"Climbing Light: A Photographer's Alpine Love Affair"

[00:00:00] Gosh, there were actually mosquitoes at 3000 meters. I mean how is that even possible? How can you get mosquitoes?

[00:00:07] But it was in the middle of summer. It's getting bitten like anything and there was me and this is what I mean

[00:00:12] We're part of a community of artists. There's me and this other photographer

[00:00:15] And we just like kind of looking into other thinking what are we doing here?

[00:00:18] But we both were staying there and I was thinking am I just doing this because I've got a guy in a stick

[00:00:23] I'm doing it because another photographer is doing it. We're both thinking I'm not going because she's not going

[00:00:29] Anyway, so we stuck there and three hours later

[00:00:32] Gosh the sky's lifted and had the most astonishing sunset on the Monterosa. I am talking I have never seen it like that

[00:00:48] Greetings everyone and how is everybody at home doing today?

[00:00:51] I hope you'd make some beautiful pictures in the last week since we had the other podcast

[00:00:56] Welcome to another Camera Cafe Show episode your podcast where we prove inspiration for your photography journey

[00:01:02] I'm your host Tom Jacob and join me here as we fuel your creativity behind your lens and

[00:01:07] Folks very quick if you love today's show, please leave us a review and share it with your fellow photography enthusiast. Thanks

[00:01:15] Today we will go to New Heights as we walk up some mountains and enjoy the views there

[00:01:20] While we have a wonderful chat with an Alpine photographer

[00:01:24] Feeban from

[00:01:25] Well, she's half Scottish half Swiss

[00:01:28] Fee is an amazing artist and photographer whose work has captivated audience

[00:01:32] Not only in galleries or on social media accounts

[00:01:35] But as we speak folks is featured in an exhibition organized by the John Muir trust in Scotland

[00:01:41] Let's delve into Fee's journey as a photographer her passion for capturing this beautiful natural world of ours

[00:01:47] How we can see glaciers are disappearing

[00:01:50] But maybe through our art we can inspire others to share us and protect this environment

[00:01:54] Get up your favorite drink sit back and let Fee take you on your next mountain walk with this fantastic episode with her. Let's get rolling

[00:02:02] Good evening fight the mountain lady

[00:02:05] Our things there tonight. Oh

[00:02:08] Really really great. Thanks Tom. It's really lovely to have a chance to

[00:02:14] Neck to review and with your viewers

[00:02:17] It will be a great episode. I'm sure fee. Thank you

[00:02:21] We talked in another chat we had about

[00:02:24] What kind of photography touches your heart and in your case it was mountain photography and Switzerland

[00:02:32] You remember what sparked that genre of photography in you?

[00:02:36] Yeah, I was thinking about our conversation and I just realized what is it about me that I

[00:02:44] absolutely love about photography and

[00:02:46] It really is the joy of being an alpine photographer and

[00:02:50] That really goes back to my childhood

[00:02:53] I think it's often the case for many people that there's something that happens that draws you to a particular art form or

[00:03:01] activity or sport and maybe

[00:03:03] You know two or three things that people like doing but for me

[00:03:06] It was going to the mountains when I was a child with my parents my father was Scottish

[00:03:13] And my mother was Swiss

[00:03:15] So every part of the time we went on holiday as a child

[00:03:19] We visited the Alps or the Highlands and went for long hikes and just had this

[00:03:26] experience of being part of the wild

[00:03:29] spaces being part of nature and

[00:03:31] Yeah, even as a child

[00:03:33] I did take a few photographs

[00:03:34] But I kind of just really admired my father who was a very good amateur photographer

[00:03:39] As well as being an engineer and many other jobs that most artists do just it really opened up the experience for me

[00:03:47] To enjoy that and I think that

[00:03:50] Kind of moved into my adulthood and I had an opportunity to spend a bit more time taking photos as an adult

[00:03:57] That was the start really

[00:03:59] Then talk me fire about the moment you

[00:04:03] Decided to show your work in the photographer's gallery in London. That was a quite a change for you quite a moment

[00:04:12] Yeah, I think what it is is when you've got parents or friends who are brilliant photographers

[00:04:17] It's kind of always like a

[00:04:20] Challenge to find your own voice as a photographer and that can take you know significant amount of time or not at all

[00:04:27] We can see people doing great work

[00:04:29] but for me it was I was working in humanitarian aid out in the Middle East and

[00:04:37] Looking after advocating for minorities and I really needed to have something for my own time

[00:04:44] It was lovely seeing what was happening for the people

[00:04:47] I knew who are living out there working out their experience in the challenges they had and I just kind of thought I

[00:04:54] Really need something for me, you know that I love doing

[00:04:58] So about 12 years ago

[00:05:00] I'd been on holiday a couple of times and taking some photographs with one of my

[00:05:06] Cameras which was actually really old one

[00:05:09] but I was still using it up to about eight years ago, which is Panasonic with a Leica lens and

[00:05:15] I took some photographs and sort of took them onto social media my friends and said oh, you know

[00:05:20] I've just had this amazing time and they were like Fiona those photographs are incredible, you know

[00:05:26] You know, we didn't know that how much you were into photography and I was like well

[00:05:30] I didn't know I was into photography that much. I've done it at college

[00:05:34] You know gone in the dark room learnt how to make my own prints and stuff like that

