Welcome to my Blog

Firstly, a very warm welcome to my blog. thank you for taking the time to check out this website and I hope you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen so far.

It’s been a very changeable last few months for me, going from a full time software sales leader working for one of the best and most rewarding companies to work for in the space, to needing to take some time out to focus on myself after nearly 22 years in the industry. One of the biggest challenges I struggled with in my career is balance… finding the right level of focus on the many different priorities that need attention outside of work. When you work for a very high performing company, be it software sales or any industry really, it takes the best version of you day in, day out giving your all. Now don’t get me wrong, I loved it and still do.. hard work can be fun and very rewarding when you are working for a cause you believe in. The easiest way to describe it is, I’ve been using my “battery” disproportionately, directing all the charge at certain areas of my life while others got little or none of that charge.

I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that I’ve been guilty of neglecting areas of my life because I’d been so focused on others. I won’t go into any more detail that that because it isn’t needed, but this undetermined amount of time that I’m taking as a sabbatical is to spend some time out reflecting and finding more balance so that I when I’m ready to return I will be with a better equilibrium.

Corfe Castle under the stars, about an hour before sunrise. This image was actually just a test image that I took for composition, but ended up liking it a lot.

Canon R5, Canon RF 24.70mm 2.8 Lens. ISO 640, F4, 15 seconds at 52MM

One constant throughout the last 15 years has been my love for photography. I’m sure many will relate when I say that when I’m out in nature with my camera witnessing the magic that mother nature has in store for us, I’m at peace. All of the pressures of work, life, rising living costs, global pandemics and horrific war situations seem to melt away while I absorb myself in the moment, the colour, the feeling of being present in the here and now. Photography for me is incredibly sensual, it’s much more than taking an image, it’s how you felt when you took it, the journey you went on to get the image.. oddly I like conditions in photography that in any other situation I wouldn’t like.. for example being freezing cold, there’s nothing better for focusing your mind on the here and now, being in the moment if it’s -5 degrees centigrade.

One of the most important things that I want to achieve during my sabbatical is to check off as many things on my “to do” or “bucket list” as possible. The first of those things was to get this website up and running, so I’m making progress :-). Seriously though, I think if you are going to take some time out like I am, and I know how fortunate I am in being able to because it’s a privilege that many can’t even if they may wish to then you HAVE to make it count. This sabbatical isn’t just about photography that’s for sure, but what photography is going to allow me to do is to put my head in the right space.

I also made the decision to start up a Youtube channel. I enjoy video making and editing and thought that creating the channel will give me something to look back on, a permanent record if you like of what I did during my sabbatical and if it’s successful, beyond also. If you like my content (and I’m assuming you do since you are on my website) then please do check out my youtube channel and subscribe as it’s really the only way I will get the channel to grow.

Fast forward to today, I’ve just returned early from my most recent trip to the lake district due to myself and two of our sons getting covid. I write this blog in a fluctuating state of being freezing one moment, and sweating the next, but for the most part our symptoms are mild and I’m grateful for that. In the last 5 weeks alone I’ve driven nearly 4,500 mies in my campervan. I’ve been to Wales four times, Shropshire, Dorset, the magnificent Isle of Skye, and the Lake district twice in the last two weeks. My plan is to do a write up for many if not all the trips I do here, including some of those I’ve already been on as they deserve much more that a casual mention in this paragraph.

The cover photo for this blog is from the magical Corfe Castle in Dorset for which I did a day trip for sunrise last week. I had to get up early and when I say early, I mean almost the night before early.. I set my alarm clock for an eye watering 01:30am which was made even worse by the fact that I’d been up until 11:30pm deciding on whether I should head to Corfe Castle or to the Peak District to do Mam Tor. I decided to head to Corfe since the forecast for mist seemed to be more nailed on (if that is ever a thing in weather forecasting) and I, along with about 15 other photographers that trudged up the west hill opposite the ruins of Corfe Castle in the dark were treated to some of the most ethereal and mystical conditions I’ve seen. I won’t go into any more detail on that yet as I will be releasing a video on youtube of that trip in the next few days.

Anyway, let’s finish the first blog here. I look forward to publishing as much content on this website as possible and I want to find ways of bringing the community where possible together on this website. so if you have any ideas let me know. I will be setting up a mailing list which you’ll be able to opt in (or out) from and several other initiatives too.

Until the next time, stay healthy and see you soon.

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Still positive.. in more ways than one