Views
6 years ago

April 2017

  • Text
  • Velar
  • Dogs
  • Skye
  • Bonanza
  • Rover
  • Onelife
  • Heritage
  • Velar
  • Restored
  • Defender
Unveiling of the New Range Rover Velar | Step inside some of the planet’s most exclusive homes | Man’s relationship with dogs | An epic drive through the Isle of Skye | The legendary Beechcraft Bonanza takes to the Skies

“AND I DIDN’T JUST

“AND I DIDN’T JUST SEE IT. I CAPTURED IT. I MADE A PHOTOGRAPH” 76

This efficiency of design, a certain understated confidence, and not least performance, chimes perfectly with Julian’s own tastes in camera design. LAST LIGHT Days don’t last long on the Isle of Skye in midwinter. Light is fading fast by three and is usually all but gone by four. Yet in these final moments, further mutations can appear as the clouds constantly shift, bathing a distant mountain or expanse of water in sudden, unexpected sunshine. “I sometimes come back to the hotel afterwards and sit down and wonder what I’ve just been through,” Julian says. “Often it might be weeks or even months before I look at the work. It’s a way of detaching yourself from it. I’ve got work I shot a couple of years ago that I haven’t looked at. The detachment means it has to stand up visually when I do come to revisit it.” What Julian captures has a significant following. So much so that he has begun public speaking and leading bespoke tours of the highlands and islands for just one or two individuals at a time. “Bringing people somewhere like this and showing them how to do something in a new way is really rewarding,” he says. “Often it’s just about encouraging people to think differently and break habits.” As Julian opens the boot of the Discovery, he explains how the new Intelligent Seat Fold fits his life. “When putting together your equipment list as a location photographer, the vehicle is an important part of it,” he explains. “This is not simply a seven-seater, it can be whatever you need it to be. The configuration gives me complete freedom to utilise a combination of seats and floorspace depending on the amount of gear I’m carrying.” From advertising shoots to his solo landscape work, and even when not on a job, Julian’s Discovery has to serve as a base for people and equipment in every scenario. “It’s about flexibility, in any situation. I can arrange it to fit the numbers of passengers I am carrying at all times.” When alone and on the road, as here on Skye, the cabin also offers a feeling of security and calm that can be helpful in rough conditions, he says. “In winter, weather conditions can change very quickly. But I know I’m safe in here. I can warm up very quickly.” And should the perfect storm come rolling in, offering up that one unique opportunity for capturing the perfect shot, the new robust, waterproof Activity Key wristband gives Julian the confidence that he will be able to get back into the vehicle and take off quickly, without rummaging for keys. Once back in his heated seat, he can rely on the connectivity of the InControl Touch Pro’s 10” Touchscreen display, the latest generation of Ingenium engines and Terrain Response 2 system that will monitor the driving conditions and INNOVATIVE ISLANDERS ALAN DICKSON RURAL DESIGN ARCHITECTS “We did the first contemporary wooden build on Skye and this is now the first contemporary metal-clad house. It’s inspired by the agricultural buildings of the island. People think of houses on Skye as being little white cottages, but we were interested in all the in-fill buildings. That variety of material – the timber and the metal – gives you much more to play with as a designer. We were also interested in the human scale of the old crofting cottages, with walls as high as a man could reach. I built this house literally myself, from the foundations up.” www.ruraldesign.co.uk automatically select the best mode to tackle them. His love of the Scottish landscape and the Land Rover vehicle reveals an appreciation for a certain kind of enduring solidity and elegance. There is a sense of assurance about this monumental land that is present not only in the Land Rovers that tackle this terrain, but also in the other works of engineering that Julian admires – his camera equipment, his tripods, even a simple, elegant wristwatch. “Using equipment I am comfortable with and that I know I can rely on gives me the space and freedom I need to immerse myself in the scenery,” he says. It is this that draws Julian back, often to the same remote places, time and time again. Knowing they will always offer up some new secret. “People think you can visit a spot, take a photograph in 15 minutes, and that’s it, you’ve experienced it,” he says. “But I have found that the same place constantly changes with each visit. Capturing those moments gives me real satisfaction. I’ve seen something no one else will see. And I didn’t just see it. I captured it. I made a photograph.” DISCOVER MORE OF SKYE Follow Julian on his journey to the Isle of Skye and explore the interactive story at landrover.com/skye-discovery 77

 

Land Rover Magazine

 

Land Rover Magazine showcases stories from around the world that celebrate inner strength and the drive to go Above and Beyond.

In this issue, New Defender is put through its paces by two inspirational young adventurers as they prepare for an expedition to the South Pole. We also celebrate 50 years of Range Rover by taking a journey of discovery to Dubai. As well as looking back, we look to future as a group of visionaries explain the technologies that could change the future for all of us.

Jaguar Land Rover Limited: Registered office: Abbey Road, Whitley, Coventry CV3 4LF. Registered in England No: 1672070