We are delighted to share that Ian Wade, a key member of the JBP Communication’s digital and design team, has been recognised as part of the prestigious British Wildlife Photography Awards (BWPAs) 2025.
The competition was created to ‘recognise the talents of photographers practising in the UK’ and celebrate the nation’s wildlife and wild spaces.
Shots captured by Ian have been shortlisted in three categories – including Wild Woods, Botanical Britain and Urban Wildlife – which means his work will be included in a collection book published by the BWPA.
With thousands of photographs entered each year, this is an incredible and well-deserved achievement. It also marks the sixth time that Ian has been recognised as part of the annual competition, with his continued success placing him alongside the best professional and amateur wildlife photographers in the UK.
Following his recent success, we sat down with Ian to understand what inspired his interest in photography and how he feels about being recognised once again in the BWPAs.
Q: How do you feel about having three of your pictures shortlisted in this year’s competition?
A: “It’s an honour to have my work recognised – and it certainly makes all those hours spent in the cold and mud all the more worth it.
“It also keeps me ambitious and striving to stay fresh. There are thousands of talented photographers submitting their shots every year and the calibre of work is unbelievable so seeing what other people are doing inspires me to keep honing my skills and to keep looking for my next picture.”
Q: What’s the process?
A: “While a lot of other photographers like to focus on otters, kingfishers and other ‘big ticket items’, I’m more interested in the subjects that no one really thinks about – such spiders, toads, herring gulls and snails.
“I also try to find new ways to approach my work. For instance, I previously did a series called Neon Toads, where I used some creative lighting to take the subject from an innocent pond-hopper to something straight out of a 1960’s monster movie.
“For me, wildlife photography is about three things; preparation, patience and luck…a lot of luck. You might spend a long five-hours crouched in the mud and feel the brunt of cold British weather head on, but every so often those three elements come together perfectly and you capture an amazing moment that makes it all worth it.”
Q: Of the three shortlisted shots, do you have a particular favourite?
A: “I’d have to say the picture looking upwards through the bluebells. I actually first submitted this one ten years ago and it wasn’t selected, but I’ve kept putting it forward because I believe it is a good shot and am incredibly proud that it has finally been recognised.”
Q: How did your journey into photography start?
A: “It actually all began when I was travelling around Southeast Asia in the early 2000s. I originally brought a compact camera to take some pictures of the landscape but a particularly wet boat trip meant it was quickly written off.
“I had just enough money to buy a film camera, so I spent the rest of my trip developing those early skills while also giving myself a crash course in how to use the camera.
“I then spent year living in Australia, where my interest in wildlife photography grew, before bringing my new passion back home to the UK.
“Admittedly, the pictures I was taking in those early days weren’t particularly good, but it was the most fun I’ve had as a photographer because it was about discovery and learning.”
Q: Do you enjoy delivering photography work as part of the JBP digital and design team?
A: “I seize every chance I can to get behind the camera so to be able to use my photography skills as part of my work with JBP is fantastic. Having a photographer on the team also helps with the creative process and strengthens the design work we can deliver for our clients.”
Ian is now waiting to find out if he will be named a category winner for this year’s BWPAs.