Where do I begin? I guess it’s right to start with a blurb so you’re not involuntarily being thrown into the deep end.

Here I’ll talk a little bit about my family’s history in relation to photography, which of-course led me into it as well. I dive a little into my up-bringing, my travels, and how I got into photography. lets start from the start!

I was born and raised in Swansea, Wales, UK. Growing up, my parents were very keen to get me and my brother outside every chance they would get. They set aside D.I.Y projects just to spend time with us. We lived with bare plaster walls and concrete floors for years!

We would go to all the beaches across south Wales, visit all the castles, anywhere there’s something to see and do. We happily explored in all types of weather, usually trying to make out shapes in the clouds! This definitely had me experimenting with different creative avenues to show others what was capturing my attention on these outings, whether it be through sight or sound.

Photography has run in my family for upwards of 60 years. My late grandfather had a Yashica Minister iii from new, he used it to document raising my father and his two brothers. My father has kept my grandfathers fantastic collection of film slides, and kept his camera, although it has been in the cabinet on display with a sticky shutter.

My Father followed in his footsteps with film photography, he had a Pentax ME Super from new. He still has the Pentax today, though that is also broken and on display. It also used to have a sticky shutter, but his latest repair attempt ended up with the sound of microscopic screws and springs ticking across the floor, followed by swearing.

What truly began my photography journey, was when I began travelling at 19 years old. Starting with a 2 year working holiday visa in Canada. Unfortunately, I hadn't quite realised how much I’d enjoy using a camera at that point. Though I did take my time to try and take some nice landscape shots on my phone.

Fast forward to two and a half years later, I started to travel the east coast of Australia. I lived on the road in the cheapest car (and luckily 4x4) I could find. It was around half way through my first year in Australia that I decided I was getting frustrated enough with the quality of phone cameras, to buy a "real" camera. I ended up buying a Sony a6000 (a then 9 year old camera) from Facebook marketplace. I quickly upgraded the kit lens once I familiarised myself with using a camera. This lens would quickly ignite my love for the artistic side of photography, rather than just documenting moments.

For around 2 years this setup gave me great photos, it came with me around Australia, back to the UK, New York, and India. After getting back from India, I wanted to experiment with different lenses, but couldn't afford to without selling something. This led to selling my first lens, which is a decision I still regret. Not only was it fantastic, but only since selling it did I realise the sentimental value behind keeping your first bits of gear.

I don't think I'll ever learn my lesson when its comes to changing camera gear. It only hindered my progress by giving me something new to learn, rather than mastering what I already have. That being said, I've very recently switched to Fujifilm. I bought myself a used XT-3, mostly for the weather sealing, though the colour science was a very strong runner up reason, and a good choice of weather-sealed lenses! I do enjoy shooting out in the weather. Blue skies look boring in photographs to me, but that’s probably due to my upbringing emersed in the rugged Welsh landscape (and of course, my love for clouds that look like things!).