Otter Photography Holiday
Brydon has grown up with “his” otters and understands them better than anyone else I know.
I spent a week with Brydon during which we found otters every day, leading to some superlative photography… David Tipling – Professional wildlife photographer and author and co-author of many books on wildlife photography
It is no secret that Shetland is by far the best place in the UK to see Otters; in fact, the islands boast the highest density of these marvellously evocative mammals anywhere in Europe. Yet even with this advantage, many visitors fail to enjoy a single encounter, let alone photograph, these notoriously secretive animals. For the lucky few that manage a sighting, they have usually wasted precious days of their holiday just trying to find a reliable site, and even then getting good photographic opportunities is often all but impossible.
Our Otter photography packages focus exclusively on photographing these captivating and charismatic creatures. There are many contributing factors leading to getting those highly desirable Otter images that photographers, both amateur and professional alike, have to take in to account. Field-craft, timing, tides and of course probably the most important two – intimate knowledge of the Otter’s behaviour and the sites they inhabit. Knowing how, when and often where to move to are crucial elements in getting into that all-important photographic position.
‘Otters in the frame’ offers a specialised and dedicated opportunity which provides the best possible chance to photograph Otters in the wild, a prospect renowned as being one of the most desirable and toughest challenges for wildlife photographers in the nation.
The sites we use are some of the best in the isles, boasting some of the highest densities in Europe. Along these beautiful stretches of remote coastlines Brydon has spent much of his life gaining unsurpassed knowledge of Otters, their behaviour and, equally as importantly, how the animals use these sites.
These crucial elements, along with our tried and tested methods, are undoubtedly the key to our proven success in our clients photographing otters. You can view below some stunning images taken by delighted clients. Brydon has also many photos on his Shetland Otter Watching Blog.
To ensure the best possible results, these holidays are exclusively one-on-one, with the exception of a couple or two clients travelling together.
Please Note: Otters are protected by law. We operate under an Animal Conservation Licence authorised by Scottish Natural Heritage. This ensures that we uphold stringent standards of minimal disturbance with respect to the otters, their behaviour and sensitivity, and their environment.
Booking
To arrange your exclusive package contact us for details and available dates. This unique photographic holiday is available all year round.
Prices start from £200 per day (discounts available for multi day bookings), which includes lunch and refreshments, transport, ferry fares and as many hours in the field as we can manage!
We can also advise and arrange accommodation to best suit our main sites.
We are sponsored by Stealth Gear, wildlife photography clothing specialists. A range of clothing is supplied for our photography clients.
Otter Photography Testimonials
There is arguably no better place in Britain to view and photograph Otters than Shetland. But finding and especially getting close to these elusive mammals requires expert help and there is no one better at that than Shetlander Brydon Thomason. Brydon has grown up with “his” Otters and understands them better than anyone I know. I spent a week with Brydon during which we found Otters every day leading to some superlative photography. To have sat next to two young cubs just three hours from stepping off my flight from London was sheer magic. David Tipling – Professional wildlife photographer & author of many books on wildlife photography
Discussing my Shetland visit with a friend I mentioned that an opportunity to both see and photograph Otters was top of the list, immediately he recommended that I contact Brydon. I met Brydon early on the agreed morning and we set off at once in search of Otters. Brydon’s good humour is infectious and we were soon chatting away like old friends. In this relaxed manner he is able to improve your knowledge of Otters with ease. We set off along the coast with Brydon pointing out signs of Otter activity almost every few metres. After approx 45 mins he stopped to scan the far shoreline of the bay we had just entered and spotted our first Otter of the day. Our quiet and careful approach was soon rewarded by an extremely close encounter with a female catch and leisurely eat a Lump-sucker fish – a once in a lifetime photographic opportunity and fantastic wildlife encounter. Soon after with Brydon walking ahead to check the small coves and bays there wasn’t long to wait before our second encounter of the day. Again wonderfully close views – this time of a fine dog Otter. At times alert, then dozing, this male Otter kept us entranced for at least 20 minutes whilst providing many opportunities for the camera. My smiles were from ear to ear – two fabulous Otter experiences in the same day and some great photos. If you are serious about Otters give him a call – unreservedly recommended!! Nigel McCall
I was enthralled as Brydon guided me along the coastline, showing me every old and new sign of otter activity and then how his expertise really came to the fore as we closed in and got in some fantastic positions for photographing- without disturbing the animals. I have been looking for otters myself in Shetland on many visits to the Islands since my post as warden on Fetlar in 1969. Out of some 14 visits over the years my success rate with otters has been very limited, especially with photographing them. Since my last visit in 2009 Brydon made clear to me where I had gone wrong during all those years, and that was a lack of stealth, knowledge of the otters, their territories and most of all – field craft – in a few hours Brydon made it all change! In one day I had better results than my 14 visits to the Islands! Peter Switzer Netherlands
I’ve had several photographic trips to the Shetlands over the past 10 years with the main focus on photographing otters. Before planning my most recent trip I came across Brydon’s blog and website. For anyone who has tried to photograph otters it is immediately obvious that Brydon not only knows otters and their behaviour, but also the sites they inhabit. You cannot fail to be completely bowled over by the quality of stunning photographs on the site. There is such variety of high quality images with shots of unique behaviour. I booked 2 days of guiding for my trip on a one to one basis. On my first evening Brydon met me at the ferry on Fetlar and we discussed plans for the next 2 days. We saw otters on both days and on both occasions Brydon managed to get me into fantastic photographic positions. On one occasion I was as close as I’ve ever been to a wild otter – photograph attached. The only disappointment was that my big lens was misted up with condensation and I couldn’t convert the encounter into crisp images. The 2 days were truly memorable. I learnt a tremendous amount over the 2 days and Brydon was great company. I would thoroughly recommend Brydon for anyone considering a trip to the Shetlands, especially to photograph otters! Richard Hopkins
