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Photography Weekends Britain
New from Bradt, Photography Weekends Britain is the first photography-location guidebook to cover England, Wales and Scotland in a single title – and the first to package photogenic destinations into practical short breaks.
This unique guidebook, by award-winning travel writer and photographer William Gray, celebrates the beauty and diversity of Britain’s landscapes, cities and wildlife, while providing inspiration and essential planning tips for photographers.
Books by Will Gray
Photography Weekends Britain
The first photography-location guidebook to cover England, Wales and Scotland in a single title – and the first to package photogenic destinations into practical short breaks. This unique guidebook celebrates the beauty and diversity of Britain’s landscapes, cities and wildlife, while providing inspiration and essential planning tips for photographers.
Family Wildlife Adventures
When you’re a child, everything about nature is a revelation, every small wonder holds you rapt with curiosity. And now more than ever, we desperately need to help young people nurture a love of wildlife and wild places – so what better way to inspire the next generation of conservationists than by filling their childhood with adventures in search of Britain’s natural wonders?
Wildlife Travel
With my background as a zoologist, I've spent my life tracking down the world’s best wildlife experiences. My travels have taken me from the High Arctic in search of polar bears to the Serengeti on the trail of the Great Migration. In Wildlife Travel you will find all the information and inspiration needed to plan your own dream wildlife trip.
Travel with Kids
Family holidays are precious, hard-earned and over all-too-quickly. This 400-page guide helps you get them right – before it’s too late and your kids want to go on their own. It's packed with inspiration for taking your kids anywhere, from Cornwall to Cambodia, Andalucia to Zambia. BGTW Guidebook of the Year 2009.
Coral Reefs & Islands
Subtitled the Natural History of a Threatened Paradise, this title was highly commended in the 1993 Conservation Book Prize. The late Professor David Bellamy wrote the foreword. My first book, it was inspired following several weeks of research on Heron Island.
Britain with Kids
A follow-up title to the worldwide Travel with Kids, this book is full of ideas for family travel in Britain, including child-friendly beaches, big days out, pitch-perfect campsites, eating out, bike rides, walks, surf spots and loads of inspiration for activities that are 'fun and free'.
Cornwall with Kids
Now in its 2nd edition, this best-selling, 192-page, full-colour guide covers 90 beaches, big days out (from the Eden project to castles, museums, gardens and aquariums), campsites, beach hotels and cottages, bike rides, boat trips, sea kayaking, surfing, walks and more...
Europe with Kids
From island-hopping through the Aegean to whale-watching in Iceland, Europe is full of potential for adventurous families. As well as action plans for city breaks, self-drives and theme parks, there's also advice on how to keep everyone – from tots to teens – happy.
Adventure Travel
You want a holiday that is more thrilling than lying beside the pool, but you are concerned about the impact on the environment. from husky-sledding in Lapland to sea kayaking in new Zealand, Adventure Travel will stir your wanderlust. Ethical travel dilemmas will challenge your perceptions, while first-hand accounts of fascinating adventures will fire your imagination.
Zambia and Victoria Falls
Vast tracts of wilderness, sensational wildlife and few other tourists... Zambia has been dubbed 'The Real Africa' – and the moment you set foot in one of its national parks, you'll understand why. Now in its 5th edition, the title includes a pull-out map.
Impressive and inspirational… This may be the best travel guide I’ve ever read.
James Lowen (on Photography Weekends Britain)
Travel articles by Will Gray
Click on the images below to read the full versions of this small selection of published travel articles by Will Gray
Namibia: Deadvlei
TRAVEL AFRICA MAGAZINE
Namibia lures photographers with its vast, minimalist landscapes and rich light. Wildlife thrives in Etosha, while the coast offers moody, fog-wreathed seascapes. But if there’s a ‘classic’ shot to be taken in Namibia, it’s probably at Deadvlei. This remote clay plan, dotted with the skeletons of 900-year-old camelthorn acacias, has become one of Africa’s most iconic poster pin-ups. It’s become so well photographed that finding an original interpretation is becoming increasingly difficult. Here’s how I’ve approached it over the years…
Namibia lures photographers with its vast, minimalist landscapes and rich light. Wildlife thrives in Etosha, while the coast offers moody, fog-wreathed seascapes. But if there’s a ‘classic’ shot to be taken in Namibia, it’s probably at Deadvlei. This remote clay plan, dotted with the skeletons of 900-year-old camelthorn acacias, has become one of Africa’s most iconic poster pin-ups. It’s become so well photographed that finding an original interpretation is becoming increasingly difficult. Here’s how I’ve approached it over the years…
Big Cat Lovers
TRAVEL AFRICA MAGAZINE
Early morning sunlight seeped through the bush, a molten tide that gilded the acacia trees and ignited the feathery grass heads. When it touched the lions, sprawled in a clearing, they responded lazily. A young male stood, stretched and flopped, while the rest of the pride rolled in the grass, pawing and nuzzling one another in a feline tangle of tawny limbs and black-tipped tails. They barely glanced in the direction of our vehicle. We were parked just a few metres away, yet the big cats seemed completely indifferent to our presence.
