Hello

My Story

I won't go on too long here. In fact, I'll skip past my childhood completely!

I've moved around the UK quite a bit since leaving school, mostly taking career opportunities that involved relocation.

My first job at 16 was working in a local electronics store, which introduced me to the world of retail. To progress within retail, without any real qualifications, I had to make some tough decisions and sometimes ended up in roles I didn't particularly enjoy. At the age of 19, I was traveling the UK fitting out shops, which, for the most part, was great; I felt completely free from the world I grew up in, especially as most of my childhood friends went to university. That role didn't last very long; in fact, it was made redundant after less than a year. So at 21, I moved to Yorkshire to work in an office role at the same company (which I didn't particularly enjoy).

At 23, I moved back home to work in a local hardware store, and at 24, I moved to Somerset to work at that company's head office in marketing, which I really enjoyed at the time. I spent a few years in this industry working for a couple of companies, and by the age of 26, I ended up working for a grocery retailer back in the West Midlands. Now I'm off the shop floor completely and back to working in an office again.
In 2020, I took a break to start my own e-commerce business, followed by a stint of retail consultancy work before being offered my current role in 2021.

After two decades in retail, I'd say I'm fairly well-rounded in the industry, having worked in several roles across multiple departments, using various systems, and so on.

I met my wife, Sally, in 2017 on a dating site. Sally comes from "the Shire" as she calls it, which is where we now live. We got married in 2019, and with Sally, I've finally settled into being comfortable with myself. I've been able to devote a bit more time to self-care and not just be defined by my work.

I realised at the age of 34 that I didn't really have any hobbies and didn't have many friends either. So, I started exploring hobbies and interests, sparking nostalgia for things I enjoyed when I was younger.

When I was at school, I didn't really know what I wanted to do when I grew up. I thought I wanted to be a police officer, but in reflection, I had no idea, and today I couldn't picture what that would have even been like! I was good at art in school, and I remember always wanting a camera when I was younger. For some reason, I never considered a future in art; but now and then I'll pick up a pencil and drawer something.

After moving to this area in 2021, seeing all the birds, nature, and scenery at my doorstep, as well as knowing people who had cameras, I decided I wanted to buy my own camera. So I did. After much research, I decided to buy a Nikon Z fc. This was a great camera to start with, as all the settings are controlled by dials on the top—perfect for learning camera exposure.

I then found out about workshops where I could learn and practice taking photos. I learned a lot about how to use my camera and tried to become brilliant at capturing birds, particularly red kites that I see almost every day.

A year after buying my first camera, I upgraded. I was regularly taking photos of these red kites and other birds, and I often felt my Z fc had limitations. It would be slow, run out of battery quickly, or get hot due to the demand I was putting on it to capture things at speed. The Nikon Z 8 came out with all the bells and whistles, and right away, I traded in my Z fc and gear to upgrade.

I'm now trying to constantly improve and evolve my photography. I'm keen to take on a project, and I've also started going to local clubs to participate in competitions. I'm also willing to share what I've learned by running workshops for beginners. 

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