[00:05:39] But this was with digital cameras on the holiday

[00:05:43] So I thought well was a graphic designer when I was younger loved art

[00:05:47] I thought oh, I heard that the photographers gallery up in London

[00:05:52] Which is like sort of the premiere art photography place in the city in terms of just being for

[00:05:59] Photographers and having certain very amazing

[00:06:03] Exhibitions that they have there is just off Oxford Street if people haven't been there before

[00:06:07] I really recommend popping along and having a look very friendly. It's not that expensive

[00:06:13] It's got a great shot downstairs, etc

[00:06:16] So they had a day for

[00:06:18] Photographers to come and the share their work was very inexpensive

[00:06:23] You know, sometimes you see these things you think I'm not gonna pay 25 pounds for that

[00:06:27] But I just kind of thought it's 25 quids. I mean just don't have coffee for a week go along

[00:06:32] Show your work. Just have a chat. So I got my portfolio together

[00:06:36] Got some a free print done and actually I just used a local printer

[00:06:41] I usually use a London printer now that does very lovely C type prints

[00:06:48] But on this occasion I just use a local shop and took my stuff along

[00:06:52] met with some other photographers as we sat there with our portfolios all sort of looking to

[00:07:01] reveal our work to someone and they often have a really diverse group of people

[00:07:05] There are people there who portrait photographers street photographers

[00:07:10] There was about 10 of us sitting there waiting and I went into the room and there was you know about

[00:07:16] six desks there with different

[00:07:19] staff members from the photographer's gallery who are curators

[00:07:24] showed my work and

[00:07:26] They were just completely

[00:07:29] Encouraging lovely people they saw my work and they just said, you know, Fiona, this is this is really good

[00:07:35] And I said, oh, thank you. It's really nice

[00:07:38] I mean we have our own self-confidence that when somebody you know who kind of knows their stuff and is

[00:07:46] Selling this stuff on a regular basis to what I consider to be one of the top

[00:07:50] You know talk with galleries in the country says they like your what you've got and so I said well

[00:07:56] How how can I move forward with this work?

[00:07:59] How does this progress and they were very kind they said there are few options for you

[00:08:05] so one of the option is send your work to a

[00:08:09] photo company that would take your work and

[00:08:14] Sell it off to whoever needs it now. That's I think that's a great idea

[00:08:18] The part of me was just like inside. I'm thinking oh, okay

[00:08:22] I've seen that a lot. I experienced a lot of stock photography when I was a graphic designer

[00:08:27] and then they said to me but you know have you thought of

[00:08:31] Sharing your work with newspapers

[00:08:33] That way and seeing if they will work with because your work would reach that audience more sort of almost like photo

[00:08:40] Journalism but sort of kind of more artistic photo journalism I can describe it that way and I just kind of thought yeah

[00:08:47] I thank you

[00:08:48] I would love to do that and they said it you know

[00:08:50] we think your work could sit within that genre and

[00:08:53] You know we didn't encourage you just you know continue doing what you're doing and get out there and do what you love doing

[00:08:59] So I took their advice continued

[00:09:02] Going on my explorations in the mountains during my holidays

[00:09:07] So I I sat down with a friend the other day and I said I can't actually remember when I just had a holiday

[00:09:15] Literally I worked every every holiday I've had for the last ten years at least

[00:09:22] I have used my holiday to take to do my photography anyway, so I did send my work

[00:09:29] I did send an email to various business of newspapers

[00:09:33] Including the Guardian I think the telegraph will send it to you but straight away someone at Guardian very nice lady got in touch

[00:09:41] With me and said yeah, if you know we love your work. I think you can see it's really good

[00:09:45] but just to bear in mind that

[00:09:48] You know newspapers these days haven't got the big budgets that they may have had in the past

[00:09:54] Probably because of the digital age we're in now where everything is so

[00:09:58] Accessible, you know for nothing, you know, but they said, you know just send your stuff

[00:10:03] Where is as and when if you have getting a great idea projects get back to us?

[00:10:08] And you know we can't offer to sort of pay you

[00:10:13] But if you know if there was a particular project you really wanted to do we could have paid for you too

[00:10:18] Or if your expenses, but straight on where I saw that they had a regular

[00:10:24] Readers Guardian portal that they regularly showed readers work. So I got straight in there and got some of my work

[00:10:32] I think I've had four or five pieces in the Guardian

[00:10:37] During a period of about five years on a very regular basis, which was great and and really was so helpful for me as a photographer

[00:10:45] so yeah says a little bit of my

[00:10:48] background of how I got into

[00:10:51] into that sort of work

[00:10:54] And if we talk about

[00:10:55] Galleries, I think your work has been showcased in the UK has been showcased in Switzerland

[00:11:01] And now of course you have the great honor of being showcased in the creative freedom

[00:11:08] Exposition organized by the John Muir trust talk us a bit through your beyond the ice project there

[00:11:16] Yeah, thank you so much. I really appreciate that. Yes

[00:11:19] I've had a few

[00:11:21] Expositions just because I think it's really good to get your work out there

[00:11:25] You know, just just get it out there meet people meet other photographers artists

[00:11:30] I mean, I've done work with friends who are

[00:11:33] Painters and we've shown our work together and you know, it's what works