Early morning sunlight seeped through the bush, a molten tide that gilded the acacia trees and ignited the feathery grass heads. When it touched the lions, sprawled in a clearing, they responded lazily. A young male stood, stretched and flopped, while the rest of the pride rolled in the grass, pawing and nuzzling one another in a feline tangle of tawny limbs and black-tipped tails. They barely glanced in the direction of our vehicle. We were parked just a few metres away, yet the big cats seemed completely indifferent to our presence.
Somebody to Love
TRAVEL AFRICA MAGAZINE
For many wildlife lovers, lemurs hold considerable allure, the stars of Madagascar's unique and whacky wonderland of biodiversity. Vulnerable in their isolated island home, lemurs are now the most threatened mammal group on the planet. Embarking on a road trip, we discover how vital ecotourism is for protecting them and the forests in which they live.
For many wildlife lovers, lemurs hold considerable allure, the stars of Madagascar's unique and whacky wonderland of biodiversity. Vulnerable in their isolated island home, lemurs are now the most threatened mammal group on the planet. Embarking on a road trip, we discover how vital ecotourism is for protecting them and the forests in which they live.
The Drive of Your Life
TRAVEL AFRICA MAGAZINE
On his fifth visit to Namibia, there was one journey William Gray had always dreamed of — heading north into Damaraland and beyond in a 4x4, mixing DIY camping in a rooftop tent with short stays at remote camps and lodges…
Not one, but two leopards – a mother and her cub – padded through the gilded
savannah, rosette-dappled fur glowing in the dusk. Okonjima’s head guide, Martin Njekwa, had spent three hours tracking
them, wafting a handheld antenna above his head. Each time he picked up a
signal from the mother’s radio collar, a VHF receiver had pulsed like a roused
heartbeat. Golden eyes. Golden fur. Golden grass. For fifteen riveting minutes the cats sauntered alongside us, the eight-month-old cub tussling his mother; the pair rolling together in the sand and even posing on termite mounds...
On his fifth visit to Namibia, there was one journey William Gray had always dreamed of — heading north into Damaraland and beyond in a 4x4, mixing DIY camping in a rooftop tent with short stays at remote camps and lodges…
Not one, but two leopards – a mother and her cub – padded through the gilded
savannah, rosette-dappled fur glowing in the dusk. Okonjima’s head guide, Martin Njekwa, had spent three hours tracking
them, wafting a handheld antenna above his head. Each time he picked up a
signal from the mother’s radio collar, a VHF receiver had pulsed like a roused
heartbeat. Golden eyes. Golden fur. Golden grass. For fifteen riveting minutes the cats sauntered alongside us, the eight-month-old cub tussling his mother; the pair rolling together in the sand and even posing on termite mounds...
Empty Spaces, Clear Heads
TRAVEL AFRICA MAGAZINE
It’s the latest buzzword, but what does ‘mindfulness’ actually mean in the context of a safari holiday? William Gray explores the mental benefits of connecting with nature, and suggests a new approach to adapting this on safari.
There’s a widely accepted daily routine when you’re on safari: predawn wake-up call, quick cup of tea, morning game drive and back to camp for brunch; relax during the middle part of the day, then head out again for a late-afternoon game drive, stop for sundowners then return to camp for dinner. Nothing wrong with that you might think. After all, this game drive-siesta sandwich is designed to synchronise with when wildlife is likely to be most active (or not). Photographers love the low, golden light at the beginning and end of the day and the fact is, we’ve come to expect this all-inclusive bundle of daily activities on safari.
Have you ever wondered, though, what it might be like to just sit. And look. And listen.
It’s the latest buzzword, but what does ‘mindfulness’ actually mean in the context of a safari holiday? William Gray explores the mental benefits of connecting with nature, and suggests a new approach to adapting this on safari.
