PATTERNS AND TONES

"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 independen...

"Norwich Market Portraits No. 1" 2017 It's the third year in a row I've documented merchants in Norwich Market . Th ere 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...

"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 w...

"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 ...