Behind the Lens with Brooke Haycock

Emma Chaplin
, 06 February 2023
Behind the Lens with Brooke Haycock
Fallow deer in Bluebells © Brooke Haycock

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into wildlife photography

I'm a 15 year old boy from East Sussex. My family have been members of Sussex Wildlife Trust for five years. I love being outside and enjoying the wildlife that we are lucky enough to have all around us. Whenever I’m out in nature I feel completely relaxed being at my happiest. It’s my therapy, passion and now wildlife feels a part of me that I could never be without. I would happily be alone for months in a forest or wild space where I can separate myself and feel at peace with nature. I first got into photography by seeing a Barn Owl hunting on one summers morning and, since that moment at 11 years old, I was hooked. That one owl was my biggest inspiration after the memorable time I was lucky enough to have in his presence.

Nightjar
Nightjar

Who is your conservation hero?

My main influence is David Attenborough for engaging a large scale audience, who then take an interest into the natural world and its beauty. From the incredible encounters he has documented and filmed when he was younger, to his drive and motivation to save our planet at his age, is utterly remarkable. From his conservation efforts with individual species to his charismatic attitude, he is a legend in spreading awareness to my generation who have a great lot of work to do.

Fox cub
Fox cub

Do you have a favourite subject matter or location of where you most like to take wildlife photos?

If I could choose just one species that I could photograph for the rest of my life it would be Otters as they are highly emotionally intelligent creatures that are always up to something! I find observing them fascinating as they sleep, hunt and even play. But all owls I love for their graceful looks and quite nearly silent flight. Not much can beat an owl gliding over your head at sunset, truly magical. Watching as they hunt and seeing light filter through their elegant wings is perfection by Mother Nature. From secretive Tawny Owls to flighty Short-eared Owls, they have a special place in my heart. My favourite place to photograph wildlife is any large, open rough grassland where Jack Snipe can hide and voles can feed, while birds of prey can feast upon them, and then you have a healthy ecosystem where wildlife works together to thrive.

Dartford Warbler
Dartford Warbler

What equipment do you use, in brief?

I use a Canon 500mm f4 ii paired with a Canon R6 for most of my wildlife photography. The low light capabilities of the R6 let me stay out late when wildlife becomes most active in the fading light.

Peregrine
Peregrine

What’s your favourite shot and why?

I was twelve when I found my first Tawny Owl nest. After months of searching it felt amazing to hear the call of one of the owlets. As I walked past a tree I heard a faint chirp and days later I saw my first chick. The owlet was just about to fledge one evening, it rested on this opening of the tree during the last hours of the day before it plucked up the courage to leave. This photo is memorable to me because it was the summer of lockdown so I got to spend every day with the three owlets from this nest. With them seeing me for weeks on end they knew I was no threat and let me into their incredible world, I felt accepted by a wild bird, just such a privilege. I love Tawny Owls, when you learn about them they are not so elusive as you first imagine… to this day I still follow the same female, mother to this chick.

Tawny owlet
Tawny owlet

Have you ever had any surprises when you’ve been out with a camera?

While being out with my camera I come across many incredible sights as when you spend as much as 12 hours at one spot you do tend to see a lot. One amazing sighting I have seen would be a Fox that caught a Squirrel one winters morning. I laid down and the Fox came just a few meters away walking towards me with its kill. It felt like a dream.

Damselfly
Damselfly

What do you hope for as a career and why?

I would absolutely love a career in wildlife conservation or photography. I want to spread awareness and do my bit to give wildlife as much help as they can get. My dream would be to go around the world documenting wildlife and presenting because I love to talk about all sorts of birds and mammals as it's that curiosity which makes me always want to be with wildlife more often.

To see more of Brook's photos, follow him on Instagram.

Brooke Haycock by Brooke Haycock
Brooke Haycock by Brooke Haycock

Leave a comment

Comments

  • Richard Verroen:

    Nice interview of a very enthousiast and dedicated young photographer and I wouldn’t be surprised Brooke will host BBC Springwatch in future.

