Most photographers will say that they have had an interest in photography over many years – well I’m no different.
My first foray was too many years ago to remember. I was on a trainee hotel management secondment with British Transport Hotels and as part of that we were sent abroad for a year to gain experience and a language. I was ‘stationed’ at the Chateau St Martin, a deluxe 5 star property in the foot hills of the Alpes Maritimes just north of Nice. It was a stunning area for photographs of lovely old villages such as St Paul de Vence and Eze and it was here that I learnt how to develop photographs using chemicals in a darkroom (aka blacked out bedroom).
I kept an interest over the years during a career in hotels all over the UK and up to becoming Managing Director of a boutique group of hotels in Edinburgh, The Town House Company. I then became Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Principal Hotels Association on a part time basis. This gave me more time to take up photography on a ‘pro’ basis.
My connections with the hospitality industry helped with leads for photoshoots into the conference and events market, hotels and interiors, restaurants and food.
It ain't mine!
It’s great fun and it connects with some very interesting situations – a helicopter shoot over Aviemore, photograhing people scared witless on the aerial runway at the International Climbing Centre just outside Edinburgh as well some varied UK and International conferences.
Find out more on my Scotland and Edinburgh Photography web site.