Editor’s note: Considering the water disaster currently happening in Flint, Michigan, it’s important to remember how important this life-giving and life-sustaining substance is. These photos help do that.
New Forest
This image encapsulates an ancient world for me. I found this bog -- probably been there for thousands of years -- in the New Forest National Park and parked myself up waiting for a wild horse to appear. Two hours later, one appeared. These majestic animals have been in this area since 50,000BC. I wondered how many of this horse's ancestors had taken sustenance from this exact same pool of water.
Oeschinensee
Occasionally water can take on the form of paint, masterfully dominating the landscape it sits in, like Oeschinensee in Switzerland. Rather than staying on lake level, we hiked up into the mountains for this view. Twenty minutes later we had gales and sideways rain; this captures the calm before the storm.
Old Man or Storr - Skye
Whilst it may look like an alien world, the hills of Skye are -- despite being inland -- continually shaped by water. Soft rock and clay crumble under the frequent downpours, causing landslides; this striking landscape is the result. Whilst taking this shot I could hear dripping noises all around, a constant reminder that the earth is ever-changing.
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Leukerbad
3,000m up in the Swiss Alps we learnt how fast the weather can change. Ten minutes before this shot, we had crystal clear blue skies. Clouds started rolling in, the atmosphere turned almost apocalyptic and the river started raging. Behind me was a shelter so after I took this, I called for my friend and we bunked down for an hour as it passed.
Buachaille Etive Mòr
As with everything, water has its own form of life-cycle. Snow on the mountain (Buachaille Etive Mòr) turns to meltwater, filling the bogs of Rannoch Moor. To get this shot I was wading almost knee deep in 30 degree water at times. It's a reminder that, like us, water is forever adapting to its surroundings.
Eiliean Donan
We as humans have long used bodies of water to our advantage. In this case, the famous Eiliean Donan castle is entirely surrounded by water. Whilst there I could only imagine Scottish clansmen trying to reach and destroy the castle, only to be halted by the freezing temperatures of the loch. Photo by
Venice
Many visitors to Venice don't stray far from San Marco, but if you do you're rewarded views of less-traveled canals and hidden passageways. The water of Cannaregio (to the north-west of the islands) is pristine, clear and so still. Gondoliers rarely come out this far, leaving an undisturbed piece of urban paradise.
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Silgachan2
kye is famous for its turbulent weather and this sunset reminded me of that. The huge orange cloud in the shot is filled with thumbnail-sized hail. 30 seconds before this, I was pelted by it and huddled over my camera. As quickly as it smashed me, it moved through at a frightening speed toward the Atlantic Ocean.
Wastwater
The hills and mountains of the Lake District are the result of massive glacial retreat during the last Ice Age. To the left of the image is Wastwater, a remnant of that time and England's deepest lake at 78m. Considering its narrow width, that's seriously deep. The result? Freezing cold water. Bring your wetsuit.
Buttermere
Buttermere is the jewel in the crown of the Lake District. Warning though: There's some seriously big Pike fish in there.
Loch Crinan
Water can be powerful, deadly and sometimes calming. On a day of whiteouts and freezing rain, I camped up next to Loch Crinan in the Scottish Highlands waiting for it to pass. Suddenly the wind dropped and this was what I saw. I cracked open a beer and drank in the view. It's a moment I'll always cherish.
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Oeschinensee size
The glacial lake at Oeschinensee is huge. I can't stress that enough. If you look closely at the image, you'll see a dinghy which had 6 people in it. Sometimes water can be so enveloping its difficult to define it, or give it a scale. This really brought that home.
Loch Achtriochtan
Sitting at the bottom of the famous Glen Coe Range, Loch Achtriochtan has a dark history. In the 18th century it flooded and killed many living nearby. Whilst shooting here on a cold, stormy winter's day, it wasn't hard to imagine the sheer power of the water.
Étretat
Cliffs are an ever-changing canvas, painted by the forces of the ocean. The famous arch and needle of Étretat are exactly that. On this calm, sunny November morning, I was reminded by a local that to have such natural beauty, you need huge storms... that's the double-edged sword of having the Atlantic Ocean pounding your coastline.
Silgachan
I'd often been told that the Isle of Skye is practically a fairytale... well, the rumours are true. I found this spot whilst hiking along the Silgachan River, a powerful torrent of water coming from the Cuillin Hills in the background of the shot. All the mounds, bumps and mini-hills look like Hobbit-holes and fairy hideouts. In actuality, they're the result of flash-flooding eroding the surrounding landscape.
Kilt Rock
Mealt Falls is the end point of Loch Mealt, a nearby body of water. To the left of the shot, diving ducks get their feed in the Loch. At the bottom of the falls, seals (not pictured) were sifting for any fish that got caught in the current and swept over. It was a reminder how water connects everything and everyone.
Durdle Door
For just one week in December every year, the sun rises perfectly in the arch of Durdle Door (Dorset, UK). When factoring in weather and tides, chances of seeing this spectacle are slim: I was lucky. With blue sky and a kind low-tide, I captured this moment. Shortly after this shot, the tide rapidly started encroaching up the beach, reinforcing its dominance.
Neist Point
Locals call Neist Point in Skye the "end of the world." With fiery sunsets and harsh seas, it's not hard to see why. This particular day the winds were so strong that, despite being high on the cliffs, I was repeatedly hit by salty sea spray. There's a reason why that headland is so alone: the land around it has been worn away by the ocean's forces.
Man O War Bay
Shot on a freezing cold January morning, I can still feel the serenity of this moment. The bay is part of the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage site. With the calm, lapping waves, incredible rock formations and pastel coloured sunrise, I really did feel transported to a land-before-time.