WordPress Birthday
Hello, It’s now 4 years since I started writing this blog. When I picked up the camera again after many years of absence I was encouraged by a friend, Marina Chetna, to start getting my photography out there and that is what I did. I created a WordPress account.
The response to the work I have posted over the last four years has been humbling, the encouragement from fellow bloggers incredible. I’ve come a long way. I don’t want to turn this into a boast post, that’s not what I’m about but I’ve just been invited to write for Outdoor Photography, a leading landscape photography magazine in the UK, I have a piece that will be published in the March edition. That has been rather special, along with the invitation to submit a book proposal, the Icelandic landscape in Winter. Like I say, I’ve come a long way from taking a few landscape photographs when I could get out, in and around Cornwall to traveling overseas to places I wouldn’t have dreamed of visiting. None of this would have been possible without the support of all of you.
I’m not a confident person. I never have been. The continued support and encouragement, the comments, the very real friendship and appreciation from those enjoying my photography has allowed me to peek my head above a parapet I might never have dared to even approach and the results have been incredible. Thank you so much for that.
I thought very hard about the picture I might post. There have quite a few over the last four years but for me, the photograph below came out on top. My love of Iceland is known to many of you. This country in winter is incredible. It’s hard, it’s difficult but if you persevere as a photographer, the rewards are amazing.
This photograph was taken after traveling several miles from Vik in the most horrendous driving conditions possible. The snow ploughs were working at full stretch. Turning off the main Route One, we followed a road that had snow drifts so deep we were not at all sure we’d get through. We did.
Setting up on the beach I thought this is absolutely crazy, the snow was falling so heavily, visibility was nil but then, just for an instant, the snow cleared and I could see exactly why I was there. Capturing this scene with that single bird putting in an appearance was an absolute gift. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t. This was an occasion when it most certainly did.
Cornwall Photographic 
Splendid shot of a splendid spot and, bonus, without tour busses, hurrah
January 11, 2017 at 6:00 pm
Thank you harol! It has to be said the tour buses, certainly on my last visit were a real issue. Many of the photographs I’ve taken in Iceland in recent years would now simply not be possible given the very dramatic, and in my opinion, rather damaging rise in tourist numbers.
January 12, 2017 at 9:35 am
Congratulations! Your pictures are certainly magazine and book-worthy.
January 11, 2017 at 6:07 pm
Thank you very much Debbie. Much appreciated! :-)
January 12, 2017 at 9:36 am
Congratulations! What exciting prospects.
January 11, 2017 at 6:13 pm
Thank you very much Annie! It is exciting to be involved in these new projects. :-)
January 12, 2017 at 9:36 am
You have great knowledge of your craft, Adrian, and your own unique vision! I, for one, am looking forward to what images you have for us next!
January 11, 2017 at 6:24 pm
Thank you very much Sue. A lovely comment and very much appreciated! :-)
January 12, 2017 at 9:37 am
Gratulerer, ja herzlichen Glückwunsch , dear Adrian to your forth year with WordPress!! Your blog and your photography are outstanding and inspiring to all of us. Hopefully you stay a happy blogger for many, many years to come.
We are so happy about the good news from Outdoor Photography, one of my favourite magazines in the UK! :-) Wow, I feel really proud! :-)
The Icelandic image is a true gem, the light and lines are perfect and I feel almost hypnotized looking at it.
Will be in touch per email very soon.
Hanne and Klausbernd xo
January 11, 2017 at 6:36 pm
Thank you very much Hanne and Klausbernd. We have become very good friends as a result of blogging and following each other for a very long time. We certainly wouldn’t have met without WordPress and this is one of the things I love so much about blogging. I certainly plan to carry on! I enjoy it very much and the support and encouragement that comes from our community is second to none and priceless. :-) x
January 12, 2017 at 9:39 am
Congratulations on your achievements Adrian. Well deserved, your photos are an inspiration to most of us and you are so modest about your skills and talent. I hope that the new work doesn’t prevent you from blogging still as I for one always love to see one of your images appear in the Reader. Have a wonderfully successful, happy and healthy (as much as it is possible) 2017 and I wish you all the best.
