If you asked someone back in December what 2020 would look like, I am sure they would tell you that with the new decade things would be different. This was going to be the time they got that new job, bought the new car and do that one thing they always wanted to do. Well things certainly did change, but in ways that no one could expect.

My name is Greg and photography has been my main hobby since I bought my first DSLR in 2015. My interests started out in nature and landscape photography and over time I have also grown to love shooting cars as well as people. For a while now I have wondered if I could make the leap to go pro and make this my full-time career, picking up my first paid jobs over the last 18 months.

However, like with many other people, I have found change forced upon me when I was laid off from my office job at the end of June. After reflecting over the summer, I have decided now is the time to strike and take my passion full time. Going freelance in a recession is certainly a daunting task but it will give me the time to really hone my craft on personal projects to showcase my work.

What projects you ask? Being a digital native shooter, I have picked up my first 35mm SLR (and I am hoping to pick up a medium format camera in the near future) and using this I want to create a series called ‘Hertfordshire in Film’. If you look up ‘Top 10 Photography Locations’ you are not likely to find anywhere from my home county, which resembles something that looks like landscape photography purgatory. With no mountains, no coast, relatively little forest cover and with a fair distance to reach any, it does not look like there is much opportunity on the face of it. But this does mean the area is under-photographed, and with a bit of research there are hidden areas of interest that are relatively unknown. Hertfordshire does have its fair share of old buildings, some of which are largely forgotten ruins.

Alongside my project work I will take you through the gear I use and what I think of it, other shoots I am working, shooting film for the first time as well as my ‘Wind back’ series where I take a look at photos I’ve taken in previous years and comment on what I like and what I would do differently.

You can expect a new blog each week, but in the meantime check out the rest of the website which I will be adding to as time goes on.

Want to get in touch? Leave a comment below or contact me on Greg@gregoryowain.co.uk . I look forward to hearing from you.