Many professional photographers are self-taught, but how many are self-taught and without a degree or tertiary qualification of any kind? Step forward Rachel Bigsby, the 25-year-old Sussex-based wildlife photographer and Nikon Creator, whose stunning pictures have already been published by the National Geographic Society, and her long lens film work has been featured on national TV.
While other young women and men her age were busy attending lectures and tutorials at universities and colleges up and down the land, Rachel’s education involved making regular visits to Britain’s best-known seabird colonies to broaden her knowledge of their behaviour and ecology, and indulge her passion.
Her fascination for ornithology was nurtured at a young age by her nature-loving grandfather through regular birdwatching trips to their local coastal reserve. She also became a familiar face and then a volunteer at Skomer Island and RSPB Bempton Cliffs, all the while improving her camera skills and understanding of her favourite subjects through many hours of intent observation. In 2019, her persistence and dedication paid off when she was approached by BBC Earth to film wildlife for a new YouTube series, The Science of Cute. Most of us would view this chance as her lucky break, but Rachel is one who believes that luck is merely an opportunity seized. So, how have the opportunities come her way so quickly? Perhaps there is a secret to the success that she now enjoys.
It seems like the obvious question to ask, and right from her first response I am struck by the confidence that she projects…
This story is from the July 2023 edition of N-Photo: the Nikon magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 2023 edition of N-Photo: the Nikon magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Quack shot
A rain-soaked Robert May proves you don't have to head out searching for elusive birds of prey to capture stunning shots of birds in flight
Kim Grant
Scottish landscape photographer Kim Grant prefers chasing more intricate - even abstract - images and tells Keith Wilson why she eschews the large, wide views of well-known locations
Heal the noise
Find out from James Paterson which are the best noise reduction tools in Photoshop
Clone in a crowd
Make multiple clones and master essential layer masking skills in Affinity Photo with James Paterson
Full of hot air
Mike Harris photographs Bristol Balloon Fiesta from Clifton Observatory so he can frame the city’s famed suspension bridge
Flutter speed
Mike Harris shows you how to capture beautiful butterfly close-ups without a tripod
Take-off sequence
Nigel A Ball uses Pre-Release Capture mode and fast burst speeds to shoot butterflies on the wing
The perfect gift
My 30th birthday marks more than a decade as a pro- and all I want is a cracking moment with nature at a stunning location holding my camera
20 top tips for...Autumn landscapes
Mark Bauer gives some expert advice to help you capture the vibrant colours of the landscape during the most photogenic season of the year
A game of tones
Our apprentice meets a vintage diver and channels the House of the Dragon with pro Paul David Smith