Ethics, Pressure, and Staying True to Your Wildlife Photography in 2026

As we move into 2026, social media continues to shape how wildlife photography is viewed, judged, and valued. Incredible images appear daily, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or discouraged, wondering if you’ll ever reach that level. I’ve felt it myself. But it’s important to pause and ask: how was that image actually made?

Was it photographed in the wild under natural conditions? Was it taken at a baited hide? Was AI used? Or was the scene staged in some other way? These questions matter more than ever.

Chasing Winter Light: A Wildlife Photographer’s Guide to Shooting in Snow

Photographing wildlife in snowy environments is one of the most rewarding experiences a photographer can have, but it comes with its own set of technical, environmental, and personal challenges. Snow simplifies landscapes, amplifies light, and creates incredible atmosphere, yet it can confuse camera meters, strain equipment, and quickly expose any gaps in preparation. With the right approach, winter conditions can elevate your wildlife imagery to a whole new level.

Matthew Birchett21 December 2025Comment

A Field-Tested Review of the Cotton Carrier G3 Harness System (Realtree Camo) With Bino Attachment

When you spend most of your year trekking through jungles, coastlines, mountains, and forests with a camera in hand, you quickly learn which pieces of kit earn their place—and which don’t. After years of leading photography tours in the jungles of South America, photographing along the Cornish Coast, braving Scotland’s rugged highlands, and traveling more than 5,000 km from Ottawa to Vancouver Island, only a select few tools have become truly indispensable.

The Cotton Carrier G3 Harness System, paired with the Binocular Bracket, is one of them. In fact, it has become an extension of my body. We often overuse the term game changer, but in this case, it’s genuinely deserved.

Matthew Birchett9 December 2025cotton carrier g3 harness, cotton carrier, camera harness systemComment

Riding The Canadian: Testing the Canon RF 100–300mm f/2.8L IS - on a Transcontinental Journey

Travelling from Ottawa to Vancouver Island aboard VIA Rail’s legendary transcontinental route—The Canadian—is an experience that blends nostalgia, wilderness, and sheer geographic scale. Over two weeks, I crossed the entire breadth of the country with a rare opportunity in hand: a loaned Canon RF 100–300mm f/2.8L IS, one of Canon’s fastest and most versatile telephoto zooms. What better proving ground than a journey through six provinces, endless forests, prairies, mountains, and some of Canada’s most dramatic wildlife encounters?

Matthew Birchett4 December 2025canon rf lenses, canon rf 100-300, canon lens reviews, canon rf 100-300 l is, camera reviewsComment

How Wildlife Photography Has Changed — And What Four Decades Have Taught Me

Since the COVID outbreak, wildlife photography has grown at a pace I never expected. Lockdowns pushed people outdoors, searching for peace, purpose, and new passions — and many found all three through the lens. In some ways it has been wonderful; more people are discovering the natural world and expressing its beauty. But after forty years in this field, I’ve seen changes that are not always easy to accept.

The Hen Harrier and the Northern Harrier: Similar in Flight, Divided by Oceans

The Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) and the Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonicus) are two strikingly similar birds of prey that embody both beauty and conflict in the natural world. Once considered a single species, but since 2017 they now represent two distinct lineages divided by the Atlantic Ocean. Each hunts low over open ground, moving with graceful, buoyant wingbeats, but their fates have diverged sharply.

Nature – The Ultimate Healer

From as early as I can remember, I’ve always been captivated by the natural world. As a young boy, barely into single figures, I would spend hours watching the birds that visited my garden or the nearby woods. It didn’t matter whether they were common species like robins and sparrows or something rarer, the thrill of seeing wildlife in its purest form filled me with excitement and wonder. That simple joy became the seed of a lifelong passion, one that has now grown into my full-time career as a professional wildlife photographer.

Matthew Birchett29 October 2025 Comments

Into the Wild Heart of Algonquin – A Week Among Moose, Bears & Wolves !!

There are few places that capture the raw spirit of the Canadian wilderness quite like Algonquin Provincial Park. Established in 1893, Algonquin is Ontario’s oldest and one of its largest provincial parks, covering a staggering 7,600 square kilometres (that’s nearly three times the size of Luxembourg!). This vast wilderness of lakes, forests, rivers, and rocky ridges forms a natural bridge between northern boreal and southern deciduous ecosystems, creating an incredibly rich diversity of wildlife and landscapes. Its 2,400 lakes and 1,200 kilometres of streams and rivers make it a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, while its deep history, once home to Indigenous peoples and later the early loggers and naturalists who shaped Canada’s conservation movement which adds a cultural layer to its natural beauty.

The Art of Disappearing: Why Camouflage Matters in Wildlife Photography

For me, camouflage and muted clothing are as essential to wildlife photography as the camera itself. Over the years, I’ve learned that what I wear can often be the deciding factor between capturing a rare, intimate moment — or watching it vanish before I can even raise the lens.

Matthew Birchett12 October 2025fieldcraft, blogs, camouflage, concealmentComment

Walking the Wolf Trail – A Fall Rhapsody Adventure Gatineau, Quebec Canada.

This autumn, my wife Sarah, our dog Myah, and I set out on one of Gatineau Park’s most celebrated hikes: the Wolf Trail, also known as Trail 62 or Blanchet Trail. Starting from P13 near Blanchet Beach on Meech Lake, this loop is widely considered one of the park’s most