Mark Littlejohn | The Large Transfer

So, MrsLJ and I’ve entered our fifth 12 months within the wilds of Wester Ross. Leaving the consolation blanket of our dwelling in Cumbria far behind us. Why did we even ponder such a transfer. I’m undecided that I’d even scratched the photographic floor of Cumbria in that point. Folks, and by individuals I imply photographers, consider Cumbria when it comes to its lakes and the varied views that encompass them. However Cumbria is a lot greater than that. There’s the quiet, pastoral fantastic thing about the Eden Valley, the huge open areas of the Pennines and the East Fellside. The Cumbrian views are fairly polished. Civilisation is clear at each flip. The dry stone partitions, the boats that ply its lakes, the chains of pubs that open all 12 months spherical.

Golden Reeds Dangerous a Crotha: A favorite of our time right here. A view thats glimpsed each time we head by to Gairloch for provides. An ungainly spot for the precise perspective, however I wished to seize what my eye noticed.

If Wester Ross has a layer of civilisation, it is pores and skin deep, a skinny veneer solely. The mountains are greater. Extra rugged. As an alternative of manicured fields, there are miles of lavatory and rock.

If Wester Ross has a layer of civilisation, it is pores and skin deep, a skinny veneer solely. The mountains are greater. Extra rugged. As an alternative of manicured fields, there are miles of lavatory and rock.

Should you dropped me wherever within the Lakes, I might know precisely the place I used to be, and I might have the ability to stroll simply to the snug security of the closest pub. In distinction, I might get misplaced nearly wherever in Wester Ross. I might get misplaced ten minutes from my again door. I fondly imagined that the transfer could be nice for my pictures. In a means, it might simply be extra of the identical issues I’d all the time accomplished. Simply on a bigger scale.

I believed I’d be exploring the connection between mountains, Scots Pines, tumbling streams and bottomless lochs. However in reality, I failed miserably in that activity. I discovered that photographing the (even greater) view was not my forte. I can’t do it. Joe Cornish and the like can do it with ease. However my makes an attempt to seize the grandeur of my locale left me significantly underwhelmed. As an alternative, I discovered that my head was being turned with larger regularity by the smaller view. Views that I’m pretty positive I might have walked previous within the lakes.

Grudie Pines: The type of scene that I regressed to after failing with the larger views. I’ve all the time believed within the ‘much less is extra’ precept, however that meant I used to be simply taking the identical photos as earlier than.

Wall Holm: Ullswater was 5 miles from my dwelling once I took up pictures. With views like this, thought wasn’t actually mandatory. I actually wandered round in level/shoot mode.

Views that had been as nothing to the grand views. However continued to carry my gaze the longer I checked out them. I’ve all the time mentioned, “See with the guts, shoot with the top”. Maybe it was time to take my very own recommendation. To shoot the smaller view.

Each picture I make is intimate. They’re all a labour of affection. And that love, that feeling of awe on the smaller and smaller world round me, led me to take all kinds of photographs that will have been past my extra slender minded Cumbrian persona.

I’m not going to say the ‘intimate view’ as I hate that phrase. I really like our panorama. Photographing it’s my ardour. Each picture I make is intimate. They’re all a labour of affection. And that love, that feeling of awe on the smaller and smaller world round me, led me to take all kinds of photographs that will have been past my extra narrow-minded Cumbrian persona.

Do I query my failure at capturing the larger view? No. It is simply the way in which it’s. If I dwelt on that failure, I would query our transfer to the desolate wastelands of the North. As an alternative of basking in my failure I’d reasonably look again at among the photographs over the past three years or so with a smug feeling of delight. Having mentioned all that, I’ve no thought what’s subsequent. However no matter it’s, I’m wanting ahead to it.

Sea Haar on Dangerous a Crotha: It is a rarity after we get a chilly mist sweeping in from the ocean, however when it does, it modifications our little world. It offers the reeds such an exquisite sense of separation.

Kelp on Opinan seashore: The reeds had set me off. And the fruits was taking pictures seaweed. And the fruits of the reeds was wandering our personal seashore at an extremely low tide. This picture was made 200 yards from our home. The emotional attachment to the photographs I made that day is profound.