Born Berlin 1931, Germany, father a British diplomat, mother an American artist. Educated at various schools all over the world. 1958 Settled down to live in London. 1966 Became interested in photography through photographing my young children. No formal training.

I have always been a very keen walker, though, and I often took a camera with me on my walks.

It was 1966 by the time I started taking pictures seriously and books, newspapers and magazines of the time were full of great pictures that helped to inspire me.

You can't expect to take a definitive image in half an hour. It takes days, often years.

I've been working with the land for most of my life; walking it and photographing it. And I love it to bits.

But I was, and still am, an avid reader and so when I first started I chose to photograph many of the great writers in this country to try and earn a living.

I had been working in colour for ten years or so and looked at digital and liked the possibilities it gave me.