Memorial Lecture was delivered by internationally renowned photographer Julian Elliott, who gave an absorbing account of his nomadic travels and photographic work during 2025.
Julian began by explaining what it means to travel without a fixed home, outlining the practical challenges involved, including visa restrictions, car hire difficulties, and the logistics of long-term travel.
During the year he worked in a wide range of locations including Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Nepal, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Japan, the Dolomites, Provence, Tuscany and the Loire Valley.
Alongside the travel narrative, Julian discussed the tools that support his photography, such as Photographer’s Ephemeris, PhotoPills and Google Street View, as well as the growing influence—both positive and negative—of Instagram and other image-based social media.
The Dolomites featured prominently, with Julian describing them as both rewarding and challenging. While some viewpoints have become “honeypot” locations for photography tourists, the region remains vast and varied. He mentioned areas where driving is sometimes restricted.
Julian emphasised the value of repeated visits to overcome obstacles such as limited viewpoints above the tree line.
Japan is a country Julian visits two or three times a year. He showed images from Tokyo, highlighting its huge tower blocks and numerous observatories, although tripods are often prohibited.
He spoke of his love–hate relationship with tourism, noting how social media has led to overcrowding and a lack of respect at cultural and religious sites, particularly around temples and popular views of Mount Fuji.
Osaka and the Umeda Sky Building were highlighted as exceptional photographic locations where tripods are unusually permitted.
He also showed impressive images of Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites, host of the forthcoming Winter Olympics.
Julian discussed access issues and costs, mentioning substantial facility fees for photography in historic buildings, including one Oxford location that charged £750 for an hour.
He advised photographers to seek high viewpoints in cathedrals where possible.
Drone photography was covered, with many examples including the Mekong Delta, alongside warnings about not interfering with wildlife and strict regulations, particularly in Uzbekistan where official authorisation is essential.
In Uzbekistan, Julian showcased striking architecture and people photography, stressing the importance of backgrounds, light, and elevated viewpoints at sunset.
Nepal featured images of sadhus, landscapes and architecture, including work taken at over 4,000 metres in Upper Mustang and scenes around Boudhanath in Kathmandu.
Tuscany, photographed in May 2025, included San Gimignano, Siena, the Val d’Orcia and classic locations such as the “Gladiator” house, alongside time spent working with clients.
Julian also spoke warmly of the Loire Valley, where he once lived, noting that photography in France is regarded as a serious artistic pursuit, and also recommending Burgundy as a particularly rewarding region.
Other highlights included Vietnam, where he discussed working with models using natural light, close-up photography inspired by Robert Capa’s famous quote, and drone images taken on the Mekong.Mongolia and Kazakhstan were represented by images linked to the Golden Eagle Festival and the ancient seabed landscapes.
The evening concluded with a vote of thanks from Alison Tetley, who remarked on how enjoyable and inspiring the lecture had been.