As I gaze out over the vast expanse, I am transported back to a world of distant dreams, and I wonder whether they were, in fact, memories. So many times over the past few years, I have been led to a place for the first time and experienced a feeling of familiarity, as though I have stood there many times already. This is such a place. Five-hundred metres up on a small rocky outcrop in a foreign land, I am far away from everything that I thought I had known. Silhouettes of pine trees dominate the horizon and appear as dark brushstrokes against a wash of violet and mauve; the kind of fleeting c ..read more

Creativity has the power to transform and transcend. I believe in creative practices with all of my heart having experienced first-hand what they can do for the human soul. The camera came to me at a point in my life when I was most lost and alone. I found myself drifting through time without purpose or direction. In fact, bar the childhood dream that I had of playing football professionally, I never did have much of an idea of where I might like my life to lead. Those who don’t determine a course of their own end up getting caught in the wake of those who do, and that is what was happening to ..read more

The Formation of the Inner World I have written openly in recent years about the early life experiences that shaped the way in which I see the world today; equipping me with a lens of compassion and sensitivity. For those of you who are new readers to my journal, I’ll provide a little bit of context. The outer world into which I was born was rather chaotic and turbulent, to say the least. I spent many of my waking hours on guard, wondering when the next home makeover might be. It didn’t take much to send my first stepfather into a fit of rage. He usually liked to have his own way, and if he di ..read more

A familiar stillness is in the air. The world has not yet woken up and I seem to be the only one here on Earth. It feels almost post-apocalyptic. I think back to many of the films and computer games that have inspired me throughout my life so far, and, on mornings like this, I feel like I am the character inside of my own. All of this time alone on the road gives me time to think. That is the beauty of being awake during these sacred hours, and another reason why I love to travel outside of my immediate local area for photography occasionally. The thinking time in the car is almost as importa ..read more

‘Reach’ - A photograph by Brad Carr The impact that Mother Nature has had on my life over the past few years has been profound, to say the least. My life is, in so many ways, unrecognisable to the one that I was living just a few years ago, not to mention the one that I was living throughout my childhood years, during which I was often too afraid to leave my bedroom. Those people in my life who have known me for a while have even made comments about the significant changes within myself in recent times, and I believe that is a testament to the trees, mountains, and lakes that I have been freq ..read more

This morning, I found it inside of myself to answer the 5.30am alarm call for the first time in months. This hasn’t been the most productive year for my photography portfolio to say the least. The motivation levels to get out and shoot have waned for much of it, as has my zest for life itself at times. I am not one to ‘fail’ too often, so, after far too many snoozes already this year, I was determined to beat myself this time round, and get out of bed before the world woke up to create something now that the seasons are finally beginning to show signs of change. Summer has never particularly b ..read more

This morning, I found it inside of myself to answer the 5.30am alarm call for the first time in months. This hasn’t been the most productive year for my photography portfolio to say the least. The motivation levels to get out and shoot have waned for much of it, as has my zest for life itself at times. I am not one to ‘fail’ too often, so, after far too many snoozes already this year, I was determined to beat myself this time round, and get out of bed before the world woke up to create something now that the seasons are finally beginning to show signs of change. Summer has never particularly b ..read more

I arrived in Wales when I was eight years old. Me and my family had spent the previous six months or so living in a block flats just outside of Portsmouth city centre. It was busy, loud, and rather unattractive, to say the least. We would make regular visits to the seaside, to marvel at HMS Victory and HMS Warrior in port and escape the monotony and chaos of city centre living whenever possible but, from memory, there weren’t too many trees in sight. My mum had her roots in the countryside, and I’m sure that, had her childhood dreams come true, she would have been happily married, raising me ..read more

Welcome to Wales. Land of myth, legend, and folklore. A land that has been inspiring artists, writers and poets for generations, and I’m one of the latest in a long line of messengers waxing lyrical about its’ natural beauty. Having explored this enchanted land for years now, it is easy to see why so many people seek out this charming landscape for inspiration. The trees speak softly, the mountains stand guard like watchmen, and the rivers and lakes house fairies that will bring healing to your soul. I’ve been a lover of The Lord of the Rings books and movies since I was a child, and now, havi ..read more

I inhale deeply. The cold winter air fills my lungs. With each breath I spare a thought for the trees that provide me with life here on earth. I’m surrounded by a variety of tree species, and amongst the trees, I feel like one of them. There are Scot’s pine marching up the hill behind me; some appear to have been standing for over a century, overlooking the mid Wales savannah that surrounds me and this hill. The pine trees aren’t alone. I pass by a splendid, mature beech tree that is keeping them company, and there are plenty of hawthorn, rowan and countless old oak trees; an abundance of whi ..read more