A friend met me in the frozen landscape of Niseko who also loved taking photos and we talked about the conditions and the visuals we saw: he reflected in a weary voice “How many photos can you take of trees in the snow?” - not a challenge but a dismissal of the subject. I thought about it for a minute and was almost convinced of the boredom but soon realised that it was definitely a challenge as these unsung heroes all have their individual stories to tell, and this is exactly why, I believe there can’t be enough.

Avoiding cliches, look for the musicality of each, look for the strength and persistence of each, whether alone or in a group.

And then, how does it fit into the poetry of the frame?

The strongest and biggest stands firm and protects those family members behind, the weaker, more twisted, thinner and wilder.