As he was growing up in Dorset, England, George Turner would watch the second hand of the clock at school tick, itching for the moment the bell would ring and he could go home for the day. But, while others might have set their sights on watching television after school, or maybe a playing friendly game of football, George had a different activity in mind.
He wanted to practice his photography.
Dorset, a small, yet picturesque county in South West England, enchanted George with its gently rolling countryside and World Heritage-worthy coastline. He could walk the grassy hills at sunset, visit the cornfields at dawn on frosty mornings, and dash through the woodlands during spring. He already felt captivated by the outdoors, loving the sensation of the wind against his skin and the hint of salt air blowing off the sea. But, with a camera in hand, he decided that this was how he wanted to spend the rest of his life.
Today, George works as a landscape and wildlife photographer, traveling to countries all over the world to capture the most striking scenes the planet has to offer. His vibrant photos continue to radiate his childhood enthusiasm for the natural world, depicting mountains, valleys, and sprawling wildernesses that invite viewers to explore. He strives to capture not just the visual brilliance of these areas, but the entire sensory experience of being immersed in them — whether it’s the earthy aroma of heavy rains in the Scottish Highlands, the tranquil silence of snowfall in Norway, or the early-morning warmth of a sunrise in his hometown.
Over the past decade or so, George has moved from Dorset to Bristol to London, and even to New Zealand. He’s since returned to the United Kingdom, having moved to Winchester, a beautiful city in the county of Hampshire. Situated just across the English Channel from mainland Europe, George enjoys easy access to some of the most brilliant locations in the world, regularly making excursions to inspiring regions around Europe — from the isles of Greece to the fjords of Scandinavia. Whenever he has the opportunity, he straps on his backpack and laces up his hiking boots, eager to camp under the stars and get to know these areas intimately both on the ground and through his lens.
But, eventually, he always returns to the U.K. He has an unending appreciation for his home nation, a diverse country made up of a variety of counties, each with their own distinct quirks, traditions, and ways of life. He’ll never tire of exploring its stunning natural settings.
When pressed on his favorite shooting location, George says it’s a toss-up between Norway and Namibia, two wildly different locales connected by their feeling of true wilderness. They’re untouched, he explains, real, raw.
There are few places like that left in the world, he finishes.
It’s a peculiar observation to hear from him. Looking at George’s photos and admiring the sense of magic and unabashed brilliance each seems to uncover in landscapes that might otherwise go unappreciated, one can’t help but disagree.
