About

Gerard in Western Himalaya with Hathi Parbat beyond

Brought up in Northumberland snow and mountains came into my life very early on through skiing, my other passion. Indeed, upon leaving school I very soon took my first year out and spent a winter season skiing in France. That turned into 25 years skiing and working in both northern and southern hemispheres.

In the mid 1980’s while living in Utah, USA, I bought my first camera, an Olympus OM10. Travelling through South East Asia in the early 1990’s, my eyes were truly opened to new sights and cultures, and it was these that I wanted to see and capture on film. So, when the snow melted in what ever hemisphere I happened to be working/skiing, I packed a bag, bought a lot of film, and went abroad.

I am a self taught photographer, though I have often thought of going to school to better my understanding of camera and photography. During the early film years, I developed my film as I travelled, and during the long winter nights of the ski season I would set up a dark room in the bath room, and spend a fortune on paper and chemicals learning printing techniques. In 2003 I bought my first digital camera and laptop and slowly taught myself to use Lightroom, applying techniques learnt in the dark room, ie; dodging, burning and feathering. To this day, I continue to use the medium of emulsion film in 6×6 medium format and 5×4 large format.

In 2014 the first summer exhibition showcasing my work opened at the delightful Corgarff Hall nestled amongst the hills of the Upper Donside valley in the Cairngorm National Park and I had the great pleasure of welcoming, talking and listening to the many tens of thousands of visitors over the 9 years I exhibited here. I will to continue to showcase my work at a select number of Highland Gatherings during the summer.

Please follow me on Instagram @gerardrmurphy