Six woodlands across four blogs and over a thousand still to explore. The final part of the series steps back from the trees — accessibility, seasons, sounds, and one thing that genuinely needs saying about dog walkers in ancient woodland.

Penn Wood nearly became a golf course. Burnham Beeches hid 100,000 military vehicles under its canopy before D-Day. Two heavyweight ancient woodlands, two very different characters, and between them some of the finest woodland photography conditions in the Chiltern Hills.

There are over a thousand named woodlands in the Chiltern Hills. Ancient, atmospheric, and free to walk into on any given morning with a camera and a dog. This is where the series starts — two of Buckinghamshire's finest bluebell woods, and why woodland photography will test your patience and reward it in equal measure.

More Than a Pretty Picture didn't start as a book. It started as a series of blog posts about why I photograph, what the practice gives me, and how it fits into everyday life. A couple were published, the rest were withheld, and somewhere along the way the decision was made to turn it all into something more permanent. This is how a collection of reflections became a first book.

I’ve spent years refining what I carry on a photography walk, slowly stripping things back until the gear stopped dictating the experience. This post isn’t about the latest cameras or must-have accessories, but about finding a setup that allows walking and photography to coexist naturally. From my Sony A350 on general photowalks to the more deliberate Sony A700 for book and print work, this is a reflection on simplicity, comfort, and learning to carry only what genuinely earns its place.