I've always had this incredible fascination with wildlife and wildlife photography, ever since I was a child. My reading habits were a bit unusual for my age group and while my friends were engrossed in Enid Blyton's books, I couldn't get enough of wildlife and nature books. My absolute favourites were Gerald Durrell's books, which I read and reread until they were practically falling apart. Oh, and let's not forget the amazing Born Free trilogy by Joy Adamson. The story of Elsa the lioness and how the Adamson's raised her as a cub and released her back into the wild absolutely fascinated me.
I used to dream about exploring Africa and India, traveling to North and South America, the Galapagos, Asia, Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and even venturing to the Arctic and Antarctic. My love (or maybe we can call it an obsession) for wildlife just grew stronger as I entered my teenage years. Instead of buying pop records (yes, those vinyl ones, I'm showing my age now!) or splurging on makeup like my friends did, I would eagerly spend my pocket money on National Geographic magazines. I couldn't resist poring over the breathtaking photos and devouring every article with excitement.
As time went by, my childhood dream of living in Africa to study and photograph wildlife started to fade, but it never truly left me. However, everything changed when I finally went on my first safari at the age of thirty-eight. I chose the Okavango Delta in Botswana (and I know it might sound a bit corny) but that trip completely transformed me. My childhood dream resurfaced with a vengeance, reigniting my passion for photography. So, as a birthday treat for my fortieth, I took the plunge and invested in my first DSLR camera—a Nikon D90 with an 18-105 mm kit lens. From that moment on, there was no stopping me and it's incredible how a childhood passion can come roaring back to life! My photography gear has evolved over the years, but I still hold a special place in my heart for my faithful old Nikon D90.