The most precious of assets

February 11 2010

For the last few days, a young and aspiring nature photographer joined our Winter Wildlife photo-tour to 'see how it was done.' I'm not sure he achieved that, but many of the group remarked on his ability to effectively interact and engage with people.

Once guests had left this morning, I high-tailed down to Pitlochry, met with colleague Niall Benvie and we jointly met with the CEO of the John Muir Trust to discuss how we might enliven their strategic vision in the form of a full colour brochure.

Both experiences underline the importance of relationships. It is solidly-based relationships that nurture personal trust and at a business level, integrity. These relationships - with photo-tour guests, with colleagues and with individuals within the scientific and conservation sectors - are my most precious of assets. They take years to form and develop and there are no shortcuts.

Imagine then my sensitivity to these relationships being threatened. A few years ago, one such relationship (with a forester) lead me to a wonderful site where I have photographed a 'rogue' capercaillie - some of the images have been posted on this blog. In recent weeks, I've been made aware of certain photographers trying to establish where this site is - none of them have approached me directly, but have contacted friends and colleagues behind my back. I'm precious about this site - not only because of the sensitivity of the bird, but because of the erosion of the trust placed in me by my forester friend.

So a plea: respect my relationship with and within my local and professional community. If you want to know where the site is, ask me - don't embarrass others. If I trust you, I might help you.

Integrity my backside.

February 2 2010

Thank you to all who have alerted me to another photographer's blog which contains indirect inferences to me deliberately misleading a set of workshop guests attending a captive 'HIGHLAND RAPTOR' shoot last winter. Now, I'm really, really not going to get involved in petty playground politics (so please don't expect any further postings on this), but in this case - for the benefit of those guests in question - I will set the record straight.

The itineraries for our workshops are set over a year in advance and the target subjects are exactly that - targets. They are subject to a range of factors that can influence their availability which is why we reserve the (contractual) right to change them. Last winter we were forced to find a new falconer and hence, the range of birds that were available, changed too. We replaced the 'missing' birds with others and the workshop took place to the same standard we have maintained for over 10 years.

To intimate that this represents a question mark over my integrity as a tour provider, is unfounded and deeply resented. Those readers who have attended our many workshops over the years can accuse me of many things (and often do!) but a lack of integrity is surely not one of them.

A (captive) golden eagle from today's WINTER WILDLIFE tour...