What can you say about 2020 that hasn’t already been said a thousand times? An unforgettable year but a year to forget. But on a personal level there were many good things about it. I gained a nephew and even a great nephew (not in that order!), I visited a part of the UK that has been on my bucket list for a lifetime and now, right at the end of the year and at the beginning of the next, a new venture. A new experience.
I’ve always enjoyed writing blogs for Hidden Wiltshire. It provides a purpose for my long walks, if one were needed, and makes me think about new places to visit in a part of the world I’ve lived in for 26 years. In some ways the photographs I take as I walk are more challenging. Yes they are postcard images that don’t need to be works of art - simply a record of where I’ve been and what I’ve seen. But if the weather delivers bland, featureless skies or harsh shadows I have to make the best of it and create something that is still engaging. I have to work hard for my images.
I still have a long list of walks to undertake and record but towards the end of 2020 the founder of Hidden Wiltshire, Glyn Coy, approached me with an idea. How would I like to start a Hidden Wiltshire podcast with him? Normally I shy away from publicity. Like most people I hate having my picture taken. Even worse I hate being on TV (and I have been a few times) but this idea intrigued me. First of all no one would be able to see me. As an awkward opinionated bugger I jumped at the chance.
So on Tuesday 29 December 2020, with a mic borrowed from my BBC reporter chum and a pair of old Bose ear buds with a loose wire, Glyn and I recorded our first episode. Naturally we recorded from the safe distance of our own houses, but we could see each other on screen which was vital for the interaction between us. It was an absolute blast and though I say so myself the result was way better that we expected. Music was provided by my great chum, the sickeningly multi-talented sound artist, photographer and graphic designer Steve Dixon. Steve designed the logo for my website and is a one of my partners at The Photographers Studio. We’ll be weaving more of his sounds and music into future episodes.
I’m sure as we progress we’ll look back on this first episode and find it a crude first attempt. I just hope we’ll attract enough listeners to keep going but even before the first episode was aired Glyn had been interviewed by BBC radio and the local newspaper. However, it would be nice to think we can retain some of the rough edges of two keen amateurs as we begin our journey to stardom!
Episode #1 of the Hidden Wiltshire Podcast will be released on Sunday 3 January 2021. We’ll be releasing new episodes for broadcast on the first and third Sundays of every month. You can find it on your usual podcast platforms including Apple and Spotify. Alternatively you can access it via the Hidden Wiltshire website. And thank you to my podcasting partner Glyn Coy for the drone image in the thumbnail to this blog.