Welcome to Mind The Lens, our mental-health-focused month in partnership with The Photography Movement where we're providing a range of supporting content as well as £20,000 in grants to projects within mental health and photography. To find out more about Mind The Lens, visit our blog post or application page.
"Derbyshire based. Advocate for nature and photography for the sake of mental health. My camera is my escape from the world, helping me connect with nature, no matter how brief that moment is - never underestimate the power of the Green Prescription."
How did you get into photography?
"I got into photography much like many others I suppose; I bought a cheapish compact camera for taking on days out and holidays, but with a little encouragement from friends and family, I realised I might have more of an eye than just the usual sort of snapshot.
I soon outgrew the compact and moved into the world of bridge cameras, at the same time rediscovering a childhood love of heritage railways, steam in particular. More and more I wanted to learn how to create certain types of shots, and this became more of a passion when I graduated to my first DSLR, a Pentax K100D, (which I still own!).
After moving away from railways and into aviation, I realised the camera was an escape. But for that to evolve into a more pure form, akin to where I am now, the natural world became key, birds in particular."