Whether traditional or creatively abstract, my photography is all about landscapes. I enjoy not only the visual aesthetics of a scene but also its wildlife, history and how humans have made their mark. From wide-angled seascapes to intimate woodland studies, from bird portraits to city history, I like to experiment through photography to communicate the feel of a place, weaving my love of natural history and history into the process.
I’m inspired by the paintings of traditionalists such as Canaletto, whom I admire for his rich use of colour, depiction of light and attention to detail. I also enjoy the art of the sublime, which sums up my love of the natural world, with just how awe-inspiring it can be. It appeals to me through the paintings of the more impressionistic artists J.M.W. Turner and Caspar David Friedrich. These artists sought to replicate the world in all its raw state, observing light, shade and movement within the landscape. Their work can be fresh and crisp yet soft and ethereal. I love how that feels. I want to take this idea of the sublime and immerse myself in the landscape to create like they did, en plein air, but with my camera rather than a paintbrush.
As an amateur naturalist, I initially took photos of birds to record sightings and to aid identification, but I soon found that this wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to capture details and show bird personalities. Inspired by nineteenth-century bird paintings by artists such as John James Audubon and current wildlife photographers such as Andy Rouse, I began to study bird portraiture, and I now enjoy mixing fieldcraft with photography.
As a forest dweller, I immerse myself amongst the beeches, alders, oaks and pines that surround my house, wondering how I can capture them in all their forms. As with photographing birds, I’m now finding that I want to capture the details and personalities of the trees. Outside of the woodlands, it makes a nice change to study urban and seascapes. My style is evolving as I experiment not only with traditional photography, but also the abstract and painterly techniques of ICM and multiple exposure. I intend to ‘paint’ the scene in front of me, experimenting with soft visual effects, stronger lines and rich colours through ICM and multiple exposure from distant views to the more intimate.
My work is available to buy in the form of greeting cards from the Dalby Forest Visitor Centre or as prints from the Artisan Gallery in Thornton le Dale
As a historian, I enjoy researching the areas that I visit to understand why a scene looks the way it does. Was it naturally created or does it bear the scars of human intervention? I like to research ordinary buildings and the people that lived in them, particularly from the 18th and 19th centuries. I use photography where I can to illustrate my findings. I’m still working on how I can mix history and photography in a meaningful way. It’s a work in progress. In the meantime, I’ll be joining the University of York soon to study for a PhD in Archaeology. I’ll be writing about my journey as a (very) mature student going back to academia after decades away.
Explore wildlife. Through images, observations and nature writing, I share the flora and fauna I encounter in the forests and coasts of northern England and beyond.
Explore the past. Whether you’re fascinated by the stories of ordinary people from days gone by or are also embarking on an academic journey, I invite you to join me as I navigate the discoveries, experiences and challenges I encounter during my PhD research in Archaeology.
Take a walk in the woods or stroll by the sea as you explore my traditional and abstract landscape photography. Afterwards, grab a cup of tea and dive into my blog posts where I share the ups and downs of my creative process.
I’m an ex-cop. There, I’ve put it out there! For thirty years (yes, I’m that old!!) there were times that were stressful and times that were sad or even scary. But it wasn’t all death, doom, gloom and destruction, it was hugely rewarding and on the odd occasion, sometimes downright hilarious. Getting out into the landscape, discovering its history, watching its wildlife, whilst using photography to record it, all helped deal with the stresses that came with working long hours and shifts. Oh the dreaded night shift! There is nothing that can replicate that feeling of the after-the night-shift-grogginess, not even jet lag. Thankfully those groggy days are behind me.
I retired from policing a few years ago and since then have concentrated on improving my photography. Self-taught, I learned the old fashioned way before the digital camera age. I still have my first ‘big’ camera which I got as a present when I was sixteen. It sits proudly on my bookcase and is one of my most treasured possessions. Now totally digital, I’m experimenting more, learning from others, finding my style.
I’m lucky to live in the middle of a forest in the North York Moors National Park so trees are becoming more and more my thing! I’m a wildlife partner with Forestry England recording wildlife and I appeared in Channel 5’s series ‘Secrets of the Forest’ recording moths in Dalby Forest. Whilst I’m a home bird at heart, I also like to go further afield so I do enjoy an urban landscape or seascape. Whilst my favourite places include cities such as Venice and islands such as Mull, I’m a sucker for the unusual. A graveyard or deserted building can provide me with endless opportunities to mix photography, wildlife recording and history. From the tiniest ferns and mosses lurking in the cracks and crevices to the birds that fly between the graves, I find them all fascinating. I’m also fond of windows, not the clean uPVC ones but the ones desperately in need of some love and attention. I don’t know why!
I’ll be returning to university in 2025 to pursue a PhD in Archaeology. As a mature student, that’s quite daunting but I’m looking forward to the challenge and will be sharing my experiences.
