Blowing my own trumpet

October 30, 2011 • Leave a Comment

I picked up two awards at the Annual Dinner of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild held at Plas y Brenin in Snowdonia last Saturday (Oct. 29th).

I won the Outdoor Feature category for “On the Beaten Track,” published in Cycle magazine. This was an exploration of issues relating to mountain bikes and erosion. This was an award for writing, but here's one of my images which accompanied the feature. The judges said it was: “a great example of good, old-fashioned journalism; a timely question, strong research, balanced arguments, though-provoking quotes and a light, personal touch.” The full article is available from the CTC website.

In the Award for Excellence in Photography I was Highly Commended for a portfolio of images taken for the Expanded Guides to Nikon cameras, which I produce for Ammonite Press. I need to shoot up to 200 images for each new book, from close-ups of every button on the camera to a very diverse range of shots illustrating different technical features in action or just highlighting different approaches to photography. Some of these images can be accommodated within my other photographic projects and commitments, but at least half are shot specifically. It's challenging but enjoyable and I really value the fact that it's made me shoot a much wider range of images. Here's one of the images from the portfolio.

The Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild, neatly summed up by the strapline “Words and Pictures from the Outdoors,” is the only UK-based association of media professionals working largely or entirely on outdoor subjects. The membership represents a tremendous body of experience and expertise covering almost every conceivable field of activity and all corners of the globe. They’ve been there, seen it, got the T-shirt, and in more than a few cases, the scars to go with it. And of course they've got the words and pictures too.

Plas y Brenin, the National Mountain Centre, runs courses in walking, climbing, skiing, cycling and mountain biking, canoeing and kayaking, navigation, first aid, and mountain leadership – to mention but a few.

I have won other awards, including the OWPG’s Outdoor Book award and the Best Photography award from the British Guild of Travel Writers. I was also Commended in the Digital Camera Photographer of the Year 2009.

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Blowing my own trumpet

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