This year Junction Art Gallery in Woodstock will be exhibiting the work of local wildlife photographer Carl Gray during the Artweeks festival.

Carl first began photographing wildlife about 10 years ago, although this quickly turned from a hobby into a passion and it has taken him on many interesting journeys. Perhaps most notable, he spent 6 months during 2016 travelling around the northern parts of the UK, and has amassed a breath-taking collection of photographs of native wildlife.

Carl’s main area of interest is birds, whether this is capturing migrating Waxwings as they pass through Oxfordshire or White-tailed Eagles hunting on the Isle of Mull. The RSPB Otmoor Reserve in Oxfordshire has proved a rich source of subjects, allowing him to also highlight the plight of birds such as the Hen Harrier and the Bittern, which last year nested in Oxfordshire for the first time in 150 years.

Gallery owner Kate Hipkiss says ‘This is the first time we have shown photography in the gallery and we’re looking forward to seeing the reaction of visitors during the festival. People are more and more in touch with nature and the countryside around them and Carl captures the energy and diversity of wildlife that can be found in the UK. From fabulous action shots of short-eared owls to a wonderful photograph of a puffin peeping out from a bush, his photographs create a sense of awe and remind us what lives around us.’