|
|
No.56 July 2003 | Contex HOME MY
DAYS AS A VOLUNTEER PHOTOGRAPHER FOR PETER FULLER It
was as far back as 2000 when I was invited to become a volunteer
photographer for the English Heritage project to put all of The project is called “Images of England” and it came at a time when I was involved in putting all the buildings in the Old Town of Hastings, East Sussex, onto a specially-designed database for the Committee of the Old Hastings Preservation Society. I had just completed one of the oldest streets in the Old Town - All Saints Street, and I had taken most, if not all, of the historic houses and their architectural features. They then paid my fees to become a member of the Royal Photographic Society so that I could become a volunteer photographer for the project, and was eventually asked to attend the first “briefing” in London. We were all told what was required and how to go about taking the photographs (only one “defining image” of each building allowed!). Then we were given our folder of “targets” – and, yes, you guessed it, I was given All Saints Street, Hastings for my first photo shoot! Because I was also spending time in London I asked for London targets as well. My Project Leader was very pleased to hear this, and gave me Islington, which presented me a wonderful insight into the history of the area as well, taking many photographs of lovely Georgian terraces and other historic buildings such as the 17th Century terrace at Newington Green. Then after exhausting the (very) extensive Islington list moved on to Hackney. By now I had a greater understanding of the history of these parts of London and was always surprised at the wealth of architectural gems. But now I am in Tower Hamlets – where at the moment I am taking the old warehouses (now very expensive apartments) but will also be targeting the Georgian streets of the area. During my time exploring the London streets, armed with a large-size edition of the A-Z, as I am only given the postal address of my “target”, I have been mistaken for a traffic warden, a council official, quizzed by a Neighbourhood Watch member, and because of having to take shots from across roads, have made people jump with surprise when I appeared from behind ornamental bushes in kerbside landscaping! My equipment has always been a basic 35mm camera with a wide-angle zoom lens – this helps to compose the picture, as one has to convey the building or its purpose in what is called “a defining image”. But not only are there buildings listed: post boxes, telephone boxes, street furniture (mostly bollards), horse troughs, fountains and even paved pathways, steps, railings – are all on my lists. Each picture has to sum up the subject in one shot, there is no leaving English Heritage to pick the best out of three or four and, of course, the sun must shine – not an easy thing to forecast, especially on “targets” which are some way away – it’s a good chance that by the time you arrive the sun has gone in and it looks like rain! My favourite “target” was Tower Bridge, I felt that this was a special honour to convey its history and also its architectural features, no easy task on a subject as large as this, and of course, showing the Tower Hamlets side. I have also enjoyed taking the memorial clock tower at Highbury Place, the Penfold-designed pillarbox on Highbury New Park and various items such as the railings alongside the Regents Canal and a K6 telephone box just near where I live. I believe that this year was meant to be the last one of the project. But owing to the terrible weather last year and the disaster of foot and mouth (which stopped photographers visiting “targets” in the countryside), a further Lottery grant has happily been obtained to extend the project until 2004. So, if this summer, you see someone near your parked car, carrying a clipboard, it’s probably me, but then again, it could really be a traffic warden! The results
of ‘Images of |