[00:11:37] You know, it's what you bring together as a as a team

[00:11:40] Creative freedom one. I just was so delighted by I'm sure

[00:11:45] Most of your followers will have heard of John Muir of his work

[00:11:50] Famous botanist writer

[00:11:53] Philosophicalist Scottish guy who's taken to America as a child was parents lived in America for many years

[00:12:01] It's passed away many years ago now

[00:12:03] So I was just on the internet the other day

[00:12:07] Browsing as you do and I saw that the John Muir trust now

[00:12:12] They've been around for 40 years now. They are based in Scotland. I mean, that's the birthplace of John Muir

[00:12:19] You know representing him and I've gone on to find

[00:12:23] Amazing stuff that they're doing that I didn't know was there at all until I got involved with this project

[00:12:29] So I saw the creative freedom advertisement

[00:12:32] They said it's been 40 years since the organization was established in the UK

[00:12:38] And we just like to draw out various artists multi-media paintings poetry and photography

[00:12:45] To contribute their work to celebrate this sort of creative freedom thing of helping artists

[00:12:52] And I just thought that through so he's straight away

[00:12:55] I'm helping artists to become part of the wild space concept

[00:13:00] of being able to support wild areas in different parts of the country and

[00:13:06] I was just so delighted when I heard about it and it was a very

[00:13:10] It was actually I know we've all gone for lots of competitions and sure lot of people have and they usually like 25 pounds or something

[00:13:18] But this is really good. I just like the way they

[00:13:21] Invited you to give a bit of background to your work and the fact that we were all working together on this concept of wild space

[00:13:28] And protecting the wild spaces

[00:13:30] So applied I think around 600 people applied and I'm sure a lot of people even if follow you

[00:13:36] But may have applied and and I was just absolutely

[00:13:40] So delighted that one of my pieces was included in this and to be shown at the John Muir trust at

[00:13:47] Visitor Center in Pitchlockie, which is just south of the Cairngorms in the Highlands of Scotland

[00:13:53] so there are probably I think they're about

[00:13:57] 15 or 16 of us who work has been shown in those different genres

[00:14:03] With two photographers. So as me and another photographer's work has gone into the final sharing of that work

[00:14:11] And I'm just so delighted because actually my piece of work is actually of the Matterhorn in Switzerland

[00:14:17] So I was like, yeah, I'm so delighted that they've included me within this work because it's not even a Scottish mountain

[00:14:24] You know, it's great the reason I love that piece of work

[00:14:28] And there were two other pieces of work that went with it

[00:14:31] was because it just kind of explored the whole thing about the way glaciers are reducing

[00:14:38] Throughout the world at the moment water is becoming a real issue in many countries to such an extent that

[00:14:46] In the first world in the developed world. We don't kind of know the impact yet that is happening to us

[00:14:53] All we see is the visual impact of the glaciers becoming smaller and reducing significantly

[00:15:00] I believe that one of the Swiss a research organization said that actually 10% of the glaciers

[00:15:07] disappeared in a time of two years, which is

[00:15:12] 10% in two years that is astonishing absolutely astonishing. I

[00:15:16] I just felt it was an opportunity really just to sort of talk about what I've seen what I enjoy and to present that visually as a photographer

[00:15:26] And this particular picture Matterhorn fire

[00:15:30] They just were they said such nice things to me about it. And I think as an artist

[00:15:35] We kind of get used to believing in ourselves. We have to believe in ourselves

[00:15:39] It's the only way you can do what you do is to actually believe you've got a voice so you can share

[00:15:45] But for them to actually say, Fiona we've we've not and not ever seen the Matterhorn like that before

[00:15:50] We've not seen that way. It's shown. I was like, well, yeah

[00:15:55] Probably was like join us in the club. That was the first

[00:15:58] That's the first time i've seen it like that. It's amazing

[00:16:01] And it just kind of for me it really

[00:16:04] represented what we now see in the alps which is

[00:16:09] a beautiful mountain which is just scarred and

[00:16:13] hardly any snow on it anymore

[00:16:15] No glaciers on it anymore

[00:16:18] and just the way that the

[00:16:20] Sunrise hit the mountain in such a way that it looked like it was on fire

[00:16:25] Now we've all seen that we've all seen pictures like that in Yosemite

[00:16:28] We've seen the the waterfall of fire that comes off Yosemite

[00:16:32] Which has become like amazing photograph that's presented in lots of places

[00:16:37] But to see it on the Matterhorn

[00:16:39] Was quite astonishing and kind of brought it home to me

[00:16:43] So I had a lovely time. I took my work up there. I've got obviously contacts up there having had a Scottish dad

[00:16:51] So it was a really great opportunity for me to go up there was to live on my work there

[00:16:55] See it presented in such a place at the visitor centre at Pit Loughy in such a way that it just really stood out

[00:17:03] I've always liked big photos

[00:17:05] I love the opportunity to really present

[00:17:09] my work in a way that is striking that draws the eye that

[00:17:13] Reminds me of the galleries I went to as a child which were

[00:17:17] Portraits and landscapes that were just drew you in and took you to a place where you were there with them

[00:17:25] You were there too and for me also I would say about this particular

[00:17:29] picture Matterhorn fire is that for me the fact it actually makes people think if that was

[00:17:35] A painting I wouldn't believe it was as it appears. I believe you'd

[00:17:40] Embellished it but no it's as it is and that to me as a photographer is just yes

