Scotland Outdoors Scotland Outdoors

Capturing the Wild with Photographer Karen Miller

Sep 9, 2026 · 24m

Summary

Former BBC colleague Karen Miller discusses her leap into wildlife photography, sharing her passion for capturing the essence of animals in a local woodland. She highlights the importance of patience, heated gear for winter shoots, and ethical practices like respecting animal stress signals. The episode features a live session observing red squirrels and bank voles, alongside insights on using trail cameras to monitor nocturnal visitors like pine martens.

Topics discussed

Introduction to Karen Miller and her new life The local woodland behind Karen's house Discovering the clearing and observing squirrels Building trust with wildlife and photography tips Karen's journey from BBC to wildlife photography Key principles of wildlife photography Animal senses and hide etiquette The heated cushion and winter photography comfort Current wildlife: voles, shrews, and feeding habits Lighting conditions and setting up the site Observing voles and the unpredictability of wildlife Spotting and identifying the voles Photographing voles and the joy of noticing nature Bird identification apps and enriched walks Seasonal wildlife and capturing animal essence Ethical photography and respecting animal stress Birds at the feeder and long-tailed tits Coping with cold weather and heated gear A story of patience with a mountain hare Using trail cameras to monitor nocturnal wildlife Feeding squirrels with antlers and hazelnuts Life changes and lessons from the BBC Closing remarks and podcast credits
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