Well, this year did not start well. Lockdown from January - March. Testing my mental stamina to breaking point. Just about made it. But, we all know what that’s like now. It was horrible, but we did it together. Find strength in that.

I made one or two trips out, two of which really stick in my mind. One was in early March to the coast in the evening time. Stood on dunes testing out my new prime lenses. Soaking in the early spring breeze coming in off the Atlantic. Freedom. That’s what art is, right? Freedom.

The other notable day out was in May. I don’t shoot much locally, but there is a glorious woodland that has extensive bluebell carpets during the spring, and it’s only 4 miles away. I have been walking through these woods for decades and know them well. This one composition has been in my mind for two years and patience finally paid off when I awoke one Sunday morning to see dense fog outside; I have never got dressed and gathered camera gear so quickly. I made a dash to this composition I had been working on and was given perfect conditions.

**Guests of the Blue Carpet Lodge** *- May 2021*

Summer

When I reflect back at my first three years in photography, this trip will protrude like the Matterhorn in my hippocampus. A perfect storm of feeling sombre, free, distant, unshackled and an unsettled peace with myself gave me the tools I needed to finally make a body of work that was me. Images composed with atmosphere, layers and colour - but imbued with emotional metadata. Things I have often talked about in a variety of captions and short writing online.

I was honoured to be given the chance to express what my photography really meant for me in On Landscape magazine which you can read here as well as being invited to Matt Payne’s incredible podcast F-top, Collaborate and Listen, which you can listen to here.

One of the most standout realisations while making my summer 2021 images was that I was creating with my eye. Just mine. I can’t recall once considering how an image is meant to look, rather I became purely instinctual, almost composing images without even consciously thinking about what I was doing… which might sound either naive or arrogant, but I had reached a stage where use of the camera and the new lenses had become so second nature I actually could see with my eye what I knew the image would look like when downloaded to my computer. You can view my full summer 2021 collection by clicking here.

I received such overwhelming feedback about this collection of images, feedback that was beyond my own comprehension of the collection. This collection of images connected me with people I had never spoken to, had no doubt earned me the featured photographer slot in On Landscape magazine and given me a much-needed confidence in my ability and direction (which I know is totally subjective).

But most importantly, it gave me an opportunity to open the door on buried emotions. Feelings that I had used photography trips to process. It was liberating. It was healing.

Autumn

I made another trip to Scotland during this season, but with the express intention of making images that were different in feel and style to the summer collection. This was a conscious decision. I was scared of stagnation and getting bogged down in one particular style of image. I employed different techniques and made more colourful, more chaotic images in contrast to the work from summer. You can see my Autumn 2021 collection by clicking here.

While I was scared of stagnating, I actually realised from trying something new that I didn’t connect with it as much as my summer work - suggesting that my fears of stagnation were unsubstantiated and that I was heading in the right direction (whatever that means).

However, my decision to take more ICM (intentional camera movement) images of the grand landscape was something I thoroughly enjoyed developing, realising that I could still express through them and create work that felt as comfortable on my eye as the summer work did.

It was during this season that I somehow managed to finish 5th in the photographer of the year category for the Natural Landscape Photography Awards - which served the purpose of reinforcing my summer work, much of it propelling me reaching the final rounds, with one summer image being highly commended. I know the competition only really serves to massage one’s ego, however, to have photographers that I look up to deciding to place me so highly gave me much-needed drive to continue. I will ride the confidence given to me like a wave and continue to follow my own path in my photography, the path I had started to tread during my summer trip.

Thank you

I have got to know some wonderful, thoughtful, intelligent and caring photographers this year. I won’t list names, but you will likely know if I’m talking about you. Thank you so much for your friendship, it means the world to me. And thank you to everyone who has engaged with my work, purchased a print or left a comment / like on social media - I appreciate every single on of you.

Winter

I am currently working on a winter collection. It’s quite spooky. But still very me. I hope. Below is a sneak peak of an image I made in the dense, cold fog.

I have some very exciting plans in the coming year, I can’t wait to share them with you. Happy new year, I hope to get to know you all better in 2022 and, who knows, our paths may even cross.

James