How To Photograph Otters

Whether I'm spending weeks on the trail of an elusive animal, or hiding in wait for it to appear, like many wildlife photographers I'll gladly do whatever it takes to get a memorable and unique photo. Chances to photograph otters in the UK don't come by very often, so you have to put in a bit of effort - even if you know where to find them, they can be tricky to observe as they are shy, mainly nocturnal, and spend most of their time underwater. 

The opportunity presented itself when my partner Yas bought me a Christmas voucher - an all-night session in a hide with kingfishers, grey herons and, hopefully, otters. Tom Robinson's hides in Lincolnshire are pretty reliable for all three species as his ponds are well-stocked with fish; and they are accustomed to the lighting setup, which would make taking photos after nightfall possible. 18 hours later, I emerged sleep deprived but grinning from the hide.

Do It Yourself: These images were captured after nightfall, with a setup of 4 flashes (one positioned at each corner, back and front, of the lake) which I could activate remotely and individually to create front-, side- or back-lit images. I set these around 1/8 +0.3 stops for a subtle effect.

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