“I looked through a lens and ended up abandoning everything else."
—Sebastiao Salgado
About
I am a photographer based in the NW Highlands. My work is very much inspired by the wild, elemental landscapes and seascapes of the Scottish Highlands and Islands and reflects not only the natural world but also man’s interaction with the environment.
Photography is how I can best express my way of seeing and my passion for the outdoors while also drawing attention to the fragile beauty of the wild, remote and often inhospitable places that remain threatened by climate change and the unprecedented global emergency our planet is now facing.
My work adopts a more mindful, intuitive and immersive approach rather than a purely technical one and incorporates both camera based work and alternative photographic processes such as cyanotype and anthotype printing.
I use my camera as a tool to enable me to connect both physically and emotionally to the landscape in order to capture the textures, colours, shapes, patterns, mood and movement - either collectively or alone, to reveal a location’s true spirit of place.
When I’m behind the lens, the elements of the landscape I frame and capture are not created by sight alone; I engage all my senses so the final image becomes not just an illustration of what I see but also an aesthetic interpretation of what I feel.
Drawing on my work as an educator and the methodology that underpins participatory photography facilitation alongside my own practice and experience of a more mindful approach to photography, I am now developing a series of workshops that focus on a more contemplative and intuitive as opposed to purely technical approach to photography as a way of connecting people to their surroundings. I believe outdoor photography is also a great way to de-stress; the camera is a wonderful way of connecting us to the landscape while disconnecting us from everything else.
If you would like to enquire about commissions, prints, environmental portraiture or mindful photography workshops, please find contact details on the accompanying contact page.
Published Work
Magazines:
The Great Outdoors Magazine - June 2020 - In the Frame Feature and interview on my Abstract Mountain Photography
On Landscape Magazine - May 2020 4x4 Portfolio feature.
Royal Photographic Society 'Landscape Magazine' Featured Photographer. June 2019
Royal Photographic Society ' Creative Eye Magazine'. September 2018
Haslemere Life - Advertising images - 2016
Newspapers:
Sunday Post (Environmental Portrait) Jan 2019
Sunday Times - (Environmental Portrait) Feb 2019
Hampshire Herald (Landscape) 2016
Books:
Licensed a series of images for publication in the Walkers Guide to Coigach and Assynt by Dougie Cunningham on behalf of the Coigach and Assynt Living Landscape 2021
Two winning images published in the book 'Words in Focus' Published by Hurtwood Press 2017
Directories / Journals / Periodicals
Surrey Adult Learning Course Directory - back cover image
Awards
Two winning entries (‘Winter's Light’ & ‘Stark Beauty ‘) in the Surrey County Council Library Service 'Words in Focus' Photography Competition 2016. Published in the Words in Focus book by Surrey Libraries in partnership with Hurtwood Press and The Bluehouse Festival. January 2017.
Awarded first prize for my image ‘Lone Tree’ (Landscape Category) in the SAL Annual Photography Competition 2016.
Exhibitions
Shutter Hub ‘Postcards from Great Britain’ exhibition - 3 of my images were selected for this large scale project from Shutter Hub, which invited photographers to share their visions of British culture through photographic images taken over the four year period of 01 January 2016 and 31 December 2020.
Exhibitions were held in 20 locations across Europe, showcasing thousands of postcard-sized images and culminating in a final showcase at Art at the ARB at the University of Cambridge 12 January – 25 February 2022.
An Talla Solais member’s Exhibition Spring 2021 - Three featured limited edition prints selected.
An Talla Solais Online Exhibition - Autumn 2020 - Two featured limited edition prints selected.
Clients
An’Nead Handknitwear
Scottish Wildlife Trust
Eigg Adventures
Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust
Ginger Morar Knitwear
George Rain Jewellers
Getty Images
Atlantis PMR (Spain)
Selkie Explorers
Testimonials
An’Nead Handknitwear
'After years of trying to find a photographer who could capture both the fine softness of my cobweb lace and the inspiration the Isle of Eigg provides me with, I have at last come across Justine Ritchie who has, and continues to provide me with outstanding photography for my website as well as my printing requirements. I can highly recommend her.'
- Jenny Robertson, An’Nead Hand Knitwear
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