Welcome to our Storyteller Spotlight!

This is the page where we highlight an ABC member for the month and tell their stories. For August, our spotlight shines on ABC admin and member Lucy Ralphs! Continue reading to hear Lucy’s story …

“I would say my journey started when I was an early teenager and first developed a curiosity for photography. I actually downloaded Instagram for the first time in 2012, when I was 12! This massively increased my exposure to the world and what was out there, encouraging me to go outdoors with my iPhone 6 and read photography blogs on the fundamentals of a good photograph. I first had access to a camera when I was 19, which is roughly the same time I started hiking around Eryri while at university. Over time, my love for the outdoors evolved into curiosity and respect for our wildlife and ecosystems, as well as how best to conserve these places. Ecology is now the lens that shapes how I see the world and my values motivated me to pursue a career in GIS. I now map and analyse species data every day, but still reserve time to volunteer in more hands on conservation too.”

What inspires you to pull your camera out when adventuring?

“I am a landscape photographer. What inspires me most is when you can capture a functional landscape as a whole. The spatial analyst in me wants to emphasise the importance of space, those interactions we cannot quantify. You can't measure interspecific competition within an ecosystem, but those interactions are very real. My photography has changed over time; I focus less on a singular focal point and more on balancing my photographs. Our temperate rainforests here in Wales are fantastic for practising this.”

What is an experience or story (outdoors, adventure, travelling, exploring, person you’ve met) that has stuck in your mind, that impacted you on another level?

“Back in May, I did my first ever solo camp on the summit of Cadair Idris, where I woke up the next day to the sun rising on my 25th birthday. For me, this adventure felt like the culmination of years of work coming together, finally having the confidence to go by myself. I brought my Canon to photograph some soft mountain scenes, as well as my journal to reflect on everything I was feeling and everything I’d learned until now. It felt like the perfect way to welcome in the next stage of being an adult. I’ve made lots of changes to my life over the past couple of years to build a life I really identify with, and this little adventure was an acknowledgement of that.”

What is your favourite kind of outdoor adventure?

“Solo adventures where I’m trying something new or exploring a new place are generally my favourite. For many years, I didn’t have the confidence to do things by myself, whereas nowadays I generally have a backup solo plan if group plans fall apart. I love the sea and marine life. I have a paddleboard, wetsuit, changing robe and spare hiking boots in the boot of my car at all times. I’d say going for a run, a snorkel in the sea and then enjoying a flask of coffee on the beach would be a pretty ideal day for me.”

How do you ground yourself and bring yourself back to nature when it all gets ‘too much’?

Most weekends are spent with my horse Tom. A slow Sunday with him is usually a perfect way to focus my thoughts on what really matters to me. The combination of hard work looking after him followed by a quiet ride along the Afon Ystwyth is usually enough to clear my mind. If I’m feeling particularly burnt out, I try to rest outside rather than indoors. Taking naps in the park or reading outside feels more fulfilling than doing those things in my room. I also find that deleting social media for a while helps slow life down.

“One of my core principles is surrounding myself with people who inspire and teach me. There are far too many incredible people in my life who have impacted me for the better to list, but I do routinely tell them, so they know who they are.”