Biography

There was a time, not that long ago, when mobile phones were as heavy as house bricks, 35mm film was commonly sold in all high-street chemists, and Apple computers were only ever a rather dull shade of beige… It was then, at the tender age of twenty-one, that I made the redoubtable decision to become a professional photographer. I’ve never looked back …

Since that time, I’ve seen traditional film and darkroom photography yield to high-resolution digital cameras with multiple megapixels. I’ve witnessed the advent of the world wide web, 360 degree interactive virtual tours and the genesis of virtual reality (VR) technology. Along the way, I’ve gained a wealth of experience working with all types of media, and I’ve always done my best to embrace exciting developments in new technology as it emerges. I was one of the first photographers in the UK to work digitally, and I published my first website back in a time when most of my clients didn’t even know what a website was. This extensive experience and knowledge base, has given me a very unique and particular set of creative skills. I now pursue my role as more than just a simple photographer, but as a digital director of photography, a writer, and a multimedia content creator, specialising in 360 degree virtual tours and virtual reality imagery.

I first started out shooting landscapes, enjoying the meditative, almost spiritual connection that I was able to forge with nature. During my travels, I met some wonderful characters whose faces told one thousand stories, and whose lives each seemed far more interesting and heroic than the ephemeral celebrities that we see on daytime tv. It seemed a natural progression to photograph some of these people in their own working space. These environmental portraits were informal, unrehearsed and unpretentious, and they led to some striking, real-life portraits that captured more than just a visage, but also their enduring spirit and personality. Placing people in interesting locations, invariably led to my specialism in tourism and lifestyle photography, and a fifteen year career of commissions for Visit Britain (British Tourist Board), The National Trust and many other tourist boards. It also led to publishing an internationally best-selling book on portrait photography (that was translated into multiple languages), and even private and personal portrait sittings with HM The Queen Elizabeth II, and another with Prince Philip, The Duke Of Edinburgh. Indeed, photography had opened up many exciting opportunities for me that I simply would not have encountered had I stayed in the somewhat prosaic, family run business as an insurance broker. Besides, photography was cool, it was ‘rock ‘n roll’ … and who never dreamed of being a rock star …

Whilst I love shooting stills photographs, I have found that modern, digital photography with ‘automated-everything’ cameras, is all too easy these days. The soul seems to have been stolen from the art, so I also still like to shoot traditional film on antique cameras and develop my own black & white, hand-coated, silver-gelatin prints in my darkroom. Playing with developers, sepia toners and numerous other chemicals, has rekindled my rudimentary passion as a traditional photographic craftsman. It has also allowed me to practice and perfect this dying alchemy, and I remain endlessly bewitched by the artful, black magic that mysteriously prevails in that small, darkened room as a print slowly develops before my very eyes.

Over the last thirteen years, I have also progressed to shooting the highest quality 360 degree online virtual tours and interactive panoramas. As I said, digital stills photography is all too easy these days, and I enjoy a challenge that can push my creative boundaries. I’ve introduced and pioneered this 360 technology to the industry, working on global campaigns for big international brands such as Visit Britain, The National Trust, Coca-Cola USA and Sony Pictures in Hollywood.

Earlier this year, I was approached by a cutting-edge, virtual reality software company based in Germany. They had seen and loved my ‘Redneck Road Trip’ 360 degree virtual tour, and they wanted to use my imagery and ambient audio recordings in a virtual reality headset experience to promote their VR brand. This opened up exciting new opportunities for me, as I had already been working with online Web VR technology since it was introduced in 2015. I am now one of their affiliate partners, and we work together to produce affordable VR headset experiences for all types of industries. With the advent of 360 degree virtual reality video, I’ve also recently embarked on a journey into 8K 3D stereoscopic VR video experiences, bringing this incredible technology to an audience worldwide.

I’m a little diffident, yet proud to say that during my time as a professional photographer, I’ve won various international awards for my imagery. I’ve also had the pleasure of working with many leading international brands and companies, some of which are listed below. My fine-art canvas prints and posters have also been mass produced as wall art for retail sale in high street stores such as Argos, B&Q, John Lewis and Habitat. For me, this is one of the most rewarding aspects of photography and visual image making, being able to share my work for others to enjoy, and of course, leaving behind a legacy of my own personal expression.

Creating images is my way of life, my calling, my passion, my métier, if you will. It’s what I do and it’s what I’m good at. Without it, I fail to breathe the air that replenishes my soul and I cease to exist …

“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done with love is done well” – Vincent Van Gogh.