2023 comes to an end

As 2023 closes I reflect upon what a busy but eventful year it has been. In last year’s December Blog I said would do a number of things …….well did I succeed ? Re writing a blog every month , I did not. Printing more pictures, yes I achieved this and sold many both at home and abroad. Work with individuals and hold more local photos days, yes to both of these particularly working with individuals. Thanks for all the support people have shown in relation to booking one to ones. I have more local tours booked for January 24.

My invitation to the RPS landscape conference in Harrogate in March was filled with many thought-provoking moments, and included speaking to a large audience as well as meeting a range of photographers.

My shared exhibition in The Crypt gallery in Norwich in June was an interesting experience as Norfolk was the one place that month that was cold and wet whilst all other parts of the country were sunbathing! Nonetheless, we had some good sales and visits by the mayor of Norwich too. Thanks to all those that visited, bought and placed orders.

My bookings for camera club presentations, predominantly on Zoom, have increased greatly and my new talk- My Vision, Mr Practice has been received extremely well. To read the reviews please click on my presentations tab. Bookings for 2024 and 2025 are already underway and slots filling up.

Some of the places visited in 2023 include a wonderful January trip to Northumberland which provided me with a number of spectacular dawns and winter light. I have been extremely lucky to have had two trips to Iceland, one in February and one in November. Both trips were entirely different and the latter provide me with the opportunity for some aerial photography which I absolutely loved. Both the Nikon z7ii and Nikon 850 produced some excellent photos of this stunning ever-changing landscape. As I write the volcano has now erupted, of course changing the landscape yet again.

As always I return to my beloved Scotland yearly, and this time Moray, Sutherland and Nairnshire again provided a range of photographic opportunities in a plethora of weathers. What I really like about my visits to scotland is that they are often visits with few others, visitors or photographers.

My recce trip to Ireland proved to be more than interesting as we had nearly 10 days of blue skies and sun both in the east and the west of Ireland- unheard of!!! This will be an area that I will definitely be revisiting and exploring further as there were many unspoilt beaches which, as you may know, are my passion.

In last year’s blog I mentioned a forthcoming visit to Lanzarote. Unfortunately this December 2023 trip did not take place due to contracting Covid quite literally the day before flying and being pretty ill with it too. Plenty of people told me it was perfectly legal to travel but thankfully I didn’t as it would have been a grim time for me and who knows who would have contracted it on the plane. So, Lanzarote will have to wait for another time.

2024 is a special year for me as not only am I going to Harris for 2 weeks in March but also have a trip of a lifetime planned for the Chilean side of Patagonia. I am more than excited about this event and really am looking forward to some spectacular photography. I will also be producing a new talk featuring both Patagonia and Iceland.

In terms of publications, Outdoor Photography magazine has featured my work and will again be in 2024, Elements online magazine also featured my work and I have a scheduled article for Frames magazine 2024 . In addition my work has been featured in local mags. eg EDP and Norfolk and Suffolk Life

Reflecting on the past year, I am struck by just how fortunate I am and have been to be able to have the time, health and finances to visit so many amazing places whilst I understand that many cannot. Living in difficult times can often stifle people’s creativity but sometimes the opposite happens, for some. However all of us hope for better times ahead, I am sure. The world as we know it is changing at an alarming rate including environmental change and we as landscape photographers do have to understand the preciousness of the landscape we work within and also do our best to protect it. I am always impressed when visiting Iceland that despite the huge number of tourists visiting all sorts of Icelandic destinations, I rarely, if ever see people littering the landscape and have never stood on a roadside ankle deep in plastic and debris as I frequently do in the UK. I do so wish that this will change. We shall see.

Below are a few of my favourite pictures from 2023. New work will now feature in regular blogs as I have changed the format of my website so keep an eye out ……Wishing you all a very happy, restful and peaceful Christmas and New year.

Iceland from the Air

Why print ?