As advocates of the UK’s beautiful scenery and how the landscape effortlessly lends itself to image-making, here at The Sporting Lodge, we always keep an eye out for photographers that we feel translate this through their photography. Leading on from last summer’s success with our Photographer of the Day feature, we contacted the self-proclaimed casual explorer & nature lover, Rupert Porpora to take some of our favourite Fjällräven items from this season to accompany him on his trip to the Brecon Beacons. Before he embarked on his journey, we caught up with him to ask a few questions about his photographic work, style & what inspires him to continue his craft.
Firstly Rupert, tell us a little about yourself:
I’m Rupert, a landscape photographer from East Sussex! By day, I’m an Estate Agent in Central London, Marylebone. But otherwise, you will find me exploring the great outdoors with my camera in hand. As well as photography, I love weight training, road cycling, hiking, and the occasional Netflix documentary (who doesn’t)!
It sounds like you’ve got quite a few interests to keep you occupied. What inspired you to pick up a camera?
Photography very much started off as a hobby and grew into a passion. I’ve always been creative, appreciating a good hike and even better, a cracking view. I am originally from a small country village in East Sussex, having been surrounded by greenery and scenic walks since an early age, I guess it kind of came naturally given my surroundings. Then when lockdown hit, I was able to dedicate more and more time to my photography and collaborating with brands, and with that my love for it has grown too!
Having natural beauty around you definitely does help! Apart from local scenery, what else would you say helps direct your style?
I have Italian blood, style comes naturally to me (lol). My photography is inspired by creative Magazines such as Folk, Take, and Stade Magazine, all of which I have been featured in. Seeing like-minded folks across the globe enjoying the smaller things in life is fantastic. I’m also inspired by the elements of light, water, earth, and fire. Normally my images will reflect at least one of these, whether it is a dark earthy tone or a fiery golden hour.
My personal sense of style can be inspired by a wide range of things. To be honest it’s quite difficult for me to briefly summarise! Often I notice the sharp tailoring when out and about in London and this can inspire my look. Equally when in the country I keep things super simple, basically throwing on anything I’m happy to hike in! Generally, I just keep a relaxed fit and easy-going, though I have been known to add a cowboy hat to a look – because why not?
We’ve seen that cowboy hat feature a few times on your feed. Is there a favourite location that it has accompanied you to?
That’s definitely a tough one! I’m not sure I can narrow it down to one location given there’s a few hidden locations around me. I like exploring new landscapes and areas, I find this more exciting personally, and this intrigue then translates into the image. Since lockdown, I think I’ve explored every corner East Sussex has to offer. I’m excited to get out and shoot all over the place.
What I love about photographing the UK is that it is unexpected. There are some amazing countries and places around the world but a lot of people go to these places expecting to get great shots. Some of the best images I’ve captured are the result of a weekend hike that led me down an untrodden path! To me, the hidden gems make the best shots. We also have extreme weather here, which isn’t great for picnics but can be great to capture landscapes in a dramatic light which can really elevate the image.
We think we might have to venture down to East Sussex ourselves sometime. What’s next for you and your work?
Time is tight, especially with my full-time work being in London, however, at the moment I am focusing on growing my skills and portfolio. I have been working with some great brands (including you guys) which is really pushing me out of my comfort zone and I am learning plenty as a result. It’s really important to me that I keep that real passion for photography, so I plan to keep learning and exploring different avenues and just feel excited for the opportunities that may just arise…
We noticed that amongst shooting our products in the Brecon Beacons, this wasn’t your first visit. What is it that makes this place special?
The Beacons are like no other! I believe it covers just over 520 square miles of South and Mid Wales, the landscape is just incredible. It’s both beautiful & diverse in many ways. Huge valleys, amazing pinewood forests, and stunning waterfalls falling into lakes. You can’t beat it.
It’s hard to believe that you shot these images just a few weeks ago, it goes to show how temperamental the British weather can be! How did the Fjallraven equipment live up to expectations?
Great question, the second day the rain started early AM and didn’t stop all morning. I hiked Pen Y Fan during a pretty savage storm, the rain was coming down thick and fast, I got absolutely soaked! However, that’s when Fjallraven gear came into place. Although I got drenched, the jacket and trousers started to dry rapidly. I was dry underneath, felt comfortable, and hiked another 18 miles shortly after. Hands downs the best walking trousers I have used for comfort.
The Kånken bag looked great against the backdrop of the sunshine and clouds, are there any specific features that you loved specifically?
I love the capacity, although the bag is pretty small, it just seems to take everything you need! The pockets are great and are easily accessible. It’s a perfect travel/walking bag. Super lightweight and again, plenty of space to pack your camera, water, spare clothes etc.
If you enjoyed Rupert’s work, please use the link below.