Outdoor Gear for Wildlife Photography by Mountain Warehouse

 The tent used while being filmed for Springwatch in the Wye Valley in Wales

Its incredibly important to be comfortable when out taking images of wildlife as your much more likely to stay in the field if you warm and dry. When I under take shoot that require me to get up very early or not near roads I often camp to be on site for the action as it unfolds and this means using quality camping gear which I use mostly from Mountain Warehouse.

I feel a single tent is enough for most situations but a two man can be handy if you have lots of gear and like a bit of room. The tent has a ground sheet which keeps out the moisture and biting insects which when you may not be getting much sleep anyway from early starts makes all the difference. One of the main draws for me is that its very durable and lightweight so when trekking long distances it doesn't weigh me down.

View the tent on Mountain Warehouse

With the tent I then need a warm and waterproof sleeping bag. Even though I'll be careful and try to avoid getting moisture in the tent inevitably some will get in so a waterproof sleeping bag is a must. The Microlite 1400 has pockets inside so things like mobiles and wallets can be kept safe while sleeping. Its a great for use in cold temperatures up to -4c it will still keep you very warm and has a survival temperature of -21c! I the weather is mild its ideal for sleeping outside without a tent and gazing at the stars.

View the sleeping bag on Mountain Warehouse here
 

Interview on Springwatch with the shirt on

The shirt is a dull colour great for blending in with the environment and not being noticed by wildlife. The unique thing with this shirt is it has mosquito repellent built into it and with the long sleeves means that very few biting insects bother you (it wears of after 30 washes). Its also very breathable so in hot weather is a great choice but likewise for colder climbs not ideal. Its also very fast drying due to the mesh lining in the shirt.

View the shirt on Mountain Warehouse

To a degree walking boots are one of the most important things we as wildlife photographers need. Walking miles and miles often over rough terrain can take its toll on your feet so having hardy and comfortable shoes is a must have. I've been wearing these boots for about a month now in wetlands, grassland and mountainous areas and have no complaints about them even in shallow rivers they haven't let any water in and not caused any blisters or foot sores. They have a Iso grip which is ideal for icy or wet areas.

View the boots on Mountain Warehouse

Appearing on Springwatch 2015

So after a month of waiting the piece I shot with Springwatch was finally shown and quite pleased how it turned out.

We filmed on the River Wye, Monmouthshire ideally hoping to film shad a stunning fish in the herring family that come into rivers to spawn. Though we were in the right place it was a bit early to see them however there was always a chance.

 Minnows

We set up next to the river for the interviews and then I donned the classic combo of flatcap and wetsuit (I'm sure it will take off eventually) and dipped in to see what lurking in the depths. The water was quite clear but very fast so had to watch my foothold but soon enough saw huge shoals of minnows and lots of stone loach in the gravel.

 My view from the other side of the interview with sound man Gary, cameraman Ralph and producer Bill

Shipping out the pole cam to film the fish 

Sitting and watching what unravels

As well as me getting in I had left some static cams in areas I thought fish would swim by and it wasn't until the main show that I saw anything had come by which was nice to see Chub and Brown Trout investigating the camera.

 Brown Trout

 Stone Loach

Chub

Springwatch have in recent years definitely started to show off more of the little guys not just fish but inverts and herps to and it can only be a good thing to highlight them in a positive way, just look at the tremendous response spineless simon the stickleback has had off this years show!

Watch the Springwatch piece here 39 Minutes in

Further Watching

Online British Video Fish Guide

Beneath the waterline: a short film exploring conservation issues with freshwater I made while trying to film all the species.

Photographs of UK fish