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![\"Road](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/10-YEARS-OF-X-MOUNT-ELLIOTT-1.jpg?width=581&height=363\")
<\/li>\n![\"Small](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/10-YEARS-OF-X-MOUNT-ELLIOTT-2.jpg?width=581&height=363\")
<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nGrowing up, I was extremely outdoorsy \u2013 skiing, hiking, even canoeing through river gorges in the south of France with my parents. At 23, I experienced a transformative moment on further family travels. My cousin and I took a road trip around Europe, and I discovered what an incredible photographer he was. I remember seeing his pictures from the Dolomites and Iceland, imagining how much I would love to create some myself. So, I found a camera that was suitably compact and lightweight, and went for it.<\/p>\n
My passion for photography was immediate, reigniting my love for the outdoors. I became obsessed with heading out, by myself, to make landscapes. The most dramatic place near me was the Jurassic Coast, so I would head down after work to snap sunset. I\u2019d sleep in my car \u2013 barely \u2013 then document the sunrise.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Golden](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/10-YEARS-OF-X-MOUNT-ELLIOTT-3.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto 2022 \u00a9 Pete Elliott | FUJIFILM X-T3 and XF16mmF1.4 R WR, 1\/70 sec at F16, ISO 160<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Fast forward to the end of summer and I had planned my first-ever photography adventure with two good friends. We booked a 10-day trip to the breathtaking Lofoten Islands, where the dramatic mountains seem to dip their toes into the sea.<\/p>\n
The three of us crammed into a van, aptly named Cherry, and went exploring. I had added the FUJIFILM XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS<\/a> to my kitbag, and managed to get a few images I still love today. Of course, there were plenty of mistakes, too.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Red,](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/10-YEARS-OF-X-MOUNT-ELLIOTT-4.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhotos 2022 \u00a9 Pete Elliott | FUJIFILM X-T1 and XF16mmF1.4 R WR, 1\/50 sec at F13, ISO 100<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
After a good year and a half with my trusty X-T1, it was time for an upgrade. The new FUJIFILM X-T3<\/a> had just been released, so it was a natural choice. I also updated my lenses, picking up the FUJIFILM XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR<\/a> and XF23mmF1.4 R<\/a>. I was starting to take photography more seriously, thinking about making the leap to professional freelance work.<\/p>\n
Again, I linked up with my good friend Heikki, Cherry\u2019s owner, but this time we opted for a week-long trip in the Dolomites \u2013 a place I\u2019d wanted to revisit. With mesmerising scenery, this mountain range is one of the most spectacular alpine destinations in the world.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Pale,](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/10-YEARS-OF-X-MOUNT-ELLIOTT-5.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto 2022 \u00a9 Pete Elliott | FUJIFILM X-T3 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1\/125 sec at F8, ISO 160<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
We spent six days hiking, and it\u2019s somewhere that makes you appreciate your insignificance, being dwarfed by the landscapes around you.<\/p>\n
As well as hiking, we hired climbing equipment to find quieter locations for sunsets. A via ferrata, or iron path, is a route with fixed protection that aids travellers to move safely through the mountains. For those with a strong sense of adventure and a head for heights, they are a superb way of exploring the Dolomites and gaining access to more remote limestone peaks. Our first route up Mount Averau went exactly as planned, giving us an amazing vantage point with no one else in sight.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Two](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/10-YEARS-OF-X-MOUNT-ELLIOTT-6.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto 2022 \u00a9 Pete Elliott | FUJIFILM X-T3 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1\/60 sec at F4.5, ISO 640<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
When I got back to the UK, I set about building my outdoor portfolio and began preparing to go freelance full-time. One of my first big commercial jobs was with legendary outdoor writer Ronald Turnbull on the Jurassic Coast \u2013 I couldn\u2019t have been more excited. With my XF16-55mm, XF55-200mm and XF23mm, we headed out for a day of hiking along this magnificent journey, with its airy clifftops and dramatic scenery. The seed was sown. I was committed to the freelance life and my specialisation.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Jurassic](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/10-YEARS-OF-X-MOUNT-ELLIOTT-7.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto 2022 \u00a9 Pete Elliott | FUJIFILM X-T3 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1\/340 sec at F4, ISO 160<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
A year of modest professional success followed, and my love for early-morning hikes and wild camping in the mountains remained. I bought a converted van to live in, upgraded to the FUJIFILM X-T4<\/a> and headed off to Scotland. This camera was the perfect fit for my lifestyle. It\u2019s lightweight and compact, but also super durable \u2013 withstanding all of the conditions I\u2019ve experienced, from freezing hail to desert heat.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Small,](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/10-YEARS-OF-X-MOUNT-ELLIOTT-8.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto 2022 \u00a9 Pete Elliott | FUJIFILM X-T4 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 10 sec at F8, ISO 160<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Scotland has become a second home. It\u2019s truly wild, with jaw-dropping landscapes around every bend. It also offers a place to roam. The weeks spent exploring the mountain utopia of Torridon were particularly memorable. I also began to find my style, experimenting with a film-like feel to my images.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Man](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/10-YEARS-OF-X-MOUNT-ELLIOTT-9.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Rugged](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/10-YEARS-OF-X-MOUNT-ELLIOTT-12.jpg\")
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