Monochrome Returns

Nearly fifteen years ago I attended my first every photography class.  At that time I had no desire to become a professional photographer, or even shoot colour, all I wanted to do was to learn how to photograph and print good black and white pictures.  There was absolutely no hint at that time of how my life would unfold to set me on the path to become what I am now. I knew nothing about f-stops and honestly had sweaty palpitations when somebody asked me an awkward question like what is the filter thread size on my SLR.  What SLR? This all began with a simple point and shoot, compact film camera.

Before I knew it I had my first rangefinder and then first SLR. I continued to shoot black and white although i did use colour for my first overseas trip to Mexico. As I took more pictures and also began to travel more, colour started to become the logical choice. I started reading more books and started to appreciate what could be done with colour transparency film, I began to see that colour work could actually be considered as a creative art with the added bonus that it could also be sold to magazines, which actually helped to fund my early trips away. Gradually and really without me noticing, I began making and marketing images as a profession - and there wasn't a roll of black and white film in sight.

This continued for a decade but something started to change a couple of years ago. After an extensive period of capturing images for a number of Halsgrove books, I started to become despondent. I started to begin questioning why I had become a photographer. Did i have anything left to say through the medium. I had to learn how to enjoy my craft again.

These events coincided with the recent resurgence of interest in black and white photography, probably mainly due to the sudden convenience of obtaining these shots in the world of digital.  No more loading films in the darkroom surrounded by the unpleasant aroma of processing chemicals, now shots can be captured on a digital camera and loaded onto your home computer. With the additional convenience that you can even print the image at home. And the prints can be very, very good.

I now still mainly shoot colour images but black and white does play a huge part in satisfying my creative urges.  Currently I am working on my first e-book which also happens to be my first entirely black and white project. Entitled 'Black Light' it contains a portfolio of images from different stages throughout my career - Some film but mainly digitally captured shots, processed with the care that I gave to my darkroom prints all of those years ago. Over the next few weeks through the website I will be sharing some of the techniques used to create these images, as well as some of the stories regarding the events behind the camera.  In the meantime here are a few shots to wet your appetite.

Win a copy of Spirit of Northumberland

I am delighted to announce that my first book to be released this year, my seventh book so far, has just been released!  

Northumberland is not only the northernmost county to be found within England but also the least populated. The ‘land of the far horizons’ offers some of the most picturesque scenery to be found throughout the British Isles, although it is often overlooked by visitors heading north to the uplands and highlands of Scotland.

 Any visitor to the region has an array of locations to visit which all have something to offer. Be it the impressive remains of the World Heritage site of Hadrian’s Wall, the beautiful coastline of the Northumberland Heritage Coast or the rolling yet domineering features of the Northern Pennines as they sprawl towards the Southern Uplands of Scotland, the county can lay claim to a mix of quintessential English scenery.

Although Northumberland is now possibly one of the most tranquil and peaceful spots to be found in England, it has not always been that way. Marauding invaders from Scotland and Scandinavia dictated the construction of numerous fortifications to protect these northernmost English lands.The remnants of these buildings remain dotted across the landscape providing an enigmatic contrast to the natural features of the region.

With the relatively sparse population, and a large amount of suitable habitat, a wide variety of wildlife is found within the boundaries of the county. The Farne Islands are something of a Mecca for the bird watching community, whilst inland areas of woodland host the endangered Red Squirrel that any watchful visitor may have the privilege to see.

Through the medium of Jason Friend’s superbly evocative photographs the reader can experience at first hand all of the glories that help make up the Spirit of Northumberland.

I have a couple of signed copies of my latest book to give away to two lucky readers!  To be in the draw to win a copy of the book simply become a fan on my Facebook page or follow my twitters! I will give one copy to a random follower from both networks... so why not join both and double your chances of winning a copy? I will be making the draw on the 6th April so don't delay if you want to win a copy of the book!

Follow the link below to view some of the images:-

http://www.halsgrovemedia.co.uk/imagebase/data/albums/KB41/KB237/Spirit%20of%20Northumberland.pdf

Touching Base

December seems to have arrived without any warning, bringing with it the promise of a new year just around the corner.  I am starting to consider my forthcoming projects for 2010 which include a number of new book commissions to work on, alongside my own personal projects such as the Fungi image featured here.

The last couple of months have found me using my Canon EOS 50D more frequently than I ever expected when I purchased it as a back-up camera for my main workhorse, the EOS 5D.  I have being using it almost exclusively for my macro images alongside another relative new piece of equipment - A Canon Speedlite flash gun.  This partnership, combined with a lot of experimentation, has allowed me to start capturing images that look like they have been shot in the studio although they have been totally captured in the field. This shot here was captured by setting the 50D to ISO 100, with a shutter speed of 1/250 second and a aperture of f18. The fast shutter speed / small aperture combination allowed me to render the background black, whilst the subject was illuminated by the strobe placed to the rear and below.  A gold reflector was used to bounce the light back into the subject.

Whilst I enjoy the freedom to express myself through my artificially lit Fungi compositions, you just can't beat the feeling of standing on Scottish mountain, capturing the play of light on a distant peak.

This image again is testament to the image quality available with the 50D. Whilst the image quality is not as good as the 5D, and it really does need the finest quality lenses to get the best from the 15MP sensor, it does prove to be a relatively small camera to use hand held whilst hiking up the hills. I will still carry my 5D for the forthcoming work on my forthcoming Cairngorm Trilogy, although I fully expect that the 50D will be used to capture a number of shots, such as this one of storm clouds above the mountain known as Stac na h-Iolaire and the image below of the frost covered ferns, again within the Cairngorms National Park

In between these projects, I will also be sharing my knowledge of these techniques, alongside many others, during the forthcoming 2010 Photography Workshop schedule. Both the January and February dates are nearly fully booked, but there are a number of places left for later in the year - And I'm always available for private '1 on 1' photography workshops.

Finally, I now have a Facebook page and I'm also starting to Twitter, so hopefully I will be able to keep you posted on everything that is happening over the next few months - and also share some more of my favourite images!

Photographing Wilderness

We are pleased to announce that we have secured a number of copies of the first book by Jason Friend. Photographing Wilderness (GMC Publications 2003) was released to positive reviews throughout the UK photographic press and led to his images being showcased throughout the world.

Taken in locations as diverse as California and Western Samoa, these magnificent landscapes provide beautiful and instructive examples of what a photographer can achieve even in the most challenging environments. Jason Friend' s adventurousness has led him miles from the nearest signs of civilization, all in the hope of capturing nature in its unspoiled state. Photographers with an equally bold spirit will appreciate the practical information on where to go; what equipment to take; which composition, framing, and exposure techniques work best; and how to travel and photograph safely. In addition to being a comprehensive hiking and photographic guide, this is an impressive record of one man' s journey to some of the world' s most breathtaking untouched settings.

You can order a signed copy of the book directly from this site for the special price of only £4.99 (+ £3.50 P&P). If you require shipping outside of the UK, please contact us with your requirements.

Edinburgh Illuminated released

It's here! My final book to be released this year is now available from all good bookshops.

Edinburgh, Dunedin, Auld Reekie or Athens of the North – regardless of your choice of name, it is unquestionable that the capital city of Scotland is one of the most spectacular cities to be found within the United Kingdom, and indeed Europe. A city where the past is never far away yet the modern is always present. A city considered so unique that its future has been protected by the awarding of World Heritage status.

During the light of day, the city of Edinburgh holds a charm that will delight any visitor or resident. Arguably, however, to fully appreciate the splendour of this city one has to experience its delights as it is transformed during the periods of darkness. As the sun sets the lights turn on, giving a new appearance to the streets and features, ones that could not have been anticipated by the original architects.

The powerful visual impact of this spectacle is captured by nationally-known photographer Jason Friend. He has directed his camera towards illuminated Edinburgh and produced this stunning collection of more than 140 images. They offer a fascinating nocturnal perspective which shows how the gracious yet teeming city lives and breathes in the hours of darkness.

Jason Friend lives in the North East of England. He is a regular contributor to Outdoor Photography and Country Walking Magazine and supplies images to a number of worldwide image libraries. This is Jason’s sixth book – his previous titles including Portrait of the Borders, Portrait of Tyneside and Spirit of Cumbria, also for Halsgrove.

Imprint: Halsgrove. ISBN 978 1 84114 887 8, hardback, 214x230mm, 144 pages. Published July 2009.

Click here to view a promotional leaflet showcasing a number of images from the book. If you love the images, why don't you click here to order Edinburgh Illuminated from Amazon.co.uk?

Back on the road

Please do accept my apologies for the lack of news recently but I do have a very good excuse for the missing posts. I'm a Dad! To a gorgeous baby boy whom Lynette and myself have called Rhys.

After a couple of weeks paternity leave, dragging myself away from mother and son was something of a struggle. Luckily a spell of good weather made it all the more bearable! Last week I found myself exploring the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty capturing images for my forthcoming Northumberland books, rural Northumberland in search of wild flowers (armed with my new Canon 100mm Macro lens) and Talkin Tarn in Cumbria where I discussed a forthcoming commission with a client - and also managed to get a couple of nice stock shots.

So it is now business as usual, and I am looking forward to a busy few weeks with a number of forthcoming group and private workshops, judging of the Port of Tyne Reflect Awards and the ongoing capturing of images for my three books to be released by Halsgrove next year. Of course I will also be making time to keep you all up to date with the latest news and images - That is a promise!

Free Tyneside Screensaver

To celebrate the launch of 'Portrait of Tyneside' last month, we have created a very special screensaver featuring 30 images from the book. The screensaver is totally free and features a number of locations from Newcastle upon Tyne, as well as North and South Tyneside.

So what are you waiting for PC users? Download it now by clicking on the button!

Portrait of Tyneside released

My latest book, Portrait of Tyneside, has now been released and can be ordered online from Amazon.

Tyneside is a region where the past, present and future combine to form an eclectic melting pot in the North East of England. Host to the City of Newcastle Upon Tyne and the spiritual home of ‘The Geordies’, the historic glories of its heavy industries mean that there is an undeniably strong industrial heritage to be found in the area.

Nevertheless, situated between the Northumberland and Durham Heritage Coasts, the coastline adjoining the North Sea and Tyneside is undoubtedly beautiful, and whilst there are some stretches of the coast that display the marvels of human endeavour to tame nature there are plenty of other stretches that embrace the power of the wild and maintain their natural appearance.

Unquestionably, the heart of Tyneside is the River Tyne, the main artery running from the coast dividing the regions of north and south Tyneside on a journey through Newcastle and beyond. Life on the Tyne has changed throughout the years. The Romans exploited the strategic values of the river by choosing to start the spectacular Hadrian’sWall alongside the Tyne, along with a number of forts that can still be found inTyneside.

Recently the face of theTyne has had a facelift in the form of an ongoing redevelopment plan that has seen a number of luxury apartments,modern architecture and world-class tourist attractions adorn the river. Inland Tyneside is host to a plethora of landscapes including picturesque villages, working agricultural land and sites of historical importance.

A visit toTyneside has something to offer everyone, whilst for the resident there is always plenty more to discover. Jason Friend captures all of this friendly variety in more than 140 full-colour images which encapsulate the history, heritage, character and scenery of the Geordie heartland.

To celebrate the launch of the book, I will be attending the Blackwells Bookshop, 141 Percy Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, for a book signing session on the 9th May between 11.30am - 1.30pm. If you would prefer a signed copy but are unable to attend the event, please contact me to order a copy directly.

Northumberland Spirit

The last few months have seen me photographing the cities of Newcastle upon Tyne and Edinburgh and whilst this may have given me something of a creative rush of blood to the head, I must admit to being somewhat pleased about the subject for my next two books to be released by Halsgrove in 2010.

It probably seems an obvious choice for someone based in Newcastle to be commissioned for a book (or two) on Northumberland but I seem to have only managed to work on books based on areas surrounding the county, so I am delighted to announce that the Spirit of Northumberland and Perfect Northumberland are the titles of my latest projects!

Work is well and truly underway with 'Spirit of Northumberland' and I am hoping to have it finished by the summer of this year - There is one advantage to having a large stock photography collection of the region! 'Perfect Northumberland' is slightly different as it is going to be very much based around the seasons and as such it will take me a year to capture the images. It really is a hard life!

I photographed this little fellow (or lass) today whilst visiting the National Trust owned Wallington. There were a few of these little red devils playing in the warmth of the spring sun (I suspect they may have had more than playing in mind... use your imagination) but this one squirrel continued to return to a small patch of land immediately in front of the wildlife hide. It took a couple of hours to capture this shot and whilst I doubt Andy Rouse will be quaking in his boots, I must admit that I like it!

Spirit of Cumbria teaser

Spirit of Cumbria has now been in the shops for a couple of weeks, so I thought I would wet your appetite with a slide show of images from this small book with big pictures!

If you are keen to get your hands on my latest book, it can be ordered online from Amazon. I also have a small number of signed copies available, so if you would like to order one directly from myself please contact me.

The Spirit of Cumbria is here!

I have great pleasure in announcing that my 4th book, The Spirit of Cumbria, has now been released and can be purchased from Amazon.

Cumbria is home to the deepest and largest lakes as well as the highest peaks to be found in the country. These all fall within the boundaries of perhaps the most famous of all of the English National Parks – The Lake District.

However, there is much more than the Lake District National Park to explore here. The Howgills and the northern Pennines afford commanding views across the county to the visitor originating from the east, whilst the distant form of the fells and peaks, for any visitor heading from the north or south, offers a more subtle introduction to the region. The Irish Sea borders the west of the county with the nearest neighbours being the Isle of Man and Scotland, whose uplands can be viewed rising from across the peaceful Solway Firth.

Overall Cumbria offers some of the most stunning scenery in Britain. Jason Friend has travelled the length and breadth of the county to reveal in more than 60 classic images the true spirit of Cumbria.

But don't just take the publishers word for it! You can see it for yourself for only £4.99 - Click here to order it from Amazon!

Edinburgh Nights

Edinburgh City is undoubtably one of the most spectacular cities to be found within the United Kingdom. A perfect blend of old and new, natural and man made constructions, Edinburgh City is a dream location for any visiting photographer. And I am delighted to announce that it is to be the subject of my 6th solely authored book (to be released by Halsgrove in 2009).

There is something very special about this forthcoming publication. Unlike all of my previous books, the images are captured during the hours of darkness - The only source of lighting being the artificial city lights. As a photographer who spends a vast amount of time hanging around waiting for the sun to emerge, I am finding it quite bizarre shooting images where the reverse is the desired lighting conditions. In some ways it is also very liberating as I am no longer tied to the normal considerations of weather patterns and I can actually still create memorable images even in spells of overcast skies. Whilst the above shot of Edinburgh Castle was captured on a clear winter night, the image of the Scott Monument and Princes Street was captured on an overcast day at dusk - Proof that even on the dullest of days that there will always be a small pocket of 'cross over lighting' from day to night when the sky will retain some form of colour. A good dose of light pollution from the city lights will also help to ensure a degree of colour.

The Ferris Wheel and Helter-Skelter in the Princes Street image are part of the cities christmas celebrations to be found at the East Princes Street Gardens. If you are planning to visit Edinburgh over the next couple of weeks, I fully recommend that you visit the fair and join in the festivities. If you are a budding photographer ensure that you take your camera and tripod and try capturing some images after dark - The Ferris Wheel offers a number of creative opportunities. The image to the left was the result of a 30 second exposure at f19. A simple way to achieve this kind of image is to set your camera to aperture priority and select a small aperture such as f16 or f19 - The resulting exposure should be long enough to provide the desired result.

The Tyne through the eye of a fish

The last fews days have seen me exploring the area I call home, as I continue work on my next book project - Portrait of Tyneside.

I borrowed a Canon 15mm fisheye lens from local photographer (and friend) John Millard for the shot above featuring the iconic millennium bridge on the Gateshead / Newcastle Upon Tyne quayside. This was my first experience of using such a lens and whilst I do not feel that it would be suitable for many situations, I do think that it can provide an amazing new angle to your shots with the appropriate subject.

There are a few technical issues to consider before using the lens. First of all you can forget the use of a polarizing filter, or indeed any sort of filter that would normally attach to the front element. Secondly, it is incredibly easy to get the tripod (or even your own) feet within your composition. Thirdly, this lens will extremely distort the perspective of any verticals towards the edge of the frame which is often undesired - although in some situations it may just work!

Northern Passion

The much promised indian summer finally hit Tyneside last week, and I did my best to make sure that I made the most of it! With the text and processing completed for my next book, Spirit of Cumbria, I continued work on my second book to be released next year, Portrait of Tyneside, and made sure that the laptop was left well alone for a couple of days!

The Angel of the North is an iconic landmark that should be on the 'hit list' for any photographer visiting the region. The only trouble is that it receives 90,000 visitors a year so you may well have to wait for a 'people free' image. Never mind though, you can always indulge in an ice cream if you are having a hot flush in these northern climes!



The joys of working on a book based around the area where I live, are that the logistics of visiting locations is made far simpler - And I can even have a lie-in for early morning shots! Both of the above images were captured less than five miles from my home. The first of the images, Michaelmas Daisies at Rising Sun Country Park, would not have been possible without the use of my new 3 Stop hard Singh-Ray Galen Rowell Graduated Neutral Density Filter. I had to have the filter sent to my from the states but the quality of these filters is second to none - and yes, I have used Lee Filters!

The final shot was captured on Monday morning at King Edward's Bay along the Tyneside Coast in Tynemouth. Again the filter was invaluable to deal with the lighting conditions. It is true that I could have shot the image twice and merged them behind the screen. Or I could have even used the new graduated filter effect in Lightroom 2 to simulate the filter but there is just something more rewarding about completing the process in camera.

Now, when will it finally stop raining!

Patagonian Ramblings

I was lucky enough to spend the last month of 2006 exploring the wild landscapes of the deep south of the Patagonian region - The legendary wilderness straddling the southern tips of Chile and Argentina.

These ramblings have resulted in me writing sections of text for a couple of books released worldwide by New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd. The latest of these being 'Walking the World's Natural Wonders' which is now available to order through amazon.co.uk and other bookshops - online and on the high street.

The synopsis of the book is as follows:-

Aimed at the burgeoning adventure travel market, this book focuses on hikes, treks and walks that explore some of the earth's most spectacular wild places, and particularly natural wonders such as volcanoes, glaciers, unique rock formations, rivers and great lakes. This book is not aimed at expedition-type trekkers. Although some of the places are remote, all have basic visitor infrastructure, with option for a variety of walking trips. Destinations are drawn from all over the world including North America and Asia, with a significant proportion of European destinations.

I supplied the images and the text for the 'Torres Del Paine National Park' chapter, which was somewhat an honour as the fellow contributors included Tony Toole, Cameron Burns, Ronald Turnbull, Kev Reynolds, Gillian Price, John Bannon, Roly Smith and Roger Bray - with Jon Sparks supplying all other text and images as well as overseeing the complete project.

The other book featuring my work, and in this case only my words, was released earlier this year. New Holland approached me last year to write the introductory essay for the English translated version of 'Patagonia: Nature's Last Frontier' by Argentine photographer 'Marcos Zimmermann'. I have included a taster of the essay below:

Every single step forward felt like a huge achievement. Gale force winds were being channeled through the sheer valleys walls of the Fitzroy range, and with every particularly large gust we were being blown three steps back from our destination, a small ridge of the summit of the glacier moraine. Our quest to view the azure colored glacial lake was going to be somewhat of a struggle. However this was to be expected in Patagonia, a place where nothing is easy. A land where struggle is an essential part of everyday life.

If you would like to read some more, you will have to buy the book!

In Search of Spirit

Since my last post, I have had the pleasure of exploring what I consider to be finest landscape to be found in England, The Lake District, in search of new images that have that elusive photographic element - Spirit.

In my honest opinion, capturing the essence of a location (a.k.a Spirit) which I visit is the most important aspect that I try to convey in my images. For example, a clear, summers day spent photographing landscapes in the UK will often produce pleasing results. But this does not mean that the true character of the landscape is revealed. My favourite working conditions are during unstable weather fronts as I find that it helps me to (sometimes) capture images with the required spirit.

Take this image captured last weekend from Hardknott Castle Roman Fort looking towards the highest mountain in the region - Scafell Pike. As any visitor to the Lake District will tell you, it more often rains than shines in the Lakes meaning that a Lakeland shot in the heat of the afternoon sun will rarely convey any mood or suggest any essence. However, if you are mad enough to stand near the edge of a crag whilst a near gale force wind nearly knocks you and your tripod over, then maybe you may just capture some of that spirit.

This was the last trip for my forthcoming book 'Spirit of Cumbria' and I must admit that I have been very pleased with how the book has been taking shape. I will now spend the next few weeks processing the RAW files and scanning some of my old panoramic images before the completed project is passed to the safe hands of my publisher.

I can't wait to show you all the results!

'Portrait of the Borders' available to order from Amazon!

The release of my next book is nearly here, and I am delighted to announce that Amazon.co.uk have now started to take advance orders for 'Portrait of the Borders'. This, my third book is due to be released in the UK by Halsgrove at the end of this month.

I am very excited by the forthcoming release of this book, the first of four new titles for this publisher. The next books will see my revisiting Cumbria, exploring Tyneside and also scouting the streets of Edinburgh through the hours of darkness.

What more can I say? Apart from of course, click here to pre-order the book! If you would prefer a signed copy for £14.99 (UK only), please click here for a sneak preview of the images and to order the book!

Portrait of the Borders - A sneak preview!

From the rolling hills and rugged coastline of the east to the wild moorlands of the west, the Scottish Borders region is home to an incredible diversity of landscapes. Found alongside these natural landforms are the remnants of numerous abbeys, castles and hill forts, symbolic of a turbulent history. These natural and historical features have all helped to shape this melting pot of a county. Although perhaps somewhat unfairly overlooked by visitors heading to the highlands, the inhabitants of the region have continued to be fiercely proud of their Scottish heritage and their beloved land.

They have many reasons to be proud of their ancestors, for without them this area may well have become part of England. These lands have seen fierce battles including the two wars of Scottish Independence, as well as other long periods of lawlessness where the inhabitants of both sides of the borders were prone to the threats of arson and murder. These troubled times have left their mark on not only the border region but also the English language, with such terms as ‘blackmail’ being derived from the payments that the working class farmers had to pay to the Border Reivers to protect themselves from pillage and plunder.

For the present day visitor, it is easy to understand why these people fought so hard, often giving their lives to protect their humble homelands. The coastline has to be considered as some of the most impressive stretches to be seen in the British Isles. In particular, the geology to be found near St Abbs is an ever present reminder of the formations that were created when the two separate landmasses that were to become England and Scotland collided to form the mainland that we know today.

Inland the distinct forms of the Eildon and numerous other hills around the Merse area are the remnants of extinct volcanoes, creating a vista that for any visitor to the area is simply magical. Further west the landscape changes as the rolling hills which give way to more grand hills and numerous lakes are revealed including the mesmerising St Mary’s Loch.

The remoteness of the terrain and the constant threat of changeable weather ensures that the Scottish Borders has a distinctly different feel to its English counterpart. As soon as you cross the border from England, influences from the people of the county to the features of the landscape will ensure you undoubtedly experience a Scottish welcome.

We know that you want to see a taster of the images from this great new book so......

Click here to view the sneak preview!