[00:17:47] To create something as a photographer that is

[00:17:50] unique that is

[00:17:52] Something that you have spent time in the mountains just being there

[00:17:58] Enjoying that wild space and able to present something quite unique and you know a great pleasure great joy

[00:18:05] So they had a launch stayed up there a couple of more nights went up to Glencoe

[00:18:09] An opportunity around Ben nervous area beautiful area

[00:18:13] Recommend Scotland for artists absolutely stunning

[00:18:16] And then we had launched and the exhibition goes on until the 25th of May and it's a free exhibition

[00:18:22] so

[00:18:24] But I have I have actually done blog about my visit there and put in work there

[00:18:31] And that is actually on my website. So people are very welcome to see that on

[00:18:35] Fee photos.org if they want to have a look at the blog there and it's talked a bit about

[00:18:40] You know what we're talking about really tonight as well

[00:18:44] We will have all this in the show notes fee no problem. Oh, so kind. Thank you

[00:18:49] Fee as an artist

[00:18:51] What do you hope visitors take away when they see the exhibition there?

[00:18:57] I kind of really want to kind of

[00:19:00] Shock is probably the wrong word. I want them to have an awesome encounter if I'm honest. I want them to

[00:19:08] I think their reactions they are going to do

[00:19:11] Comments, I think they're going to do comments on people's responses

[00:19:14] It's a bit difficult when you're in an exhibition with lots of other people

[00:19:18] I'd say it's really good to do your own exhibition occasionally and have a

[00:19:22] A visitor book where people can just like kind of write

[00:19:25] Straight away which is kind of what I find really helpful as an artist

[00:19:29] You know just get people, you know, some people just say something really nice like I really liked it

[00:19:33] But some people be challenged

[00:19:36] One person said it reminded me of something from Lord of the Rings the fire on it

[00:19:41] And I actually thought wow, that's really good if they think that because actually that's kind of

[00:19:46] showing them

[00:19:48] The impact of what's happening at the moment and I think that's probably why they chose my pieces because it's kind of so

[00:19:54] different

[00:19:55] I mean and literally that

[00:19:57] sunrise

[00:19:59] Fire on on the summit was literally there for

[00:20:02] Five minutes if that and that's where you know

[00:20:06] Our work as an artist is never wasted. There's always use for is always important because you're enjoying experience

[00:20:13] But you're making people think as well

[00:20:17] I love the idea of making people think on an aesthetic level. I really love that

[00:20:22] But I also love that if we can make people think oh, why does that look like that?

[00:20:27] Why is that and to be able to do that with landscapes? I think is is

[00:20:33] where that

[00:20:34] thing I said earlier about

[00:20:36] It's not landscape journalism as such, but it's trying to evoke

[00:20:40] Something more from people and that's kind of

[00:20:44] Yeah, because that's the impact is handled me

[00:20:46] So I kind of hoping in a small way that it's actually impacting other people as well

[00:20:53] Fiora you're also a contributor. I think to glacier

[00:20:57] dot org

[00:20:59] Which works in relationship with with columbia, you know university

[00:21:04] And you already saw yourself 20 years ago that glaciers are

[00:21:09] reducing

[00:21:10] So how is this situation today?

[00:21:13] Yeah

[00:21:14] It's really struck me when I've been thinking about it recently because I'm thinking to myself

[00:21:19] I'm not an environmentalist as such. I'm an artist who thinks the environment is important

[00:21:25] And it's really difficult because there's loads of people out there who really know their stuff

[00:21:29] And you know where artists work communicate through visual imagery

[00:21:34] I'm sure a lot of us have gone to college or gone to written stuff

[00:21:38] But it's a different experience but going there I mean it was astonishing

[00:21:45] And two really two areas have really struck me through that process

[00:21:50] I was out there. I'd gone a lot when I was a child. We've gone in the summer

[00:21:55] We haven't particularly one in the winter as a child, you know

[00:21:58] But it was summer holidays in the uk six weeks of some holiday if you've got relatives

[00:22:03] You tend to go out and spend a lot of time there

[00:22:06] But I about 20 years ago

[00:22:08] I went with one of my best friends and we went out there

[00:22:12] And we wanted to explore the southern alps again valet

[00:22:16] Zermatt area and we went down there and I was just so shocked

[00:22:22] I'm sorry. I have to say I was really shocked and we actually drove on the way to the south of swiss

[00:22:27] And we drove over the furker path

[00:22:30] Which is the very famous pass people have probably seen in sort of james bond movies where there's this twisty road and there's this

[00:22:37] Amazing hotel on the corner. I mean if you watch I think it was dr

[00:22:42] No, I think it was not dr

[00:22:44] No, it was another film

[00:22:45] But I remember the glass years when I was driving down there as a child the glass years were enormous

[00:22:51] imposing

[00:22:52] And we were on our way 20 years ago down driving down. I was thinking this is really weird that glass years

[00:22:59] Disappeared it's gone. It's just all gray. It's halfway up the mountain. It's gone and then we got down to zermatt

[00:23:07] and

[00:23:07] It's just so shocked. I mean we were walking

[00:23:10] We were hiking quite high and we were looking down and I just said to my friend

[00:23:15] This is really weird the glass years gone

[00:23:18] It's actually one of the glass years to to the right of the matthorn had gone completely

[00:23:25] And then looking back up towards the monterey's I thought this is this is really strange. Where's it gone?

