Happisburgh: A Coastal Village

"Happisburgh: A Coastal Village No. 1" 2017

Happisburgh (pronounced "Haze-bruh"), is a lovely coastal village on the north-east coast of Norfolk, England. This quiet seaside community is distinctive for its archaeological importance which was recently unveiled by its present predicament. Due to its geographical location unprotected from the North Sea, the rate of erosion is quite dramatic. In the 1950's, they constructed large concrete sea walls which have helped slow the onslaught of land removal but the village's fate will be forever at the mercy of the water. Yet due to this consistent erosion human footprints dating back 800,000 years ago were discovered in 2013. This is the earliest recoding of humans in all of Northern Europe.

Visiting this lovely village each year I have enjoyed its sweeping coastal views and shifting landscape. During the winter, I have been humbled by the intensity of its gale force winds. Happisburgh has the only independently run light house in all of Great Britain. Originally lit by candle light and then oil lamps, the lighthouse has been operational since 1789. I have to admit it gave me vertigo the one time I mounted its steps 85 feet up to the top of its lantern.

I always thought an English seaside town would look like Happisburgh. Perhaps it's the romantic ideal of its wild, lonely, and untamed nature or having been influenced by movies like "Wuthering Heights" but Happisburgh with its wide open sky and vast open ocean is poetic and solitary, a true British village strong and determined in the face of its adversary. It makes me want to return every year to see how it has reimagined itself.

Julie Green
September 23, 2017

"Happisburgh: A Coastal Village No. 2" 2017

"Happisburgh: A Coastal Village No. 3" 2017

"Happisburgh: A Coastal Village No. 4" 2017

"Happisburgh: A Coastal Village No. 5" 2017

Norwich Market Portraits 3

"Norwich Market Portraits No. 1" 2017

It's the third year in a row I've documented merchants in Norwich Market. There is an undeniable feeling of joy that washes over me when I'm shooting these portraits. It becomes almost overwhelming, a knowing that draws me to these people and their market stalls. It could be that the images to me are timeless. When an image is timeless, I know I've got the shot.

This year, I was happy to see so many smiles across so many faces. It could be that we arrived at the beginning of August and summer was having a positive effect on my subjects. The first set I shot back in 2015 was in the month of April when it's still quite cold and damp in Norwich. Hot tea and warm coats were prevalent, as well as a less jovial countanance. The second set I photographed back in 2016 was taken in September under white puffy clouds which quickly floated by above us. The harsh weather was yet to decend upon the market stalls and a few more smiles were detected.

While I was shooting these portraits this year, a photographer from the Easter Daily Press approached me wondering what I was up to. He was interested in my camera, my accent and my fascination with the sellers in the market stalls. Antony Kelly ended up photographing me in the process. As a photographer I'm sure he understood and appreciated the rich wealth of visual information the merchants and the backdrop of their products provided.

Julie Green
September 16, 2017

"Norwich Market Portraits No. 2" 2017

"Norwich Market Portraits No. 3" 2017

"Norwich Market Portraits No. 4" 2017

"Norwich Market Portraits No. 5" 2017

"Norwich Market Portraits No. 6" 2017

Gunton Arms Portraits

"Gunton Arms Portraits No. 1"

While I was traveling in England this summer I attended the first annual Gunton Festival of Food and Music in Norfolk. Promoted by our friend Rupert Orton, the sold out festival was set up on a 1,000-acre deer park dating back to the 18th century. Situated in the center of the park,  the remaining hunting lodge was converted into The Gunton Arms pub and hotel which opened its doors back 2011.

The atmosphere of the festival was laid back and cheerful. The deer park with its English Oaks and fields were a perfect backdrop for a large circus tent set up for the musical entertainment. I had a delicious venison burger with pickled brambles on top. When in Rome..

The late summer sun lingered for hours at the horizon making me a very happy photographer! I ran around the grounds photographing revilers who caught my fancy. I slowed my pace once I realized I didn't have to chase the sun, as it was a slow moving sunset.

The light was truly incredible, I haven't see anything quite like it before. Being in the norther hemisphere with 16 hours of daylight, the sun finally set around 8:45pm giving me the opportunity to linger and capture outdoor portraits in the most beautiful light. My sitters an almost Hollywood like glow.


Julie Green
September 9, 2017

"Gunton Arms Portraits No. 2"

"Gunton Arms Portraits No. 3"

"Gunton Arms Portraits No. 4"

"Gunton Arms Portraits No. 5"

Sherwood Forest Portraits

"Sherwood Forest Portraits - No. 2"

This summer I had the chance to visit Sherwood Forest. This ancient royal forest in Nottinghamshire, England is most known for its 13th century outlaw Robin Hood. While I was planning my trip to the UK I was delighted to find out they were celebrating their yearly Robin Hood Festival the very day were were going to visit. So I packed up my cameras and headed to Nottingham.

The festival was centered around the The Major Oak, a 1,000 year old English oak tree which folklore says was used by Robin Hood and his band of merry men as shelter. It weighs an estimated 23 tons, has a girth of 33 feet, a canopy of 92 feet. Since Victorian times, The Major Oak has been held up by a complex scaffolding structure.

But I was there to capture portraits of the day and was not disappointed by the merchants and entertainers dressed in medieval garb. With the ancient English oak trees and handmade canvas tents as a backdrop, I was delighted to catch several timeless portraits in the Sherwood Forest.

Julie Green
September 2, 2017

"Sherwood Forest Portraits - No. 4"

"Sherwood Forest Portraits - No. 5"

"Sherwood Forest Portraits - No. 6"

"Sherwood Forest Portraits - No. 8"