Hugh Lansdown
Published Book
Wildlife of the World: China (FEB 2023) BUY ON AMAZON = https://amzn.to/3X5rQLQ
Who are you? Tell us a little about yourself...
My name is Hugh Lansdown and I’m a Welsh wildlife photographer, conservationist and author. I live on the Gower Peninsular, the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, where I chair the local Wildlife Trust group, a conservation charity dedicated to protecting the environment. I also lead walks in the local area to teach people about the wildlife and the work we’re doing to conserve it. In addition, as a wildlife photographer I travel to remote regions throughout the world in search of rare and endangered wildlife to photograph and then use the photos to inform people about the wildlife’s plight and its need for our protection.
What first inspired you to start writing?
My inspiration was the need to inform children about the amazing variety of wildlife in the world and the need to preserve it for future generations. The health of the planet depends on its ability to maintain its complex web of ecosystems, so it’s vital that the children of today understand the importance of protecting them. Having worked with children for many years in a variety of different countries around the world, I feel I understand what grabs their attention and how to get through to them. The inspiration for including online media via QR codes was the need to engage the modern ‘digital generation’ in a way that’s relevant to how they live their lives.
What made you want to work with Rowanvale and be published?
Publishing books about the wildlife in different countries around the world seems to me to be one of the best ways of informing children about the importance of conserving nature, and as a wildlife photographer I’m in the ideal position to do this. I contacted Rowanvale initially as a local Welsh publishing company but was particularly impressed with their efficiency and prompt, detailed responses to my questions.
When you're not writing, what are you reading?
I read a huge variety of different books. I like to unwind with detective mysteries and novels with humour such as Terry Pratchett’s and Richard Osman’s series, but I also read a lot of non-fiction, particularly historical and biographies. The last two books I read were ‘A History of the Boer War’ and ‘Cheryl Crow: No fool to this Game’, and I’m currently halfway through ‘Anna Karenina’.
Which work are you most proud of?
I feel as if I’m getting better at constructing the books with each one I write. Unlike most authors, the text in my books isn’t the most important aspect, as the choice and presentation of the photos are more significant in terms of making an impact on children. I’m therefore probably most proud of the book I’m currently working on, which is the third in the series, ‘Wildlife of the World: Madagascar’ however I have some really nice shots from South Africa so I’ve got high hopes that one might end up being better.
What's your best advice for handling writer's block?
Sorry… I don’t know what this is. My biggest problem is finding the time to get all the words that are continually spilling out of me down on paper and keeping it concise. (But remember my books only have 4,000 words, they’re non-fiction and I’m writing about my passion in life!)
What's one thing you always have with you when you're writing?
The only thing I always have with me is my computer. I do a lot of my writing while travelling in remote places so I might have my camera and survival gear with me, but on the other hand I might be sitting in my study at home in Wales surrounded by my books. I’m completely incapable of handwriting anything and my photos are all stored on the computer so if it’s not with me… then I’m not writing.
What is one book you would take with you if you were stuck on a desert island?
I’ve spent a lot of time in isolation on islands, from places like the Outer Hebrides to the Ryukyu Islands and Galapagos to Komodo… They are some of my favourite places to photograph wildlife. I’ve never actually come across a ‘desert island’ which presumably is one with very low rainfall and little vegetation, so the best hope of survival is eating seafood which means the book I would want is definitely the appropriate guide to the sea life of the region. This would be invaluable anyway since I’m assuming my camera gear didn’t make it onto the island so studying the sea life is likely to be the best way to occupy my time. If studying (and eating?) the sea life isn’t an option and I’m just looking to lose myself in a book, then I would probably go for ‘War and Peace’. It’s a great book; it’s been many years since I last read it, and the length would go some way towards making up for my stupidity in marooning myself on a desert island with only one book!
What is the best part about being an independently published author?
That I’m in control. There aren’t many people who have travelled as widely as I have and photographed as many different species of animals so I feel I’m the one who’s best placed to decide what the books should contain and how they should be organised. It can also be difficult to communicate from remote wilderness locations and therefore impossible to keep to tight deadlines. Being independently published allows me to decide what content is most appropriate and to have control over the publication schedule without having to fit in with other people’s timetables.
What's next for you?
Right now, I need to concentrate on completing ‘Wildlife of the World: Madagascar’. After that I’ll have to sort out the photos from my October trip to South Africa so I can make a start on the next volume… ‘Wildlife of the World: South Africa’. Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands comes after that, but at some stage I will also need to try and get back to Japan and India with my cameras, as I don’t yet have all the photos I want for the books on those countries. So much to do… and so little time!
