MacDonalds photography.

April 3 2010

I've reached the conclusion that I do too much thinking: it's not always a good thing.
Take this mountain hare. For years - on and off - I've tried for shots not dissimilar to this one, and then I get a chance to nail a few and am I happy? For a short while perhaps.

See the problem is that without a reason, without an end-product (and I'm not talking about a reproduction cheque here), without a context, the appeal of the image is short-lived, a bit empty - a bit like a MacDonalds meal - attractive from a distance but short on substance.

I think it's me not being a particularly keen photographer. I don't mean I don't enjoy the creative process - I do, very much; but it is just a means to an end, a tool, a conduit. So I'm shunning MacDonalds photography and I'm going organic, Fairtrade. Substance and meaning above Easter egg packaging!

A day to remember.

March 10 2010

Good company, weather to die for and just one or two obliging ptarmigan. Body battered, soul soothed.

You sow and thus reap.

March 5 2010

The wind was looking for a fight this morning and the sky looked ominous. Last week I took a group onto Cairngorm and the weather beat us back - I was expecting no different today. To be honest if I'd been on my own, I wouldn't have gone...but I did...we did...and thanks to Luis, Andrea and Ruben for that.

In worsening conditions verging on white-out, we not only found a small group of ptarmigan but a rather...no, very...obliging Mountain Hare. Sometimes I just love this place to bits!

Sometimes you've just got to do it.

February 12 2010

Some photographers - and I'm one of them - get so wrapped up in projects, outputs, submissions, features, books, tours, blog updating...the list goes on, they forget to do what set them on fire originally - engineering close encounters with wild places and wild creatures.

Today was a day I just had to get out of the office - and what a day! Not a breath of wind on the mountain, light to die for and fresh snow. Thanks to Sam, Chris and an obliging group of ptarmigan for good company.

Still at 78n

September 19 2009

In a frenzied rush to process at least some of the Svalbard images (trying to squeeze one or two of them into the Wild Wonders image bank), I nearly deleted this but then noticed the potential for a black and white version. I could trot out alot of pretentious nonsense about connecting with the inner space (blah blah) but the fact is, I just like it!