An early connection with a camera
I discovered the magic of photography in 1970 through the simplest of cameras - a makeshift pinhole created from a shoebox, a strip of black and white film, and childlike wonder. As a 9-year-old boarding school student at Orley Farm, standing in an ancient graveyard with eleven other young experimenters, I never imagined that simple physics experiment would ignite a lifelong passion. When my first image emerged from Boots Chemist a week later - a haunting, dreamlike capture of a weathered tombstone beneath a church spire - I was captivated not just by the technical miracle, but by photography's power to freeze a moment in time. Though the physical print is lost, the image remains etched in my mind with the clarity of yesterday.
My artistic journey deepened at Westminster, where I was blessed with London's artistic treasures at my doorstep. The National Gallery became my second home, where understanding of light and composition grew through intimate morning encounters with Monet's ethereal water lilies and Leonardo's masterful play of light and shadow. These quiet moments before the crowds arrived shaped my photographic eye in ways I'm still discovering.
But it was in St. James' Park where my true photographic voice emerged. Armed with my camera and rolls of Ilford FP4, I would immerse myself in this urban oasis. The park became my outdoor studio, teaching me patience and observation. As the city's chaos faded into background whispers, I discovered a hidden world: historic pelicans - living links to Charles II's reign - gliding across the water, meticulously designed gardens painting the landscape with seasonal colors, and ancient trees dancing in the Westminster winds. Occasional appearances by the Queen's Royal Guards on horseback or the distant echoes of palace band practice added touches of royal theater to these natural scenes.
These early experiences forged my enduring connection with the natural world. Photography has been my faithful companion on this journey - not just a tool, but a way of seeing and being. Through my lens, I've learned to notice the extraordinary in the ordinary, to find poetry in the play of light across landscape, and to capture the delicate dialogue between the wild and cultivated worlds. What began with a pinhole in a shoebox has evolved into a lifelong exploration of light, nature, and the art of seeing.
My photography
The raw, unfiltered beauty of the natural world calls to me, and my camera serves as both witness and translator. When I'm in the field, my goal transcends mere documentation - I strive to capture that ineffable moment when light, land, and time converge into something extraordinary, inviting viewers to stand beside me in these moments of wonder.
My approach marries technical precision with artistic sensitivity. Shooting exclusively in RAW format provides the rich detail needed to honor these landscapes. Like a painter working with light, I often blend multiple exposures to capture the full dynamic range of a scene - from the deepest shadows to the most brilliant highlights. Nature rarely presents herself in simple terms, and this technique allows me to preserve the nuanced interplay of light that makes each moment unique.
In the digital darkroom, I maintain this commitment to quality, processing images in ProPhoto color space to preserve the subtle color gradations my camera captures. Each image is carefully crafted into a lossless 16-bit PNG file, ensuring these moments remain as vivid and true decades from now as they were when first captured. This isn't just about archival permanence - it's about respecting the integrity of these natural spaces and the privilege of documenting them.
Though I primarily shoot handheld to maintain spontaneity and connection with my subject, years of practice have turned this potential limitation into a strength. My hand has learned the steadiness needed for sharp focus stacking and exposure blending, allowing me to work in harmony with the landscape's rhythms rather than being bound by tripod and timer.
My passion lies in grand landscape photography, creating large-format images that transport viewers into these magnificent spaces. By combining multiple frames, I craft expansive views that can be reproduced at tremendous scale without losing their intimate details - bringing the whisper of wind-bent grass and the texture of weather-worn stone into homes, and the workplace.
Time-lapse photography has become another way I commune with nature. Spending ninety minutes immersed in one location transforms me from photographer to witness, observing the subtle dance of light and shadow across the land. These extended sessions, resulting in up to 8K resolution sequences, reveal nature's rhythms in ways our moment-to-moment perception might miss - clouds painting shapes across mountain faces, shadows sweeping across valleys, stars wheeling overhead.
Through my lens, I seek to bridge worlds - to connect viewers with nature's grandeur and complexity in ways that inspire both awe and stewardship. By blending technical excellence with deep reverence for the natural world, I create images that do more than document - they invite viewers to develop their own relationship with these precious landscapes, hoping to inspire a commitment to preserving them for future generations.