    06 Feb 2023 20:24:00

  • Rufus:

    What a guy

    08 Feb 2023 13:01:00

  • Glynis:

    I saw a baby owl hopping between branches and making a right old row waiting for it’s parents last year and watched it until it got dark, a special experience, so I’m jealous of Brooke having the patience and skill to find and observe wildlife at his age. Thanks for sharing your story, keep doing what you love.

    11 Feb 2023 09:08:00

Time Δ Debug Message - Perch Runway 3.2
1782930299.03060 [906] SELECT p.pagePath, pr.routePattern, pr.routeRegExp, p.pageTemplate, pr.routeOrder, s.settingValue AS siteOffline FROM swt_pages_staging p LEFT JOIN swt_page_routes pr ON p.pageID=pr.pageID LEFT JOIN swt_settings s ON s.settingID='siteOffline' UNION SELECT NULL AS pagePath, pr2.routePattern, pr2.routeRegExp, pr2.templatePath AS pageTemplate, pr2.routeOrder, NULL AS siteOffline FROM swt_page_routes pr2 WHERE templateID!=0 ORDER BY routeOrder ASC, pagePath ASC
1782930299.05810.0275Matched route: news/[slug:s]
1782930299.05820.0002Server address: 216.73.217.103
1782930299.05830Using master page: /templates/pages/blog/post.php
1782930299.05830Page arguments: 
Array
(
    [0] => /news/behind-the-lens-with-brooke-haycock
    [s] => behind-the-lens-with-brooke-haycock
    [1] => behind-the-lens-with-brooke-haycock
)
1782930299.05870.0004 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1782930299.05990.0013 [86] SELECT DISTINCT settingID, settingValue FROM swt_settings WHERE userID=0
1782930299.06250.0025 [1] SELECT locationID FROM swt_shop_tax_locations WHERE locationIsHome=1 LIMIT 1
1782930299.06320.0007INSERT INTO swt_shop_cart(memberID,locationID,currencyID,cartPricing,cartProperties) VALUES(NULL,'1',47,'standard','[]')
1782930299.06510.0018 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=22492308
1782930299.06570.0006 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=22492308
1782930299.06640.0007 [nil] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_sales WHERE saleFrom<='2026-07-01 18:25:00' AND saleTo>'2026-07-01 18:25:00' AND saleActive=1 AND saleDeleted IS NULL ORDER BY saleOrder ASC
1782930299.06820.0018 [1] SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS DISTINCT tbl.* FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, main.*, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_blog_index idx JOIN swt_blog_posts main ON idx.itemID=main.postID AND idx.itemKey='postID' JOIN swt_blog_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey='postID' AND idx2.indexKey='_id' WHERE 1=1 AND ((idx.indexKey='postSlug' AND idx.indexValue='behind-the-lens-with-brooke-haycock')) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey=idx2.itemKey GROUP BY idx.itemID, idx2.indexValue, postID ) as tbl WHERE (postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-07-01 18:25:00' ) GROUP BY itemID, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC LIMIT 0, 10
1782930299.07090.0027 [1] SELECT FOUND_ROWS() AS `count`
1782930299.07170.0008 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_posts WHERE postID=2998 AND postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-07-01 18:25:00'
1782930299.07290.0012 [13] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_sections ORDER BY sectionTitle ASC
1782930299.0740.001 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blogs ORDER BY blogTitle ASC
1782930299.07470.0008 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories WHERE catID=195 LIMIT 1
1782930299.07540.0006 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories WHERE catID=69 LIMIT 1
1782930299.0760.0006 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories WHERE catID=227 LIMIT 1
1782930299.07670.0007Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1782930299.07720.0004 [162] SELECT catID, catPath FROM swt_categories
1782930299.07830.0011 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_posts WHERE postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-07-01 18:25:00' AND postSlug='behind-the-lens-with-brooke-haycock'
1782930299.10030.022Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1782930299.10110.0007 [250] SELECT country, countryID FROM swt_shop_countries WHERE countryActive=1 ORDER BY country ASC
1782930299.10270.0016Using template: /templates/pages/attributes/seo.html
1782930299.1030.0003 [1] SELECT regionID, regionTemplate, regionPage, regionRev AS rev FROM swt_content_regions WHERE regionKey='Banner image' AND (regionPage='/news/post' OR regionPage='*')
1782930299.1040.0009 [nil] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, c.regionID, idx.pageID, c.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_content_index idx JOIN swt_content_items c ON idx.itemID=c.itemID AND idx.itemRev=c.itemRev AND idx.regionID=c.regionID JOIN swt_content_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE ((idx.regionID=104 AND idx.itemRev=0)) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, pageID, itemJSON, sortval, regionID ORDER BY sortval ASC