There’s a widely accepted daily routine when you’re on safari: predawn wake-up call, quick cup of tea, morning game drive and back to camp for brunch; relax during the middle part of the day, then head out again for a late-afternoon game drive, stop for sundowners then return to camp for dinner. Nothing wrong with that you might think. After all, this game drive-siesta sandwich is designed to synchronise with when wildlife is likely to be most active (or not). Photographers love the low, golden light at the beginning and end of the day and the fact is, we’ve come to expect this all-inclusive bundle of daily activities on safari.
Have you ever wondered, though, what it might be like to just sit. And look. And listen.
Teenage Kicks
TRAVEL AFRICA MAGAZINE
Before they fly the nest and head to university, William Gray plans one last great African adventure with his 18-year-old twins – a three-week self-drive in South Africa and Botswana
Our twins were four when we first took them on safari in a small, malaria-free game reserve in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. It was safe, simple and sensible. A short game drive, pancakes in the bush and a kick-about with a dried-rhino-dung football and they were happy. It was so easy to please them – with or without the big five.
Fast forward fourteen years to August 2018 and we were about to embark on a very different African adventure.
Before they fly the nest and head to university, William Gray plans one last great African adventure with his 18-year-old twins – a three-week self-drive in South Africa and Botswana
Our twins were four when we first took them on safari in a small, malaria-free game reserve in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. It was safe, simple and sensible. A short game drive, pancakes in the bush and a kick-about with a dried-rhino-dung football and they were happy. It was so easy to please them – with or without the big five.
Fast forward fourteen years to August 2018 and we were about to embark on a very different African adventure.
Light on the Land
TRAVEL AFRICA MAGAZINE
Such is its dramatic appeal, you’ll really want your photos of Namibia to do the destination
justice. To help you maximise the opportunity, professional landscape and wildlife photographer
William Gray picks five essential locations on his ultimate Namibia photography trail…
Such is its dramatic appeal, you’ll really want your photos of Namibia to do the destination
justice. To help you maximise the opportunity, professional landscape and wildlife photographer
William Gray picks five essential locations on his ultimate Namibia photography trail…
Wildlife Guide
TRAVEL AFRICA MAGAZINE
Africa is a vast continent with so much to offer, so if you’re planning a safari where should you begin? William Gray explores the continent’s ecosystems, highlighting the best places to encounter its astonishing biodiversity
Africa is a vast continent with so much to offer, so if you’re planning a safari where should you begin? William Gray explores the continent’s ecosystems, highlighting the best places to encounter its astonishing biodiversity
AUSTRALIA
DESTINATION FEATURE
The water’s surface was smooth and flawless, like green satin unfurled beneath the riverside trees. The first thing that struck me was how small the platypuses were – just 30 or 40cm in length. At first glance it looked like someone had chucked a pair of old brown slippers into the river.
The water’s surface was smooth and flawless, like green satin unfurled beneath the riverside trees. The first thing that struck me was how small the platypuses were – just 30 or 40cm in length. At first glance it looked like someone had chucked a pair of old brown slippers into the river.
ZAMBIA
WILDLIFE FEATURE
Your gaze is never still during a game drive in South Luangwa. Eyes dart from one ebony tree to the next, flitting through the twists and turns of old river channels and probing every shadowy bushwillow thicket. There are leopards out there – probably in higher densities than anywhere in Africa...
Your gaze is never still during a game drive in South Luangwa. Eyes dart from one ebony tree to the next, flitting through the twists and turns of old river channels and probing every shadowy bushwillow thicket. There are leopards out there – probably in higher densities than anywhere in Africa...
AUSTRALIA
TRAVEL INSPIRATION BOOK
Sitting under the whispering casuarina trees in the dunes above Shark Bay, I lingered after dusk. The noddies were there, as always, flying in close pairs as they skipped across the reef flat. Then other birds appeared amongst them, soaring and pirouetting through the smouldering embers of sunset.
Sitting under the whispering casuarina trees in the dunes above Shark Bay, I lingered after dusk. The noddies were there, as always, flying in close pairs as they skipped across the reef flat. Then other birds appeared amongst them, soaring and pirouetting through the smouldering embers of sunset.
TIGERS
WILDLIFE TRAVEL
It was almost as if the tiger had flicked a switch in the forest. One moment it was quiet and calm – the trees swathed in webs of early morning mist – the next, it was charged with tension.
It was almost as if the tiger had flicked a switch in the forest. One moment it was quiet and calm – the trees swathed in webs of early morning mist – the next, it was charged with tension.
QUICKLINKS
A selection of travel articles by Will Gray
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