Every so often, I will come across something so utterly beautiful, it quite literally takes my breath away.

I am stopped dead in my tracks; I take a sharp in-breath and everything else falls away, other than that one, utterly exquisite, beautiful moment. This is what happened when I fist came across this guy's work - and in every subsequent visit to his online gallery ...

William Patino.

Nature Photgrapher.

I first came across William's work on Instagram and almost couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Is this a photo, or some other-worldly painting?!  I felt deeply inspired to know more.

After popping over to admire his beautiful, inspiring website, I was blown away to discover that he first picked up his camera in only 2012! Gah! Natural talent, my friends. 

What's more, Will shares on his blog how he sometimes receives emails from budding photographers, asking how they too can have a 'career' like his. Will's reply is that he actually spends his week-days as an air con mechanic, and that for him, photography is purely a hobby.

I can see the lure. However, I think he is modest. I see his work more as an absolute gift to the world!

William's blog is particularly beautiful. I find myself going back again and again to read his honest, humble words and inspirations from recent travels to all corners of the globe.

I particularly loved this quote from this recent post, 'WHY I AM A PHOTOGRAPHER' ...

I have seen so many new places and witnessed incredible sights because of my camera.

I haven’t watched television in months and felt myself grow as a human being, mentally and spiritually.

All of us need to get things off our chest, some people more than others. I feel this need.

Photography is my medium, it is fun, it makes me take time to appreciate and observe the little things. This is why I do it. Photography is a gift I am grateful to have.

I can honestly say that Will's work makes me fall in love.

I fall in love, not just with the beautiful imagery I see, but also in admiration, for the passion one person has the capacity to share, I fall in love with the absolute gift of nature around us and I fall in love with the ability to experience such beauty in this amazing age of shared media.

Clearly others agree; his work, 'Valley of Solace' (top image) has been selected for display in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC, as part of the Nature's Best Photography "Wilderness Forever Exhibition". That's BIG.

If you too would like to follow William Patino's beautiful work, you can find him on Facebook, Instagram and his Photography Website.

Happy falling in love!

Love,

Chrissy x