Vladimir Lenin, the Russian Revolutionary and leader of the Bolshevik Party was once quoted as saying: “There are decades when nothing happens; and there are weeks when decades happen”

World events from the last 6 years feels like a century’s worth of, something happening. Just a few months ago, we in Great Britain passed the landmark of Brexit…this landmark received little fanfare. The deep divides that existed in our nation six years ago, still remain today, politically, economically and culturally. Since when, the world has faced an array of challenges: the Covid-19 pandemic, the climate emergency, humanitarian crisises, mass migration, cross border terrorism and the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

I am not a politician and so I will not add my voice to the many experts who daily, hourly or by the minute are only to keen to express theirs.

As a permanent resident of Scotland, I am also regularly reminded that if we were to secure independence from the United Kingdom, I can look forward to enjoying a lifestyle that betters the cuisine of France, the climate of Antigua and the wealth of Luxembourg. Good grief.

I can’t say I have confidence for the future, but I have a lot of confidence in it’s unpredictability. I do have hope for I am placing my trust in the potential for something positive to happen.

Landscape Photography provides that. It gives me the serenity to accept things I cannot change and the courage to change the things I can.

Living in the Highlands of Scotland, I am constantly reminded of how beautiful the landscape is. The coastline, the mountains, the wildlife…..It’s very easy for my emotions to become cold from the avalanche of world events. I don’t discard these events, I don’t dismiss them, but I can’t control them and so I accept them. It is my coping mechanism, it is my way of dealing with it.

I’m 58 years old, in golfing terms, I am at best, walking down the 14th fairway of life. I only have 4 holes to complete my round on this earth. I want to enjoy it as much as I can. I want to be happy.

Landscape Photography gives me that happiness. Time is precious, time spent in the wilderness with nature is priceless, time spent in the wilderness with a camera is special.

So, I choose to be positive, for what is the alternative. I choose hope, for what is the alternative.

Walking through the countryside yesterday, I felt the wind on my neck and heard the raindrops falling on my coat. I saw the eagles flying above me and the salmon jumping before me. I smelt the fresh fragrance of the heather and touched the sunflowers in front of me. This connection with my senses was all because I had a camera in my hand.

The natural world is the greatest source of excitement, the greatest source of visual beauty, the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.

Landscape Photography gives me these joys to experience, it gives me hope so that when I do finally finish on the 18th green of life, I can say, that I tried. It may not have been the round I was hoping for, but at least I tried.

I hope Lenin was right all those years ago, I hope there are weeks when decades happen, the only difference is, I want it to be with a camera. In this sense, my photography reframes the world around me. It creates a place to reflect on my own values, thoughts and opinions to create the kind of world I want to see. As with life, my camera allows me to choose what I focus on and choose what I want to leave out.

So, it is possible to remain positive in the face of these tumultuous times. I have found this with hope and a determination to be happy. As Hammerstein & Rodgers wrote in their famous song “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from the musical Carousel….

When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high 
And don’t be afraid of the dark 
At the end of the storm, there’s a golden sky 
And the sweet, silver song of a lark