Meirion Watkin

Meirion is a photographer living and working in the Peak Park. He grew up in the Staffordshire Moorlands, inspired by pictures of mountains, adventure and far off places. He began taking pictures of his own on film, with whatever cameras he could lay his hands on, experimenting with large format and even holograms.

He followed a career in engineering and jet engine design and was lucky, that an aptitude for visualization and design, made up for any lack of intellect.

In 2003 in the Alps, Meirion climbed a mountain. It was a poor choice of route, climbing alone on unstable rock and a little beyond his abilities. At the summit, though unsure of how he was going to get down again, there was a moment of absolute peace and calm that began to crystalize a direction for his photography. He continues to try and capture the “silence between” and the moments of clarity in nature.

Meirion now works mostly in digital medium format but is always experimenting. He has greatly improved his mountain craft and judgement of risk but continues to take large cameras to inaccessible places. He has traveled and photographed in the Americas, South Africa, China and Europe but is very lucky to live in the sticks, on the Western edge of the Peak, with his wife and two small, adventurous children.