Introduction

Photography isn't a job; it's my passion. My life revolves around it entirely, a hobby turned into a profession and I am incredibly grateful for that. If I back track on my life and analyse what spiked this surge of interest, I can come to a few different conclusions. But truthfully, I don’t actually know. There’s times where I enjoyed it, times where I had no motivation to pick up a camera, and then theres times that made me completely fall in love.

Where it all began

As mentioned on my home page, I was born with Ambylopia and Deutranopia. Without going into too much detail, I have a light refractive error in my left eye. When I was young, it could have been fixed if I wore my eye patches, but I refused and hated wearing glasses (I still do). Not aware of the consequences, over time, my brain started ignoring the blurry eye and only used the eye with clear vision to see. On top of that, i’m colour blind, which is the deuteranopia.

This does affect me in my day-to-day life, but it’s nothing I can’t deal with and I certainly won’t let it get in the way of my photography. I think that’s one of my motivations to pursue this even more, to prove myself worthy, having these predisposed conditions.

Finding my path

Since being a child I have always loved being outdoors, particularly in sports, and being creative. I would play lots of football and draw a lot. Growing up while YouTube was becoming a global sensation, it made me want to create videos too. Which introduced me to a camera, and stepping my foot into the editing world with Adobe. Creating these football videos, it scratched the creative and outdoor itch. When it came to choosing my GCSE’s, Photography and Art were my first two options, followed by business studies.

It was during this two-year period where I found my passion. I was obsessed, I couldn’t get enough of it, and I still can't ! Taking my camera everywhere I go and seizing every opportunity I can. Carpe Diem, as they would say at school.

Continuing my pursuit after School, I immersed myself in the study of Fine Art photography for another three years. Along the way I looked for guidance from some professionals in the industry. Luckily, an incredible wedding photographer, Paul Husband, held out his hand and allowed me to shadow him on a few jobs. He was an excellent mentor and gave a lot of advice, not only that but he connected me to the music industry to get me my first paid jobs. I then met with Simon Buckley, known as NotQuiteLight, another fantastic photographer from Manchester where I learnt the art of low light. I got glimpse into the professional world!

At this time I was still studying, and the studying was draining, I chose three Art classes which has a huge load of coursework within the time give. When your creativity is trapped within the confinements of a subject, it is no longer freeing. It becomes a burden. I temporarily lost my drive for photography, not having time to do the photography that I wanted.

Landscape photography is where my heart is, anything outdoors. At the time it was very lonely. Still to this day one of my favourite images is ‘Solitary’, which I took in the middle of this lull. Where I wrote.

“A solitary tree and the verge of the sunrise, this photograph that I took at sunrise a few days ago reminds me of how lonely photography can feel sometimes. I used to get up, and go out at the darkest hours by myself to shoot the night sky, lying on the field hoping for the clouds to pass and see the stars. Sunrise has always been my favourite part of the day, to me it shows that know matter what, you can always have a fresh start. The clouds will pass, the light will shine and the warmth will come.
When I started photography, it was just for fun, it then quickly became an outlet to keep my mind busy and not focus on the negativity which surrounds us. It is at this point where I found my love for the night sky and staying up to watch the sunrise. Beginning a new day knowing that I have already made an achievement of capturing a part of nature with my camera”

Where am I now?
3 years later, I am full time Freelance, finally! What a journey it has been, using all my spare time and weekends working endlessly on my craft. Building my own website, becoming a salesman, learning marketing and social media management, the list really does go on. 

When you think of a 'Photographer', it's not just clicking a button. It's a business, and I am a one man band running the lot. I have built this entirely from the ground up, with help along the way of course.

The opportunities I have had are just unbelievable! Photography has taken me to so many places I would never expect. Most recently I was invited by Pure Peak Magazine to The Chatsworth Country Fair to photograph the event. I have been to see the most beautiful landscapes around the Peak District, at all times of the day. I’ve photographed many couples tie the knot, family birthday parties, magazine features, sold out prints and calendars… it’s just amazing.

I have recently become the owner of peakdistrictphotography.com too, which is a fantastic project I have in the works and will go alongside my Peak District photography workshops. As well as free educational materials, online courses, location guides, field notes and blogs. All of which will be coming soon.

Thank you for reading, and for everyone who supports me, I appreciate you. I couldn’t have done it without your help.

Will.