WildScot Photography Reviews 

Michael offered a bespoke experience which met our needs and took in to account my ability and that of my camera

He was very kind and accommodating and sourced accessible experiences which gave us great opportunities to view and shoot a range of birds and mammals in natural surroundings

He went over and above and sent reviews of key learning points of each session and helped me access and understand Lightroom with a 90 minute on line individual tutorial

He made all the arrangements and communicated well
I would recommend him without reservation

Coming from the United States, we planned two days birding with Michael -- one out to the Isle of May, and the other around other areas leaving out of Stirling. We traveled from Edinburgh the first day, so couldn't start until after 9 AM ... far past optimal birding time. However, in only those two days, we found 98 different species of birds - and 47 of them were Lifers for us! Michael knew ahead of time the birds we had seen before in other parts of Europe; so he had really strategized where to take us to have the best chance of finding great birds including rarities like the corn bunting and ring ouzel.

Our visit to the Isle of May was one of the highlights of our entire trip to the U.K. We spent three hours surrounded by thousands of puffins, guillemots, razorbills, black-legged kittiwakes, Arctic terns and European herring gulls (even tens of thousands for some), along with some additional finds like northern fulmar, northern gannet, European shag, etc. The whole experience was incredible, and we appreciated Michael's expertise on which birds to find where, the best places to view them, what to expect based on their behavior at the specific time of year, etc.

Michael not only knows the birds and sounds but also their habitats and where he's likely to find particular species. We felt that he had prepared in advance to ensure that we got the most out of our short time birding in Scotland and would highly recommend using his services.

Another great day out with Michael, photographing seabirds on the Isle of May. The tides meant we only had two and a half hours on the island, so Michael’s expertise really helped us make the most of it, showing us the best spots so we didn’t waste time, and making sense of what we were seeing with his wealth of natural history knowledge. Very different lighting conditions from our last outing with him, so his help with camera settings and angles was also great. Birds in flight are my next target, so we‘ll be back!

Michael was an absolutely fantastic guide - knowledgeable, patient, and personable. He went above and beyond to create a personalised workshop for me, and was incredibly attentive in helping me get the most out of the day. His prices are also incredibly reasonable, especially for what you're getting - overall an amazing experience!

Michael is a great photographer and has provided many photos for my use. I’m an artist and he has provided me access to use any of his stunning photos of birds as reference images for my paintings. Which has enabled me to create a body of work that are all taken from his passion for birds.

Michael provided such a welcoming and down to earth approach to nature photography. His passion and depth of knowledge shine through and is actually infectious. Highly accomplished, Michael can judge exactly the right level to guide on being both professional yet warm and engaging taking a light touch to balance between providing better understanding of the technicalities of photography and his passion for nature. I have some understanding of photographic technique but limited equipment and I have, incorrectly it seems, always assumed that I would only be able to get relatively mediocre shots of birds from a distance but Michael guided me on how to achieve much better shots, whether artistically or with a more natural feeling through better understanding my equipment and to anticipate behaviours of the birds we encountered. I'm so pleased with the results. Michael is highly recommended and anyone with an interest will learn a great deal during a session alongside him and if you enjoy a relaxed smattering of dad jokes along the way, well you're in for a treat there too.

Michael’s passion for wildlife shines through in his encyclopaedic knowledge, and that meant that he could predict the behaviour of a variety of wildlife, to set up the best possible chance for me to see the things I was keen to see. He’s also a mine of fascinating information, so I learned things I didn’t know, even about birds I see in my own garden every day!
Michael clearly knows his photography inside out, but he takes time to find out what you know, and move you forward. I am a bit baffled by the maths in digital SLR photography, but totally see the value, compared to iPhone photos. Michael set up the camera and explained exactly as much as I could handle, so that I could capture better photos of birds and red squirrels than I’ve ever done before. He struck a really good balance between set-up, letting me practise, critiquing my shots and suggesting next steps. Loads of good advice, and a morning in a bird hide flew by! He also then emailed a resume of what he’d taught me, which is brilliant for me to recap. The birds in the garden had better get preening, and I will definitely book again.

What an excellent way to spend a morning!
I already have a reasonable knowledge of the technical aspects of photography, but it was great to go through the choices of standard camera settings and why / when particular settings are useful and when to diverge and how to apply them.

We then went down to the hide and talked a little more about composition and photographic techniques before settling in for the session. Michael provided a great balance between letting us practice and gentle instruction with knowledge that only comes from real experience.

The choice of location was excellent and it was a joy just to be there watching the wildlife come to you. Really looking forward to putting into practice what we learnt and will definitely be booking again to develop and extend my skillset. Thank you!

I thoroughly enjoyed my morning with Michael. Not only is he a very knowledgeable photographer but - and this is perhaps even more important - he really knows his birds. I learned so much about how to look for our target species and what sort of behaviour and habitat to look out for. I would now feel much more confident to go out on my own with my camera. Add to that interesting and amusing conversation - all in all, a really enjoyable morning. Thank you so much!

Michael Cook gave a very professional presentation to Cupar Camera Club. The presentation on ‘Photographing the Wildlife of South America’ covered the experience of travelling for 8 months through various landscapes highlighting the huge variety of species found there. He explained the problems taking photos including the welfare of the animals. Photos included the different families of birds, some mammals and underwater photography. There were so many wonderful and colourful photos I would struggle to pick my favourite, but I enjoyed the behavioural aspects as well e.g. the camouflaging, so hard to spot the ‘stick’ bird! The talk was brought to life with his specialised birding knowledge and intersected with sound and video recordings keeping us enthralled.

We had a very full and informative day out with Michael at the beginning of March. The emphasis was on birds and the opportunity to watch and photograph a variety of species in various habitats. Our trip was well planned but flexible and relaxed. I’d highly recommend Michael to anyone keen to improve their knowledge on wildlife, birds and or photography.

Michael has a wealth of knowledge about birds and their behaviours and habitats. We had a full and enjoyable day with great sightings of rare and more common birds. He adapted the day to suit our preferences. Altogether a fabulous experience.