Currently I work in the local Post Office as a service assistant and every morning and afternoon I do a paper round. I am also currently searching for an apprenticeship in plumbing and hope to study a course at Eastleigh College, which will be over two years.

After that has finished, I hope to become Corgi registered (Professional qualification for plumbers), which will take a further 2-3 years.

RB follow up question - Lee, have you sold any of your work? (You must have!), I know that it can be a nice little earner. I've also heard of photographers selling prints at twitches from a portable printer in their car...true or false?

Yes Richard,  I certainly have sold some of my work to various individuals and have sold work to Magazines such as Birding World and Birdwatch twice. I have heard of portable printers being used,  but as of yet haven't seen anyone doing this on my travels.

Cettis Warbler - an exceptional photo of a this tricky species

RB follow up question - This is an amazing photo, most people only ever hear their explosive song, or get a flash of a little brown thing darting into cover..HOW ON EARTH did you manage this photo Lee?

Well Richard, to be honest this photo was probably the luckiest shot I have taken with my setup to date. It was taken at Radipole Lakes RSPB (RB-I know this Reserve, in 1987 I spent all summer there as a voluntary conservation warden) and luckily it was approaching the time of year when they were feeding chicks. Some birds had already fledged, therefore as I walked down the track I heard the typical explosive call of the Cetti's Warbler so waited and for about 2 seconds. The bird appeared and sat out on the edge of a bramble bush, which allowed 5 frames to be taken... I am extremely happy with the result. To be totally honest though, it was all luck.  I just happened to be walking along the right track at the right time. Who knows, if I never heard it call I might not have known it was there... but I'm glad I have a good shot of such a hard species to photograph.

Long-eared Owl - Yet another great shot of a tricky species!

My equipment is a Canon 30D camera with the Canon 100-400mm IS zoom lens, EFs 17-85m IS lens and about 6GB of SanDisk memory cards, all of  which I have been using for just over two years.

RB follow up question - Lee, I started my photography heaven with the 100-400, I LOVED it for nearly a year. Then, over night, my images became softer...noticably softer. Any comments on yours?

At the moment Richard I wouldn't change my lens at all because it is a quality lens with great IQ and IS which helps a lot for flight photography, it is also a light lens so great for lugging around and easy to manoeuvre for that all important shot.

RB - I think mine must have been a bit dodgy...& wouldn't want to put people off what is, one of the best bird photography lenses out there.

Goldcrest, Lee Fuller style (Superb)

As of yet I think that I am too much of an amateur to have a preferred style but I mainly think I see a moment that I want to capture and just try and get that all important shot.

RB follow up question - Lee, I know you go to twitches & photograph rare birds there. What can you say about

A. The behaviour of photographers at twitches?

Generally the behaviour of Photographers at twitches are good but you get the odd minority as in most things that try to get a bit too close etc and then maybe later causing the bird to be flushed, however in saying that we always get the blame... I always seem to hear and see birders talking incredibly loud which could also flush the birds, which is also annoying to other birders and photographers.

 B. Their relations with twitchers at these meeting sites? (I wanted to explore this subject as I feel it is important for a bird photographer like you, to put your thoughts and experiences forward).

Again Richard in general I think they get on well but then the odd person annoys a birder because he is approaching the bird,  but it works both ways because it annoys some when some birders are talking way too loud. On average it is good I would say though.

Knot - Lee keeps low to the ground when photographing birds...A TOP tip.

Lapland Bunting - Lee managed this terrific shot in Norfolk (Second home to many of us amateur bird photographers).

Long-tailed Tit - A common but exquisite bird beautifully captured by Lee.

It has to be Jari Peltomaki, this guy’s photography is absolutely stunning and some of the photos this guy produces is what we dream of seeing let alone capturing it in a picture. Brilliant!!!

Red Kite - Pretty good work also Lee!

Nightjar - A very special photo. I love the fact that Lee has respected the bird & not disturbed it...Brilliant!

I haven’t really got a select place where I do a lot of photography.  I just wander around Hampshire visiting all the places that we have to offer but If I had to select a certain few It would probably be Keyhaven Marshes which can produce excellent birds and photo opportunities, especially of waders. The New Forest is great for Goshawk, Wood Warblers, Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers and lots more,  although all are really difficult to photograph which makes a good shot even more satisfying.

RB follow up question - Goshawk...what an awesome bird! Any further info to help us see them in the New Forest Lee?

Yes Richard.  Goshawk is an awesome bird and I'm glad that the New Forest has a good population. One of the best places to see them is Acres Down which has a viewpoint which is specially designed to look over the wood which they display over. Just last year my Dad and I had a superb encounter whilst searching the nearby woodland for Wood Warblers, Redstarts, Tawny Owls, Woodcock, Woodlarks and Tree Pipits and we managed to find all of these present. Then later that afternoon we heard a harsh piercing call which we had heard before but unlike last time it was being repeated over and over again,  we followed the sound and eventually came to a fir tree plantation and on the top was a juvenile Goshawk calling which enabled some prolonged views of it perched.

Oystercatcher - I LOVE flight shots & I LOVE this one!

This is definitely a hard decision Richard because since I have started with a DSLR for just over 1 year I have had so many highlights in bird photography, therefore I will choose my latest favourite which will have to be my Ring-billed Gull shot which has been resident for quite a few winters. I had to wait five hours to get this shot, which backs up my tip of patience.

RB follow up question - Lee, I know that the day I bought my first camera gear it changed my life. Can you explain to those who might be considering purchasing DSLR gear how it might bring so much joy?

Richard, I noticed the same thing as you as soon as you purchase a DSLR. It changes the whole idea of photography. It enables you to capture flight shots which with a digi camera which is near enough impossible to do but you can't really explain the feeling of a DSLR until you buy one.  I would say to anyone considering buying  a DSLR to go for it!  They are well worth the money and will give you outstanding results which will only get better and better. But for me when you capture a great moment on screen it is such a good feeling which cannot be explained until you take that picture for yourself.

(RB - It really is such a great hobby...I do not know of one single person who has taken up bird photography, to have then decided that they do not like like it & want to sell their camera gear - All my experiences point to photographers becoming COMPLETELY obsessed with it!)

The key I think is patience and I like to think that I have plenty of it which hopefully some of my photographs show (RB-Yes, they do Lee!) such as the Ring-billed Gull which I had to wait 5 hours for. Also, I think when taking photos of birds try to get as low as you can as this makes the photo look a lot better than rather say taking from above or below.

My secret site to photograph birds at the moment is Needs Ore NR in Hants which is a private site and needs a permit to access it. However, once this has been done it can produce some amazing photo opportunities and in particular waders once the water level has dropped you can get views of Spotted Redshank down to 30ft, Ospreys fish the harbour. Other good stuff present is Merlin, Grey Partridge and just last year they had an adult Temminck’s Stint which I enjoyed down to 20ft alongside my dad.

The canon EOS 1D Mark 3 (once the auto focus problem is solved...RB-I've tested one recently & it's now much better) + the EF 500mm f/4L IS USM, EF 1.4x11 converter + gitzo tripod and Wimberley head.

White-billed Diver - GGGreat!!!

Purple Sandpiper - Once common in South East Cornwall, my original birding territory with Steve Madge & others...I love this species.

Checkout more of Lee's great work by visiting his website below: