AP.Photography

AP.Photography 🌿📸 Hi there,
I’m AJ, a wildlife and nature photographer based in Hertfordshire. Thanks for following along and supporting a local photographer!

🌿📸 Hi there, and welcome to my little corner of the wild! I’m AJ, a wildlife and nature photographer based in St Albans, Hertfordshire. I shoot with a Canon R7 and my go-to lens is the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM—perfect for capturing wildlife from a respectful distance without missing the detail. I spend my time out in nature, chasing light, tracking movement, and trying to be in the

right place at the right time (with varying success!). My goal is to capture the beauty, drama, and quiet moments of the natural world, and turn them into prints that bring the outdoors into your space. Looking ahead, I aim to share my photography with the world—whether that’s through online platforms or by offering prints that people can enjoy in their own homes. I’ve always been a passionate animal lover, and it’s been a dream of mine to work with animals in some way—whether it’s the pets we share our homes with or the wild ones that roam free. Nature has so much beauty to offer, and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to capture just a small piece of it through my lens. Thanks for following along and supporting a local photographer with a serious bird obsession and a soft spot for golden hour. 🦊📷

— AJ

Long time no post… and even longer since I actually took these photos 😅These shots of a Long-tailed Tit were captured ba...
13/05/2026

Long time no post… and even longer since I actually took these photos 😅

These shots of a Long-tailed Tit were captured back in September last year during a visit to a wildlife reserve in Norfolk with the Wildlife Trust, and I’ve only just got around to editing them properly. Looking back through old folders and rediscovering moments like this always reminds me why I love wildlife photography so much in the first place.

Long-tailed T**s have honestly become one of my favourite birds to photograph and just sit and watch. There’s something about them that’s impossible not to love — the tiny fluffy bodies, the ridiculously long tails, and the way they bounce through the trees together with so much energy. Even when they’re moving nonstop, they somehow still manage to look calm and curious for a split second before darting off again.

I spent quite a while following this little group through the branches, hoping one might pause long enough for a clean shot. Most of the time it felt like they were one step ahead of me, disappearing between the leaves just as I lifted the camera. But every now and then one would stop for a moment, puff its feathers up, and give me exactly the kind of photo I’d been hoping for. Those are always the moments that make the patience worth it.

What I love most about photographing birds like this is how easy it is to forget everything else while you’re watching them. You end up completely focused on tiny movements, little calls between the flock, and those brief quiet moments in the trees. It’s such a small encounter, but somehow it sticks with you long after the day’s over.

Fun fact: Long-tailed T**s are incredibly social birds and often stay together in family groups throughout autumn and winter, huddling together on cold nights to keep warm 🐦

📸 Canon R7
🔭 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM
📍 Norfolk Wildlife Trust Reserve
🖥️ Edited in Lightroom Classic


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After weeks of searching, patience finally paid off. >>>>That unmistakable flicker of electric blue appeared, perched qu...
02/02/2026

After weeks of searching, patience finally paid off. >>>>
That unmistakable flicker of electric blue appeared, perched quietly and lurching forward, completely focused on the water below.

This kingfisher had picked the perfect lookout in Verulamium Park, sitting still and waiting for the right moment to dive. Seeing it at last was one of those moments that makes all the waiting worthwhile.

Did you know?
Kingfishers can spot fish even through the glare on the water, using specialised vision to judge exactly when to strike.

📸 Canon R7
🔭 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM
📍 Verulamium Park, St Albans, Hertfordshire
🖥️ Edited in Lightroom Classic

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Weeks of searching finally paid off🐦After hearing reports of a kingfisher at Verulamium Park, I kept returning, visit af...
27/01/2026

Weeks of searching finally paid off🐦

After hearing reports of a kingfisher at Verulamium Park, I kept returning, visit after visit, often leaving without a sighting. Just as I was starting to think I’d missed my chance, this moment happened — perched quietly above the water, watching, waiting.

Swipe through to see how subtly its posture changes as it locks onto the water below. Each frame is only seconds apart, and then it was gone again.

Fun fact: Kingfishers can dive at speeds of up to 25 mph, adjusting their vision underwater to counter light refraction — making them remarkably accurate hunters.

📸 Canon R7
🔭 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6L IS II USM
📍 Verulamium Park, St Albans, Hertfordshire
🖥️ Edited in Lightroom Classic

Have you ever waited weeks to finally spot a species you knew was around?

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“The Voice of the Undergrowth”Eurasian Wrens (Troglodytes troglodytes) are one of Britain’s smallest birds — and yet, po...
20/06/2025

“The Voice of the Undergrowth”

Eurasian Wrens (Troglodytes troglodytes) are one of Britain’s smallest birds — and yet, pound for pound, they produce one of the loudest songs in the bird world. Their high-energy trills and rapid-fire bursts are a constant soundtrack in woodland, scrub, hedgerows, and gardens. Despite their powerful voice, they’re masters of staying hidden — favoring dense vegetation, low branches, and tangled bramble patches where they flit about in short, fast movements.

Their plumage is earthy and cryptic: warm brown tones with fine barring and a faint pale eyebrow. That classic cocked tail posture and flickering motion make them unmistakable once you learn their shape. Males sing to defend multiple nesting territories — and may even court more than one female in a season. The domed nests are carefully woven into cavities, ivy, or root tangles close to the ground.

This image was taken late morning during a quiet walk through Verulamium Park, St Albans. I hadn’t gone out specifically for wrens that day, but as is often the case with wildlife photography, the moment found me. I heard the unmistakable song and paused. Just as I scanned the canopy, this individual hopped into view on a low Hawthorn branch — perfectly lit in a small gap in the leaves, mid-song. A moment I’ve been hoping to capture for some time.

