Finding Connection in Nature: Meet Kowa Ambassador Matt Minnis
For wildlife photographer and new Kowa ambassador Matt Minnis, spending time outdoors is about much more than finding the next subject or capturing the perfect photograph. It is about connection: with wildlife, with other people, and with nature itself.
From a Childhood Fascination to Wildlife Photography
Matt's fascination with the natural world started early. "I spent my whole childhood just fascinated by nature. I'd be out every opportunity I had. I'd want to learn more."
Growing up, football eventually took the lead, while wildlife remained a passion in the background. Later in life, however, nature became increasingly important. Following the loss of his father and other difficult periods, Matt found himself heading outside and walking more often.
Those walks brought encounters with wildlife that he wanted to remember and eventually to capture.
Initially, Matt simply took a pair of binoculars with him and had no intention of becoming a wildlife photographer. One encounter in particular changed that. "There were a few moments that happened, like the time I came across some juvenile kingfishers. They were just sat on a low branch right next to me, and I thought, 'No one's going to believe me that I even witnessed this.'" That experience convinced him to buy his first camera. "I thought it was in my best interest to go out and look at buying a camera. And that's where the journey began."
Finding the Moment
Today, photography is a central part of Matt's time outdoors, but his approach remains rooted in the experience rather than simply getting the shot.
He describes becoming completely absorbed in an encounter, waiting for one particular moment when everything seems to come together. "There's a moment that I'll have when I'm just so in the zone, and I'll look for a particular moment. And that moment is the photo that I take home with me." It is this search for connection that drives his photography. The final image is important, but it is also a reminder of the experience that happened before the shutter was pressed.
An Owl That Left a Lasting Impression
Owls have become particularly important subjects for Matt, and one encounter made such an impression that he decided to carry it with him permanently. Several years ago, while visiting Salisbury Plain, he saw his first short-eared owl. "The way it sort of glided past me and then just landed on a fence post, it was the way that it landed with its wings open." The moment became the inspiration for one of Matt's most prominent tattoos. "I decided to get a short-eared owl across my chest. So that's probably my biggest and most relatable tattoo." Matt's appearance may not fit some people's traditional idea of what a birdwatcher or wildlife enthusiast looks like, something he has occasionally experienced first-hand. "I have had slight judgment in the past with my appearance, the way I look, and I've not really let it affect me at all." Instead, he lets his enthusiasm and knowledge speak for themselves. "I think once people get to know me, they hear about the knowledge that I have and they spend time in my company, they understand that I'm so passionate about what I do. And that's all that's important to me."
More Than Wildlife Photography
For Matt, spending time with wildlife has brought benefits that reach far beyond photography. "The three main ways I've benefited from wildlife photography are the connection with people – like-minded people having the same passion. It's been really nice meeting those sorts of people. Then there's what it's done for my fitness, getting me mobile, getting me active and getting out there. And then also my mental health."
Nature has become a constant presence in his life. Whenever he has spare time, chances are he will spend it outdoors, exploring somewhere new or searching for wildlife. "Pretty much all of the spare time that I get, I spend outdoors in nature. I'm exploring new places, and a lot of the time it's the feelings that I get from it. It's the way it all makes me feel." That connection has been particularly valuable during challenging periods. "It's helped me through a lot of battles that I've had in my life, the grief that I've gone through, the heartbreak, the toxic work environments that I've been in. Everything has just grounded me and made me feel so much better and more comfortable." These experiences ultimately inspired Matt to write an e-book, Finding Peace in Nature, documenting his own journey into wildlife photography. "It's basically my journey: where I've come from, what got me into wildlife photography, where the passion started and what I'm continuing to do now."