[00:23:31] It's disappearing and then I went back quite regularly for the last

[00:23:36] 12 years as I said, I was like spending most of my summers

[00:23:39] going over there

[00:23:41] So then I shared online one of my pictures of one of the glass years by the matthorn had completely gone and also the

[00:23:49] The furker pass glass year had gone to

[00:23:52] And everyone's people started saying to me

[00:23:54] I can see that's that's gone too and and quite well known about years actually started to make coins

[00:24:01] At the same time, you know how life works like this sometimes you sometimes all notice stuff at the same time

[00:24:07] And I thought to myself

[00:24:08] Well, I'm not an environmentalist but something funny is going on here and it was it's been very strange

[00:24:15] I mean I made an effort and to start following organizations which I thought were

[00:24:20] What I would consider to be very measured in their responses to what's happening

[00:24:25] People like glacia hub. I was reading their stuff because

[00:24:29] They were trying to communicate that the artists artists have something to communicate into this process because of what they're seeing

[00:24:37] I was looking at their work and I was thinking actually it's kind of

[00:24:41] Whatever your politics are something is happening and there are two sort of outcomes that have really stood with me over time

[00:24:48] And the first outcome is that

[00:24:50] If it carries on as it is in the albs particularly

[00:24:55] There there will be no glaciers in 100 years time

[00:24:58] And there'll be no glaciers sooner than that is looking like at the moment

[00:25:02] And how does that impact us? Well, the first area impacts me is from what I've seen

[00:25:08] Is that at first what will happen as the earth warms up is that

[00:25:14] The spring and summer months there will be more

[00:25:17] Water flowing through the valleys in in the alps much more water. There's quite a large lake now

[00:25:24] under Mont Blanc

[00:25:25] But the thing is is that as those glaciers go

[00:25:29] The impact is going to be that the riverbeds will start to dry up and the passages that rely on

[00:25:36] The water from the mountains will reduce

[00:25:40] It is going to happen

[00:25:41] General consensus is it's not going to change 100 years time though will not be glaciers as we know them

[00:25:49] But it can slow down

[00:25:51] So that's why you hear governments now saying all over the world

[00:25:55] It's not some governments and others not but most governments now acknowledge that there's been a massive impact on

[00:26:02] glacial reduction

[00:26:03] So for us in developing countries, we will find a way around it. There will be a way of supplying enough water

[00:26:11] Probably through hydro more hydroelectric dams or something to keep the water flowing

[00:26:16] But the impact and it won't look so great. It'll look nice in the in the winter when everyone goes skiing

[00:26:21] It'll still look really pretty, you know

[00:26:24] To me it will always be a beautiful place

[00:26:26] But the economic change that will happen will be quite significant

[00:26:31] But developed countries will have accounted for that the second area or just very briefly that will impact what I've seen

[00:26:39] is a bit more serious

[00:26:40] And it's as water shortages start to impact more in places like India

[00:26:46] It's well known now is being documented quite widely in harvard and in

[00:26:52] New York Times did an amazing article on it, which I'm very happy to share

[00:26:56] Any times that the impact is having on farmers in the south of India

[00:27:00] They are now seeing and this is proper documented facts that the India government is now going to have to give around 1.3 billion

[00:27:10] dollars

[00:27:11] To help farmers sustain themselves with all the crop reduction from the lack of water

[00:27:17] And the more serious thing is that they have now done all the proper research for it that this is what is believed

[00:27:25] Is that 59,000

[00:27:28] farmers

[00:27:29] In southern India have died in the last 30 years for suicide because of

[00:27:35] not having any crops

[00:27:36] and it's it's absolutely tragic so

[00:27:40] It's it's very it if we're human beings. We don't want to see people suffer and to hear that

[00:27:47] it's going to be challenging for people in the Alps and places to

[00:27:52] account for how to cope with more avalanches how to cope with the impacts in general

[00:27:57] But we know we're not on our own

[00:27:59] We're part of a community of people throughout the world and there's people in South America now who are struggling

[00:28:05] Who live in mountains?

[00:28:07] And so we just have to be aware I mean not to be too down

[00:28:10] We just really need to be aware that

[00:28:13] We have a responsibility as artists to a certain degree to be ourselves and to show what we see

[00:28:18] This is what being an artist about you show what you see

[00:28:21] You know words are not our big thing always. I don't know many artists who are great with

[00:28:27] writing and words, but what we are good at doing is

[00:28:32] Showing images that you know show what we love but also show what we see that

[00:28:37] Is some impacting in different ways, you know, so if my photographs can help in any way

[00:28:44] That's what I think is important in that area

[00:28:48] And feel you are other side of more the humanitarian projects you you do or you did

[00:28:56] They're also in relation to climate change

[00:29:00] And yeah, we did quite a lot of fun. I've worked with in Iraq and there is an impact there on

[00:29:07] Reduction of water there as well

[00:29:09] So I think a lot more research needs to happen there. I

[00:29:12] My heart I've always wanted to get more Iraqi and Mina Middle Eastern North Africa artists to

