A cognitive perspective

Our perception of the world is informed by the experiences we have.  As a cognitive scientist, photographer and adventurer, I seek to
help others understand how to optimise performance in daily life, based on insights about how the brain responds to and perceives different environments.  The foundation of this is in attentional focus, be that directed outside at this external world, or inwards on the contents of an active mind.  Optimal performance maximises efficiency of attention, balancing the external and the internal realms, and therein lies a route to greater satisfaction, achievement of goals, and appreciation of the world we live in!

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"in the laboratory...cognition is studied in captivity..[whilst in] the everyday world...human cognition adapts to its natural surroundings"

Edwin Hutchins 'Cognition in the Wild'

Into the void

Embodied cognition is the act of extending one's self out into the environment, to become one with the landscape.  Here the kayak gives me a new sense of self, immersed in the marine realm as close as possible without getting wet!

Beneath the ice

Floating in the icy darkness can grant a complete different perspective, somewhat free from the constraints of gravity and 'normal' reference.  This was taken beneath the Russian White Sea at the tail end of Arctic winter.  After being submersed for 30 minutes in minus 2 degrees water...

In the eye of the glacier

Some of the most beautiful environments can be truly hazardous.  The glacial zone holds a seductive lure, but one must be well equipped and prepared to venture beyond it's 'shore'! Here a glacier guide in Franz Josef, New Zealand poses momentarily in the eye of frozen 'wave'.

The purpose of this site is to promote perspectives on the psychology of optimal performance and attentional efficiency as may be facilitated through adventure experiences, based on understanding the science of how the brain operates in adventurous and extreme environments.

To gain new perspectives requires an investment of effort.  But the rewards can be boundless.  It can involve climbing that little bit  further from the path, or learning new skills that broaden one's access to new viewpoints 'hidden in plain sight'.  My photography seeks to support this philosophy by evoking the perspectives that can be opened up by active exposure to nature and wilderness.

Relativity

It's important to get a sense of scale in order to appreciate one's place in the scheme of things

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