The Kowa Optics in Matt's Kit
For a compact and highly portable option, Matt uses the Kowa TSN-55A PROMINAR spotting scope, primarily together with his smartphone. "This is the PROMINAR 55A, and this one I'll be using mainly with my mobile phone. It's a little bit more compact, so it'll be easier to take anywhere I'm going." For his main digiscoping setup, Matt will use the larger Kowa TSN-88S PROMINAR, pairing it with his OM-1 Mark II camera. "This scope will be the main one I use for my digiscoping. So I'll be using my OM-1 Mark II attached to this lens. It'll give me a massive, massive reach, and I just cannot wait to get this one in the field.”
He also carries the Kowa SV III binoculars, which will help him locate wildlife before switching to the spotting scope and camera. "These are just going to come in handy in whatever environment I'm in. Essential bit of kit for any wildlife photographer, just to be able to pick up at a long distance what you're actually looking at."
Together, the binoculars and two PROMINAR spotting scopes give Matt the flexibility to find, observe, photograph and film wildlife in a wide variety of situations.
Joining Kowa
Becoming a Kowa ambassador marks the next stage in that journey. Matt was looking for ways to develop his photography further, with digiscoping opening up new possibilities for capturing distant wildlife. "I just felt like I wanted to take my photography to the next level. Kowa, having the options for digiscoping and the quality of their products, it was just a no-brainer to get involved with this brand."
His new setup gives him different options depending on what he wants to achieve in the field.
Looking Ahead
Matt’s story shows that there is no single path into wildlife watching or photography. His began with a childhood fascination with nature, returned through walks and binoculars during a difficult period of his life, and grew through unforgettable encounters into a passion for photography.
Now there is another chapter beginning.
With his new Kowa equipment, Matt plans to explore further, develop his digiscoping and continue capturing the wildlife encounters that mean the most to him. But however his photography develops, the motivation behind it remains remarkably simple. It isn't just about coming home with another photograph: it's about finding that moment of connection.
Welcome to the team Matt!
Matt's Kowa gear:
Kowa TSN-88S PROMINAR 25-60x Zoom Kit Kowa TSN-88S PROMINAR straight spotting scope body TE-11WZ II 25-60x wide zoom eyepiece COLOUR, THE WAY NATURE INTENDED.When crafting the new TSN-88 PROMINAR series, Kowa went back to its routes in optical design. Routes which have made it one of the most popular spotting scope manufacturers in the world.To enhance a basic fundamental feature that PROMINAR users enjoy every time they look through their eyepiece - Natural Colour.Kowa has always prided itself on manufacturing optics that deliver a pure rendition of the view in front of the lens. Allowing you, the observer to explore and enjoy every detail of the subject.An image free of negative optical distractions allowing you to immerse yourself into the scene in front of you. PURE FLUORITE CRYSTAL OBJECTIVEThe new TSN-88 PROMINAR features an 88mm pure fluorite crystal objective lens - the true optical powerhouse at the heart of all PROMINAR flagship optics. This unique lens redefines the standards of colour brilliance and eliminates chromatic aberration for one of the most detailed views of the natural world. HIGHER TRANSMISSIONKowa engineers have improved the unique optical coatings applied not only to the lenses but also the prism in the new TSN-88 PROMINAR spotting scope series. The result is a spotting scope that delivers even higher levels of light wavelength transmission than its predecessor and most important of all, across the entire colour spectrum for the most natural colour of nature. TOUGH, LIGHTWEIGHT & PORTABLEThe TSN-88 PROMINAR now benefits from a 100% magnesium alloy structure, making it not only tougher but also lighter than its predecessor. A fully waterproof and nitrogen sealed shell plus an upgrade of Kowa KR coating applied to the objective lens which repels dirt, moisture and dust from building on the surface, makes the scope reassuringly rugged. DUAL FOCUS PIN POINT CONTROLThe dual focus mechanism is the gateway to controlling the image between