My dad gave me a camera when I was 14, when I was on my way to visit my brother in the Shetlands - and from there my love for photography started. My brother was an artist and explained to me how to use the old 35mm camera. I took to the medium immediately and it has been a constant throughout my life. It has helped me explore my passions for the natural landscape, travel, animals, sport and inspirational people.

I used to devour photography books and magazines to learn as much as I could. My major inspiration came from Ansel Adams, David Bailey and Henri Cartier Bresson to name a few - but the real impact comes from taking photos and striving to constantly learn more and improve upon my craft.

Decisive Moment : Over the years it has been interesting to see how much my photographs have meant for those involved, whether it be images of the individual themselves, their friends or their family. If I had been able to capture that special moment, it really meant a lot to them. The joy with which people would receive my photos really motivated me to keep exploring the elements of the moment. To me, this has been when various items come together - light, composition, geometry and when the subjects are truly in the zone, being true to themselves and achieving their potential. I know within myself when I have captured serene moments like these and it is always just as rewarding every single time.

10,000 Hours : I was lucky enough to see Malcolm Gladwell share his views on the need to spend at least 10,000 hours to be able to achieve a real level of competence in your craft. I can certainly say I have put the hours in! But the great thing is that I know and embrace the fact that I still have a long way to go. That is one of the great things about photography - it can help drive continuous improvement.

Over the last 5 years I have been helping out with a number of great charities to capture what they are achieving, and in turn hopefully help publicise what they do and so achieve greater participation (Stirling Highland Games, The Lanrick Challenge & Stirling County Rugby Club). These events have enabled me to develop my photography skills and techniques. One of the interesting things about the drive to deliver better images each year that really capture the heart of the events, was that whilst photography skills are very important, one of the key enablers to improving the images is taking the time to understand what the organisers were trying to achieve. Even more important was taking the time to really appreciate the people (competitors and volunteers involved) that enabled me to capture the images and moments that matter in an authentic and genuine way.

Having Fun : This photo says it all actually - it’s me working at the Lanrick Challenge - a 12 mile obstacle course. It may look like I have taken part - but only because I walked the course myself in order to capture different moments, get into interesting (and often muddy!) positions to get the right angles, but also because one of the competitors stopped and gave me a hug as he was covered in mud. Being part of the event capturing those moments is always great laugh and extremely rewarding.

The next step : In setting up Bryan Robertson Photography, I am keen to continue this journey and find some new projects and events to work on. I am constantly striving for excellence - not just capturing milestone moments and raw emotions but capturing them well and of the highest quality I can, so these moments can be shared now and passed along in the years to come. If you are interested then please get in touch.

Developing my passion for photography