About Me

My name is Jonathan Smithies, I’m a British wildlife photographer living in the city of Bristol. I am driven by a passion for capturing the beauty of small birds in their natural habitat. It’s an unpredictable subject, but that’s what makes it so exciting. Each time I venture out, I’m presented with new and unexpected opportunities to create stunning images.

As someone who has been a photographer for almost two decades, my love for wildlife photography is a relatively recent development. As a teenager, I was already an avid birdwatcher, and I eventually realised that photography was the perfect way to combine my two passions.

During the COVID pandemic, I spent countless hours photographing birds, especially kingfishers, in my local park. It was a rare opportunity to witness these creatures in such an unbothered state, as humans retreated indoors. Although that luxury eventually passed as the restrictions lifted, my love for wildlife photography had taken root and I couldn’t shake it.

Over the years, I’ve traveled widely across the UK, visiting truly spectacular places like the Cairngorm National Park, the Farne Islands in Northumberland, and various other nature reserves in Scotland, the Lake District, Suffolk, Surrey, Somerset and spanning the Jurassic Coast. These experiences have only deepened my appreciation for the natural world and my passion for photographing it.

I hope my photographs inspire you to appreciate the beauty of nature that surrounds you every day, and maybe even encourage you to try your hand at wildlife photography.