Michael Palin CBE, Past President of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)
Britain from the Air, developed jointly with the Royal Geographical Society, is a major national, outdoor touring exhibition of over 100 stunning aerial photographs. These images offer an exhilarating perspective of some of the UK’s most breath-taking and thought-provoking landscapes and landmarks whilst telling the fascinating story of Britain’s geography and history. The exhibition visited Liverpool, Bath, Oxford, Chatham, Edinburgh and Leeds; taking in an audience of more than seven million people along the way.
An opportunity to celebrate, explore and be inspired by our small island, Britain from the Air street gallery encouraged visitors to learn more about and enjoy Britain’s most breath-taking and thought-provoking environments.
From coastal erosion and abandoned villages to transport networks and the growth of our cities, Britain from the Air combined the beauty and abstract contours of these landscapes with their stories; inviting the viewer to explore their local, regional and national environment, seen from a completely different perspective.
Supported by text captions devised and written by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and additional pictures which revealed the stories behind the image, Britain from the Air offered an opportunity to learn about Britain as you’ve never seen it before. Spectacular saw-toothed coastlines, glittering city silhouettes and the luminous trajectories of waterways are just some of the fascinating forms and shapes that were revealed as the audience is lifted from street level to sky high while exploring Britain’s wondrous and varied landscapes.
Wecommunic8 worked with many amazing photographers to make the Britain from the Air exhibition and it’s fantastic merchandise. Without the help from the photographers Wecommuni8 would not be what they are today.
Jason has specialised in aerial photography since 1991, is based just outside London in the UK, and works worldwide. He has produced over 35 aerial photographic books for publishers such as the BBC, Random House and Harper Collins. Jason’s clients include brands such as Nike, HSBC, NatWest, Ford, American Airlines, Rolex, Toyota, Smirnoff, Mitsubishi and BP.
Last Refuge Ltd. was a small Company dedicated to the support of endangered environments and species in our changing world, through films, images and research.
The Company was established in 1992 by Adrian Warren, while studying the plight of surviving wild Giant Pandas in the Qinling Mountains of Central China. Since that time, Last Refuge have worked on projects in Ecuador, Madagascar, Malaysia, Thailand, Namibia, Tanzania, Mali, Morocco, Europe, North America, Venezuela, United Kingdom, Rwanda, Congo and Guyana.
Last Refuge is no longer active, information on their website is for historic reference only as a tribute to Adrian Warren, who sadly passed away in 2011.
Jonathan Webb founded Webb Aviation Aerial Photography in March 1991 shortly after completing a Business Studies degree at Manchester Metropolitan University. In 2003 a chance meeting with a German Girl wanting to improve her English has caused Jonathan to move in a completely unexpected direction and now works regularly in Germany where he has learnt the language and established a reputation for cutting edge photography so much so that a series of Jonathans night aerial photographs were published in the Bild newspaper. Since then the business has grown from strength to strength and in May 2008 Jonathan Webb was awarded the distinction of Associate of the Royal Photographic Society for his aerial photography. Jonathan has published nine books on aerial photography and today webbaviation.co.uk is one of the most visited aerial photography websites in the UK.
Ian Hay LMPA LBIPP, was born in Shipley West Yorkshire. His family moved to the US Airforce base in Isfahan, Iran where a ride in a Kaman Huskie helicopter sparked an interest in aviation. This eventually led to a career with the Metropolitan Police Helicopter Unit as an Air Observer/Photographer flying many thousands of hours over London.After leaving the Police, Ian moved to commercial aerial photography and spent eight years developing his aerial experience, photographing a wide range of subjects including air to air, vertical gas pipeline surveys, sports events and created a unique system for the referencing of aerial imagery.Ian now runs two new photographic companies, Above All Images and Ian Hay Studio. The studio specialises in a wide range of subjects from civil engineering projects and product photography to weddings and portraits. Above All Images provides a wide range of specialist aerial activities and includes a comprehensive aerial library.
Mike has now retired from the Motor Trade business the he and his wife started 38 yrs ago in Strumpshaw near Norwich. He now spends much of his time flying and building up his already massive aerial photo library, started in the late 1980s, which mainly covers the counties of Norfolk & Suffolk. Mike has produced 14 books of aerial photographs and three DVDs, all royalties from sales of these going direct to local charities.
Roger Keech is a television director and producer. Based in the north of England, Roger has developed a particular specialism in aerial photography and television programming.
Sadly, Roger passed away in 2017 after suffering from heart disease. Read his obituary here.
Flying and photography have always been his passions. After graduating from Warwick University Dave continued to develop and expand his photographic skills whilst obtaining his pilots licence, and this culminated in the formation of his own company in 1994. Dave now has an international reputation, and his work has been exhibited worldwide, from Miami to Singapore. Combining compelling visual beauty with the documentary perspective of the photo essay are his trademarks.
Simon’s earliest memory of owning a camera was that it was a Kodak 127 Brownie Bakelite Camera and some 50 years on still recalls its feel and operation. He followed his father into a career in hotel management. Training included a year in the south of France where he learnt to develop colour and B&W photos revelling in the abundance of photo opportunities there. He then worked in hotels all over the UK and rose to becoming Managing Director of a group of luxury boutique hotels in Edinburgh. Whilst doing work in consultancy in tourism he began to pick up again in his love of photography and through connections took on assignments for hotel interiors and small projects with a Nikon D200. Confident he could make a go of it he spent £7000 on pro kit and began to take on major international conferences, corporate work and now covers social events, award dinners, interiors, food, PR and landscape.
Ken Whitcombe is a Geography MA Honours Graduate and former Principal Teacher of Geography who first became professionally active as a photographer while taking photographs to illustrate a series of educational books, of which he was co-author. Encouraged by the favourable response to his photography and writing, Ken left teaching and set up his own business, conceptualising and producing multi-media projects for substantial clients across a wide range of business and service sectors. Ken now concentrates almost entirely on aerial photography and survey projects, particularly those involving the interpretation of the natural and built environment, for which his geographical background and training have proved to be invaluable. He shoots exclusively on a customised, ultra-high-resolution, medium format, digital system and has assembled a large commercial aerial photography library, which is widely used by clients from across the UK and overseas.
Iain Guthrie specialises in aerial photography throughout Scotland. Operating his own fixed wing aircraft he usually flies above Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness photographing commercial land, property and development sites. However, jobs further afield allow him to take advantage of Scotland’s amazing landscape and capture some scenic images. All of which are included in his extensive photo library which dates back to 1992.
High Level Photography has gone from strength to strength since its launch over 30 years ago and today utilises truly innovative technology, coupled with more traditional proven methods to capture some of the most awe-inspiring aerial images of Britain’s most influential and iconic cities as well as its idyllic and scenic countryside. Ian Leslie, Managing Director and Owner of High Level Photography, obtained his UK private pilot’s licence in 1991 followed by an American commercial pilot’s licence in 2003. He has brought together his two passions of photography and flying by introducing a private company aircraft used for specialist aerial photography, resulting in completely unique shots from above.
The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)’s collections-based work, exhibitions and image library are kindly supported by Rolex
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