About Feathers & Hills
About Feathers & Hills
2020
Hello I am Ben Pulletz.
At age 17, I started Feathers & Hills to showcase my nature photography to a wider audience.
I have always loved Nature and the Outdoors from a young age, always exploring the countryside and local woodlands around where we lived or wherever I was. Always looking for something!
I launched my website with a selection of nature cards and prints, alongside my yearly Nature Calendar. I won my first international award as Category Winner, in Siena International Awards 2021.
2021
Lockdown made things come to a standstill. Focusing on the birds/wildlife in my back garden. Local wildlife was the core of building my portfolio. Due not being able to drive, I used to drag family members out of bed early to drop me down to The Somerset Levels to photograph the wildlife there. Luckily the Kingfisher I was after turned up the days I went there!
I setup bird feeders and photographed out of my bedroom window. Gathering fallen branches from around the garden and local fields and using them as perches. I watched the birds at certain times of day. To see what and when was frequently using the same spots. The local wren would sing on our fence every evening at sunset.
I had my first exhibition in Somerton, Somerset. Also my first market stall at nearby Lytes Cary, National Trust. My image "Peek A Roe" received National Press. In a few days it was featured in several newspapers, including The Times, The Herald and The Yorkshire Press.
The Times, September 2021
2022
I continued doing local markets and exhibitions around Somerset.
Looking to get my name out there, I dropped off business cards and leaflets to all surrounding villagers. Making sure I was known locally. I did this for a few years until people had heard of me.
I wrote more features for magazines such as Outdoor Photography and The Countryman.
I got featured on ITV News WestCountry. My first TV interview! (Also featuring a few of my photos on the weather forecast)
2023
I expanded my card range to over 80 designs and continued to push my work and brand out there. Releasing my 2024 Nature Calendar kept me busy. As I expanded to over 20 stockists around the South West.
Recently passing my driving test meant I could go further afield. Instead of walking to the Somerset Levels. I could now drive there!
Throughout the Spring and Summer I had exhibitions at National Trust, Montacute House and Lytes Cary Manor.
During the summer Thatchers Cider invited me to Myrtle Farm to do some photography in their conservation area.
The conservation area at Thatchers has a variety of nature from Bees, to Roe Deer. Read the feature below…
Ben Pulletz at Montacute House - September 2023