Photographer who goes on safari . . . in Shropshire
Most people would associate the African savannah with a safari, but one wildlife photographer says Shropshire is just as rich for rare and wonderful animals.
Author-turned photographer Andrew Fusek Peters is currently documenting the wildlife of south Shropshire for Natural England, and will be showing off his work in a month-long exhibition starting this week.
But the 49-year-old only picked up a camera about three years ago.
Mr Peters has lived in Lydbury North with his family for 24 years, much of which he spent as an author who has published 110 titles ranging from science fiction novels to poetry to picture books along with wife Polly.
But, he said, it was recovering from a serious bout of depression that sparked his shift in focus to wildlife and pictures.
"I got very ill about four years ago and I think I was looking for something new to get interested in," he said.
"I had just bought my son a camera to do stop frame animation with and within a few weeks I had grabbed it and started taking pictures."
He said he began by taking shots of cityscapes at night, but just happened to try snapping a barn owl that kept flying past in the more rural surroundings of his Shropshire home.
That picture got a lot of interest and he started selling a lot of copies, he said.
But the real breakthrough was when he was shortlisted in two categories for British Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014, which convinced him to invest in more professional equipment - and he hasn't looked back.
Peters is now snapping the wildlife of the Stiperstones and wider south Shropshire for the National Trust and Natural England's UK-wide Stepping Stones to Nature project.
His pictures appear regularly as part of a column he writes for Countryman Magazine, and he is getting together his own photography book called In Wilderness Is Paradise Now, planned for launch at the Wenlock Poetry Festival in 2016.
One of his recent subjects was an otter swimming in the River Severn near Bridgnorth.
He added: "I feel honoured. The last two days I have been photographing otters in Bridgnorth, which was just wonderful.
"I have been on safari to Kenya, but you can go on safari in Shropshire - what's under our nose is awesome.
"I've photographed bitterns, tree sparrows, cross bills - and otters by day - all of which are incredibly rare sights."
The exhibition launches with a preview evening from 6pm to 8pm on Friday at Bishop's Castle Town Hall, to run until April 18.
Peters will also be talking about his photography and work on the Stepping Stones project at a talk at the town hall on March 25 at 8pm.
