By Sarah Curran
MEET Liane Radcliffe, the personal photographer of Flavour First’s much-loved Highland Cows.
For the last five years Liane has spent much of her time behind the lens, documenting the Donnan family’s prized cattle at the Donaghadee farm through a series of photographs.
Liane recently displayed her photography skills at Flavour First’s first event of the year, The Highland Cow Experience, showcasing the Highland Cows, along with other local artists.
Having served three decades in education, as deputy Head of School in Performing and Creative Arts at South Eastern Regional College, Liane led media courses across three campuses, encouraging students to find their own creative voice and ‘see the world as a story worth telling’.
However, now retired, the Bangor woman is getting a chance to do just that, as she captures the movements of nature and the natural world.
Speaking about her craft, Liane said: “I have spent more than 40 years behind the lens, chasing light, landscape and the quiet stories woven through the natural world. Photography, for me, has never just been about images, it’s about connection, curiosity and the moments that often go unnoticed.”
She continued: “The prospect of retirement was quite scary, but when I finally plucked up the courage I found the freedom to turn that lifelong passion into a full-time pursuit. Since then, my work has centred on freelance photography, with a particular focus on nature and the relationships that grow from spending time within it.
“In a world that often feels filled with turmoil and negativity, I try to use my work to remind people that there is beauty all around us, if we take the time to look.”
Using her Facebook page, Liane Radcliffe Photography, Liane has been showcasing her work, while also highlighting local beauty, with special interest in the Highland cows at Flavour First.
In the lead up to the first event of the year at Flavour First, Liane captured a video of the Donnan family moving their iconic cattle to a new field. The video gained much attraction online, with almost half a million views currently.
Liane explained how she had ‘fallen in-love’ with the cows on a visit to the farm and got speaking with William and Leanne Donnan and shared her photographs with them.
“A defining chapter of my journey has been my ongoing collaboration with the Donnan family at Flavour First in Donaghadee,” Liane said.
“Over the past five years, I’ve documented their Highland cattle, building a deeply personal body of work that captures not just the animals, but the spirit of the place they belong to. Their trust and generosity have been central to that story and for that I am so grateful.”
Working collaboratively, Flavour First often use Liane’s photography on promotional material and in return contact her to ask if she’d like to snap the cows in picturesque scenes across the farm for her own personal use.
Farm owner, Leanne Donnan, explained how she and her family had struck a friendship with Liane over the cows and asked if she would be interested in displaying her photographs at the Highland Cow Experience, along with other local artists, noting how the cows are so ‘celebrated through art’.
Joining Liane at the event were Sarah Holland creating cow mosaics, Janine Thompson with her felt craft creations and Deborah Robinson with her watercolours.
The Donnan family said the event was created as the Highland cows at the farm had become a large part of the attraction, with people asking to even adopt them.
“The event had a really lovely aura and it was really nice and relaxed and wholesome,” Leanne added.
The next Highland Cow Experiences will take place on April 25 and May 2.
These are ticketed event and tickets can be purchased online and more can be purchased through her Facebook page, Liane Radcliffe Photography.
