10 striking images from a travel photographer and his top tips

Ahead of talking at Wanderlust's 'How To Make Your Photos Stand Out' seminar at the Adventure Travel Show, award-winning photojournalist William Gray shares some of his stunning photos with us...

6 mins
Oak Beach, near Port Douglas, Queensland (William Gray)

Oak Beach, near Port Douglas, Queensland (William Gray)

Wildlife rarely poses for the camera, so maximize your chances of capturing fleeting moments by selecting a DSLR that has quick and responsive autofocus and a good rate of fire – ideally a minimum of five frames per second.
Bald eagle, Vancouver Island, Canada (William Gray)

Bald eagle, Vancouver Island, Canada (William Gray)

View into Paradise Valley, Banff NP, Canada (William Gray)

View into Paradise Valley, Banff NP, Canada (William Gray)

It’s easier, less stressful and safer to arrive at your location on a falling tide, so you can work your way down towards the low tide mark. However, you’ll also be looking for the best light conditions and it takes careful planning to get everything working in your favour.
Botallack mine on the West Cornwall coast (William Gray)

Botallack mine on the West Cornwall coast (William Gray)

Misty sunrise at Burford, Cotswolds (William Gray)

Misty sunrise at Burford, Cotswolds (William Gray)

If your wildlife photography affects the natural behaviour of your subject, you are too close. No photograph is important enough to jeopardise the breeding or hunting success of a wild animal.
Bull elephant road block, Kalahari, Botswana (William Gray)

Bull elephant road block, Kalahari, Botswana (William Gray)

Blyde River Canyon, South Africa, at dusk (William Gray)

Blyde River Canyon, South Africa, at dusk (William Gray)

Filters are the most important piece of specialist gear needed for long exposure photography. Unless you’re shooting when there is very little natural daylight, you need some way of reducing the amount of light entering your camera.
Kennack Vale autumn, Cornwall (William Gray)

Kennack Vale autumn, Cornwall (William Gray)

Rainbow over Langdale Valley, Lake District (William Gray)

Rainbow over Langdale Valley, Lake District (William Gray)

The key to capturing the northern lights with your camera is to be prepared. And that means being in the right place, at the right time, with the right gear and the right camera settings.
The aurora borealis during the Polar night in Svalbard over the mountains behind Longyearbyen on the island of Spitsbergen (William Gray)

The aurora borealis during the Polar night in Svalbard over the mountains behind Longyearbyen on the island of Spitsbergen (William Gray)

(www.william-gray.co.uk)

(www.william-gray.co.uk)

William Gray is an award-winning photographer and journalist, a former Travel Photographer of the Year, Travel Writer of the Year and author of several books on wildlife and travel. Voted 4th in the Press Gazette's Top 50 Travel Journalists, his photographs and articles have appeared in publications ranging from The Sunday Times and National Geographic Traveller to Wanderlust and Condé Nast. Represented by AWL and Getty Images, Will's photographs are in demand worldwide. After graduating in zoology in 1990, his first book (on coral reefs) was published three years later. Will has since travelled to over 80 countries, often on assignment for stories with a strong conservation theme. An experienced tutor, speaker and former BBC Holiday presenter, his passion is to inspire a love of the world's wild places – whether it's chasing the light in the Lake District or photographing sea lions in the Galapagos Islands.

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