Wildlife of the World: China (FEB 2023) BUY ON AMAZON = https://amzn.to/3X5rQLQ
Who are you? Tell us a little about yourself...
My name is Hugh Lansdown and I’m a Welsh wildlife photographer, conservationist and author. I live on the Gower Peninsular, the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, where I chair the local Wildlife Trust group, a conservation charity dedicated to protecting the environment. I also lead walks in the local area to teach people about the wildlife and the work we’re doing to conserve it. In addition, as a wildlife photographer I travel to remote regions throughout the world in search of rare and endangered wildlife to photograph and then use the photos to inform people about the wildlife’s plight and its need for our protection.
What first inspired you to start writing?
My inspiration was the need to inform children about the amazing variety of wildlife in the world and the need to preserve it for future generations. The health of the planet depends on its ability to maintain its complex web of ecosystems, so it’s vital that the children of today understand the importance of protecting them. Having worked with children for many years in a variety of different countries around the world, I feel I understand what grabs their attention and how to get through to them. The inspiration for including online media via QR codes was the need to engage the modern ‘digital generation’ in a way that’s relevant to how they live their lives.
What made you want to work with Rowanvale and be published?
Publishing books about the wildlife in different countries around the world seems to me to be one of the best ways of informing children about the importance of conserving nature, and as a wildlife photographer I’m in the ideal position to do this. I contacted Rowanvale initially as a local Welsh publishing company but was particularly impressed with their efficiency and prompt, detailed responses to my questions.
When you're not writing, what are you reading?
I read a huge variety of different books. I like to unwind with detective mysteries and novels with humour such as Terry Pratchett’s and Richard Osman’s series, but I also read a lot of non-fiction, particularly historical and biographies. The last two books I read were ‘A History of the Boer War’ and ‘Cheryl Crow: No fool to this Game’, and I’m currently halfway through ‘Anna Karenina’.
Which work are you most proud of?
I feel as if I’m getting better at constructing the books with each one I write. Unlike most authors, the text in my books isn’t the most important aspect, as the choice and presentation of the photos are more significant in terms of making an impact on children. I’m therefore probably most proud of the book I’m currently working on, which is the third in the series, ‘Wildlife of the World: Madagascar’ however I have some really nice shots from South Africa so I’ve got high hopes that one might end up being better.
What's your best advice for handling writer's block?
Sorry… I don’t know what this is. My biggest problem is finding the time to get all the words that are continually spilling out of me down on paper and keeping it concise. (But remember my books only have 4,000 words, they’re non-fiction and I’m writing about my passion in life!)
What's one thing you always have with you when you're writing?
The only thing I always have with me is my computer. I do a lot of my writing while travelling in remote places so I might have my camera and survival gear with me, but on the other hand I might be sitting in my study at home in Wales surrounded by my books. I’m completely incapable of handwriting anything and my photos are all stored on the computer so if it’s not with me… then I’m not writing.
What is one book you would take with you if you were stuck on a desert island?
I’ve spent a lot of time in isolation on islands, from places like the Outer Hebrides to the Ryukyu Islands and Galapagos to Komodo… They are some of my favourite places to photograph wildlife. I’ve never actually come across a ‘desert island’ which presumably is one with very low rainfall and little vegetation, so the best hope of survival is eating seafood which means the book I would want is definitely the appropriate guide to the sea life of the region. This would be invaluable anyway since I’m assuming my camera gear didn’t make it onto the island so studying the sea life is likely to be the best way to occupy my time. If studying (and eating?) the sea life isn’t an option and I’m just looking to lose myself in a book, then I would probably go for ‘War and Peace’. It’s a great book; it’s been many years since I last read it, and the length would go some way towards making up for my stupidity in marooning myself on a desert island with only one book!
What is the best part about being an independently published author?
That I’m in control. There aren’t many people who have travelled as widely as I have and photographed as many different species of animals so I feel I’m the one who’s best placed to decide what the books should contain and how they should be organised. It can also be difficult to communicate from remote wilderness locations and therefore impossible to keep to tight deadlines. Being independently published allows me to decide what content is most appropriate and to have control over the publication schedule without having to fit in with other people’s timetables.
What's next for you?
Right now, I need to concentrate on completing ‘Wildlife of the World: Madagascar’. After that I’ll have to sort out the photos from my October trip to South Africa so I can make a start on the next volume… ‘Wildlife of the World: South Africa’. Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands comes after that, but at some stage I will also need to try and get back to Japan and India with my cameras, as I don’t yet have all the photos I want for the books on those countries. So much to do… and so little time!