An award winning wildlife photographer from Haverhill is staging an exhibition of his work at Haverhill Arts Centre.
Graeme Mayes, 54, works as a postman in Haverhill and, in his spare time, captures spectacular photographs of the natural world around him.
“I just really love British wildlife,” he said. “I photograph landscapes as well, but it’s mainly wildlife.
“I used to see lots of animals when I was delivering letters out in the villages but, now that I do the town round in Haverhill, I don’t see as much.”
Mr Mayes’ work has earned him numerous awards.
He has won Suffolk Wildlife’s photography competition and has beaten thousands of applicants to win third place in the BBC’s Country File photo competition, with his picture of a wild hare gaining a place in their coveted series calendar.
Now, a selection of his photographs are being shown in Haverhill Arts Centre.
“It’s a mixture of birds, mammals and insects,” said Mr Mayes. “All of my photos are taken in the local area.
“All of the people I meet from being a postman encourage me. Some of them let me have access to their land. I take a lot of pictures in Steeple Bumpstead and Sturmer.
“My favourite shot is of a king fisher. It’s in the exhibition.”
Mr Mayes’ work draws upon natural subjects and makes good use of the region’s light and environment to capture animals at their best.
“I’ve been taking photos for about 20 years now,” Mr Mayes added. “I can remember watching Chris Packham on some wildlife programme and I thought I just had to have a go.
“When I started, I was using film and slides. I’ve now progressed on to digital. It’s a lot easier now.
“Working with slides, especially, was very difficult. You needed to really get the exposure right. Things are a lot easier now. Digital’s a lot more forgiving.”
Despite the success he’s had with photography, Mr Mayes insists he’s just happiest taking photographs.
“I just do it as a hobby,” he said. “It’s nice, now and then, if someone pats you on the back and says, ‘that’s a nice picture’. I’m just doing it for enjoyment. It’s a passion.”
The exhibition runs at Haverhill Arts Centre until October 22.
