I was at a lake in Vobster, Somerset, trying to shoot a split level image (half in water – half out) of some of the lakes’ resident brown trout but they were very camera-shy. The mallard were attracted by the scraps of burger bun used to lure the fish and they had no issue about being in front of the lens. The trick used to get this shot was simple; make the bread sink quickly and this shot is one of two frames that capture the bird feeding.

This image didn’t immediately jump off the lightbox (I still shoot film underwater – digital topside), but my wife saw it and said “Wow”. I sent the scan to Natural Visions – the stock library run by Heather Angel – and her response was identical. Heather has taken one or two successful bird images in her time and it was her reaction that finally convinced me I had taken something unique. The image has been reproduced in several dive magazines and won the British Prints section run by the British Society of Underwater Photographers in July. Not bad for 15 minutes work on a cold and wet day in April!

Simon Brown has been shooting and writing on a part time basis for the past five years, having already been a mechanic, engineering designer and working in computing, it was a meeting with two National Geographic photographers in 2000 that convinced him to take the freelance plunge.

In 2001 Simon bought his first underwater camera and saw his first published article appear within the year.

He finally went full-time freelance in 2005, and has since covered subjects as diverse as a submerged German WWII plane in the Norwegian Arctic waters, to searching for prehistoric Namibian art.

Simon’s clients now include Bike, Dive and Planet 4×4 magazine, but his work has been published in Europe, America, Sweden and New Zealand.

Photographer since 2005, EPUK member since 2006.

See more work by Simon Brown