My Top 18 of 2018

For my end of year blog, I decided to challenge myself to just showing you my top 18 of 2018.

Rather than showing you pages of images, I wanted to curate the 1000s that I take in a year down to a number that you might show in an exhibition for example. This was tough and I’m sure if I view this again in January, I will have a different viewpoint.

So these 18 images were chosen for quite emotional reasons, as for me this year, my photography has been more personal than commercial and I am thinking it might reflect the direction of my art for 2019.

They are in no particular order, but simply to be enjoyed for what they are. Individual images with their own stories.

Angle Tarn
Yes there is lens flare, but for me this sums up the hot summer we had. My first wild camp of the year with a beautiful sunrise and swim in a Lake District tarn. Summer bliss. To be honest, probably my favourite memory of the year.

Sugar & Spice
There is nothing more photogenic than a child having fun. That moment of mischief and joy and innocence all in one go is priceless.

Gatsby
Generally adults dislike being photographed so to capture the laughter in a more natural way is so much better and this sums up a great evening of a community getting together.

Woody
Given that this was taken through a window with about 10 seconds to spare I do like this little capture. Probably also because until I moved to St Marks, I don’t think I had ever seen a woodpecker other than in a book.

Easter Styling
This symbolises the fact that I still get to create work just for the sake of it. That is a luxury when you have turned photography in to something that needs to pay the mortgage.

Daylight Gazing
A simple image captured using just the natural light of the window to show off those gorgeous blue eyes and the wide eyed stare of a toddler.

Small Water Crag
A personal memory for me with the sun setting as I camped with friends in the relative isolation of the Lake District hills. Something to be said for getting away from it all.

The Fair
My first visit to Appleby Fair summed up in one image of chaos, crowds, police, horses, glamour and attitude.

Quito by phone
Given that I take a higher percentage of images on my phone, I wanted to include one in this set. This is our dog Quito, at 14 years old. I don’t need a perfect forward-facing portrait for it to mean something. I can see her grey chin, collar, bone-shaped tag and know from that pose she is deep in thought as she often is now as she gets older.

The Boy
Finally getting to see the Liverpool Giants was a great experience this year. The sunshine, the crowds, the volunteers, the art and the scale – breathtaking.

The Fun of Learning
Taken at a creative writing activity for children at the Sedbergh Book Town Festival, I absolutely love the expressions on this little boy’s face. How can you not smile at this.

Powder Snow
I can just feel the pure powder of the snow from March when I see this photograph. Snow like I had not felt since I was little.

Artists at Work
I wanted to include one image that summed up the creative talent that I have met this year at Farfield Mill. A difficult choice, but the complexity of a weaving machine was the one I went for.

Look of Love
It is the look on the bride’s face as she beams that smile over to her husband that encapsulates the feeling of a wedding. That feeling that gives you butterflies in your tummy.

Grandma’s Love
I have photographed a few generations for family portraits this year and you can’t beat that cuddle that grandma gives can you.

Striding Edge
When an image takes me straight back to a feeling, it is a winner for me. I can feel the nerves I felt that morning as I saw Striding Edge for the first time, knowing I was going to have to walk across that edge and up to Helvellyn hidden in the clouds. It’s not the obvious shot that you see of Striding Edge, but it the emotional link in this one that made me select it over the traditional image you usually see of this walk.

Marrakesh Tranquility
I couldn’t limit my selection of Marrakesh to just one shot so I went for two very different ones. This is the opposite of the Souks and a surprising image to capture of this amazing city.

Marrakesh Life
The noise, light, colour, smoke, smells and life of Marrakesh summed up in one image of the main market square.