Wildlife Photographer of the Year

I visited the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London today. The photos were fantastic and inspiring. The sort of thing most of us can only dream about taking.

What is most impressive is the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition. The winner of the under 10 years category, taken in a 'backyard' in Finland, is an exquisite greenfinch. The reflections on the breast of the greenfinch make the photo. The overall winner 'Clash of the Yellowhammers' taken in Perthshire garden demonstrates real talent. You can see the photo, along with others from the competition on the Museum's website www.nhm.ac.uk

The whole thing has certainly opened my eyes as to how children could be inspired by the outdoors simply by taking pictures. A camera is definitely a tool that should not be overlooked. and opens up all sorts of possbilitites. Projects on documenting a day, seasons, year in the life of a garden or the life cycle of a plant all spring to mind.

BTW the museum's wildlife garden - an oasis in that part of London - is currently closed for the winter, but reopens on April 1 and is worth a visit.