[00:29:20] Start to show their photos what they see

[00:29:23] And I think you know that for me

[00:29:25] Was the greatest pleasure of working as an advocate for minorities

[00:29:30] In different countries and when they talk about minorities, they're talking about

[00:29:34] Anyone who's not the status quo largest group. So it could be gender could be women

[00:29:39] It could be different, you know cultural groups

[00:29:44] And I love the idea of I was going to do some work in southern Africa at one point

[00:29:49] It was just trying to get them to show pictures of what they do and and I think anything we can do to encourage

[00:29:56] Our artist friends in different countries

[00:29:59] To show their work would be absolutely amazing

[00:30:02] It's it's still in the back of my mind that project. It hasn't gone

[00:30:07] Much as I'd love to do much more in the alps and in America in the back of my mind

[00:30:11] I'm thinking I would love to get our

[00:30:14] Mina friends to show more of their work because they live there. They see it. They see the changes

[00:30:21] And it's their country and we really ought to support people like that more to be honest

[00:30:26] Which is why I think being part of an artistic community

[00:30:30] Particularly through social media. I think it's kind of really important and anything we can do

[00:30:36] Support each other in that is always a good thing, you know our

[00:30:41] Pictures are powerful in all very different ways

[00:30:46] So you think we as photographers on social media can have an impact there?

[00:30:52] Yeah, I think we can and I think even if it's

[00:30:56] Even if it's just encouraging other photographers, you know, you really are making an impact

[00:31:01] I would say on some social media platforms. We all have a bigger hit than others

[00:31:06] We somehow we could we will connect with different communities in different ways

[00:31:12] You know have different ways of communicating but

[00:31:16] It's about being part of a wider community and the minute that clicks in my brain

[00:31:21] I realized it's not it's not. Oh, no. No one's seeing my work

[00:31:25] That's nonsense your work's always seen people always see your people's work

[00:31:29] It's just that maybe they don't respond. They're busy. It's not their thing

[00:31:33] But it is seen and actually as you build community

[00:31:37] It's it's very encouraging because we all work quite solo as artists

[00:31:42] That's why what you're doing tom is so nice because it's actually really important that

[00:31:47] Artists do get together, you know in different different forms to encourage each other really

[00:31:53] Yes, we try to give a voice to

[00:31:56] To everyone because I think the biggest challenge that

[00:31:59] Photographers face on social media is exactly starting this community and starting to get seen

[00:32:06] If you want to make an impact somewhere

[00:32:09] Yeah, I mean I kind of really challenged myself and I thought

[00:32:13] What do I really love? It took me a while to really connect with what I really love

[00:32:17] And what I really love is being in the mountains is being with people

[00:32:22] It's it's getting inspired by other mountaineers what they're doing. I mean, I'm not a great

[00:32:28] rubbish round to it

[00:32:29] But I do my job like hike I get to where I need to go

[00:32:32] But you just kind of get inspired and you learn you learn so much and you think to yourself gosh, you know

[00:32:39] I'm actually growing as an artist. So

[00:32:42] You know because we are

[00:32:44] As artists quite solo most of the time

[00:32:47] It's really it is really good to be part of community because they will back you up

[00:32:52] I hope we'll continue to back each other up. It's really important

[00:32:57] Fee, let's walk a bit over to the gear question that everybody likes

[00:33:03] Oh no, I'm so oh, I'm gonna be a shocker for your gear experts. I tell you I'm

[00:33:10] I'm not being modest. I'm not being humble. Oh dear. Okay. Ask away

[00:33:18] I just want to know what you are using nowadays as camera. Oh gosh. Oh gosh. Well at the moment

[00:33:24] I've got my worthy old

[00:33:27] Nikon D5600

[00:33:30] It's got the uh, Nicole

[00:33:32] 18

[00:33:33] 140 millimeter lens raw and jpeg tend to be the ones I use together

[00:33:39] The reason I use them together is that you want your raw files for your

[00:33:45] Absolutely beautiful prints and your jpegs and come on just

[00:33:51] Wack them on social. They're not going to be the best version, but they're good enough

[00:33:55] I like I like this particular Nikon because it's very light

[00:34:00] And there are quite a few others which are very similar

[00:34:04] To this but they're extremely heavy and for me

[00:34:07] There's two reasons for that first of all, it's a nice light camera

[00:34:11] But second of all, I was a charity worker for 12 years

[00:34:16] And I have my financial limit

[00:34:20] On things you know until like until I get really famous to have lots of money

[00:34:25] So but no this has been a trusty camera. Um, I've just gone and bought myself which is lovely

[00:34:31] But it's probably already out of date

[00:34:34] Oh dear

[00:34:36] I've just gone and bought myself my Nikon frameless z5 which is this one here is very nice

[00:34:42] And with that, I've got the Nikon said 24 200. I should have bought the next one up

[00:34:49] But I was just a little bit hesitant because of the cost

[00:34:54] So on the whole my camera level at the moment is about 1500 for purchasing

[00:35:00] But my main reasons is is is literally the lightness of the camera

[00:35:05] I just in my heart, I really want to go for some much more

[00:35:11] Better kit but with these cameras and even with my little panasonic which I had 10 years ago

[00:35:17] With a like a lens lovely like a lens on it and still getting great very good shots

[00:35:22] But I would never not not going without a raw now

[00:35:26] I've managed that for a good five years about raw

[00:35:31] But then I I I gave in but I'm just gonna have to find the money from somewhere to make this possible