Jude xx
January 11, 2017 at 6:45 pm
Thank you so much Jude for your lovely comment. It is comments like these that have kept me working when self-doubt has reared its head as I think it often does with most artists. This is why our community is so important to so many of us and I fully intend to remain a very active member of it. I too wish you all the very best for 2017 Jude. Thank you again. :-) x
January 12, 2017 at 9:42 am
This is a stunning image Adrian. It speaks to me of isolation, wilderness, cold and beauty, but above all serenity. It sounds like you have found that through your photography. I would never have known you lacked in confidence with all you have achieved over the past 4 years. Here’s to many more years of wonderful photography for you.
January 11, 2017 at 6:46 pm
Thank you so much Lee. This photograph was taken in one of those moments that happen along when you’re a landscape photographer, all the elements coming together. I hadn’t notice the single gull in the photograph until I got home and started processing. Perfectly placed, adding so much to the mood of the photograph it was a lucky moment. I’m certainly looking forward to many more years of photography to come! :-)
January 12, 2017 at 9:44 am
I am so happy finding your blog with excellent photos and thanks for sharing your work with us.Happy birthday for your exciting blog and thanks for so many visits to mine.Wish you all he best and hope you post a lot magnificent photo’s n the future so I can learning a lot of photography by your work.Thanks you so much my friend
January 11, 2017 at 6:57 pm
Thank you so much Lou! You have been such a loyal follower for a very long time and I appreciate that very much. I’m very much looking forward to carrying on with my blog and will continue to post my photography when I can. I’m glad you’re able to learn something from my photographs. That is a great compliment. It’s always a pleasure to visit your blog and share your observations of the natural world around you. :-)
January 12, 2017 at 10:09 am
Happy WordPress Birthday!!! Brilliant capture. I enjoy following your blog and look forward to every post! Looking forward to the journey ahead.
January 11, 2017 at 7:01 pm
Thank you very much indeed. I can’t quite believe it’s been 4 years now. It’s wonderful to be a part of this very supportive community here on WordPress. It’s a pleasure having you along for the journey ahead. Thank you. :-)
January 12, 2017 at 10:11 am
Stunning!
January 11, 2017 at 7:13 pm
Thank you very much!
January 12, 2017 at 10:11 am
Dear Adrian, Thank you for sharing this wonderful news. I so look forward to following your career at Outdoor Photography and beyond. When I recall how bewildered you were at the beginning of this journey, it brings tears and I can barely comprehend the distance you’ve come. I would say that God had a great plan for you all along. May the coming year bring more tales of your success! Fond regards, Vivian
January 11, 2017 at 7:16 pm
Dear Vivian,
Thank you very much for your lovely comment. You have been a good friend to me here on WordPress for a very long time and I appreciate that very much. I never imagined how things would progress when I took those first tentative steps. It’s been an exciting journey and I’m looking forward to seeing where it takes me next. Take care
My very best regards Adrian :-)
January 12, 2017 at 11:04 am
I, too, greatly appreciate the friendship. My husband and I are still awaiting the day when you make your way to the U.S. :)
January 12, 2017 at 8:40 pm
When I do I will certainly be in touch Vivien. Meeting you and your husband is something I will look forward to very much! :-)
January 13, 2017 at 4:36 pm
Thank you for sharing your work over the last few years. It has been a pleasure to follow!
January 11, 2017 at 7:17 pm
Thank you very much Johann. I appreciate your company on this journey I have been taking. :-)
January 12, 2017 at 11:04 am
I really do look forward to your posts Adrian because, apart from the fantastic photography, they usually contain very positive news about your achievements, which are all thoroughly deserved and inspirational.
January 11, 2017 at 7:41 pm
Thank you so much Mark! It’s been a real pleasure getting to know you and your work. You’ve been a good and loyal friend to this blog for a very long time now and I appreciate that very much. Looking forward to the next 4 years! :-)
January 12, 2017 at 11:07 am
Right back at you Adrian 😊. I’m not going anywhere….hopefully 😊
January 12, 2017 at 6:52 pm
:-)
January 13, 2017 at 4:33 pm
Happy anniversary, Adrian! I’m so glad you decided to start blogging, it’s such a pleasure to follow your blog! :)
January 11, 2017 at 7:49 pm
Thank you very much Camilla. I’m glad I started blogging too. I love your nature photography and this is the beauty of WordPress, being able to share what we do. :-)
January 12, 2017 at 11:08 am
Congratulations on your great blog.
