Thursday 8th January 2026
On Thursday evening, 8th January 2026, Pudsey Camera Club welcomed our first speaker of the year, Mark Littlejohn, for a joint Zoom presentation with our friends at Otley Camera Club. It was a fantastic way to kick off the club’s 2026 programme and great to see two clubs coming together for such an inspiring evening.
🌄 Mark Littlejohn is a former UK Landscape Photographer of the Year and is widely regarded as one of the country’s most respected landscape photographers. His work is instantly recognisable for its emphasis on light, mood and atmosphere, often finding compelling images in familiar, everyday locations rather than relying on dramatic or iconic viewpoints.
During the evening, Mark shared a superb selection of his images and talked us through his personal approach to landscape photography. He could be described as something of an accidental photographer. A retired police officer, Mark originally took up hill walking and hiking simply to keep fit. He bought a camera to record his walks, but before long found himself completely drawn into landscape photography.
✨ A recurring theme throughout the talk was Mark’s belief in responding to conditions rather than chasing locations. Rather than hunting for postcard scenes, he works intuitively with light, weather and atmosphere, often returning to the same places time and again. His photographs are less about spectacle and more about feeling — creating images that convey a strong sense of place, calm and connection.
His work served as a timely reminder that powerful landscape images don’t require long-distance travel or famous viewpoints. With patience, observation and creativity, meaningful photographs can be made close to home — a message that resonated strongly with many of our members.
🏔️ Formerly based in the Lake District and now living in the wilds of the Scottish Highlands, Mark truly treats his surroundings as his canvas. Despite this dramatic setting, he was refreshingly honest about photographing primarily for his own enjoyment, rather than to win competitions or chase accolades. This personal approach is clearly reflected in the authenticity of his work.
📸 Mark also runs highly regarded photography workshops. Our own Kirsty McLeod has attended several already and, in fact, has two more booked later this year. She insists it’s all about the photography — although she does admit that Mark cooks a mean macaroni cheese, which may have something to do with it!
🔗 Mark’s website (http://marklittlejohnphotography.com) is, by his own admission, a little out of date, but we’ve included a link to his X profile & Facebook, which are far more current and well worth a look.
A huge thank you to Mark for an inspiring, thoughtful and thoroughly enjoyable evening, and to Otley Camera Club for once again collaborating with us to bring such a high-quality speaker to both clubs. A brilliant start to the year for Pudsey Camera Club.
Evenings like this perfectly reflect the high quality and variety of talks we enjoy at Pudsey Camera Club throughout the year. With inspiring speakers, friendly members and a supportive atmosphere, the club offers something for photographers of all levels and interests. If you’re looking to develop your photography, share ideas and enjoy evenings like this on a regular basis, new members are always very welcome — we’d love to see you at one of our upcoming meetings.
