My name is James and I am a landscape photographer. I’ve been an outdoor enthusiast since joining the Scouts when I was 10. It’s only now, looking back on the convoluted route my life has taken to this point, that I can see what an important effect those early experiences had on me. Waking up in the Elan Valley, knocking frost off the tent, water bottle frozen, being far from comfortable but being certain in my mind that there was nowhere else I’d rather be at that moment in time. The place, the silence, the quality of light, all so much more powerful than petty niggles such as cold toes.
On my meanderings through various careers, this yearning for the outdoors has always been idling in the background. As a zoology student, I was more excited by field work than lab work. As a care worker I often took our service-users on outdoor trips. As an office worker I was deeply unhappy. So when the chance to study for an MSc in Biological Photography came along, I embraced it, worked harder than I’ve ever done in my life and graduated with distinction.
Since then, I have carved out a career as a commercial outdoor photographer (see my commercial website) and I consider myself very lucky to do the work that I do, providing my clients with the images they need. What really excites me though is the opportunity to practice landscape photography in its purist form…to react to a place in a certain moment and to try and capture that for no reason other than to satisfy my own instinct to do so. It is what I wished I had the ability to do back in the Elan Valley all those years ago. It is only occasionally successful and the work on this website represents just a few of those successes.
Buying prints
All of my work is available to buy as a print. There are a few different print options available. Some pieces work better on a particular medium, in which case it will be marked as ‘recommended’. If you have any queries, please contact me.
Photographic Prints
The digital image file is exposed onto silver halide photo paper using LED technology, then chemically processed in the traditional way. This blend of classic and contemporary technology ensures the print has sharp detail, rich colour, great tonal range and remarkable durability. The print can be made on either Fujiflex High Gloss paper for a glossy finish, or Fuji Crystal Archive Professional Velvet for non-reflective finish. It’ll be delivered rolled up in a thick cardboard tube.
Giclee Prints
These are made using Epson UltraChrome K3 pigment inks on Hahnemuhle German Etching 310 g/m2 paper. The result is a sharp, rich print with a beautiful matt textured finished that is certified colour-fast for 100 years.
Canvas Prints
The image is printed onto coated canvas and dried using UV light to give a waterproof and smudge resistant finish. The canvas is then stretched over a custom made solid wood frame (from sustainable forestry). The image is mirrored and extended so that it wraps around the side of the frame without cropping any of the image. The result is a contemporary looking canvas ready to hang on the wall.
Books
Mud | Sand
Published by Triplekite Books, 2016.
Inspired by a notation on an Ordnance Survey map, the Mud|Sand project explores the unusual and often maligned aesthetic of the Bristol Channel coastline. This is a landscape defined by miles of mudflats and saltmarsh, rich with patterns that are constantly remoulded by tidal forces, and wet surfaces that reflect whatever drama is being played out in the skies above.
Signed copies are available for £15 + p&p and can be ordered via the contact page.