January 11, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Thank you very much Victor. Much appreciated!
January 12, 2017 at 11:08 am
I’m very grateful your friend Marina encouraged you to start this blog. I always find your posts beautiful, thought-provoking, inspiring, or even — as this one has proven — goosebump-inducing. What an image! You may yet entice me to visit Iceland in the winter. Happy blog birthday, Adrian!
January 11, 2017 at 8:22 pm
Thank you very much. I’m very grateful to Marina too. Iceland in winter is so very beautiful. The weather challenging at times but the rewards immense. I’m very happy to have had this opportunity to bring the beauty of Iceland to so many people! :-)
January 12, 2017 at 11:10 am
Congratulations and what a stunning photo.
January 11, 2017 at 8:49 pm
Thank you very much indeed Paula. Much appreciated. :-)
January 12, 2017 at 11:11 am
Congratulations! I am new to your blog, but from what I’ve seen, your photography is a beautiful expression of the world. Wishing you much continued success! : )
January 11, 2017 at 8:53 pm
Thank you very much. It’s a pleasure to have your company. We live in a very beautiful but sadly very troubled world. It’s so nice to concentrate on the beauty. :-)
January 12, 2017 at 11:12 am
That’s awesome.. Happy WordPress Birthday & congrats on you achievements. I personally love how suppoetive the WordPress community is & its always nice to see someone achieving something amazing.. great work 😊
January 11, 2017 at 9:09 pm
Thank you very much indeed Sarah. The blogging community is indeed incredibly supportive and I don’t think I’d be where I am with my photography had it not been for this blog. Thank you following! :-)
January 12, 2017 at 11:13 am
Happy WordPress birthday !!!
Always love watching your pictures, and looking forward to the Easter holidays. We will be visiting this outstanding region during a 6-day hike along the Coastal Path.
Greets,
David
January 11, 2017 at 9:39 pm
Thank you very much David. That sounds like a wonderful way to see the country. The coastline is stunning and I know you’re going to love it. Happy travels! Adrian
January 12, 2017 at 11:14 am
Happy WordPress Birthday! Since I discovered your blog, you’ve been an inspiration, and your photos never fail to brighten my day. Congratulations on the invitation write for Outdoor Photography and the book proposal! I look forward to seeing your work in print.
January 11, 2017 at 9:45 pm
Thank you very much indeed. It’s been quite a journey and I’m looking forward to working hard and bringing the book together. I’m so happy to here that my photographs inspire and brighten your day. That is lovely to hear and such a compliment.
January 12, 2017 at 11:16 am
Well-deserved congratulations. There is a publication here also called Outdoor Photography; perhaps I’ll get to see your piece copied here.
And yes, that is a great photo . . . did you have the bird sign a release form?
January 11, 2017 at 10:18 pm
I tried Emilio but when he flew off to join his friends, I couldn’t recognise him again in the flock. Thank you very much for your comment. Always very much appreciated. :-)
January 12, 2017 at 11:19 am
Congratulations with your four years of blogging and for being asked to write for Outdoor Photography. Personally I am not at all surprised by the latter. You have you own voice and take superb photos, which this one accomplishing the post clearly shows. It’s been great fun to follow you, Adrian, and I look forward to many more years.
January 11, 2017 at 10:26 pm
Thank you very much indeed Otto. You have always been so encouraging and supportive as you are to so many photographers. Your work inspires, your photographs incredible and your words always so wise. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you and I hope that this year we’ll get the chance to meet and get to know one another a little better. That would be fabulous. Thank you once again for always being there with your words of encouragement.
January 12, 2017 at 11:22 am
I still have this in my thoughts, to meet up with you and the Fabulous Four. :-)
January 12, 2017 at 3:55 pm
It would be a lot of fun! :-)
January 12, 2017 at 4:33 pm
Indeed! :-) :-) :-) :-)
January 14, 2017 at 5:31 pm
:-)
January 16, 2017 at 1:33 pm
Congratulations!! Well deserved.
January 12, 2017 at 12:54 am
Thank you very much indeed Neil.
