Twycross Zoo Workshops with Alex Wilkinson

Jade Burrell
Jun 7, 2021
2 min read

Twycross Zoo is home to over 500 animals of 125 species from meerkats to big cats and there’s 100 acres to explore.

As photographers, we want to make sure we get the best photos possible when we’re at the zoo, and Alex Wilkinson is here to help with regular photography workshops!

Alex, a wildlife, sports, events, portrait, and aerial photographer, runs the Twycross Zoo’s photography workshop once a month between March and November (depending on weather) and has done since 2015.

Starting his photographic journey with his studies, doing a Masters course of Science in Biological Photography and Imaging in 2013/2014.

“On the Masters, I had to do a dissertation and I wrote a book on Chimpanzees," Alex said.

"I went all the way out to Uganda to photograph and study them. Towards the end of the project I did a little bit in the UK at Twycross just to finish off the book. With that interest in primates and the great apes, I came up with the concept and that was how it started."

The first workshop of this year was on May 16. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the entire workshop took place outside.

"We had five people on it. It was good fun."

Alex keeps the workshops to a minimum of six people to allow each photographer to receive one-on-one assistance with him.

"Usually people will start off on fully automatic mode at the start of the day and then we go to semi-automatic and then manual. It's all paced for the group."

Alex uses the workshop to help photographers utilise their camera settings to get the best shots possible when they're at the zoo.

"Some people just like going for a wander and taking photos but the difference is they understand now what the camera is doing and how to control it. It's about using the best settings to save you time and get better photos."