For the Love of The Land
The Raven made me do it!
After decades of taking photos, creating films and writing articles for magazine and book publishers I decided it was time for a change. We were no longer a good fit and I wanted more control over my work. I began to explore various options and eventually my Earthlight project came to the fore.
My first encounter with the name Earthlight came from the book of the same name by R J Stewart where the phrase was used to refer to Otherworldly energies, Underworld, or inner world light if you will. This idea of mystery shot through with an animistic approach suited my working method perfectly.
Photography has been my voice since I was a boy when my camera enabled me to communicate in ways that my speech impediment prevented. I found I could share the stories through the tool of my slide projector, imposing my childhood experiences on long suffering friends and family.
It felt most natural to continue to share my connections with the land as a nature photographer creating content for a wide range of national, and international, publications. Eventually though, my clients agendas didn't fit with mine and I pulled away from commissioned shoots and immersed in my work with Nicola, my wife. The Way of The Buzzard was born and together we began to gather a community around us.
This extensive tribe showed a real interest in my imagery and films and reawakened in me the desire to share my stories gathered from my time out in the landscape. Oh and yes, the Ravens confirmed this in more ways than one. That's a story I may share one day.
Earthlight, this website, has matured into something bigger than I expected. In short it seems to have a life of its own, I'm simply the curator and story gatherer.
I've always wanted to create films my way, and Earthlight has become the platform from which I can now share these creations. Right now I feel there's a deep need for nature connected films that convey the essence of the land and its inhabitants with truth and beauty. Space has finally opened up for me to create more of these and to go deep with my story gathering rather than simply scratching the surface of the natural world.
I'm also taking the opportunity to create print products to fulfil the wishes of so many in our community. And now, through the new Earthlight gallery, you are able to acquire my images as prints, canvases, cards and more to help bring nature ever deeper into your life.
Earthlight will always be true to the strap-line 'for the love of the land' and be a communion with nature rather than just a conversation, a concept introduced to me by poet Don Domanski. But it's become even more than that. In some small way I hope to add to the weight of art created with the lofty intention of healing and nurturing our reconnection with our birthright - the land upon which we walk and live.
It has been said that art will save the world. I really hope that is true and through Earthlight I intend to play my part, to listen to what our land says, catch that with my camera and pen and share the messages with all who will listen.