Lewes Bonfire celebrations

Posted on November 4, 2016September 25, 2018 by photograph

Lewes Bonfire celebrations

The 5th of November is almost upon us. This is the night our little town gets filled to bursting with 80,000 spectators who come to watch the extravaganza that is the Lewes Bonfire celebrations, the most famous Guy Fawkes event in the country. Along with the raucous procession of torch-carrying, costume-clad people setting off bangers and carrying effigies, there is a ceremony of quiet reflection. Early in the evening wreaths are laid at the two war memorials in town (one of them outside my house).

This solemn moment always takes me by surprise. People stand in complete silence as respect and homage is given to fallen soldiers. The prayers are finished with a quiet lighting of a giant poppy and a flaming reminder not to forget past sacrifices. These are held by young men around the same age as the soldiers who fought in the world wars. Last year the weather was abysmal. Although this meant that I battled with a soaking wet camera, the rain gave a beautiful sheen to the cobblestones and created a wall of smoke from the flames.

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Mace-throwing practice

Posted on October 14, 2016September 25, 2018 by photograph

Mace-throwing practice

I recently completed a shoot for the marketing department of Christ’s Hospital, an independent school in West Sussex. I spent the day capturing the routines of this unusual place and getting unposed, informal photographs of the students. Founded over 450 years ago by King Edward VI, the school is based on some sound ideological principles, such as an admissions process that is based on the child’s potential, not on their family’s ability to pay the fees.

One of the most unusual aspects of the school is a uniform that has remained unchanged since it’s Tudor origins. And what on earth are these boys doing? They are practicing to be Drum Majors by learning how to throw a mace. More photographs from this shoot can be found here.

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Dancing in the spring

Posted on May 5, 2016September 25, 2018 by photograph

Dancing in the spring

This week’s photograph comes from Garland Day, Lewes’s annual celebration of May Day and the coming of spring (yes, more photos about spring). The day is hosted by The Knots of May, a longstanding local female Morris troop. It is an exuberant event, bursting with flowers, music and dancing. The day starts at Lewes Castle, where The Knots of May and The Long Man Morris Men perform in the Gun Garden, before forming a procession that wends its way down the High Street. The dancers are surrounded by local children who have covered themselves, and various hand-held structures, with greenery and blossoms as part of a garland competition. Both boys and girls participate, creating some very inventive designs.

The one catch this year was that, this being spring in England, the day turned out to be cold, grey and drizzly. Luckily the children (dressed in winter coats under their flowers) seemed oblivious, as did the dancers. The musicians were protected by umbrellas and plastic ponchos, and the spectators didn’t seem to mind too much. I was secretly pleased because I knew the rain would turn the road into a beautiful, glistening, reflective surface, far preferable to me than the difficult shooting conditions of a bright sunny day. My aim was to catch a sense of the colour and movement of the dancers and the soft grey light of the day.

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Category: people and portraits