Hi, I’m Des. Great to have you here!
Looking back on my photography journey, I recognise some specific moments along the way.
The first is the age I grew up in (yes I’m a late Boomer!) when I joined my father in his homemade darkroom in the attic (loft). Filled with chemicals, trays, rolls of negative film and an enlarger. And a dim red light!
One of the reasons for my black and white leanings - as well as split-tone.
Mountains have occupied a large part of my life, particularly when I ran my own mountain tourism company, guiding and leading groups in high mountain environments around the world. It was during my time in Morocco, that I wrote a guidebook on winter mountaineering in the High Atlas - which required lots of photos… Even though all this is now in the past, just being in, and breathing, mountain air still brings out the positive in me!
Shortly after the “Arab Spring”, I transitioned from guiding to working for humanitarian NGOs in Sudan, Iraq and Afghanistan. When I left working in these conflict settings during the global pandemic, I felt mentally spent. One of the most significant healers for me, and a way of reconnecting, was through photography.
One of the reasons, why, whilst not ignoring the darkness and chaos that envelops many parts of the world, I opt to focus on photographing life, beauty and hope.
If you engage me to work on your photographic assignment, this is my modus operandi. Showing the hope and life that your non-profit creates or inspires e.g.
Regardless of what the subject matter is - landscape, street, nature or abstract - looking through a viewfinder narrows my views and allows, over time, the distractions, busyness and noise of the world to fade away.
It’s in this vein that I organise some trips to interesting places. Take a look and complete the form if you’re interested!
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