About ME
My name is Martin Ellis and I mostly live in a small village near Gateshead. It’s almost in the countryside, with lots of nice walks, cycle paths and all the amenities of a city close by. Yet, within an hour or so, I can be lacing up my boots and heading into the hills. This is where my photography really began, where many of my photographs still come from.
My photography began a little earlier though. I still remember using a Kodak Box Brownie (I still have it), with my first roll of film on a school trip. I may have taken subsequent photos, but it was drawing that took me onto Art college.
It was here that I was taught how to use a 35 mm camera, load and develop film and make prints in the darkroom. This was almost forgotten once I discovered clay and found that I could throw pots on a wheel. I started my working life as a studio potter, threw many more pots and taught pottery night classes. I gradually moved into the ceramics industry, primarily tableware and sanitaryware as a production manager and latterly, a factory manager and director.
Photography still only played a bit part until I started to go out hiking. I decided to get one of these newish digital cameras, take some photos and maybe do some drawings from them. It soon became apparent that I was going out hiking just to take photographs. I love the Cheviots and Upper Coquetdale in particular, the landscape here can seem vast and bleak, utterly beautiful. I feel I can lose myself here, immerse myself in the ancient landscape, sometimes literally when I sink into peat bog.
During the summers, I made my way down into the valleys to take photographs at the many events and shows. I began to photograph other events too, from awards and conferences to sports. I would be up and out bright and early most weekends, photographing all types of events, from trail running or mountain biking to ultras, sportives and triathlons. I seemed to go to Kielder a lot, met some lovely people and took lots and lots of photos.
I began to feel the need to slow things down a bit, take my time and take fewer photos. I dusted down my old 35mm camera and bought some film. Then everything stopped as we went into lockdown, I immersed myself in film photography and practiced. Which is still where I am now. I mostly shoot medium format using black and white film. When I now head out into the hills, or elsewhere, I may only take a dozen or so photos.
The only trouble I have is deciding which camera to take, I have a few. I still use my digital cameras, but I really enjoy going back to basics with a pinhole camera. I love how each camera can bring a certain feel to a photograph and I enjoy combining that with different films.