I never travelled.

I didn't go on holidays. I spent a day at the beach once a year for a few years. I was an adult before I saw the mountains.

But the trip where I first shot this composition changed everything for me.

As a last minute addition to a trip that Sibling was going on, I had no idea what to expect. We ended up at the coastal town of Whitby in Northeast England, a popular spot for very good reason. After a three hour drive, we approached the sea - my first time as an adult.

As is typical with British weather, we covered many seasons in one day. Luckily, we didn't get too much rain and we ended the day with a sunset that has stayed with me all these years later.

Why is any of this important?

This is where my journey began.

With photography. With travel. With hope for the future and thinking beyond the next 6 months.

It wasn't until years later that I bought a camera, and quite some time after that before I started learning more about photography.

The earlier version of this image was the first time I looked at anything I captured and thought this was the work of a photographer. I struggled to believe I took that shot, but this revelation occurred many years after the initial trip. Until that point, I truly believed I was 'not good enough'.

This shot helped me to believe I have potential.

This year, I attempted to recreate the original shot which was taken on an iPhone 7 Plus, resulting in this piece. It's one of my favourites, as it represents such a monumental part of my journey.