Making the most of common species (Jodie Randall)

Top: Starlings are a common sight in English gardens
Above: Black-headed gulls can be found in urban areas. I took this shot as another gull flew into the frame

When I first became interested in wildlife photography a few years ago, I would dream of photographing bears, elephants and wolves. The village where I live is about 40 minutes from central London (England) however, and not remote by any stretch of the imagination.
Unfortunately I had a bit of difficulty tracking down any bears, so I gave up and headed to some local lakes to photograph swans and ducks. Not quite the same I know, but an unhappy swan can be quite fierce when defending its territory, and just as frightening as a bear I'm sure....
When I wanted to practice capturing birds in flight, I took my camera into town to photograph the gulls and pigeons. Common species that we see every day in our parks, towns and gardens are often over-looked or photographed in unremarkable ways. One of the great advantages with these creatures is that they are used to people and easier to approach. This creates an opportunity to achieve some very artistic images.
I enjoy the challenge of going back to my old locations to photograph common subjects. It really encourages me to think about the pictures I am taking and how I am going to create something different.

Tips

1) Before you begin it is helpful to ask yourself what would make people who see these animals and birds every day stop and look at your photographs.

2) Be original

3) Don't be afraid to experiment. You can always go back and try again if you are not happy with the results. The animals should still be there and with digital cameras there is no wasted film.