How do you choose where to go?

A map, tide timetable and sun compass are my weapons of choice in helping me decide where to go.  The weather can very quickly put a stop to any plans though.  There’s nothing quite like getting up extraordinarily early, making a special journey to a location, and once you’ve got there finding out that it’s tipping it down, plain cloudy or ‘just doesn’t happen’...  ...then it’s time to go to work!  As all my shooting has to fit around work, this places additional limitations on when and where I can go.

What do you take your pictures with?

I currently use a Nikon D300 - this represents a big step up from my D80 which has given me excellent service and some fantastic results over the past two years

Then what happens?

All the images are edited in some way, shape or form, and I’d be lying if I said otherwise.  The way the camera captures the images means that some form of input and intervention on my part is required just to get the image into the computer.  After that it can range from correcting a less-than-straight horizon, through to boosting the colours to give life to what would otherwise be a washed-out image.  I do refrain from the outright ‘manufacturing’ of sunrises and sunsets though.  Trust me, I really was there (at some silly hours too) for the sunrise and sunset shots you see on this site...

How big can I go?

9” x 6” is my smallest size, and this is the same aspect ratio as a standard 6” x 4” photo - only bigger!  I also offer larger 12” x 8” prints (about the size of A4 paper), which is again the same aspect ratio.  The largest ready-mounted size I currently stock is 15” x 10”.  Even larger sizes are also possible.

How big are the prints once mounted?

The 9” x 6” prints come in a mount that is A4 sized - this is a very common frame size which can be easily purchased in the High Street in a wide variety of colours and finishes.  The larger (12” x 8”) prints measure 11” x 14” once mounted, and the biggest (15” x 10”) prints measure 20” x 16” once mounted.  All mounts come complete with a backing board to strengthen the mount itself.  The board used for the mounts is 1.4mm thick (front and back) - please don’t confuse the quality mounts I use with the thinner ready-cut ones that you can find in some shops.

Do you print the pictures yourself?

The short answer is no.  To ensure the best print quality I have them all professionally printed on proper matte photographic paper (typically Fujicolour).  These prints are not produced on an inkjet printer.

Where else can I buy the prints from?

A small selection of my prints are available at “Island Crafts”, located in Scarrot’s Lane (Newport).  With a car park to the rear, parking isn’t a problem!