Steve Woodhall

Steve Woodhall (b 1957, Rochdale, UK) has been chasing butterflies with a net or camera most of his life. In 1980 he achieved a life's ambition and emigrated to Africa, and now lives near Durban in South Africa. He's been photographing butterflies almost all that time, and when his old friend Bill Hansford-Steele (author of several books on Fly Fishing in Africa) suggested he should do a book, he decided to have a go! Soon afterwards he made contact with Bill's publishers Struik Nature (now part of Random House). After a lot of hard work and photography, in 2005 Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa saw the light of day. It was the first hand held comprehensive field guide to South African butterflies, with text opposite pix. It immediately sold well and is still going strong today. Not long after, Ken Newman, doyen of African bird authors, called Steve from their editor Pippa Parker's office. 'Young man!' he said... 'I have a way you can double your field guide's sales'. He advised Steve to emulate his successful 'What's that Bird?' and do a 'What's that Butterfly?'. Steve did this, and it has been an enormous success. It never ceases to amaze him how many people have it, and to see it in airport bookshops all over Africa. Steve's currently busy with several projects... a Pocket Guide, a Gardening for Butterflies book, and more. He's also President of the Lepidopterists' Society of Africa, a great honour, but a lot of work!