Photographed handheld with the Canon R7 and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, taking advantage of soft, late-afternoon light and a lucky window through the foliage. A combination of patience, timing, and being ready for the unexpected.

📷 Camera: Canon EOS R7
🔭 Lens: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM
📍 Location: Verulamium Park, St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK

St Albans Cathedral Peeking Through the Greenery(look in the comments of a fun hidden fact!)🐣 There’s something timeless...
17/06/2025

St Albans Cathedral Peeking Through the Greenery

(look in the comments of a fun hidden fact!)🐣

There’s something timeless about seeing St Albans Cathedral emerge above the trees like a crown over the city — a reminder of how history and nature coexist here in Hertfordshire. I took this shot from a distance using my Canon R7 and 100-400mm telephoto lens to compress the scene and really showcase the cathedral framed by summer greenery. 🌳📷
As a nature and wildlife photographer, I usually find myself zoomed in on birds or other wildlife in the woods — but sometimes, the landscape calls.

🦊🌲 I usually shoot wildlife, but do you enjoy seeing more of these landscape moments too? Let me know below!

📍 St Albans, Hertfordshire
📸 Canon R7 + 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

🛠️ Post-Processing in Lightroom:
I enhanced the contrast and clarity to bring out the stone textures, adjusted greens and yellows in HSL to keep the foliage vibrant but natural, and added subtle vignetting to draw focus inward. A slight tonal curve lifted the highlights while keeping shadows rich and full of depth.

—

Spotted: A newly hatched duckling exploring its environment for the first time. 🐥Ducklings typically hatch after about 2...
16/06/2025

Spotted: A newly hatched duckling exploring its environment for the first time. 🐥
Ducklings typically hatch after about 28 days of incubation and begin walking and swimming within hours. They imprint on the first moving object they see—often their mother, but in some cases, even a human.

Photographed in natural light with minimal disturbance to its habitat, this image captures a brief but critical stage of early development.

📷- Canon EOS R7
- EF 70-200mm F4 L IS USM
🎨 - Lightroom

Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) spotted on a moss-covered rooftop — a great example of how wildlife adapts to huma...
16/06/2025

Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) spotted on a moss-covered rooftop — a great example of how wildlife adapts to human environments.

This species is a small insectivorous passerine from the Old World flycatcher family (Muscicapidae). Originally mountain-dwellers, Black Redstarts have become urban adapters, often nesting in buildings, walls, and rooftops — especially in European cities.

🔹 Identification:
This individual is likely a female or juvenile — noted by its brownish-grey plumage and characteristic rusty-red tail. Males are darker, often with sooty black faces and chests.

🔹 Habitat:
Found across Europe, Asia, and parts of North Africa. They favor rocky areas and urban settings — particularly construction sites and old towns with nooks to nest in.

🔹 Behavior:
Known for their distinctive tail flicks and wing shivers. Their diet mainly consists of insects, though they'll also take berries in winter.

🗓️ Breeding season runs from April to August, with 2–3 broods per year.

- Canon EOS R7
-EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM
- Lightroom

📍Photographed in [St Albans]

📷

Through the Lens: A Moment with a Young Egyptian GooseCaptured at the lake in the park at St Albans City, this photo was...
16/06/2025

Through the Lens: A Moment with a Young Egyptian Goose

Captured at the lake in the park at St Albans City, this photo was taken with a Canon R7 and a Canon 100–400mm lens, fully extended to 400mm. As a wildlife and nature photographer, I always aim to capture animals authentically and respectfully, allowing them to behave naturally in their environments.

This young Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) had just emerged from the water’s edge, cautiously exploring its surroundings. Originally native to the Nile Valley and sub-Saharan Africa, Egyptian Geese have successfully adapted to life in the UK and are now commonly seen in urban parks and wetland areas. Though often mistaken for ducks or geese, they belong to the shelduck subfamily and exhibit a mix of traits from both groups.

Goslings like this are precocial—able to walk and feed shortly after hatching—though still under the vigilant protection of both parents. The fluffy down and unique markings help them stay camouflaged in patchy light.

In the color version, I wanted to preserve the natural warmth and contrast of its downy feathers against the cool lake. The black-and-white version shifts focus to texture and mood, giving a timeless quality to this fleeting moment of innocence.

- Canon R7
- 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM
- Lightroom
📍 Photographed in [St Albans]

— AP Photography

Little Wanderer – Egyptian Goose GoslingCaptured this fluffy little explorer — a baby Egyptian Goose — wading gently thr...
16/06/2025

Little Wanderer – Egyptian Goose Gosling

Captured this fluffy little explorer — a baby Egyptian Goose — wading gently through still waters. These goslings are incredibly photogenic with their soft down and bold markings, already full of personality at such a young age.

📸 I love photographing wildlife in natural moments like this. It’s all about patience, timing, and appreciating the quiet beauty in their world. Swipe to see a black & white version — each edit tells a different story.

Which do you prefer — color or monochrome?

🌍 Native to Africa, Egyptian Geese have adapted well to various habitats and can now be found in many parts of the world. They're known for their strong family bonds and striking appearance — even the little ones carry that charm.

This exotic-looking species of goose has a brown eye patch and a blend of pale, brown and grey plumage. An escapee from ornamental collections, there are now 1,100 breeding pairs across the UK. They are naturally found in Africa, but were introduced to the UK to be kept in wildfowl collections. They then escaped and have since established populations in the wild.

You can see Egyptian geese in the UK throughout the year, with the largest populations found in south-central England, East Anglia and the East Midlands.

-Canon R7
- EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM
- Lightroom

📍 Photographed in [St Albans]

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