ABOUT ME

Clyde and the Big AppleI wear many hats: a (largely) self-taught graphic/web designer, digital image manipulator, layout artist, desktop publisher, editor, storyteller, copywriter, and part-time but avid birder. My latest obsession, DSLR photography–which I live, breathe, and sleep–combines my passion and respect for wildlife and the natural world with a need to tell the stories behind my images as compellingly and creatively as possible–with both the visual and written mediums.

Wildlife photography has its challenges, but those challenges notwithstanding, it is truly humbling and awe-inspiring to be in the presence of creatures with whom we do not speak a common tongue or share a common shape, but will let me experience a part of their lives and connect with them–if only for a few hundred or thousand heartbeats–at a closeness than I could never dare to believe or hope for. You cannot put a price on the magic of those moments.

Vignetted Profile of a Peregrine FalconI believe that every image has a significance and story to tell, as long as I am patient enough to discover what they are. These photos represent a new journey, passion, and chapter in my life.

One of the most beautiful compliments I continue to receive about my photographs is how they evoke childhood memories for my viewers. The power of an image to touch our lives–in a positive or bittersweet way–more than the spoken or written word, can never be underscored or taken for granted.

I am of the belief that the camera does not make a great photographer; it is a tool, albeit a very powerful one, to help make a picture worth its proverbial thousand words. It has been something of a “family tradition” to shoot with Nikon lenses and cameras, and by shooting with Canon plus a combination of Canon and Sigma lenses, I suppose I am being a bit of a rebel (an in-joke for those of you who are acquainted with Canon branding). 😉

Closeup of a St. John's WortI also dabble in macro photography, which in many respects, may be even more challenging than wildlife photography because of the narrow depth of field involved in photographing subjects. A sneeze or a slight breeze is enough to send an image that’s been composed to your desire into the dreaded blurs.

My only formal education in photography was in Grade 10 with black-and-white 35mm film cameras and the unforgettably odoriferous development baths in the darkroom where one painstakingly transformed precious negatives into positives. In the past year and a half, I have become extremely acquainted with terms like ISO, aperture, focal length, flashgun, RAW, diffuser, and post processing in a “two steps forwards, three steps back” manner of learning.

Battle of the CrestsThank you for visiting my recently redesigned photoblog, whsimphotos.wordpress.com. This “reboot and rebrand” was the inevitable direction that my previous WordPress blog (lilmisspoutinessegues.wordpress.com), was heading in, and that blog has now been archived.

Through these new posts, I hope to share with you the progress I’ve made in photography, the backstories behind the images, as well as tips for better photography. As always, thank you for your support, comments, and likes. Enjoy!

Cheers and Happy Shooting! W. Hui Sim (aka lilmisspoutine / walkswithnature)

MORE OF MY PHOTOGRAPHY CAN BE SEEN AND/OR PURCHASED THROUGH MY ZAZZLESOCIETY6, AND REDBUBBLE WEBSITES. PLEASE VISIT THE SHOP PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS.

235 thoughts on “ABOUT ME

  1. Thanks for following my blog! I hope if you can find the time that you will stop by my page called “Reasons to Smile” and leave a comment. It’s a list of things people are thankful for, just to encourage each other. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

    I must add…your photos are INCREDIBLE! Great work!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Thanks for the visit, the like and the follow. I find your photographs really awesome. And yes, I agree with you, camera is a mere tool. It’s the skills and the eye of the person behind it that make a photograph to be a good or a bad one.

    Liked by 1 person

      • « C’est qu’elles sont cons ces cr&nqques&tbsp;iraiuo;quand les révélations de la septième saison sont des réévaluations au chalumeau, elles sont souvent des moins que liens .Mais il s’est déjà vu qu’on prenait l’ oeuvre originale de main de maître pour un tronie de super faussaire!

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  3. Thank you for subscribing to my blog! Here you’ll fiund more than 4000 ‘fulls creen pictures’ from Norway and/or Norwegian nature. New pictures will be posted on a regular basis. Please enjoy!

    And if you really do appreciate what you find, please tell all your friends! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  4. You are self-made which way better than having a formal education and that is the beauty of being creative. I do believe that these creatures that you photographed have allowed you in their life for they can sense your true nature. A lover of nature.