January 12, 2017 at 11:22 am
Congratulations on your success! It’s well deserved.
January 12, 2017 at 5:00 am
Thank you very much Sheri! I really appreciate that. :-)
January 12, 2017 at 11:22 am
A happy new year to you and congratulations on your commission! Your images are deserving and the one you have posted is spectacular!! 😊Trees
January 12, 2017 at 7:11 am
Thank you very much Trees. This photograph is certainly one of my favourites from Iceland. One of those times when everything just came together. :-)
January 12, 2017 at 11:23 am
this shot adrian must say simply amazing do keeep in touch navjeet
On Wed, Jan 11, 2017 at 11:22 PM, Cornwall Photographic wrote:
> Chillbrook posted: “Hello, It’s now 4 years since I started writing this > blog. When I picked up the camera again after many years of absence I was > encouraged by a friend, Marina Chetna, to start getting my photography out > there and that is what I did. I created a Wordpres” >
January 12, 2017 at 7:16 am
Thank you very Navjeet.
January 12, 2017 at 11:25 am
dear adrian this shot simply beaut amazing out of the blue do keep in touch it livens you up cheers
January 12, 2017 at 7:18 am
simply majestic shot this
January 12, 2017 at 7:19 am
As always an interesting post. The description of the trip to take this shot chilling. No pun intended. Love always mum xxxx
January 12, 2017 at 7:20 am
Thank you very much Mum. It was chilly and a bit chilling on the road out of Vik to say the least. Lots of love :-) xxx
January 12, 2017 at 11:26 am
Simply: awesome.
January 12, 2017 at 10:47 am
Thank you very much Indeed Matti! :-)
January 12, 2017 at 11:26 am
Great photo!
And I am very glad for the good things that came your way! Enjoy them :-)
January 12, 2017 at 2:51 pm
Thank you very much indeed Nil. I will indeed do my best to enjoy working on my book and writing the odd article. Most importantly though, I will be out there enjoying my photography! :-)
January 12, 2017 at 3:23 pm
That’s how it should be! And then we can enjoy it too ;-)
January 12, 2017 at 3:49 pm
:-)
January 12, 2017 at 4:34 pm
Thank you for your wonderful photography. I appreciate so much that you share it as otherwise I might not see how beautiful this land is
January 12, 2017 at 4:02 pm
Thank you very much. I’m very aware of so much ugliness in our world, the conflict and war. I really like to concentrate on the beauty, it’s my way of coping and with such turbulent times ahead of us, I will be immersing myself in my photography more than ever, concentrating on the beauty all around us. If only we could all just stop and see it.
January 12, 2017 at 4:36 pm
I am enthusiastic toastmaster and this organization could help you increase your confidence and promote your photography. Toastmasters is all over the world, visit for free a club near you and find out more at toastmasters.org.
January 12, 2017 at 4:14 pm
Gratulerer!
January 12, 2017 at 4:32 pm
Tusen takk :-)
January 12, 2017 at 4:37 pm
Congratulations on your WP anniversary. What a truly great ride it’s been. I am so happy for you that you’re getting the recognition you so very much deserve. Wishing more great success in the coming year!
January 12, 2017 at 7:22 pm
Thank you so much Gunta. You’ve been a very good friend over the last four years. I’m very much looking forward to the year ahead and enjoying many more posts from your corner of the world. :-)
January 13, 2017 at 4:34 pm
Simply stunning. Thank you!
January 12, 2017 at 8:10 pm
Thank you Isabel! :-)
January 13, 2017 at 4:34 pm
Congratulations Adrian, it sounds like it is all coming together for you, and some wonderful opportunities.
January 12, 2017 at 10:08 pm
Thank you very much Leanne, very much appreciated! :-)
January 14, 2017 at 3:55 pm
Congratulations on the success of your photographic journey. There will be more rewards along the way, for sure.
January 12, 2017 at 10:37 pm
Thank you very much Mr Dragon! :-)
January 14, 2017 at 3:55 pm
Congratulations on your terrific news! You really are an amazing photographer!
January 13, 2017 at 12:24 am
Thank you very much Marty!
