WE ALL know Saddleworth offers stunning views, no matter the time of year, but one keen photographer has caught so many, he has created a calendar.
And Craig Hannah has seen so many sights, this is the sixth he has produced.
By day, he works in the middle of the North Sea on oil rigs as an industrial abseiler but when he gets chance he gets out and about with his camera and snaps what is around him.
And as he has often showed in the Saddleworth Independent’s Saddleworth Captured, that makes for a fairly good display of images, which make up the 2023 calendar.
Craig said: “I often wonder why I produce a calendar each year, the early days were simple as it started off 13 years ago as a Christmas present for my family.
“It then became family and friends and then started growing arms and legs as friends of friend, or relations of friends or family wanted one.
“So I decided to try and make a Saddleworth calendar six years ago and sell it.
“I keep the photos following the seasons in Saddleworth, this should be a simple task as there is only four of them.
“However I work away on the oil rigs on a two weeks on/two weeks off rota, this year Autumn colours happened while I was sat in the middle of the North Sea!
“And often I will look in envy at photos posted in Saddleworth Captured – cloud inversions, blue skies, snow, local events and images from people’s walks.
“These images are always stunning as they are a link back to a place I love and appreciate seeing them while at work.”
Craig, who has lived in Saddleworth for 34 years, does not have to look far for inspiration – a simple walk takes him to sensational scenery.
If anything, he has done well to whittle his selection down to 12 images from across the area.
And even though he has seen things from a perspective many of us have not, his thrill is not dulled, a thrill he has had since he was a child.
Craig added: “Photography is always something I have always enjoyed, I got my first camera when I was seven-years-old.
“Since then I have been photographing what I see and where I’ve been. Rock climbing took me to interesting destinations with stunning views.
“My work as an industrial abseiler often has given me unique opportunities and vantage points to take photos.
“I still smile at photos I took while cleaning the clock faces of Big Ben as well as passing an hour talking to an old gentleman who made the climb to take photos of us, it turned out to be Lord Snowden!
“The local landscapes inspire me now, they can change hourly from blue skies to torrential rain.
“The light can be stunning, the bleak moorland can be a stark contrast to the bustling villages, canal towpath and wooded valleys. The local events are a pleasure to witness and I’ve always had a soft spot for the local wildlife.
“I’m very lucky to have a wife who will allow me to spend my time at home trying to get that slightly different photograph, even though I’m not from Saddleworth, I have lived here for 34 years and more than happy to call it home.
“I love trying to capture in a photo what makes it special to me.
“When I received the 2023 calendar from the printers, I smiled that what I intended it to look like had been accomplished.”
*CRAIG’S calendar costs £10 and can be bought from Saddleworth Outdoor and Paul’s Quality Meats in Uppermill, the Turkey Shed at Albion Farm, or you can contact him through his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CraigHannahPhotography.
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