Behind the Lens with James and Dawn Langiewicz

Emma Chaplin
, 15 December 2020
Behind the Lens with James and Dawn Langiewicz
Bank Vole © Dawn and James Langiewicz

We spoke to James Langiewicz, but these astonishing photographs are taken by both James and wife Dawn as a team.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m originally from Southern California, and Dawn is from West Sussex. We currently live in Worthing. I'm retired and Dawn is a nurse. 

We met online in 2002 and I moved to the UK in 2011. We married soon after. 

Our passion for nature started after we met. We spent a lot of time traveling around the countryside while visiting each other either here or in California. 

In California we travelled extensively up and down the coast and ventured into areas of the Southwest US, including Arizona which began our love for birding. 

Robin ErithacusRubecula WoodsMill SWT WSussex 10February2014

Which photographers inspire you? 

I was introduced to the work of Ansel Adams in my teenage years, his work was extraordinary, but this was years before I picked up a camera.

WrinkledPeach RhodotusPalmatus EbernoeCommonNNR SWT WSussex 23October2018

Wrinkled peach fungus

When and why did you develop an interest in wildlife photography? 

Within a short time of meeting Dawn, we got our first cameras to document our time together. Nature and wildlife photography bloomed from there.

WaterVole ArvicolaAmphibious SouthDownsNP WSussex 07March2017

Do you have a particular subject matter you favour, and why? 

That’s a difficult one to answer, we will take pictures of anything that crosses our path, but we do love to hunt for fungus and slime moulds and the unique photography challenge they bring. 

GeastrumBritannicum SouthDownsNP WSussex 03March2015

Geastrum Britannicum

Native orchids here in the UK and orchids across the world are also a passion of ours, especially when we’re visiting our grandchildren overseas and can teach them how wonderful nature can be.

What are the biggest challenges in your field of photography? 

Remembering our gear is expensive and not toys. I’m kind of a klutz and have broke a few bits here and there over the years.

BurntOrchid LateForm NeotineaUstulata Var.Aestivalis SouthDownsNP ESussex 21July2019

Burnt orchid

What equipment do you use, in brief? 

Our camera gear is primarily Canon with the exception of a Sigma long lens. We also use a CamRanger wireless remote to take all our photos.

Kingfishers AlcedoAtthis SouthDownsNP WSussex 15April2013

What’s your favourite shot? 

Any shot we’ve taken of something we’ve discovered accidentally, we love surprises.

HairIceCrustFungus ExidiopsisEffusa EridgeRocksNR SWT ESussex 14December2018

Hair ice crust fungus

What are you trying to communicate with your photographs? 

How fortunate we humans are to have all this beauty around us.

EarlyPurpleOrchids OrchisMascula EbernoeCommonNNR SWT WSussex 19April2019

Early purple orchids

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

Sometimes the wildlife can be very inquisitive about what we’re doing, we were once approached by wild ponies and we had to abandon our gear while they inspected it.

BadhamiaUtricularis SlimeMould EbernoeCommonNNR SWT WSussex 29January2018

Badhamia Utricularis Slime Mould Ebernoe Common

Where, and when, historically, would you most have liked to be with a camera? 

Anywhere prior to the inhabitation of humans. 

RedKite MilvusMilvus BrecondBeaconsNP Wales 08February2013

Red kite

Any tips? 

It’s never too late to start enjoying nature and wildlife. 

James Langiewicz

For more of James and Dawn's photography, see here.


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Comments

  • James & Dawn Langiewicz:

    Thank You Emma, and all the staff and volunteers at the Sussex Wildlife Trust, we always enjoy coming to your reserves and getting involved in some of the various projects and get-togethers. While a wonderful and new experience for us, choosing photos was daunting, but in a good way. When we did choose one photo we talked at length about where we were, what we saw and how much we wanted to return to see it again. When away from home another photo or photos would pop into our minds causing us to almost start the process all over again when we got home, we must have done that dozens of times and each time we did it with a smile on our faces. We certainly enjoyed being a part of this project and hope your followers over the various social media platforms enjoy the article and all the photos.
    All the Best
    J&D

    16 Dec 2020 14:27:00

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