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North Northwest

Julian Calverley

This exhibition is formed from a personal work made in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, and is my attempt to translate photographically, the feeling of simply 'being there.’

As a young boy, I spent summer holidays camping in the Highlands with my parents. It wasn't until much later on in life that I realised what a deep effect these trips had had on me. They certainly helped develop my fascination with the landscape and the deep emotions that it can stir.

I have been a professional advertising photographer for many years, orchestrating large productions, sometimes under immense pressure. My solo landscape trips are a tonic to that, a chance to reconnect and rebalance, to experience peace, beauty, and solitude, in the wild.

As well as the isolation, the challenge of making photographs in unpredictable and ever changing conditions inspires and excites me.

What some might describe as ‘bad weather’ is what I find the most exhilarating – when the elements collide to create moments of pure drama. One element in particular fascinates me and features heavily in my work. And that is water, both in liquid and cloud form.

My camera set up often requires a long exposure, which in turn helps translate the beauty of moving water, from mountain rivers and streams, to rocky shorelines and rain heavy skies.

It can be described as slow photography - working with a tripod, a prime lens, and a single exposure, I often devote hours to crafting the whole scene in post-production, using simple techniques inspired by my years of working in a traditional wet darkroom.