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David Southern
Photography has been in David’s blood from the moment he picked up his first camera. On his photographic journey he has taken pictures in a great many places from around the world including recording conservation projects for the World Wildlife Fund, (WWF).
Since becoming a full time photographer in 2018 much of his work has featured the intimate landscapes and wildlife found on his local Northumbrian coastline where he now lives.
Being immersed in the natural world is where he is most at ease and where he finds his inspiration. David say’s, “I spend many hours exploring amongst rocks, seaweed and sand for compelling little scenes that tell stories of time and tide”.
He regularly contributes to photography magazines, podcasts and exhibitions and has won awards in a number of national and international competitions. An experienced public speaker and mentor, he has featured on local TV and radio.
Michéla Griffith
In 2012 I paused by my local river and everything changed. I’ve moved away from what many expect photographs to be: my images deconstruct the literal and reimagine the subjective, reflecting the curiosity that water has inspired in my practice. Water has been my conduit: it has sharpened my vision, given me permission to experiment and continues to introduce me to new ways of seeing.
Our inevitable reaction to a new place is to look out. Only later do we look down or if we’re at the coast behind us. Edges of any kind are rich places, perhaps none more so than the edge between the land and the sea. And twice each day, this landscape is refreshed.
This now is David’s palette, a landscape of rock and sand, pebble and pool. And just in case he runs out of inspiration, he has begun to explore the intertidal zone and to photograph seaweed.
Would you like to start by telling readers a little about yourself – where you grew up, what your early interests were, and what you went on to do?
I was born in the Wirral but have lived in various places around the UK since then. After graduating with a degree in Biology, I went off to South America armed with only a Spanish phrasebook and a lot of bravado. I taught English to pay my way, and after a couple of formative and unforgettable years, I returned to the UK. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a camera during my time in South America. The mental snapshots of the amazing places I visited and stories of my experiences have only grown more vivid and colourful over time.
Much of my first career was in IT. After a number of years working in the finance sector, I needed to feel more fulfilled in my working life, and my heart led me to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Along my photographic journey and career, I’ve taken pictures in a great many places around the world, and I’ve been fortunate to have witnessed some great wonders of nature.