Celebrating the best in British wildlife photography at Moors Valley (Dec 2018)

Matt Doggett, a New Forest based photographer has won numerous awards for his work capturing stunning images of a variety of wildlife.

Matt will present an illustrated talk at Moors Valley Country Park and Forest on Tuesday 12 February.

His talk will focus around the stories behind his award winning photography, and how he develops and captures his images. A keen conservationist, his talk will also include a series of his photographs, detailing the role wildlife photography can play in conservation.

The evening will also include a special opportunity to view digital images of all of the winning and highly commended images from the nationally acclaimed British Wildlife Photography Awards competition. The awards were established in 2009 and aim to recognise the talents of photographers practicing in the UK as well as highlighting the diversity of Britain’s natural history.

Matt has a PhD in marine biology, and combines his passion for underwater photography with diving. He has visited a number of places around the world, photographing a range of wildlife in its natural habitat along the way.  In 2012 Matt earned the overall title of British Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his entry in the Coast and Marine category for his spectacular image of diving gannets off the coast of Scotland. This year his image of a spiny lobster among jewel anemones has been awarded Highly Commended in the Habitats category. His work has been featured in a variety of wildlife publications including BBC Wildlife, Diver Magazine and Ocean Guide.

Of the British Wildlife Photography Awards competition Matt said, “The BWPA does a fantastic job in showcasing British Wildlife at its best. It publicises the incredible diversity we have in the UK and which we must strive to protect for our own health and well-being, if nothing more.”

Communication Ranger at Moors Valley, Katie Davies said, “It is a privilege to be able to share such a remarkable collection of photographs celebrating the immense beauty and variety of British wildlife.”

A limited number of tickets are available for the talk, which starts at 7pm on 12 February. Tickets are available for £6 each, and will include a glass of wine or soft drink. To book your place call Moors Valley on 01425 470721.

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Editors Notes

Images

High resolution images are available on request. Please note these images are available for publicity about the British Wildlife Photography Awards only. Any further use will require permission and a fee. All images used must be credited to the photographer(s) and BWPA.
Any published information about the BWPA should always include the competition’s web address www.bwpawards.co.uk
Please use #BWPA2018 if mentioning the competition on your social media channels and link to www.bwpawards.org

About the British Wildlife Photography Awards

The British Wildlife Photography Awards were established in 2009. The key aims of the Awards are to:

• Recognise the talents of photographers practicing in the UK, while at the same time highlight the great wealth and diversity of Britain’s natural history.
• Celebrate British wildlife, in all its beauty and diversity, through a collection of inspirational photographs.
• Showcase the very best of our nature photography to a wide audience and engage all ages with evocative and powerful imagery.
• Encourage discovery, exploration, conservation and enjoyment of our natural heritage.
• Raise awareness about British biodiversity, species and habitats.

The Prizes

• First prize: £5,000
• Category winners will receive prizes with a value of around £1,000.
  The prize fund includes: Canon EOS M5 Cameras with 15-45mm lens
• Wildlife in HD Video category winner will receive a Canon XA-11 Professional Camcorder
• The Young Winner (under 12) will receive: £300
• The Young Winner (12 -18) will receive: £500

Exhibition Tour

The Mall Galleries, London – 6^th November 2018 to 11^th November 2018
Astley Hall, Chorley – 24^th November 2018 to 31^st December 2018
Luton Stockwood Discovery Centre – 21^st January 2019 to 24^th March 2019
Nunnington Hall, Yorkshire – 11^th May 2018 to 7^th July 2019
Nature in Art, Gloucester – 6^th November 2018 to 6^th January 2019
St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery – 19^th January 2019 to 17^th March 2019
Canterbury Museums & Galleries – 10^th November 2018 to 17^th February 2019
The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust – 11^th May 2018 to 10^th September 2019

BWPA is Sponsored by
Canon, WWF, RSPB Wildlife Explorers, The Wildlife Trusts, Shetland Nature, Countryside Jobs Service, Buglife, Paramo, BBC Wildlife Magazine and Outdoor Photography Magazine.
Supported by Ammonite Press, Kristal Digital Imaging Centre, WildFilm.com