[00:35:37] But yeah, there are lots of ways of doing things

[00:35:40] But I mean I would always say um, you know if you can go for the very best kit do go for it

[00:35:45] Bear in mind weight bear in mind weather because in the arts it literally you are soaked through sometimes

[00:35:52] I mean I'm not kidding you

[00:35:53] This is even in the summer and you just got to be aware of your kit if it really is appropriate

[00:35:59] For what you need it because if you're gonna get a great shot you are gonna get a great shot

[00:36:03] I I can absolutely guarantee you will get if it's meant to be you will get that great shot

[00:36:09] But yes, so that's my modest little collection

[00:36:14] Free cameras at the moment

[00:36:17] Oh dear

[00:36:19] But I think fee you have to ask yourself if

[00:36:22] A higher camera will make you a better photographer for yourself

[00:36:27] And will make a difference in your work because maybe it will not make a difference

[00:36:32] I know I know it's the it's the challenge

[00:36:35] I've always had as I'm starting to

[00:36:38] Because the humanitarian work is kind of dying down at the moment

[00:36:41] Which is good because to accomplish what I wanted to do and I still got my amazing friends

[00:36:47] Out there who are just revocable the the work they do caring for people

[00:36:52] Yeah, I am sort of kind of think you know some photographs

[00:36:57] I'd like to take I'm thinking

[00:36:59] High-end commercial level

[00:37:01] Some of them would just be amazing done in a certain way. I love large scale

[00:37:07] I I go up to

[00:37:09] AO at the moment

[00:37:11] You know my heart is to

[00:37:13] Really see landscape pictures

[00:37:16] Impacting communities more so that they can when they go to see big buildings

[00:37:22] They see beautiful pictures that will inspire them encourage them. I possible so we'll see but thank you for saying that

[00:37:29] Yeah, that's so kind

[00:37:32] And fee when you walk up a mountain of go to climb a mountain with your camera, of course

[00:37:37] You already have a particular shot in mind

[00:37:40] Or you know where you want to go or you'll just work on the moment

[00:37:45] Yeah, so there are certain places I I love to go. I I kind of

[00:37:50] You know

[00:37:51] The only way I can compare it's when you want when you are mountain year you need to acclimatize

[00:37:56] So you you go out and you visit

[00:37:58] You do certain walks and hikes that you know are gonna

[00:38:03] You're gonna sort of get your body ready and that's a bit like when I go to the Alps

[00:38:07] There's places I know that I go to

[00:38:10] That I kind of think straight away

[00:38:13] Yeah, if you go up that mountain if you go on that trek

[00:38:16] You know, you're gonna sort of set your mind straight. You are in the alps

[00:38:20] You've got your alpine head on and you know what you want to do

[00:38:24] But then gosh the sky's the limit

[00:38:27] Honestly, you just do not know what you're going to expect

[00:38:30] I mean you can go up in the mountains and and you know certain places you're gonna go

[00:38:35] You're gonna get a great shot

[00:38:36] So you go there white out. You can't see a thing

[00:38:40] But this is where you need patience as as a photographer as everyone knows and

[00:38:46] You might have think I'll just give up on this project for the day try and find another place

[00:38:52] But you know distances quite

[00:38:54] When you're hiking distances are quite wide

[00:38:57] You kind of think over that valley might be a bit better to go over there

[00:39:02] But sometimes you just I don't know is it a gut instinct?

[00:39:05] I don't know but you think just wait just just stay where you are

[00:39:09] And five hours later you might get that most amazing shot

[00:39:13] And and that's what's happened to me quite a few times. You just just stick with it

[00:39:18] Don't necessarily go straight away hang about and just see what happens

[00:39:21] And one of the memories I have most

[00:39:24] Most striking was when I was at the base of the Matterhorn

[00:39:28] And I was looking over Zermatt Valley and the sky was just so gray and cloudy and this was in the middle of summer

[00:39:34] I mean, this is what I'm saying the wet. You just cannot guarantee the weather. I mean, I went to

[00:39:39] One area I went for years

[00:39:42] I mean literally 10 years I visited one lake and I never got to see

[00:39:47] The Matterhorn over this particular lake on a clear day

[00:39:51] And then one day it happened and you're thinking oh gosh

[00:39:53] I kind of almost forgot about it and I was just doing that hike in the clear day

[00:39:57] But anyway, there was this time in the summer and gosh, there were actually

[00:40:03] Mosquitoes at 3000 meters. I mean how is that even possible? How can you get mosquitoes?

[00:40:08] But it was in the middle of summer

[00:40:10] It's getting bitten like anything and and there was me and

[00:40:13] This is what I mean. We're part of a community of artists

[00:40:15] So it's me and this other photographer and we're just like kind of looking at this other thinking what the hell are we doing here?

