A New Adventure into TikTok & Trail Cameras
So… I set up my TikTok page. That sentence alone still feels strange to say! It was something I never thought I would do. There’s so much rubbish on there that I honestly didn’t think I would ever bother with it. But when you’re trying to build an online presence for photography, social media becomes a pretty big part of the journey — so I thought, why not give it a go?
TikTok profile.
My plan is to create TikToks using my photography stills, with the occasional video of me talking through how I got certain shots or what was happening behind the scenes. The only problem? I’m not the most confident on camera — and that has definitely made things more difficult. But, like everything in life, you don’t grow by staying comfortable… so I’m pushing myself.
That’s partly what led me to trying out a trail camera. I’ve been thinking about getting one for a while — especially since summer when I was trying to track down that long-eared owl. They’re such elusive birds, and I thought if I could just capture some video of it, I might work out where it regularly visits and finally get some proper photos.
So after some research, I bit the bullet and bought myself a trail camera that I hoped would be up to the job.
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The Search Begins
I knew areas with deer and owls were my best bet, so I started with the owl first. Even though I know it’s in the location I’ve chosen, I haven’t managed to capture any footage yet. What I’ve started to learn is that trail camera placement is a precise science. You can’t just stick it on a tree and cross your fingers. You have to think about:
Height
Direction
Light conditions
Natural pathways
How animals move through the area
After a couple of weeks trying (and waiting… and checking memory cards… and trying again), I decided to change tactic and try a known deer trail.
And that’s where things got exciting!
First deer clip.
I’ve been walking the woods, following footprints, droppings, and broken paths — and found two very active trails. I’ve only tested one so far, but it’s already showing brilliant results:
Deer
Squirrels
Hares
Rabbits
No owls yet… and no badgers or foxes either — but I’m keeping everything crossed that they’ll show up soon.
The second trail is connected to the first, and is clearly used by deer as well, so in a couple of weeks I’ll move the camera there and see what appears. It’s already becoming addictive — checking the camera, waiting to see what wildlife has passed through when no one is looking. Every little clip feels like a tiny secret revealed.
“This took me by surprise!”
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Where This Is Heading
My hope is to gather some really nice footage that I can share with everyone — both here and on TikTok. It feels like a new chapter in my photography journey, finding unseen moments of wildlife when I’m not there pressing the shutter.
So for now, I’ll sign off — but I’ll definitely keep you updated on what appears next in front of the trail camera. Who knows… maybe the owl will make its first appearance soon!
“Follow along on TikTok to see the latest trail camera clips and wildlife moments!”