About Me

Meet the man behind the lens

Hello friend — my name is Jonathan Smithies, I’m a wildlife photographer based in Bristol, South West England.


I am a passionate wildlife photographer and I particularly enjoy capturing small birds in their habitat. Wildlife is one of the most unpredictable subjects to photograph, but that’s what makes it fun! The reward is in the challenge and you never know what kind of amazing photographs you’ll get each time you go out.

“Wait a little longer, your patience will be rewarded.”

I’ve been taking photographs for about 20 years but only started photographing wildlife in 2020, towards the start of the COVID lockdowns. When humans stayed inside, wildlife showed up more and more. I would spend hours and days photographing them at a nearby park, amazed at how confident they were and unfazed by my presence. Sadly that didn’t last once people started emerging from lockdown, but it was too late… I was hooked.

Since 2020, I have travelled extensively in the UK to photograph some really special birds and mammals. Last year I visited the Cairngorms, Northumberland and various nature reserves on all sides of the country. I hope that you enjoy my photographs and perhaps my work will inspire you to take up the lens, so to speak, and start photographing wildlife yourself.