Seek discomfort

If you want to push your imagery and get exciting new shots, you shouldn’t be afraid to try new things and get a little dirty…

- Tom Mason

People keep staring at me. I’m walking back along the path at Titchwell, one of my favourite nature reserves. It’s about 11am and the sun is beaming. There’s still a chill in the air, but the warmth is nice on my skin. Passing by the hordes of birders who are out enjoying a glorious day, not one has let me pass without eyeing me up. Discomfort, a state of being, well, uncomfortable. If you want to be a wildlife photographer, you better get used to it. Actually, scrap that, you better learn to love it! I mean that. It’s not just about the obvious: the cold days, the rain, sitting on the floor for hours needing a wee. You need to love the discomfort, because in its presence is often where the best images are found.