Scotland Through A Lens: Into the wild with Rosanna Forbes

From the hares in rural Perthshire to the kingfishers around Edinburgh’s waterways, Rosanna Forbes has ranged far and wide to capture Scotland’s enchanting wildlife.

I fell into photography about 12 years ago as I became enchanted by all the wildlife around me at home in Perthshire. I became more and more fascinated by the birds and animals that I shared the countryside with. I love walking and during Covid my love of wildlife and photography grew as I had so much more time to explore my local area with my camera.  I lived in Glenalmond, Perthshire and the huge diversity of wildlife became my inspiration for photography.  

My favourite things to photograph are hares and owls. I love following the hares through the seasons, from their crazy boxing and chasing, to the little leverets hidden away in the grass to the adults hunkered down in the frosty fields. They are so impressive surviving in all weathers above ground.

In Glenalmond I found Tawny Owls, barn owls and long eared owls and was lucky enough to photograph both owlets and adults. We had a barn owl box on the side of our house where a pair of barn owls successfully fledged four chicks. I didn’t even have to leave the house to photograph the barn owlets hunting on their own for the first time. It was magical. I was also lucky enough to photograph pine martens, red squirrels, stoats and weasels all within feet of our back door. The diversity of wildlife so close to the house was inspirational.

I don’t think I am a particularly patient person but over the years I’ve become much more attuned to where certain birds or animals may be living. I have learnt to spot certain movements and to register noises and calls. I’m very happy to sit quietly and wait if I’m confident the creature will appear. I also regularly carry peanuts in my pocket in case I need to tempt a bird, squirrel or mouse out to take its picture.

As a wildlife photographer it is never guaranteed that a creature will even appear let alone stay for long enough to photograph. Maybe that’s partly why it is so rewarding when they do. It is sometimes challenging and I have found myself in all weathers and at all times of day and night scrambling down banks and up hills in the hope of seeing something.  It is so worth it. 

I have recently moved to Edinburgh and am now enjoying all that the city has to offer. There are foxes, otters, kingfishers and sparrowhawks to name a few. It’s a whole new wildlife chapter for me. 

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