Mhairi Boustead's Wildlife Photography
Photographer Mhairi Boustead discusses her path from a 40th birthday DSLR gift to an HND in photography, her passion for capturing local wildlife, and the
Mhairi Boustead began her serious photography journey after receiving a DSLR camera for her 40th birthday. She later enrolled in college to earn a Higher National Diploma (HND) in photography, a decision made to encourage her son to also pursue further education.
Her passion is wildlife photography, fueled by living in the countryside surrounded by fields, woodlands, and streams. Boustead finds profound joy in the quiet anticipation of waiting for wildlife to appear in its natural setting.
From Scrapbooking to Scottish Skies
Boustead's interest in images started with scrapbooking after her daughter was born. The gift of the DSLR made her want to learn how to take better pictures of her children. A pivotal moment came years later during a holiday in the Scottish Highlands. She photographed a red kite soaring in the sky and was captivated by the detail she could capture, which led her to research the bird and become hooked on wildlife photography.
Educational Path and Skill Transfer
In 2022, Boustead enrolled at Glasgow Kelvin College to encourage her son. She started with an entry level 5 course, followed by level 6. Inspired by lecturer Simon Murphy's exhibition, she applied for the HND in Photography, a two-year program split into three blocks covering numerous genres.
The course included subjects like stock, fashion, portraiture, documentary, environmental, corporate, and architectural photography, as well as image editing and dark room processing. Boustead states she struggled with some genres but learned essential skills in camera settings, studio lighting, and Photoshop. She credits this broad training with strengthening her wildlife images, making them more appealing and distinct.
Public Reception and Future Hopes
The reaction to her work has been strongly positive. All the graded unit exhibition prints from her HND sold, requiring her to produce more. She now uses these prints in talks given to schools, clubs, women's groups, and camera clubs. Boustead has been surprised by the overwhelming support from friends and groups who contact her via social media. She also plans to produce a wildlife calendar this year.
For the future, Boustead hopes to continue wildlife photography for personal enjoyment and to keep sharing her work through talks. She also has a desire to work on a documentary project, which is in early planning stages and is more lifestyle-based than wildlife-focused.
Equipment and Advice
Boustead has upgraded her initial DSLR to a mirrorless Nikon Z6 II. Her lens collection includes a wide-angle, a 70-200mm, and a 160-600mm lens. For field work, she uses a portable stool, a pop-up hide with viewing windows and a seat, a monopod, a tripod, and a gimble head which she highly recommends.
Her advice to aspiring photographers is to never give up and not to dismiss a genre outright. She suggests bending a genre towards personal interests. Boustead notes she disliked photographing people, but the portraiture skills she learned are directly applicable to capturing animals like badgers, birds, and bees.
The source for this article is an interview with Mhairi Boustead published by Amateur Photographer. Their emerging photographer series aims to highlight new talent.