January 14, 2017 at 3:56 pm
Congratulations! It is great photo, so simple and so strong. Your photos are so great that I can not find words to describe them. And I am glad you start again makes this wonderfull photos.
January 13, 2017 at 7:51 am
Thank you very much! I always appreciate your comments very much indeed! :-)
January 14, 2017 at 3:56 pm
I am glad!
January 14, 2017 at 4:04 pm
:-)
January 16, 2017 at 1:36 pm
Stunning! A truly worthy choice for favourite.
January 13, 2017 at 10:18 am
Thank you very much Anna. This was a photograph I very much enjoyed taking. :-)
January 14, 2017 at 3:57 pm
Congratulations all round dear ChillB ! An amazing 4 years … I hope the next 4 … and the next 4 and .. and .. are just as fulfilling and exciting :) Such lovely comments from everyone and so well deserved .
Looking forward to reading your OP article and seeing that book come together .
Much to look forward to .. I remember this morning only to well lol …the next time we ‘re all on a beach though I think it’ll be in rather different conditions … you must be counting the days ;)
Poppy xx
January 13, 2017 at 11:16 pm
I am indeed counting the days Poppy. Through our blogs we have become incredibly good friends. How marvelous is that? It’s been a great journey and one that does indeed stretch into the future. I’m looking forward to it very much and looking forward to many more joint photography trips. We’ve had quite a few adventures one way and another. Who’d have thought we’d end up in Iceland in the middle of winter? Thank you Poppy. :-) xx
January 14, 2017 at 4:00 pm
Oh wow, these are wonderful news !! I’m so happy for you !! Congratulations for the article and the book ! Keep up updated when it’s published !
January 14, 2017 at 3:55 pm
I will Gin, a lot of work yet to do. Thank you very much indeed for all your comments over the past few years. :-)
January 16, 2017 at 1:38 pm
It’s been fascinating watching you develop your art, Adrian…visiting those other parts of the world through your posts…. Congratulations on your four years and for the opportunities with the magazine and book deal. I do love this photograph, as well…such stark beauty…
January 14, 2017 at 4:30 pm
Thank you Scott. It’s been great having you along on this journey I’ve been on for the last 4 years. It’s been incredible. The stark, raw beauty of Iceland and winter, its softer cuddlier side in autumn, it really is a stunning landscape and I feel very privileged to have been able to visit so many times now and bring these photographs back. Here’s to many more years for the both of us. All the very best for the new year. Adrian :-)
January 16, 2017 at 1:36 pm
Wonderful picture, capturing what few of us will ever experience. Thank You. M :-)
January 14, 2017 at 4:51 pm
Thank you very much M. It’s been a privilege to be able to bring the Iceland landscape to so many. It truly is a stunning place to visit. :-)
January 16, 2017 at 1:34 pm
Congratulations Adrian! Your work and perseverance in the field is an inspiration and deserves all the recognition you have received to date. I hope you share more with us in 2017, including that book and many many mag features. Regards, Karen
January 16, 2017 at 12:00 pm
Thank you very much indeed Karen for you lovely comment. It’s good to keep busy and I hope that I can keep up. What’s most important is enjoying my photography, without that, good photographs don’t follow. Looking forward to the year ahead. Thank you once again. :-)
January 16, 2017 at 1:31 pm
Congratulations; the recognition is well deserved. I so enjoy all your posts.
January 16, 2017 at 1:10 pm
Thank you very much Vera. It’s nice to hear that you enjoy my posts. I will endeavour to keep them coming. :-)
January 16, 2017 at 1:32 pm
You have been on an extraordinary journey these past four years, Adrian, and it has been such a pleasure to witness this and share images with you. There is a magazine I look forward to reading in two months time and some of your other achievements are well known to me and all are richly deserved. This is a superb image and what a fantastic bonus to have a bird in the sky and in the right position – the Gods were smiling on you that day.
January 16, 2017 at 6:13 pm
Thank you very much Andy. It has indeed been an incredible journey over the last four years and I don’t think it would have been possible without the encouragement I have received within the WordPress community especially from people like yourself whose photography I so admire. I didn’t see the bird in this photograph until I started to process it. It was just one of those things, the lone bird adding so much to the lonely, wild desolation of this beautiful beach in winter. The Gods were indeed smiling. Thank you again for all that you have done for me.
