Big game photography in Africa is mainly done from a vehicle, so then I feel I might as well take the lot.

A large wildlife book, start to finish, could take one to two years, but then I would expect to get several good (nature) magazine features off the back of this, plus of course a lot of stock.

For the first few years we lived in a tiny rented cottage at the bottom of a friend's garden. We often joked that there was plenty of film in the fridge, but not too much food!

My first serious project was photographing badgers - very, very difficult as they are shy and nocturnal.

I concentrate on the southern African subcontinent.

Big game photography in Africa is mainly done from a vehicle, so then I feel I might as well take the lot.

I carry a notebook full of sketches of pictures I want to take - they are really scruffy sketches, but at least I am going out there with a clear objective.