Vol 1: How It Begun

Hey everyone, Harry here…

Firstly, I just want to say thank you so much for checking out my site and reading this first issue of my blog. I plan to release these either weekly or bi-weekly and they will be more like a newsletter with a few different sections. I will be updating you on stories and things I learn during my travels, along with a travel or photography hack to help you on your journey too. Along with this, sharing unspoken stories of some of my coolest moments and photos and links to creatives works who also inspire me.

To be updated when each issue comes out, be sure to drop your email into my sign up link in the homepage and I cant wait to share with you everything I have to share about taking photos on your travels and outdoor adventures.

So let’s begin…

How did you get into Photography?

We all have different paths with finding our passions. As for me, I didn’t pick up a camera until age 25.

Since leaving university, i’d always hoped to have my own business. It took me a few years of studying online and over analyzing until I finally set up a website to represent a brand I had put together. Merely for the sake of learning whilst taking action. The brand was about inspiring people to get outdoors and particularly to the beach, where I believe the best lifestyle truly exists.

To promote the brand, I decided to take to Instagram. I bought a rather cheap point and shoot camera and started going out to the beach to take photos to share my love of being outdoors. How hard could it be…

Well quickly I realized how much there was to this photography thing and there is a long road to get better. Although I was getting stoked on my shots each time, a few months time, I’d look back and see how terrible the photo really were at the time. I think this will be a constant cycle haha.

So I quickly become obsessed with photography. I ended up taking that little camera out almost every day and I was picking up all the information I could from every source to get better. I loved how photography became a fun and creative incentive to get outdoors and take in and appreciate the details of everything we see.

After not long, I realized, I was loving the photography side of things much more than growing this brand and so I decided to put all of my energy and passion into this.

It has been just over 3 years now and I am just a hyped about photography as the day I realized how much it brought to me. I have upgraded my camera and worked on my shooting and editing skills pretty much non-stop. It has given me chances to meet people I would have never met, introduced amazing creative discussions and even enhanced my travels by giving me a focus and a reason to take in this beautiful world around me.

For me, photography has improved my quality of life hugely and if you’re reading this thinking about taking photos a little more seriously, I’d highly recommend it. Even if just with your phone camera. The simple switch in effort will push you to take in everything you see in a whole new light (literally)!! :)

I can’t wait to see where this journey continues and I can’t wait to share with you all the stories and progress along the way.

Travel Hack:

Don’t pack too heavy. Many backpackers I meet wish they didn’t carry so many heavy bags. It can be a hassle. About a weeks worth of clothes is often enough, It’s cheap enough to wash them…

A story behind the image…

Seeing at the theme of this first post is about starting out in photography, I just want to share with you a photo from back home I am still proud of today…

This adventure happened a couple of spring’s ago, back on the Isle of wight, UK. The weather was just starting to pick up and so I was super excited to be getting out to take more photos again.

So for this sunset after my day job in construction, I drove to my favorite spot on the island, Culver cliff.

I got up too early for sunset and so I spent some time wondering around the fields practicing self portraits when no one was looking and photographing meadow flowers in the light.

Making my way closer to the cliff edge, I could then see this view forming. The setting sunlight caught the sea mist beautifully creating an amazing hazy glow just as I could see a family below walking in the perfect spot, framed between the sea and the cliff shadow.

The one rookie mistake I made with this one was not changing my aperture from the f/2.8 I had been using earlier. This did mean I had a nice and fast shutter speed to get a sharp image on this windy spot but a smaller aperture (larger number) would have made for a sharper foreground. However, it does also add to the fade in the distance as the coastline disappears into the fog, so perhaps this was a happy accident.

We practice and we learn and I’m still happy with this shot today!!

Special Deal: Oh and btw… I really appreciate you checking out this first post. And especially hearing my story about this shot. So as a thanks, I’d love to give you a 10% discount code should you want to buy this specific print from my store. Just use the code HOWITBEGUN at check out.

Best wishes and I cant wait to share more of this journey as time goes on…