[00:40:20] But we both were staying there and I was thinking am I just doing this because I've got a gut instinct

[00:40:25] I'm doing it because another photographer's doing it. We're both thinking I'm not going because she's not going or I'm not going because he's not going

[00:40:32] Anyway, so we stuck there and three hours later

[00:40:35] Gosh the sky's lifted and had the most astonishing

[00:40:40] sunset on the Monterosa. I am talking. I have never seen it like that

[00:40:44] Absolutely beautiful. I mean had the matamon behind us clouds still on it. Oh my god, that was incredible

[00:40:51] But it was too close don't get too close to amount and give it a bit of distance

[00:40:55] You know that was too close. He wasn't gonna have an impact

[00:40:58] but looking out

[00:40:59] Eight miles down that way. Oh my god. I know it's still one of my favorite pictures

[00:41:05] I'm calling Monterosa twilight

[00:41:07] Good morning, but I love it because it just the colors and and as a photographer

[00:41:14] I mean we see so many commercial photos where it's lovely, but it's so hyper

[00:41:20] hyper realistic hyper real

[00:41:22] But actually be there when it really is that real and really is that beautiful

[00:41:26] but it's not a shoe

[00:41:28] So you would say feed that

[00:41:31] mountains are your happy place

[00:41:33] Yeah

[00:41:35] Yeah, I have to admit

[00:41:37] A lot of people particularly with all the stuff on the news at the moment

[00:41:40] There's an avalanche here and avalanche there. I have never not felt safe in the alps in the mountains

[00:41:47] I was a little bit more nervous in America because they have

[00:41:50] bears

[00:41:52] And mountain lights, but I can honestly say

[00:41:55] I have always felt safe there and and if there's ever

[00:41:59] Which is astonishing because they're fast, but you know

[00:42:03] As a as a photographer, I mean cross quite often I work solo

[00:42:07] I do go to the mountains with friends, but quite often they're like, I'm not going to do that root for you

[00:42:11] And I don't want to do that or what can I just head off on my own?

[00:42:14] And I think is a responsible

[00:42:16] Person just make sure people know where you're going where you're going to spend your day

[00:42:21] I would just say that as a matter of course

[00:42:23] I think people should do that anyway when they go out into the wilds a bit and yeah

[00:42:28] It is kind of really my happy place. Yeah

[00:42:32] Yeah

[00:42:33] Fee is that a photographer that

[00:42:36] That you look up to like an inspiration

[00:42:39] Not only on a on a technical standpoint, but on a way that he or she

[00:42:44] Changed the world somehow

[00:42:47] Yeah, I have to confess there are a couple that I

[00:42:50] I do love Sebastian's look all those work. I just

[00:42:54] You know, I think as photographers we

[00:42:58] We don't always have the right words for everything but we can take great pictures and I just remember going to

[00:43:04] his exhibition in London. He was at the National History Museum

[00:43:09] He had his work there and I I just loved it. It was it was

[00:43:14] Gosh when you looked at the pictures close

[00:43:16] You're like it was it was a rough picture

[00:43:20] I mean the the grain was out of this world and

[00:43:24] I think it was just beautiful and there were massive pictures and black and white primarily

[00:43:29] I'm not a black and white photographer, but I just love the authenticity of his work of what he was trying to do there

[00:43:37] Yeah, so I like his work and I like the fact that he's taken

[00:43:41] The money he's made from that work and he rewilded the land around where he lived and created a forest

[00:43:48] It's just incredible

[00:43:50] So I'm like oh gosh. Well, I also really I do quite like Ansel Adams actually and I just quite like

[00:43:58] his focus he focused on the particular area and

[00:44:02] His pictures there's about four or five of them which are just so well known and we all know them

[00:44:07] His confidence as an artist was obviously very clear

[00:44:11] so

[00:44:12] Yeah, I'm always open to hearing from other people about if they've seen another artist

[00:44:16] They would really recommend to me. I love that. I feel like I saw so much to learn. I think we all feel like that sometimes don't we?

[00:44:24] And now of course you have this amazing podcast also fee so

[00:44:28] Lots of things to do to consider and to think out

[00:44:31] Fee, I think we can round it up here. It's been an amazing talk

[00:44:35] I think I'm ready to take my backpack and walk up into the mountain tomorrow

[00:44:39] I

[00:44:41] Well, if you ever need any any sort of ideas, I've got you got a list of all the places I loved going

[00:44:47] So I'm really happy to share that but yes, thank you

[00:44:51] Oh, I really hope you do and just so many beautiful places so many beautiful lands

[00:44:56] Alpine type landscapes. There's amazing landscapes in Spain as amazing landscapes in in italy

[00:45:02] There's so many places to visit

[00:45:05] They sure are fee. Thank you very much. We keep in contact. Have a great evening still

[00:45:11] Oh, thank you so much and keep taking the time to talk with me

[00:45:15] It's been my pleasure. I see you around fee. Bye. Bye

[00:45:20] And there we go

[00:45:21] I think that wraps up another exciting episode of the camera cafe show

[00:45:25] I hope you enjoyed our conversation about alpine photography and as an artist few through the eyes of fee

[00:45:32] You know, if you want to find out more about her you can find that all back together with a transcript of this episode in our show notes on our website

[00:45:40] Remember all you photographers sometimes all we need is a little bit of passion

[00:45:45] And I hope this episode sparked some curiosity in you

[00:45:48] If it did I'd love to hear from you. Don't forget to tune in next time for more captivating discussions and insight

[00:45:54] Because we've got a packed calendar for this year. So be sure to stay connected in any way you want with us

[00:46:00] This is Tom Jacob signing off for today until next time keep shooting keep sharing and of course keep moving your photography

[00:46:08] adios