Eric Hosking (Natural History Photographer)

Eric Hoskings (1909 - 1991) is a legendary British Natural History photographer and mainly bird Photography. He was a self taught photographer and seen as one of the main pioneers of bird photography. He also Pioneered the use of flash in bird photography and setting up of electronic or photo cell devices to take photographs.

He believed that to be a good natural history photographer you needed to not only have a good technical ability but possibly more importantly you need to understand your subject and have concern for their welfare.

Famously whilst photographing a tawny owl (owls were his favourite bird) he was attacked by the owl and lost an eye. He blamed himself for this as he felt he did not fully understand the subject. He is to be the first ever (and report ably last) professional bird photographer. This is to say he actually made his living solely from bird photography. There are many other bird photographers that make a living from their photographs but they do not specialise in just birds as Eric Hosking did. Below is a copy of his most famous photograph taken back in 1936.

He regards this as the luckiest photograph he has ever taken as he had no idea the owl had caught the rat and would stand in such a photographic way. He waited to hear the sound of the owl land on the tree then opened the shutter and set off the flash bulb. It was not till he was developing the glass plate that he discovered what he had captured.

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