My photography journey started when i moved from the hustle and bustle of suburban London and out in to the more rural south of England. Not long after moving i was out in the garden and just looked up, i was amazed to see so many stars in the sky, a privilege not afforded to City dwellers of which i once was. From here i took to Amazon to buy a very basic telescope, so i could enjoy the moon with better visuals. Of course, like many i imagine, it wasn't long before i was holding my camera phone to the eyepiece to try and capture close up Lunar photos. I was struggling a little with how to hold my phone to get the best photo, and other aspects, so i went to facebook and found a group dedicated to photographing the night sky with 1000's of members. I quickly joined and asked for advice. The advice i received was great, but after a long scroll through it's archives i quickly realized just how involved it is, and how out of my depth i was. It was both awe inspiring and daunting at the same time. while scrolling i received a message from someone i now consider a friend. He ran a London astronomy group, and as i hadn't updated my profile location invited me to join. I did explain i had recently moved out of London but he still allowed me to join. From here, my deep sky photography journey went from 1-100 in days. within about a month of joining i was expecting delivery of my first equatorial mount, the HEQ5 pro. A little while later, again from someone i now consider a friend, gifted me a 8" Newtonian reflector telescope. I was receiving advice and subsequently spending money at an ever increasing rate, but my photos and knowledge of our expansive universe was growing quickly. Of course there were good and bad times, sometimes I'd look at a photo i had just finished and take to facebook to compare with others, if i could go back, i would stop myself comparing with others. As when you do this, particularly in the early days, it can lead to a depressive give up attitude. Comparing with others is never a good idea, no matter how good you become. Everyday brings a new opportunity to learn, and everyone has different taste on what constitutes a "good photo". 

a good group of guys and i quickly became a group within a group. Regularly meeting at locations with very dark sky to get the best data possible. In the search for the darkest sky i also found the most beautiful landscapes. Rolling fields, towering cliffs, calm seas. It wasn't long before the want an need to include these simply stunning Landscapes with the night sky built up, and my photography equipment grew once again.

Daytime photography was the natural next step. So obsessed i became with travelling and capturing these beautiful scenes the limitation of a clear moonless night was too much to bare. Soon the group and i were planning trips to photograph landscapes under blue sky, cloudy sky, stormy conditions, snowy conditions etc, etc. My photography genre expanded once again, after all this beautiful planet on which we reside has so much beauty to share, why limit it to when the lights go out?.

Wildlife photography came with an introduction of a new friend to our group. He was already interested in, and actively photographing all the same genres as i, but with the addition of Wildlife. It wasn't long before once again i found myself actively pursuing the genre. As difficult as it is, the reward far outweighs the frustrating times, of which there are many. A popular phrase for me within the group is "i swear wildlife hates me". But this isn't the case "i hope". Wildlife photography takes calm, skill, dedication and a bucket load of patience. I can have days, weeks even months of disappointing trips, but, that one photo, the one that makes it all worth while does come, and when it does........ the feeling is euphoric. 

Thank you.