    Liked by 1 person

    • self-made and self-taught is the harder row to hoe (and generally takes longer), but ultimately, it provides a greater sense of personal fulfillment and accomplishment.

      I could spend every day with wildlife and animals. it is truly relaxing for me to be in their presence, even though they cannot speak to me in human, I feel a special connection with them that has and needs no words. 😀

      Like

  5. Incredibly compelling banner – love it! I’m an avid birder and photographer, but my camera is seldom all that great at catching the detail of birds. I do better with flowers that stand still! Enjoyed brosing your shots.

    Liked by 1 person

    • thank you, Jazz! bird and wildlife photography requires a lot of patience.

      sometimes my subjects will surprise me by checking me out, as “my” Anna’s hummingbirds are apt to do–sometimes at distances of six inches from our faces!)

      true, flowers don’t run away … but they still require a steady hand, especially if you like to do macro photography like I do.

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  6. Hello there!

    Thanks for following my blog, hope that you enjoy the ramblings. I love your photo’s, your capture of colour is brilliant. I was wondering what lens(es) you were using?
    I look forward to seeing your photo’s in the future and wish you a good day.

    Page

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hello Page,

      Glad to hear you like them!

      I shoot with a Canon 24-105mm F/4L IS USM (my original kit lens), a Canon 100mm F2.8L IS USM Macro
      (my favourite walkaround lens), and most of the time, for wildlife, a Sigma 150mm-500mm F5-6.3 AF APO DG OS HSM super telephoto lens.

      Cheers,
      Hui

      Like

  7. Hi, thank you to connect with my blog. I hope that the French discussions are not a problem for you. See you again, and maybe have a chance to exchange on different things!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Hi
    Thanks for following my not so spectacular pictures and stories. I wanted to say I love your story, pictures and attitude. We also love birds and now that we live in SE Asia we hope to take some great birding trips although the good places are a bit pricey for early retirees. Have you ever been to Borneo? We had an awesome guide that’s also a bird specialist and we keep in touch but he works at a very expensive wildlife reserve in Danum Valley and therefore has no personal time to help us identify great birds. Anyway, thanks again for following

    Like

  9. Me encanta leer tu comentario de que una buena cámara no lo es todo para hacer buenas fotos. Mi cámara es una compacta y eso me da muchas esperanzas de llegar a conseguir algún día una foto estupenda.
    Gracias por pasarte por mi blog y seguirlo.
    Saludos.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. You are an inspiration! I am a Jenny-come-lately 😉 to DSLR photography, having dabbled now and again over the decades but sadly never really applied myself. However, just last month I took the DSLR plunge with a Nikon D3300. Still trying to get used to having a viewfinder, LOL, and literally just added a prime lens (another new adventure!).

    Like

  11. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. I’ve just been scrolling through yours and your photography is brilliant. So glad I found it and will definitely follow. Love your header too!

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Wow you are all rounder! Designer, photographer, copywriter and on.. ! Your photographs are really really Amazing!!! Top eagle is just awesome can I paint that ? Can’t resist my temptation 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Snehal,

      thank you for asking! your paintings are beautiful. if you mean the Peregrine Falcon (the middle photo), yes, you may paint it as long as I get a credit on your blog post and a link back to whsimphotos.wordpress.com

      thank you and have a nice day,

      cheers,
      Hui

      Like

  13. Thanks for finding and following my blog. I love your connection to nature, your respect for and love of the birds, and your philosophical approach to photography. I’m more of a writer than a photographer, but like you I truly love capturing the moments I’ve been able to spend with these wondrous, winged creatures. Your images are outstanding, and the stories you tell around them are emotionally and spiritually compelling. I look forward to reading and viewing more.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you for the compliments, Devin! As one who loves to write, I love to (i.e. cannot not) tell the backstories behind my photos. 🙂

      Thank you for creating a blog that blends both your gift of the written word with your digitally documented experiences of the natural world!

      cheers,
      Hui

      Like

  14. Thank you for the recent follow. I admire your photography. I am also self taught and have much more to learn. There is so much to learn here in the world of bloggers!
    I look forward to following your page and learning more about photographing wildlife.

    Liked by 1 person

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