To capture people and landscapes and the interactions between them in the light of a world in transition is to encapsulate an inimitable moment which will never again materialise. My own ‘take’ as a geographer photographer!
Born in the City of Derry in Northern Ireland and still have inextricable links to my home country. Since leaving I have lived in England, Singapore, Togo, Italy, Ethiopia, Brazil and most recently in Ireland. My photography, together with travel, have become two of my life’s passions and they in turn are an integral part of having studied Geography at University and taught it in international schools. My photography focuses on culture, landscapes and wildlife; images which reflect a spatial and temporal journey through life.
I believe fully in the concepts of sustainable tourism and development and in trying to support a perspective which enables a greater harmony to exist between people and their environment. I often use my images to educate or enhance the knowledge of others. This has promoted not only my own areas of interest but also a genuine interest in travel to others. Considered reflections may be used to market and to disseminate and promote acquired knowledge in a stimulating way. To record an image digitally or on film certainly helps to bring the reality of such experiences to life. [Official Website]
What’s in your camera bag?
Too much but most of the time the following! Nikon D810, Nikon D750,
What’s the most surprising thing you carry?
Quick fix shower caps to cope with Irish rain showers! Spare foldable glasses! If I lose a pair of glasses then I am in trouble!
What is the one thing you couldn’t live without?
A very difficult question! I think as a photographer ‘the ability and flexibility to lose sight of the shore and find new lands to explore’ I love exploring and photographing locally but need to travel to see with ‘new eyes’. If it comes to photographic equipment then my D810 with the 24-70mm lens!
What are some of the details that you find essential for your style of bags?
I use an F-Stop backpack. It is versatile, can be carried as hand luggage and it fits snugly and comfortably on my back. It also opens from the back which means when I set it down in muddy/dirty terrain that the back remains protected.
What are the important things for protecting your camera gear?
The backpack is shower proof but I also carry a protective cover. I use good microfibre clothes for the lenses and regularly clean lenses, filter and the camera gear. There is nothing worse than finding the image has been ruined by unseen salt spray, rain drops or desert dust. I also carry waterproof bags and a pelicase in the event of being on boats or anywhere with an excess of water.
Can you give me the essential carry kit when traveling the globe (bags, accessories etc.)?
I carry an Eagle Creek soft bag with rollers which is large enough to take all my gear including tripod and sometimes rubber boots. I try to keep this at a maximum of 20kgs. A trip to Iceland or a local venture in Ireland will require very different gear to taking a trip to the Omo valley of Ethiopia or Cuba. I always carry good cleaning gear and basically clothing to suit the climatic conditions. There is some great travel gear out there now with light weight, easily washable fabrics and zips for protection. For somewhere like Iceland I take good thermal wear, waterproofs, rubber boots, good walking shoes/boots and warm down jackets. One of my essential pieces of gear are Peacock hand warmers which I keep in my pockets and warm my hands when temperatures are sub-zero. In tropical locations the demands are completely different – sunhat, creams with a good SPF, outdoor sandals and easily washable T-shirts, shorts, trousers etc. I also carry a good first aid kit for places like the Omo valley in Ethiopia where malaria is endemic and gastro-intestinal problems are easily acquired.
