Smartphone photography for outdoor writers
Tempted to use images captured by your smartphone for your next feature? Here are a few things to consider. A version of this article was first published in my Pinnacle Newsletter, March 2018. Modern smartphones have highly capable cameras, but most outdoor writers rely on heftier setups. DSLR or mirrorless,
Bringing back comments on this blog
In 2015, when I transferred this website from Blogger to its current home on a self-hosted WordPress installation, I made the decision to disable comments across the entire site. Today I am reversing that decision. The rationale was good at the time. Conversations were shifting to social networks, and it
What I’ve been reading this week, 11 January 2019
Outdoors and Photography A first night in a bothy, Gaelic for hillwalkers, and avoiding the rush job… My First Night in a Bothy – a nice story about a bothy stay from Emily Woodhouse. ‘I was under the mis-impression that spending the night in a bothy was rather like claiming a
What I’ve been reading this week, 4 January 2019
A grey week; I’ve been catching up with my online reading after the Christmas break. Outdoors and Photography Favourite New Outdoor Gear 2018 – Chris Townsend shares his favourite gear from the last year. The Best of 2018 – I have recently discovered Alex Burke’s large-format landscape photography. These images
Skills guide: Modernise your mountain navigation
Are you still taking those frayed old OS maps out on the hill? Ever find yourself not quite lost, but momentarily misplaced and wishing you had some way of pinpointing your exact location? It could be time to bring your nav skills into the 21st century. This skills guide was
2018 in review: mountains, editorial work, writing, and more
Triumph and tragedy They say that no plan survives contact with the enemy, and 2018 has not been a normal year. In some respects it has been the best year of my life; in others, the worst. Overall it’s been quite a ride, but there’s also been a
What I’ve been reading this week, 21 December 2018
I was away hiking in Knoydart last week, so I’ve accumulated a few more links for you than usual. Drakensberg Nov.’18 Pt.1 – spectacular images from Alex Nail. Restoring Spirits in Glen Feshie – Chris Townsend on the restorative powers of wild camping. Tents for Thru-Hiking – a fantastic compendium
My top five images of 2018
Trees, mountains and light In 2018, I captured 1,668 images. That’s nothing compared to some photographers, but even so, whittling down that list to a top five is incredibly hard. Right now, I believe the images listed here represent my best work; tomorrow I might change my mind.
The Cape Wrath Trail in winter: seeking silence in the Scottish Highlands
Time to announce my big winter project for early 2019. More: * Gear list on Lighterpack * Why go offline – and how? * Resupply plan It’s time to talk about a project I’ve been planning for a while. You may have seen hints on social media or in my newsletter about
What I’ve been reading this week, 7 December 2018
Discovering the natural world, 35 years in mountain rescue, and hiking the PCT… Outdoors and photography Discovering the natural world – to infinity and beyond! – “A few years ago I’d never have spent a whole morning watching geese. It just wouldn’t have occurred to me to do so, and