In the northern hemisphere, Summer 2026 will long be remembered in shades of black, accompanied by the acrid smell of wood smoke. Sometimes our planet as we know it seems such a fragile place.

Sometimes a dried-up shrivelled leaf is all it takes to dissipate a bad dose of summer season grumpiness and re-awake creativity.

Rain can be both a curse and a blessing… but at this time of year when wildfires threaten on every side, it is definitely the latter.

How lucky we “hunters of light” are to appreciate those little things. Just a few seconds, an angle changes by a couple of degrees, a leaf shifts in the breeze, shimmering, shifting… that’s all it takes to remain spellbound.

After the last few few days with the Canadair fire fighting planes passing continuously over my home, it seems right to share these images with you as a tribute to the pilots who are my undisputed heroes.

When the sun glares, blinds and blazes, bleaching the colours and sucking up every drop of moisture from the earth and the skin, it’s time to seek shelter in the shadows.

Two different approaches to the age-old question of survival. To shout or to whisper. I’ll let you be the judge.

It’s getting hot in my meadows, but I’m out there day after day to capture the ever fascinating flora and fauna. But then how to resist a refreshing afternoon nap as the scorching sun filters through the blinds.

After decades of natural light macro photography, I struggle on my first in-the-field venture with flash and diffuser. A lot of failures, but enough successes to persevere.

Stepping out of one comfort zone is hard, but stepping out of two both on the same morning is really challenging. But it somehow worked in capturing the less romantic side of my nearby village. And I can’t wait to have another go.