Julian Calverley, born in Hertfordshire in 1964, very quickly demonstrated a love and natural talent for drawing and painting, in particular watercolor landscape work. After a brief and uninspiring spell at art college, Julian realized it was the mix of photography and traditional darkroom skills that would allow him to express himself most effectively. The next few years saw experience gained with various studios and in 1988, at 24 years old, Julian set up his first studio and darkroom. He now divides his time between assigned work, photographing throughout the world for a diverse mix of commercial clients, and personal projects. His personal work evokes the painterly qualities of his early watercolors, focusing mainly on natural landscapes and built environments in their various atmospheric conditions.

With a personal love for the great outdoors, Julian has become one of the UK’s most revered landscape photographers. Hooked from an early age by the breathtaking beauty of the Scottish Highlands, he has carved out a unique cinematic style of landscape photography that is instantly recognizable. Julian is drawn to the light quality that autumn and winter bring, repeatedly working at dawn and dusk, experiencing the spirit of a place as the sun rises and sets. Visiting these environments time and time again, often in extreme weather, allows him to witness the elements in all their different states. One element in particular—water, both in liquid and cloud form—features heavily in his compositions. Julian brings the movement of water into his landscape work, harnessing the beauty and motion of mountain rivers, streams, shorelines, and skies. His extensive post-production skills are then applied, with many hours devoted to each image. As a result, the finished pieces command a theatrical air, their atmospheric conditions beautifully observed.

Increased demand for Julian’s personal landscape pieces has spurred him to make his work available in the form of editioned, large-format archival pigment prints. He is also the author of the book #IPHONEONLY, a book of landscape photographs made entirely on an iPhone. His latest large format book of Scottish landscapes North Northwest, won both the BBD&P ‘Best British Book’ and ‘Book of the Year.’ Julian is an ambassador for ALPA cameras and leads workshops and adventures for the ALPA Academy and independently for direct clients.