your eye and the scope. Exquisite engineering is refined to make operation flawless. Quick focus allows for fast action to bring your subject in to detail in just a few smooth revolutions, whilst Fine focus gives pin-point, finger-tip control offering the ultimate in focussing accuracy. LOOKS AREN’T EVERYTHING, BUT…The TSN-88 PROMINAR adopts the new ergonomic curves and form created for the recent TSN-99 PROMINAR scope series. Th ere is no mistaking this spotting scope is PROMINAR. Classic green with new and improved elegant styling and a comfortable shape designed to give the user the best experience and operation out in the field. STILL THE KING OF DIGISCOPINGThe TSN-88 PROMINAR retains its crown in the world of digiscoping, offering the photo enthusiast ultra long range telephoto photography options not possible in conventional photography. The improved coatings further enhance digiscoping performance even at the highest levels of magnification producing images that were once only achievable with high end DSLR systems. Kowa has an enviable line-up of dedicated and universal smartphone adapters to allow simple connection of most smartphone models to the TSN-88 PROMINAR, take highly magnified and detailed images and videos with your smartphone of the natural world. DUAL TRIPOD MOUNTA new dual tripod mounting system prevents the scope from slipping or rotating on the tripod shoe ensuring extra stability for long periods of use. A game changer for ultimate convenience and handling out in the field. AIMING SITEThe spotting scope includes a new detachable aiming site that can be fixed on to the accessory collar to assist in locating your subject more rapidly. The lens hood also features a newly designed built in aiming site as a further visual aid.
TSN-55A 17-40x wide zoom angled spotting scopeDiscover a truly distinctive compact spotting scope with a 55mm fluorite crystal objective lens, designed to make your adventures genuinely unforgettable and immersive. At the core of the TSN-55A PROMINAR series spotting scope is a fluorite crystal objective lens. This mineral boasts extremely low dispersion, a feature that surpasses conventional optical glass. This unique quality allows Kowa to eliminate colour blur, significantly enhancing resolution and contrast. The inclusion of fluorite crystal is a hallmark of Kowa spotting scopes, reflecting decades of Kowa's optical innovation. With a length of just 255mm and a weight of only 965g, the TSN-55A PROMINAR is exceptionally compact, making it the ideal travel companion. The versatile 17-40x wide zoom eyepiece with ED lenses is perfectly matched to enhance the optical performance of the pure fluorite crystal objective lens. The TSN-55A PROMINAR embodies a philosophy, a lifestyle. An optic that enriches every experience. It's one of a kind. This compact spotting scope opens up new possibilities. No matter where your journey leads, the Kowa TSN-55A is the perfect travel partner. Its lightweight yet robust, fully waterproof, and nitrogen-filled chassis guarantees performance in the harshest conditions.
SMARTOSCOPE VARIO II UNIVERSAL SMARTPHONE ADAPTER SMARTOSCOPE VARIO II Universal smartphone adapter with SMARTOSCOPE K30 opticsrail for quick connection to Kowa eyepiece rings.New integrated rubber disc improves and smooths the motion and fixing of the optics arm making alignment of camera lens to spotting scope even more refinedA new lightweight high grade POM-C body reduces the adapter weight by approximately 25%High quality universal smartphone digiscoping adapter fits most smartphone modelsIncludes K30 opticsrail for quick connection to Kowa eyepiece ringsHigh-quality housing made of aluminium and polyoxymethylene 'POM-C'Smooth opticsrail aligns your chosen smartphone camera lens perfectly with the eyepiece of the spotting scopeFinely engineered locking wheelAdjustable phone clamp to fit both small and large smartphones, even with a hard case fittedAnti-slip and anti-friction designScratch free fittingDesigned and manufactured in Austria Want to buy the SMARTOSCOPE VARIO outside of Germany? Drop us an email at scope@kowaoptimed.com and make sure to tell us your location and we will advise of your nearest retailer. Please note: SMARTOSCOPE is an individual brand and not part of the Kowa sporting optics range. Kowa Optimed Deutschland is the worldwide distributor for SMARTOSCOPE products.