Last weekend (16-18th November 2018), was the Kendal Mountain Festival that took place in Kendal, Cumbria. It’s probably one of (if not) the largest UK’s largest Outdoor and Adventure Festivals with a host of speakers, talks, films and brands showcasing themselves and their work. Every year, they hold a photo competition open to all to enter, with a selection of categories to enter in to.
This year, I decided to enter the competition as a last minute spur of the moment decision, because after all you have to be in it to win it. I had never entered in to a photo competition before, and thought why not, nothing to lose.
After much deliberating with some friends and with only 2 day to go until the deadline, I entered my 5 photos. Personally, I would have been more than happy to just showcase my work as this event. Turns out, several days prior to the festival, I received an email saying not only had one of my photos been selected by the judges, but it had also won a category to my amazement! I must admit, this was very surprising, but also quite humbling to think that they had selected my photo out of all the others to win the category. The category in particular - ‘Mountain Culture’. The photo in question:
“The morning light enters, but nobody is wanting rise. Too comfy. Too cosy. Another day of adventure awaits, but it can wait a few more minutes - Private cabin in Scotland”
This shot was taken in a private bothy in Scotland. Thanks to Rachel Keenan for asking to come and Barry Wallace from Wilderness SUP for allowing me to tag along, as Barry knows the location to this wonderful bothy.
I was one of the first to wake. I must admit I was pretty comfy in my sleeping bag, but noticed the light pouring in from the main window. Noticing everyone else was either still asleep, or just awakening, I thought this shot tells a story in itself. Quickly rising, I quietly set up my camera on my tripod, linked it up to the app on my phone so I could change settings remotely, and fired off a few shots. Barry (in the bottom right of frame) was awake and beginning to stir. Quietly, I asked him kindly to position himself more at an angle so his face would be more prominent in the shot, to which he agreed. Everything else was left as it was. A very simple shot, that shows bothy life. When the festival team asked for a caption, a simple line came to mind:
“The morning light enters, but nobody is wanting rise. Too comfy. Too cosy. Another day of adventure awaits, but it can wait a few more minutes”.
For all the winners from the competition, click on the button below: