In case you hadn’t realised, Photo Habitat is just me. I’m Jon, and I live in Essex. I studied geography at university, which is where my interest in conservation and the natural world really took hold — including a placement in forestry research that got me outdoors and paying proper attention to habitats and wildlife for the first time. That interest never went away, even if life had other ideas for a while.
I bought my first Canon SLR in 1999, the Canon EOS 300 (Rebel in the US), and set up a dark room in my bathroom, as you do. I enjoyed photography for a few years, but eventually work, family, and then the smartphone, made me forget about the big camera.
From Darkrooms to Digital: My Photography Journey
In 2024 I bought a Pixel 7a phone because it had a much better camera than the Motos I’d been using. After a couple of holidays I realised how much I enjoyed photography, so decided take up the old hobby.
I decided to join Baddow Camera Club in September 2024, and haven’t stopped since. I turned up not knowing quite what to expect and left genuinely inspired. The first monthly POTY competition featured some excellent wildlife photography which was truely inspiring, and one member recommended I visit Phyllis Currie Nature Reserve in Essex. They have a lot to answer for – I go there embarrassingly often!
Cameras and Lenses
In 2024 I got myself a second-hand Canon 700D and Canon EF 70-300mm IS II USM lens, which served me well for my first year back. By September 2025 I decided it was time to move with the times, and upgraded to a Canon R7 mirrorless with the RF 100-400mm, which I find brilliant for wildlife and close-up work. I recently also got myself the old Canon EF 100mm macro, which I am trying to use more.
I also use the EF 15-85mm, which I find is great for travel and general photography (buildings, people, landscapes), plus the EF 10-18mm which I do not use enough – great for landscapes and architecture. I still have a Sigma EF 30mm 1.4, which gets taken out on the occasional club night evening event. But the RF 100-400mm rarely leaves my camera these days.
Finding Inspiration in Essex
My main interests are wildlife, woodland, nature, coastal and landscape photography, though I drift into monochrome and urban street work when the mood takes me. I have since became Treasurer and Webmaster of Baddow Camera Club, which tells you something about how completely it took over my life.
Photo Habitat launched in May 2026 as somewhere to share my photography and write honestly about what goes into it — the good days, the frustrating ones, the near misses and the occasional shot that actually works. I’m not an expert, in photography or natural history, but I’m genuinely enthusiastic about both, and I hope that comes through.
I still have so much to learn, and will be sharing many of my trials and tribulations here, plus my best photos too, of course.
Thanks for visiting.
Jon, Photo Habitat
Follow more of my photography on Instagram: jons.snaps
Current Projects & Volunteering
I am proud to be a volunteer photographer for the Essex Wildlife Trust. Contributing my images to help support local conservation efforts allows me to give back to the habitats that provide me with so much inspiration.
Recognitions and Awards
POTY Winner / Image of the Night, Baddow Camera Club:
- Spoonbill on the Shore – a spoonbill foraging at Abberton Reservoir, Essex. October 2025.
- An Ancient Embrace – Monochrome woodland photograph taken in Epping Forest. March 2025
Top marks 20/20, Baddow Camera Club:
- A Field of Dreams – Wheat field at dusk in Little Baddow. Landscape POTY, November 2025
- The Light Before the Storm – Landscape photograph from Danbury Country Park. October 2025.
I’ve just featured these photos in a new post, My Best Photos So Far, According to the Judges.
Finalist in Chelmsford’s Space to Thrive wildlife photography competition
In September 2025 I had a photo displayed in the Chelmsford Museum gardens, and then at Chelmsford Library, as a finalist in Love Your Chelmsford’s the Space to Thrive photography competition.
Background in Environmental Science
My photography is grounded in a formal understanding of the natural world, rooted in environmental research and habitat management.
Research Thesis: A Study Of Vegetation Composition And Soil Chemistry On Five Year Non-rotational Set-aside Under Four Management Regimes. Essex, UK. (Coventry University, 1997).
Forestry Commission Research: I completed a year-long student placement at Forest Research’s Alice Holt Lodge (1995/96), where I worked on measuring improvements in forest management ecosystems and studying their impact on local biodiversity.