You’ve been taking photos since you were 12, who or what first inspired you to pick up a camera?
My mother is the reason I got into photography. She owned a DSLR and often took photos on our family holidays. I got the chance to play around with her camera but I didn’t really know what I was doing, but it got me interested in photography nonetheless. My parents gave me a DSLR for my thirteenth birthday and I then learned the basics of photography from my mother while we were on safari.
Did you grow up surrounded by nature? Do you have nature nearby that you regularly visit and photograph?
Growing up in Singapore I wasn’t exactly surrounded by wildlife. Singapore does have areas of nature – and there is a significant community of nature photographers based here – but I never spent a lot of time photographing the local wildlife. I didn’t really have the patience required for birding when I first started, nor the technical skill required to explore other genres of photography like macro photography. Many of my interactions with nature occurred while I was on holiday. My family loves to travel and in particular to Africa which allowed me to experience many natural habitats. Over time, I did trips to other locations including Borneo and Canada. Since I had an advanced open water diver certification I also developed a keen interest in underwater photography.
Diana is a writer and editor at Eye for the Light. She has a BA in History of Art and an MSc in Environment and Sustainability and has worked in travel publishing for 18 years as a photographer, book designer and writer for a wide range of publications. She’s also the Publishing and Photography Director at the British Guild of Travel Writers and undertakes travel and tourism photography commissions. You can see her work at www.dianajarvis.co.uk.
