH ME, AND USE IT AS A FORM OF THERAPY. I LISTENED TO HER AND DID JUST THAT… IT WAS THE START OF THE MOST AMAZING JOURNEY INTO WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY. IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED HOW BEING OUT WITH WILDLIFE CAN IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND I CAN VOUCH FOR THAT. WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY HAS BECOME SUCH A HUGE PASSION FOR ME AND I HAVE MET SO MANY FANTASTIC LIKE MINDED PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY. I AM HOPING WE CAN DO OUR PART IN BRINGING THE COMMUNITY A LITTLE CLOSER TOGETHER AND ARRANGE EVENTS THAT WE ACTUALLY GET TO MEET EACH OTHER FACE TO FACE.
MY WEAPON OF CHOICE IS THE SONY A1 PAIRED WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT LENSES FROM THE SONY 16-35MM GM UP TO THE 600MM F4. I USED TO SHOOT NIKON BUT CHANGED FROM NIKON TO SONY IN MAY 2021 WHEN I DECIDED TO GO TO A MIRRORLESS SET UP.
I AM LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE WORKED WITH THE BBC, ITV AND A NUMBER OF MAGAZINES AND NEWS PAPERS. I HAVE ALSO HAD PHOTOS AND MY STORY FEATURED IN VARIOUS ARTICLES FOR A NUMBER OF LARGE ORGANISATIONS INCLUDING SONY, AND HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE WON AWARDS FOR MY WORK .