Tree's company

Nature-loving photographer Adrian Houston tells of his mission to photograph trees beloved by famous faces

- Adrian Houston

That is your favourite tree? A simple question, but one that can spark a treasury of stories. From childhood memories of scraped knees and scaled branches to histories of veteran species that have hidden kings and provided shelter for queens. It is a question that I have spent the past four years asking – conservationists, campaigners, adventurers, gardeners, landowners – all with their own tale of how these giants of the natural world have touched their lives.

As a photographer capturing these great specimens, I have had the luxury of spending time in their company, on frosty mornings with misty dew coating the grass and branches, late at night with a canopy of stars above. Each tree has a distinct personality – as a photographer you seek to capture something of the spirit of these remarkable organisms. I used a Nikon D850 with a variety of prime lenses and a Gitzo tripod; a durable combo in all conditions and easy to carry over rough terrain.