Landscape Photography

Developing a creative voice through landscape photography

After graduating from university I hit a minor existential crisis. I loved the creative side of my projects, but I couldn't see myself engineering a traditional career out of them.

Following a bit of experimentation, an unexpected opportunity came up at The Times newspaper. A friend insisted I'd thrive in a busy newsroom. I was skeptical, but they were right. I was immediately hooked by the chaos of it all: hundreds of people in a vast office, shouting over one another, the energy building into a crescendo as print deadlines loomed.

I initially thought the role would just be a foot in the door: perhaps a stepping stone to the design department, or even, one day, to writing. But the longer I spent on the picture desk, the more fascinated I became with photography.

Credentials mattered less than capability. Nobody cared that I didn’t have a traditional background in journalism or photography, so long as I was willing to roll up my sleeves and get stuck in.

Because of my engineering roots, I was quickly labeled the "technical one." The Times' website ran on a basic content management system that required a bit of coding knowledge to function properly. I became a bridge between the editorial chaos and the technology delivering it.

Formative Years

As I became more settled, a sense of imposter syndrome began to creep in. How could I work there, surrounded by some great creative talent, without even knowing how to operate a camera myself?

Determined to bridge the gap, I bought an entry-level DSLR and a couple of lenses, and began trying to emulate photojournalists' work. Photographers would return from far-flung corners of the world with landscape images so breathtaking I could hardly fathom how they had been captured.

I began to wonder if I could, with enough patience and a methodical engineering approach, create something meaningful too.

Landscape photography perfectly blends my creativity with a love for the outdoors. What started as a passion quickly grew into an obsessive pursuit. Encouraged by mentors and editors, I began to submit my work for publication.

While many of my images have since been published, the first remains the most memorable: a double-page spread of Durdle Door at sunset in a major weekend supplement.

I spent two or three years shooting the UK’s classic "honeypot" landscape locations. While crucial for mastering the craft, copying well-worn compositions felt creatively limiting.

A spontaneous trip to Epping Forest in 2010 changed everything. Recognising its potential for a long-term project, I shifted my focus toward building a more meaningful, distinct body of work. For several years, I shot there at dawn almost every weekend, and I still return a few times a year to continue the story.

Competitions

In 2012, my first entry into the UK Landscape Photographer of the Year competition was rejected. Undeterred, I entered the following year and had two images selected for the exhibition and book. Ironically, an Epping Forest shot rejected the first year was Highly Commended and won a Judge’s Choice Award from renowned photographer Colin Prior.

After subsequent successes in both the UK and Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year awards, my relationship with competitions changed. As photography became a deeper, more meditative way to unwind, I chose to step away from the suspense and stress of competitions altogether.

The gallery below features a selection of my commended work.

Websites and Publishing

Over the years, I’ve built several iterations of my photography website to teach myself the fundamentals of web design. My early attempts, including one heavily inspired by the UI aesthetics of the Star Wars Battlefront video game, suffered from responsive scaling issues and less-than-ideal user flows.

Recognising these flaws was an important step in my growth. My current photography website is fully responsive, optimised and serves my needs far more effectively.

Recent Work

Today, my photography is less about self-promotion and more about personal connection. I focus entirely on UK landscapes, intentionally keeping my travel local to minimise my carbon footprint. Traveling long distances simply for an image or social media metrics no longer aligns with my values.

The images below feature some recent work, much of it captured close to my home in north London, as well as some older favourites from further afield.

To view my live website and browse my photography portfolio, please click on the button below.