Jonathan Clay

Nature Photographer & Environmental Filmmaker

Jon Clay has spent more than 25 years telling visual stories about nature, people and the living planet.

As an award-winning filmmaker, he has worked on major international productions for the BBC, Netflix, Discovery and others, travelling from remote Indigenous communities to some of the world’s most remarkable wild places. He has been lucky enough to work with many incredible people during this time, including Sir David Attenborough, HRH Prince William, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Packham and Bruce Parry. His credits include Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet, Human Planet, Blue Planet II, South Pacific, Tribe, Wonders of the Monsoon, The Earthshot Prize and Project Tiger.

Along the way, Jon’s work has received major international recognition for writing, directing and filmmaking, including awards from Jackson Wild, BAFTA Cymru, IWFF and the Emmys. In 2021, he produced Sir David Attenborough’s speech to world leaders at COP26 in Glasgow.

But beneath the credits and far-flung locations is something much simpler: a lifelong fascination with the natural world, and a belief that photography can help us slow down, look more closely, and feel more connected to the places we live and visit.

Today, Jon brings that lifetime of field experience back to the South Devon coast, guiding small groups and individuals through relaxed, thoughtful photography experiences rooted in observation, patience and connection.

Whether you are learning how to get more from your camera for the first time, or simply want to see the natural world in a deeper way, Jon’s aim is to help you tune in, notice more, and capture images that feel genuinely your own.

Photo credit: @edwardjfelton

Film Clips

Across more than two decades of filmmaking, Jon’s work has been shaped by a desire to reveal the beauty, complexity and fragility of the living world - and to encourage its protection and restoration.

The clips below offer a glimpse of that journey, from landmark documentaries and global environmental films to creative collaborations made in the field.

Breaking Boundaries

Presented by Sir David Attenborough, this Netflix feature doc explores the science of Earth’s planetary boundaries and the urgent choices facing humanity. Watch the full film on Netflix.

The Chiefs

What an honour it was to spend time with Chief Álvaro Tukano, his family and community in the upper reaches of the Rio Negro, bringing their vital message to the climate COP30 negotiations in Belém, Brazil.

We Are Ocean

When Samsung invited Jon to test one of their latest smartphones by using it to shoot a nature film in Hawaii, he used the opportunity to collaborate with Indigenous wisdom keepers, exploring our connection to the ocean.

Samsung

Meanwhile, Samsung made a behind-the-scenes film about Jon's experience shooting with their smartphone!

Tribe

Bruce Parry's first BBC series; this is one of my all-time favourite sequences - it never fails to make me smile! A groundbreaking series in so many ways, it was a privilege to have spent time with such incredible people around the world.

South Pacific

Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch, this BBC series was one of the first to have a whole episode dedicated to environmental issues and so offered an opportunity to advocate for change.