My name is Thomas Winstone, I am 38 years old*, married to Lise and a father of three, I am a firefighter based in south Wales. I had been taking photos as a child with a basic film camera and later in life, inherited my grandads cameras. I learnt how to use cameras and took some great photos with them. Whilst in my teens I didn’t use cameras much but then eight years ago, when my first son was born, I got my first Canon DSLR camera to capture all the special moments. About three years ago* I started to take photography seriously and started out by doing wildlife and landscapes. With wildlife I particularly enjoy studying and researching my subjects before going out to attempt to photograph them, but with it being wildlife nothing is predictable! I have been self-taught, so it has been great fun trying to learn about photography whilst photographing wildlife. It has also got me ‘out and about’ a little bit more which is also, obviously, a good form of exercise, especially having to carry all the heavy camera equipment. I also enjoy doing night photos, getting the stars and milky way with views of famous land marks or mountains. I often head up the Brecon Beacons to take shots of the valleys below. This year I have also tried long exposures whilst photographing the waterfalls in the Neath valley.
To see more of my work and the stunning wildlife that thrives here in Wales, please visit my Flickr page and social media accounts:
Instagram: @the_dark_photographer_in_wales
Facebook: Thomas Winstone Photography
Flickr: Thomas Winstone
* First published in Welsh Country Magazine Mar-Apr 2017
Photo Gallery
Puffin
Red Kite
Red Squirrel
The Waxwing
The Waxwing
The waxwing is slightly smaller than a starling, it is a plump little bird with a very eye catching crest. The Waxwing is a reddish-brown colour with a black throat and a small black mask around its eyes. It has tones of yellow and white in the wings and a yellow-tipped tail. It does not breed in the UK, but is a winter visitor.
The Grey Seal
The Grey Seal
The grey seal is the largest of the two seal species in the UK. Grey seals have a long, flat face with large eyes, and no external ears. The forelimbs are relatively short and blunt; the hind flippers are short and thick.
Colouration differs between the sexes: males are dark grey, brown and black with some lighter blotches over the fur, whilst females are generally light grey with darker blotches.
The Mandarin
The Mandarin
The male Mandarin has the most elaborate and ornate plumage with extraordinary long orange feathers on the side of the face, orange ‘sails’ on the back, and pale orange flanks. Dull by comparison, the female has a grey head and white stripe behind the eye, brown back and marbled flanks. They were introduced to the UK from China and have become established following escapes from captivity.
Stonechat
Cormorant
Words & pictures: Thomas Winstone
Instagram: @the_dark_photographer_in_wales
Facebook: Thomas Winstone Photography
Flickr: Thomas Winstone
* First published in Welsh Country Magazine Mar-Apr 2017