1782930299.10520.0012 [82] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageDepth >=0 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1782930299.10880.0035 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1782930299.10950.0007 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1782930299.11180.0023Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template.html
1782930299.11190.0001 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1782930299.11270.0009 [4] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1782930299.11330.0005 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1782930299.11630.0031 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1782930299.11750.0012 [7] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1782930299.11840.0009 [9] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1782930299.12120.0028 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' OR pageSortPath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1782930299.12210.001 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageHidden=0 AND pageNew=0 AND pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition
1782930299.12460.0024 [1] Using template: /templates/navigation/breadcrumbs.html
1782930299.12520.0006Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1782930299.12550.0004 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_authors WHERE authorID='20' LIMIT 1
1782930299.12660.001Using template: /templates/blog/author.html
1782930299.12710.0005 [1] SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS DISTINCT tbl.* FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, main.*, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_blog_index idx JOIN swt_blog_posts main ON idx.itemID=main.postID AND idx.itemKey='postID' JOIN swt_blog_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey='postID' AND idx2.indexKey='_id' WHERE 1=1 AND ((idx.indexKey='postSlug' AND idx.indexValue='behind-the-lens-with-brooke-haycock')) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey=idx2.itemKey GROUP BY idx.itemID, idx2.indexValue, postID ) as tbl WHERE (postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-07-01 18:25:00' ) GROUP BY itemID, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC LIMIT 0, 1
1782930299.12950.0024 [1] SELECT FOUND_ROWS() AS `count`
1782930299.13010.0006 [1] Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1782930299.13410.004Using template: /templates/blog/comment_form.html
1782930299.13570.0015 [3] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_comments WHERE 1=1 AND postID=2998 AND commentStatus='LIVE' ORDER BY FIELD(webmentionType, 'like', 'repost', 'comment', NULL) ASC, commentDateTime ASC
1782930299.18680.0511 [3] Using template: /templates/blog/comment.html
1782930299.18790.0011Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1782930299.18820.0002 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_authors WHERE authorID='20' LIMIT 1
1782930299.18910.001 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/what-we-do' OR pageSortPath='/what-we-do' LIMIT 1
1782930299.18990.0008 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-002' LIMIT 1
1782930299.19050.0006 [7] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-002%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1782930299.19270.0022 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1782930299.19330.0006 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1782930299.2020.0087 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1782930299.20290.0008 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1782930299.20390.001 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1782930299.20460.0008 [38] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1782930299.20720.0026 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1782930299.20790.0007 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1782930299.20990.002 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1782930299.21340.0035 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/visit' OR pageSortPath='/visit' LIMIT 1
1782930299.21420.0007 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-004' LIMIT 1
1782930299.21480.0006 [30] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-004%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1782930299.21720.0024 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1782930299.21770.0005 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1782930299.21990.0021 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1782930299.22210.0023 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1782930299.22290.0008 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1782930299.22340.0005 [11] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1782930299.22540.002 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1782930299.2260.0006 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1782930299.22810.0021 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1782930299.22930.0013Request time: 0.2026
1782930299.22930Process time: 0.2023
1782930299.22940Memory: 1.6557