Presented through a series of colour photographs, ‘Symbols of Self’ explores my personal relationship to the land. Laying unclothed in a dry gully in Scottish woodland I come to know myself in relation to this place. I sense the water of my body and the flow of my form. Through this understanding of the interconnected nature of my existence I forge a deeper respect and understanding of my surrounds.

Following in the style of photographer Arno Rafael Minkkinen, whose work seeks a spiritual rapprochement with nature, I utilise photography for its ability to frame and emphasise particular gestures or movements. Assuming the role of both the photographer and subject means the construction of the image requires me to see my place in the scene before the image is taken. I work mainly in flat light adding flash to illuminate and pick out my figure against the backdrop, blending and responding to the land while at the same time acknowledging my separateness.

The resulting image sequences aim to capture the way in which our environment and our bodies mirror each other, moving the viewer to reflect on his or her place in the landscape they inhabit.