January 17, 2017 at 12:28 pm
It has been a pleasure, Adrian. And you’re not the only one to find a little ‘inclusion’ when you start to process an image, that you had never spotted at capture.
January 17, 2017 at 12:36 pm
Thanks Andy! It is nice when you get those little extras in processing you weren’t expecting! :-)
January 25, 2017 at 3:13 pm
Congratulations on your blogging anniversary! Your photography is breathtaking, and worthy of publication in any venue I can think of. I’m a latecomer to your blog, but so glad I found it. I look forward to every post.
January 16, 2017 at 10:04 pm
Thank you so much. I appreciate your comment very much and am so happy to have you along on this journey. :-)
January 17, 2017 at 12:29 pm
congratulations :)
January 19, 2017 at 11:46 am
Thank you Joshi!
January 25, 2017 at 3:12 pm
Great choice – it’s a fabulous photograph.
…. and congratulations on your achievements – past, present and future! :)
January 19, 2017 at 2:02 pm
Thank you so much Noeline. Very much appreciated! :-)
January 25, 2017 at 3:12 pm
Congratulations with everything achived, Adrian, and it is well deserved! And that photograph is amazing! Good luck with everything!
January 19, 2017 at 5:27 pm
Thank you very much indeed Bente! Have a very happy and successful New Year! :-)
January 25, 2017 at 3:11 pm
Splendid image Adrian and incredible achievements. It looks like 2017 is off to a great start. Wishing you all the very best.
January 26, 2017 at 2:56 am
And to you Edith. Thank you very much! :-)
January 29, 2017 at 5:20 pm
Congratulations on your four years and everything that you’ve achieved through your amazing photography. Love this image. 😃
January 28, 2017 at 6:38 pm
Thank you very much Sylvia. It’s been an incredible four years and the support of the WordPress community has been amazing. It was great to meet you and Mr C. That wouldn’t have happened without the blog. This platform really does bring people together through their creativity and that’s brilliant. Thank you for being there Sylvia. I appreciate it very much. :-)
January 29, 2017 at 5:19 pm
😘 we hope to see you again one day when we get down to Cornwall.
January 29, 2017 at 6:33 pm
That would be really lovely Sylvia. I would enjoy that very much. :-)
March 7, 2017 at 12:47 pm
Hi Adrian –
This is a delightful post – I’m happy for you, and your success inspires us. The photo is beautiful, as is the story.
You just commented on my blog that you’re behind – well I’m beyind behind at this point, but life happens. I write this on my phone in the icu with Joe. He’s doing much better. And I met our fellow blogging friend Scott who lives here in Phoenix – isn’t that cool? So it’s an intense mix these days. Glad I had a minute to visit with you.
Thank you for posting and for commenting and for being yourself.
January 31, 2017 at 11:17 pm
Hi Lynn,
I’m sorry to hear you are in the ICU with Joe but glad to hear he’s doing much better. What happened. I’ve been out of the loop for some time as you know now. No Internet where I have been staying.
I hope that things continue to improve. My thoughts are with you. Adrian x
March 7, 2017 at 12:44 pm
Congratulations on your exciting opportunities, Adrian. Your images are superb. Happy WP Anniversary and I hope 2017 continues to be fruitful!
January 31, 2017 at 5:00 pm
Thank you very much for your thoughts Jane. I appreciate them very much! :-)
March 7, 2017 at 12:46 pm
It has been truly wonderful to follow your photography journey, Adrian. Your work is outstanding! Congratulations on everything you have accomplished – I look forward to much more incredible work.
xx
February 5, 2017 at 8:06 pm
Thank you so much Karen. You are always so kind and I appreciate your words all the more given your amazing talent. :-) x
March 7, 2017 at 12:46 pm
Well deserved recognition! More please.
June 27, 2017 at 8:09 pm
Thank you Elena. I’ve been heavily involved in a photography project for the last year. Total immersion, s state I know you will recognise as an artist. It all has to be perfect and yet it never is. Seems OK at the time when one processes a picture and then one looks back and it’s not. I’ve been a little absent from the blogosphere as a result of this near obsession but hoping to start posting and visiting blogs again very soon.
July 18, 2017 at 3:01 pm