I was fortunate to have spent much of my up-bringing in East Africa and naturally developed a love for the wildlife that was so abundant at that time.
On leaving school I obtained a degree in Zoology from Manchester University but it was only later that my passion for the natural world was re-kindled, largely by linking it to my other love - photography.
I started taking an interest in photography at the age of 13 with my first real camera, a Zenith E. I recall spending hours stalking lizards with this and my next camera, an Olympus OM-10, in our garden in the southern Sudan during my school holidays.
I was then side-tracked by pursuing another career and was only really drawn back to photography when I bought my first digital camera.
My wife, Lisa, and I have been based in the southern part of Greece for the past 8 years where I have been taking most of my photographs. The area where we live is relatively un-spoilt and is blessed with some wonderful mountain scenery and deep gorges. This in combination with the changes that occur through the seasons and the wonderful light quality provides an excellent opportunity for landscape photography. Each year I am now offering Landscape Photography Workshops in May and September to take advantage of the dramatic scenery that surrounds us. I have put together a 6-day itinerary involving a 1/2 day workshop each day, thus enabling time for relaxation too. A daily tutorial covers effective usage of the principles of lighting and composition and various technical tips and guidance. We also head out to apply this theory on either coastal or mountain/gorge photoshoots. Please see the Workshops page on my main website for further details: www.richardgarveywilliams.com.
Kardamili
Old Town and Taygetos Mountains beyond
Local Scenery
- Stoupa coast
Wildlife and Nature
Mantis
religiosa
Silver Washed Fritillary
The high mountains nearby and strong thermals provide excellent territory for birds of prey. Lizards, tortoises and the occasional snake can be seen basking on rocks in the morning sun, while butterflies lazily float from flower to flower and dung beetles busy themselves with their morning tasks.
Despite the aridity of the summer months the flora is remarkably diverse and interesting. The wild flowers during the spring time are a sight to behold.
Poppies
on the Coast
Images from the region can be seen in my recently published 10 x 8 inch coffee-table book, Light on the Mani. Copies can be previewed and ordered from the bookstore at www.blurb.com. Clicking on the photo below will take you to the appropriate category in the bookstore. Simply type Richard Garvey-Williams in the Search option and it will take you to the book.
Exhibition at the Rainbow's End Art Gallery in Kardamili
A range of my landscape images from the region were exhibited through much of the summer of 2009 in this excellent new gallery run by Ioannis Antoniadis. They drew a lot of interest from both tourists and local people.
