I’m incredibly fortunate to have been able to travel to lots of places in the world. I was born in a British army hospital in Germany and for the first few years of my life, moving locations was normal. I guess that’s where my love of travelling came from. I still love it to this day. Even airports, the waiting and people watching is all part of the experience for me.

Apart from seeing some amazing locations and living some unforgettable experiences, it occurred to me, one of the other great things about travelling is the people you meet along the way. I’m not just talking about the people you meet in foreign countries, but also the people I’ve met travelling around the UK. Many I’m honoured to now call my friends and sometimes it can just be a person who’s so characterful, I can’t help but want to know more about them and ask to take their portrait.

So this project is about those people. Friends, acquaintances, strangers we’re lucky enough to share a few moments of our lives with. My hope is that it not only shows those people how much I appreciate our meeting, but maybe you, dear viewer, will take a moment to think about your appreciation for your friends and acquaintances.

If the Covid pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we should really appreciate the people around us and maybe even more, those who are not so near, not so accessible. I’m guessing that after seeing these portraits and reading their stories, there’s someone you’ll remember you really ought to get back in touch with. You may have only spoken to them last week, or maybe it was last year, but either will be too long when you really think about them.

Before I go any further, you need to understand this is an ongoing project that will grow as I meet and get to shoot more and new people. Some of the portraits in this project will be of people you may have seen shots of before and some will be new to you and me.

Often as photographers, we say it’s not too important if the subject of our shots like our creations or not, we take the images in our style, for own own benefit. But I don’t completely agree with that statement. I actually do hope the people I have in front of my camera appreciate the final images I present. It matters.