It's been a long time coming, but I've been looking forward to restarting the Fernweh blog since I updated my website earlier this year. I used to use an old Wordpress site, but I'm starting afresh for 2020, with lots of ideas for creative, unique content. 

 

Instead of just a blog detailing what I made in the studio this week, I want this to be a space to showcase fellow creatives that share some of my ideals, share adventures and share information about fabrics and sustainability - and the occasional post from the workbench of course! 

 

This first post of the new, improved Fernweh blog is just this, a guest post from a talented photographer that I was lucky enough to work with for a shoot last month, Harry Renton. 

Let me introduce Harry Renton. 

My name is Harry Renton and I’m a photographer originally from the Peak District but currently living in the city of Edinburgh. I moved to Edinburgh for university even though I was studying in Carlisle. The commute on the train was worth it I promise. I graduated in the summer of 2020 and now for the past 6 months I’ve been working as a part time freelance photographer.

 

 

 

 

 

From the very beginning I had always felt a deep connection to the outdoors. From a young age I spent most of my time with muddy clothes, scrapped knees and finding myself new places to explore at home. Photography came when I started to grow out of playing pretend with wooden swords and reciting stories from fantasy books. It was also my escape from school and collage which I never fully connected with. I found myself daydreaming out of windows most of the time unless I was in music class. From there it became an obsession, aside from playing drums I had never found a passion that I enjoyed more. It allowed me to be myself and at the same time continue to play pretend and drift to far off places I had never been before, all the while remaining in the Peak District. I guess my work is an extension of my childhood fascination with books about adventure and mythical landscapes. I studied photography for 3 years at university and graduated in summer 2020. Now I find myself pushing toward a career in photography supporting small, local businesses and those that have a focus on sustainability.

 

Now I tend to focus all of my attention towards working with brands that are supporting sustainability and making some kind of positive impact on the environment. I believe as a photographer I should be able to inspire people to make mindful decisions about what and where they are buying their clothes, backpacks or anything else for that matter. I want to help protect the landscape that inspires my work. I try to implement this mindset with how I live my life outside of photography too by getting a good proportion of my food from a local refill shop (@thegoodstore.scot), repairing the clothes that are a little too rustic and shopping on ebay for any new clothes I need.

 

 

 

 

 

I contacted Fernweh because they create, by hand products that are designed to last a lifetime. They are also a small independent business and is more important than ever to support them. Fast fashion is such a huge problem for the environment. If we as a collective could start shopping locally for products that are made with time and the environment in mind, then surely, we can make a difference. I resonated with the quote on their website that reads “Buy less. Choose well. Make it last.” It is an idea we should all be following and choosing to implement in our lives." 

 

 

 

 

 

You can find more of Harry's work on his website  or on Instagram at @a_diary_of _sorts

 

I hope you enjoyed this look into Harry's practice and ethos, and enjoyed the photos from our shoot last month. 

 

Laura

Fernweh UK
Go Further. Stay Curious.