Shaped by Nature

Man looks tiny alongside the grand landscapes in our world, but has a big impact and there is growing understanding of our capacity to damage our world. However, over time, there has often been a symbiotic relationship between us and the natural world that we inhabit. We have shaped our landscape, but nature retains a formidable power to dictate how we use it, which we fail to respect at our peril. In many places where we respect our environment and, where there is a harmony between man and the landscape, there is great beauty that reflects the timeless relationship between the two.

Even in places as remote as the Outer Hebrides, man has shaped the environment, but there is a respect for these rugged and often wild places, and a spiritual connection between the people and the land that can be traced back thousands of years. The Aboriginal perspective that The Land Owns Man rather than Man Owns the Land, seems quite relevant in the Scottish islands - both the islands and the Outback are wild places in very different ways.

Closer to home, Lynchmere Common is our 'back yard' and many of the same trends are visible here: people have lived off the land and used the material it has produced for many centuries. This created a beautiful place for people and wildlife to share. However, wars and modern life destroyed this economy and so we now need to recreate this environment both for endangered wildlife and our people, and to look after the beautiful place that so many need in a frantic and stressful world. This exhibition seeks to touch on the importance of the beauty of these special places.

Peter is a Fellow of the British Institute of Professional photography and a widely exhibited award winning photographer.

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