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Hamza Yassin: life behind the lens

Swifts at dusk (credit: Nick Upton)

Oscar shares his experience of listening to wildlife cameraman and presenter Hamza Yassin speak at Norwich Science Festival.

Hamza Yassin has become famous the long way round. Moving from Sudan as a child, growing up in the Midlands with the expectation he would go into medicine, to spending 18 months living in his car to follow his dream to work in the world of wildlife photography.

I was privileged to attend his 'Life Behind The Lens' talk in Norwich Cathedral to get a special insight into what it's like as a wildlife photographer.

Hamza began by talking about what got him into wildlife photography. "I got a camera for my twelfth birthday," he recalled, "and I kept making all my family stay still for photos!"

He had always loved wildlife because it was abundant in his home in Sudan but soon his parents' career in medicine facilitated them moving to the UK, and specifically, Northamptonshire. At this point, he regularly visited RSPB reserves and learnt much from the "old guys" he met. They taught him everything they knew about wildlife, and he is grateful to them to this day.

A man with black hair and a beard holds a book called 'Be a Birder'. He stands beside a teenage boy with blond hair. They are both smiling at the camera, in front of a poster for Norwich Science Festival.

Hamza Yassin and Oscar Lawrence (credit: Oscar Lawrence)

Pursuing a career in nature, Hamza headed west to Bangor University in Wales and took up a degree in photography and wildlife imagery. After university, his greatest desire was to move to Scotland for the amazing wildlife. To this day he still lives in the beautiful Hebridean village of Ardnamurchan. And I am definitely not jealous!

Hamza spoke lovingly of the wildlife he has supported over his lifetime. Caring for an otter kit, letting a pine marten live in his attic, feeding the eagles near his home. I deeply admire this wildlife hero's devotion to nature. He sets a high standard for any budding ornithologist or photographer, and that clearly deserves recognition.

He spoke at length about how he captured such incredible footage. He said sitting in a hide could be very boring, and that on a number of occasions he'd fallen asleep. "You can only really eat soft foods," he told us. This is because the foodstuffs he likes, crisps and fizzy drinks, make too much noise! Hamza also shared a time-lapse video of life in a hide: the only things moving were his eyes!

Hamza's passion for wildlife is evident: his newly released book, 'Be a Birder', is a clear representation of that! I find it more personable that he chose only the birds he loves to write about, and I must say he made great choices; how he describes the screaming swifts, his love of our humble blackbird, his admiration of the black-browed albatross. Every page showcases his passion for our natural world. For Hamza to sit in a hide for 18 hours straight just to get a single shot, the passion must be strong...

His presentation having drawn to a close, he was asked questions by the audience. My personal favourite was what his favourite place in the world was. He replied: "My favourite place in the world?"

A long pause ensued, before he showed a photo. His home in Ardnamurchan.

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