Photographer snaps State’s birds

Nature and bird enthusiast and photographer Dick Walker is capturing portraits of birds around WA.

Enjoying photography most of his life, Walker has combined his passion for photography and birds more professionally since retirement, being able to spend more time and money on equipment.

“I have enjoyed photography since a young age, once capturing a chick breaking out of an egg and my other passion is birds and nature — enjoying the planet,” he said.

“I think photography is one of those mediums that enable us to link us to our planet, and with myself doing bird photography and my wife capturing flora we are very much linked to the planet.”

Walker said when taking up photography, if you shot for yourself, you were isolating your work to some extent, but if you shot for the population, it broadened your approach to photography, allowing the community to have a perspective on your work.

“I’ve learnt so much from the people that enjoy our photography and if I had to have a favourite piece, it would be anything absolutely technically spot on,” he said.

Walker said he would like to capture a portrait of every bird in WA, saying this type of photography grounded him to the planet we live on, and allowed him to observe nature while getting the perfect shot.

“I once sat with a female golden whistler for five hours a day for two weeks to get to the perfect shot with the head in the right spot and the perfect lighting,” he said.