Harry Williams is a photographer from Cornwall, whose time living in a quiet, leafy Cornish village has helped him discover a passion for wildlife photography. 

“It’s a quiet area that I live in, with not a whole lot to do other than, of course, enjoying the natural beauty that the area has to offer,” Harry told Wadebridge Life. “I think this is what led to me taking an interest in photography really early on. I received my first camera - a little point and shoot Sony - for Christmas in 2015, when I was 14 years old. It wasn’t too long until I decided to upgrade to my very first DSLR after that, which happened in October 2016. That means I’ve been doing photography for ten years now, and I still absolutely love it.” 

‍

Since first picking up a camera as a teenager, Harry has found a love for wildlife photography in particular, capturing photos of any animals he can find - with the main focus being coastal-dwelling birds and woodland animals, though Cornwall’s incredible landscapes also take a stand in the spotlight too. Harry said: “Despite the fact that I have lived here for over 20 years now, the scenery never gets old, and I feel like there are endless ways to shoot these landscapes. The huge cliffs, beautiful seas, crashing waves, gorgeous sunsets - there really are endless combinations to create photographs here.”

It was when Harry took a trip to the coastline around Polzeath and Pentire on a family holiday that opened his eyes to the beauty of the area. He visited again, this time with a mission to capture it through his lens. 

“I can’t explain how lucky I felt when I arrived just before sunrise, walked a few hundred metres from the car park, and was faced with a beautiful barn owl staring right at me,” he said. “Unfortunately, I couldn't get a clear photo from where I was standing, and it flew off pretty quickly. I waited around to see if it would show itself again, and that's when I spotted a fox tiptoeing through the field. The owl didn't want to show up again at the time, so I set off walking. I was exploring the area from sunrise to sunset, taking photos of the stunning area and the wildlife living within it. Once again, luck was on my side, and I saw the barn owl flying around hunting in the middle of the day, and then again just before sunset. This is where I got some photos that I am really proud of - it was a truly magical day for me, and it definitely means that I intend to return to the area again soon.”

But what’s next for this up and coming photographer? Harry has a long list of UK destinations he would like to visit for his photography, and a dream of his is to photograph puffins, with hopes to visit Skomer Island or Lundy Island in the near future. 

Harry’s message to other young creatives is to ‘go for it’: “Something that I would say to other young people looking to follow their creative passions, no matter what that passion might be, is that you just have to take the plunge and go for it. It might be a fairly cliché answer, but for the longest time, I felt like I was holding myself back when it came to my photography. 

“With nature photography, it can be so incredibly difficult to turn it into a career, and I was quite hung up on this. But I eventually realised that it didn't matter. As long as you're enjoying what you're doing, then it is worth all of the time that you put into it. I still don't know if I'll ever be able to make a living from this passion, but I'm going to keep at it - keep enjoying it - and that is what is most important. Don't overthink every little detail. A creative passion is a wonderful thing to have, and you should never suppress it through fear that you won't succeed. If you don't, then you haven't lost anything. You enjoyed yourself, and you move on. There is nothing to lose.”

‍