One of my most demanding projects is finally beginning to take shape: Wildlife of Rainford. For a long time, I have wanted to produce a creative piece that allows me to showcase my photography in a way that is both informative and inspiring.
Anyone who knows me knows I am a big outdoors person. I live for the outdoors. Nature has been my escape when I have needed it most. Yet, over the past several years, nature has been silently struggling. The natural world as we know it is literally fighting for survival, and it’s heartbreaking to witness. I couldn’t sit by and watch the decline any longer; I needed to do something to help. Introducing Wildlife of Rainford.
Showcasing the Wildlife of Rainford
I consider myself lucky to be able to spend so much time outdoors. However, I acknowledge that not everyone has the free time to explore every nook and cranny of the natural world that surrounds us. Life happens, and we all have endless responsibilities to consider. If you’re reading this thinking, “This is me”, don’t worry, with Wildlife of Rainford, I will deliver nature to you.
Delivering nature to you
Through creative storytelling, I will showcase the beauty of the natural world on our doorstep, and the best bit – I’ve done the exhausting work for you. Over the past year or so, I have dedicated countless hours to uncovering local natural beauty. Days, and in some cases, weeks of effort have gone into field craft, tracking, and developing a deep understanding of each subject before photographing them. Every encounter and its own unique story has been documented and will be carefully crafted into an exciting format for you to digest at your own pace.
How will Wildlife of Rainford Benefit the Natural World?
First and foremost, let me say that despite the title of the book being “Wildlife of Rainford”, the principles apply to any city, village, or town throughout the UK.
My mission is to raise awareness of the staggering variety of wildlife that surrounds us. When I started this project at the beginning of the year, I didn’t think for a moment that I would encounter so many different species. It’s cliché, but the more you look, the more you discover. It got to a point where I thought, “Hang on a minute, I wonder how many people actually know these species are on our doorstep?”.
I’m always eager to share new finds and photographs with neighbours, and more often than not, I get the same reaction. Typically along the lines of “I had no idea *insert species* could be found here!”, to which my reply was generally “Me neither!”. What I’m trying to say in a convoluted way is that with knowledge and awareness comes consideration. We can’t care for something if we don’t know it’s there.
By revealing the beautiful wildlife around us, I seek to forge connections between ourselves and nature with which we can all thrive. There are countless ways we can support nature, and it doesn’t have to come at the expense of time or money. Simply being more aware of our actions can help protect the precious ecosystems around us. We need nature just as much as it needs us. Together, we can make a difference!
Nature needs our help
Creative storytelling is one thing. However, the crux of it is that nature needs our help.
A shocking statistic from the State of Nature report 2023 states that 16% of the UK’s wildlife is under threat of extinction. Let that sink in for a second, 16%. The time to act is now.
Wildlife of Rainford will detail ways in which we, the local community, can support nature. No act is too small; collectively, everything we do makes a significant difference. Limit the use of pesticides and herbicides, plant wildflower seeds, allow a small section of your garden to grow wild, build a small pond – the possibilities are endless.
Coming Soon
Estimated launch date – First quarter of 2026.
As we speak, Wildlife of Rainford is very much in the development stage. I’m currently getting stuck into copywriting and curating the photography. At some point, I will have to draw a line and pull myself away from photography to focus on completing the book. However, as we head towards peak autumn and winter, two sensational seasons for wildlife photography, I decided to continue to push for additional content. Hopefully, the effort pays off with one or two more intimate scenes to complete the journey.
Full details on how you can purchase a copy of Wildlife of Rainford will be released here over the coming weeks. Keep an eye open for exciting updates and news, which will be posted here and also across my social media channels. In the meantime, here are a couple of teasers of what’s to come.
