I live in Kent, England.

My earliest memories of my initial journey into the fascinating world of Photography are following my Dad to all types of Camera shows when I was a kid. I clearly remember the passion with which my Dad had for taking photographs and thought it was great as I was spending quality time with him and I also felt quite grown up learning about the equipment which he used. I used to await eagerly until he bought the latest copy of his camera magazines including Amateur Photographer, because I couldnt wait to read through them too and view the latest shots that were taken either by the editorial team or by readers sending them in to be published. My Dad was quite successful at getting some of his own artwork published and I remember the first time I saw one of his photos in a magazine, I was really proud, it also helped that Myself and my two brothers was in it also :).

My first camera was a Pentax which was bought for me by my Dad and I loved it immensely. I took it most places, always ready if the right opportunity presented itself. Thats the thing with Cameras, they do in essence become a close friend, companion and an extension of yourself. You can go on many adventures and your Camera will always be there for you, never asking for more than you to keep its batteries charged and a fresh memory card to be inserted. In exchange, your camera will capture the way you view the world sometimes more than words can ever express. This in essence is what I adore about photography, its an expression of myself for others to truly see and feel the way I view this beautiful world we live on and also it inhabitants.

I used to love 35mm film, the way I didnt fully know if the small image I had briefly seen through my viewfinder before I pressed the shutter had been captured correctly the way I saw it. I remember the feeling I had everytime I got my prints back from the developers and opened the packet, the feeling of expectation of whether that moment in time had been recorded okay was a feeling of great euphoria when it came off and sometimes frequent disappointment when it didnt, but equally the feeling of both was a rush. Even though digital has the absolute advantage of reviewing your picture straightaway to ensure you have a good capture, digital will never, for me anyhow, be able to produce those feelings of waiting for your prints and the excitement it brings.

Until I finally moved into the wonderful world of digital a number of years ago now, I had always been an absolute stalwart of Canon equipment which were and still are fantastic pieces of equipment. Once my toe had entered the magical waters of digital though, I decided to test other brands including both Sony and Olympus. The creative freedom with which digital gives you is immense, even though I have extremely fond memories of my time using 35mm, I am glad technology moved on in this respect. 

I am currently in the process of becoming a Nikon convert and will shortly be building a collection of Nikon gear which I will use as my main equipment.

I absolutely love travelling (especially backpacking), and getting to know the different cultures that are so vibrant in each place. As I continue to find out more about this wonderful planet personally and up close, I am glad I have my camera with me on my adventures to document what I see and feel.

Keep exploring. Enjoy life.

Ash :)