David Rennie fell in love with photography seven years ago when he was lured from his car by the sight of a passing bird overhead.

The encounter led to a newfound passion for wildlife photography that took him away from his family for weeks at a time as he tracked birds through the environmentally sensitive Mandurah wetlands south of Perth.

His skills as a self-taught photographer were recognised last year when he won the prestigious Australian Geographic ANZANG award for a dramatic shot showing a young osprey and a spoonbill narrowly avoiding a collision in mid air.

Documenting the fragile birdlife also helped David deal with his own demons and ultimately to confront a bizarre mystery involving his father.