About me:
My name is Katie Waddington, I’m a French/English wildlife photographer studying Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University. Specialising in macro and micro photography, I was shortlisted for the Close-Up Photographer of The Year under the microscopy category and commended for my shot of seaweed in the Exeter Marine Photo Competition.
My interest in wildlife:
II have always been fascinated with the wildlife that can be found on our doorstep. Ever since I was a child, I would go out into my garden and chase after butterflies, bees, anything that intrigued me. It wasn’t until I was older that I was allowed to use my mum’s camera and I have never stopped photographing since.
Past experience:
Raising awareness of the wonderful animals, big or small, that surround us is one of my priorities. Over the summer of 2019 I spent most of my time in the meadow next to my house. I would be sitting and watching the insects there for hours at a time. I decided to photograph in a specific style, the Meet Your Neighbours style. This technique means you do not disturb the wildlife because instead of taking the insect to a studio you bring the studio to the insect.
What I’m up to at the moment:
At University I spend a lot of my time putting different subjects under the microscopes. My most recent work showcased the importance of UK Honey bees and the threats they face on a daily basis. I find that when I look at things up close I have a new appreciation for them, as most insects have intricate patterns on them the are invisible to the naked eye.
My Rock Pool Project internship
I have now set myself a new challenge: to photograph as much of the wildlife I can find in the rock pools near me. I’ll be keeping to the Meet Your Neighbours style as this will allow the species I photograph to be the centre of attention. I will be doing this over a long period of time as my biggest struggles will be balancing my coursework and waiting for a day where there isn’t much rain (which is hard in Cornwall).
I am looking forward to keeping you all updated with my progress!
Katie
Check out some of Katie’s work below, including a ‘Meet Your Neighbours style’ image of a butterfly. You can see lots more of Katie’s work on her Instagram account here.