Hide and Seek
- Hannah Tapping
- Jun 25
- 2 min read
Words by Hannah Tapping
A new exhibition of wildlife photography showcases the biodiversity of The Lost Gardens of Heligan.
Featuring images taken by Andy Wilson, who balances his time as a wildlife photographer alongside his day job as head of restoration at Heligan, the exhibition 200 Acres has been inspired by Dwell, a collection of poetry by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, which celebrates our wild creatures and the habitats in which they live. The open-air exhibition, named in reference to the size of the Heligan estate, is located in a beautiful outdoor space on Heligan’s west lawn.
Andy has worked at Heligan for 11 years, during which time he has built up an amazing knowledge of the estate and its eco-system, as well as photographing an incredible selection of wildlife. He monitors wildlife movements using trail cameras – static, motion-activated cameras that alert him when wildlife is nearby – and then spends time outside his working day in hides he has constructed in secret locations to capture the shots. Andy shoots on a Nikon Z9 mirrorless camera and takes the majority of his wildlife shots on a NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S lens.
He has travelled all over the world photographing wildlife including brown bears in Finland and an upcoming trip capturing golden eagles in Norway, but his favourite animal to photograph at Heligan is foxes. Andy said: “I’m chuffed to have my pictures exhibited at Heligan, photography is something I do because I love it but it’s great to have this recognition of my work. Unless they’re very lucky, Heligan visitors don’t often get to see wildlife on the estate so this is a fantastic way for them to see the biodiversity of the site without having to wait patiently for hours in hides.”
Both 200 Acres and Dwell are part of a series of events and installations themed around home at Heligan this year, culminating in the first Heligan Homecoming Festival in June.
200 Acres runs until September 30th – admission is included in the standard Heligan ticket.
