It was around 9 pm on the 6th of August when I took this photo at Seascale. The sun was whispering its last words, glittering golden hues onto the sea. I watched the last rays sink into the depths of the sky. The sand had the shine of dark blue velvet. I felt small, as dusk swallowed me whole. Only for a moment, however. I knew light had not disappeared, it only wore the coat of night.

The tide rolled out from the quiet town of Seascale, revealing a heap of mumbling rocks. They were dressed in algae and drank seawater punch from shells. They looked at the horizon, where little houses sat dreaming. Clouds puffed above them like thoughts in a child’s mind. Soon the sea would cover the rocks and they would see this sight no more. ‘Ah,’ the rocks whispered, ‘to live only for the moment’.

A narrow footpath streaks across the vivid hills near Ambleside, Lake District. This is the old bridleway between Ambleside and Troutbeck villages. I was completely alone, but not lonely when I captured this shot. The setting sun painted its light on the stone farms in the distance. A gentle wind caressed my cheeks, bringing the smell of fresh grass and oak trees closer. Small stone towers marked the land from place to place, watching and waiting. Now they have witnessed my footsteps and my breath is forever engrained in their lichen ridden ears.

I love oak trees. There is something majestic about the unwavering branches of an oak tree. Moss and lichens grow on it unhindered, forming a velvet cape, fit for royal sap. I was listening to the leaves rustle in the wind as the sun sifted through the clouds when I took this photo. This king of oak trees can be found on the outskirts of Ambleside in the Lake District, on a cool summer’s day.

On the third day of Christmas (2019), my family and I wandered along the Red Lake, Romania. Its frozen crust shone in the noon sky, as the wind pierced our skin. Chaotic snowflakes fell on our shoulders as the thick snow yielded under our feet. My mother once walked on the ice here, when she was pregnant with my brother. The ice cracked…

One sunny October day, I discovered the beauty of Edale, in the Peak District, UK. Its rolling hills and serene lighting enchanted me completely. It reminded me of a time of peace and simple joys, a time of green grass and grazing sheep…ah how my heart soars in the fresh wind of Edale!

Two brave little souls brave the unpredictable waves of Tonel beach, Sagres, Portugal. Their mother is watching closely from the beach.

There is a peak in the south of Portugal, where the west and south coast meet. That place is called Sagres, a heaven on Earth. Here surfing is second nature to the locals, with plenty of beaches to choose from. One of these beaches is Tonel, a rocky coast line of breathtaking beauty. Surfers often come here to glaze the ocean waves before the tides cover up the rocks.