Name: Vanessa Wheeler
Current camera: Nikon Z6III
Favourite type of photography: nature, birds, landscape, flowers, wildlife and aeroplanes
Instagram: @nessawheelerw200
Website: nessawheeler-photography.com
Location: Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK
How did you get into photography?
I had always been interested in photography since I was a teenager.
Do you have any photographic qualifications or accolades?
I completed an Open University Photography Course.
What’s the first photograph you remember seeing or shooting?
I remember photographing Stonehenge and White Horse Hill.
What do you love about photography?
I love the opportunity to capture a moment in time. The camera sees what I see. It allows me to slow down, observe and capture nature and wildlife as it is. I enjoy being creative and creating emotion or thought through my images.
What do you wish you’d learned about photography earlier?
I wish I had learned more about the technical side and how to progress further within the camera.
Where is your favourite place for photography?
My favourite places are outdoors, including nature reserves, beaches and coastlines, quaint villages and gardens.
Do you have a favourite photographic technique?
I do not have a particular favourite technique.
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Can you briefly outline your approach to image processing?
I mainly use Lightroom and occasionally Photoshop. Lightroom is always evolving and can do much more than it could a few years ago.
What’s your favourite lens?
My favourite lenses are the Sigma 600mm and the Nikkor 150mm.
Do you have a favourite accessory?
My monopod.
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Have you found the perfect camera bag yet?
No, not yet.
Which photographers have influenced or inspired you, and how or why?
Members of my local photographic club have influenced my work. I never thought I would enjoy photographing birds, but I have learned a lot about nature through it. I have also recently started following Gill Moon and enjoy her coastal work, which I would like to try.
Please recommend 2 or 3 female photographers to follow on Instagram?
Gill Moon @gillmoonphotography and Glynis Pierson @glynpierson
Is there a camera, lens or accessory that you don’t have yet but you’d like to buy at some point?
I would like to buy a macro lens.
Is there a genre of photography that you love but that you haven’t tried yet?
Street photography and home studio work.
What’s your proudest photographic moment?
Finally capturing a kingfisher in a reserve after many months of trying.
If you could have one super-power that could help you with photography, what would it be?
To be able to get it right in camera straight away and improve my technical understanding.
Your favourite baked goods are?
Crisps.
Please tell us a little about yourself
I have been interested in photography since I was a teenager, but work got in the way. After getting married and having a baby, my interest was reignited. The more I photographed, the more passionate I became. Having a child with special needs meant photography became an important escape and supported my mental wellbeing. Now I want to pursue photography further, creating images that evoke emotion, calmness or simply bring enjoyment to others.
