I hail from Leeds, England, born in 1971 to parents who embraced the outdoors, instilling in me a love for nature from an early age. My childhood memories are filled with adventures in walking, sailing, and immersing myself in the natural world. It was through the Scouts that I found an outlet for my adventurous spirit, delving into climbing, caving, and camping.  I was not particularly academic during my school years, yet I managed to leave university with a degree in mining engineering.

My time at Camborne School of Mines in Cornwall shaped my love for the outdoors, spending weekends cliff climbing and evenings surfing after classes.  In tandem with my outdoor pursuits, my passion for photography grew. Eager to convey my adventures to family and friends, I began capturing moments on film. Starting with simple point-and-shoot cameras, I documented mountaineering escapades in Scotland and Wales, later upgrading to DSLRs as commitment and funds grew.

Workweeks became a means to an end, with weekends serving as my escape to the wilderness. Glencoe, Lochaber, Snowdonia, and the Lake District became my playgrounds, where I tackled all the classic mountaineering routes. However, it was a transformative evening on the summit of Ben Nevis that marked a pivotal moment. As the sun settled over a perfect cloud inversion, I captured a picture of climbers ascending to the summit cairn—an image that ignited my passion for landscape photography.