New website image by Stephen Corran

The more eagle-eyed among you will spot we have a new main image on the home page of our website.

The image was taken on the eastern slopes of North Barrule at sunrise in January 2023 by the talented Stephen Corran.

Stephen photographs wildlife, events, portraits and motorsport. His collection of photos of the Curraghs Wildlife Park’s animals and birds graces the park’s social media and feature in its 2023 calendar.

Stephen is also hired by promoters to take photos of the bands and acts at the Villa Marina and Gaiety Theatre, getting up close and personal with musicians and singers, etc.

Stephen said: ‘I began my passion for landscape photography around five years ago, initially using just my phone camera the same as many others. It remains part of my kit today and was in fact used to photograph this stunning sunrise shot from North Barrule overlooking Corrany.

‘On this particular morning, I woke at 5am to walk into Douglas and catch the first Ramsey bus, and then taken the approximately two-mile hike up and around the foothills of North Barrule on my way to one of the Island’s tholtans, Park Llewellyn.

‘As I started my ascent, I noticed the colours starting to appear in the sky and knew we were on for a great sunrise. The chase had begun. It was then a race to try and get up to a decent enough vantage point in time for those magnificent colours.

‘My kit was still in my bag at this point and I knew I would in all likelihood not reach Park Lewellyn in time to capture the sunrise from there.

‘I decided I would just grab some phone shots along the way so I wouldn’t miss the best of the colours and in the hope that I would be at least be able to use some of them, as there aren’t many great compositions along the path.

‘So it just shows you, the best camera to have is the one you have on you at the time, and with the cameras in today’s phones, there really is no excuse for not being able to snap some of the beauty the Biosphere holds. The Island has so much to offer in terms of natural beauty and wildlife that there is always something to shoot and any time of the year.’

The photo received hundreds of shares and likes on social media, and Stephen has been kind enough to allow us to use it. He joins the ranks of ‘Our Photographers’ – talented Isle of man photographers whose images grace our strategy ‘Working Together for a Sustainable Future’, our website and our social channels.

Stephen continued: ‘I haven’t shot many landscapes over the last few years for one reason or another. But I’ve decided this year to get out and do more, and seeing the results from the images on that hike has really spiked my enthusiasm and passion for it. So I’m off to a good start to the year.’

Stephen’s work can also be seen in a new book about Castle Rushen.

He said: ‘I generally shoot whatever sparks my interest at the time and that can and often does change. But variety is the spice of life, as they say.’

You can find Stephen’s images on Instagram and facebook @Picsbycorraste and his wildlife images on Instagram @Stevecorranwildlife.