Day 366
Tollesbury Wick
Solstice
Wednesday 21st June 2017
So here I am at the Solstice, a full year has passed, day 366 has finally arrived and with it the end of this project. I can't believe that it has come around so quickly and I feel as though I have so much more to photograph, how can it be over?
I have read many other photo-365 blogs and for some people the end of the project can't come soon enough; it is a trial to commit to photographing everyday but I'm so fortunate in where I live with an endless supply of subjects. I really wanted to go out on a high and over the past few weeks I've been investing time and emotion in to the photos to ensure that the end of this project reaches a crescendo. Today is the Solstice, the day on which we have more daylight hours, more sunlight than any other and we are set for fantastic weather, the hottest June day since 1976. There's only one thing to do, shoot from sunrise to sunset.
On the sea wall at sunrise
I rose early to catch the first hour after sunrise down on the sea wall, just a 15 minute walk from our house. It was a glorious morning, warm even before the sun arrived for it's longest journey, with a gentle warm breeze. The sea wall was benign, welcoming, an old friend happy to invite you in, with little of the wild edge that bites on the darkest of days. The sun didn't rise quite where I expected it to, so much further north at this time of year but I'm really pleased with the atmosphere and the amazing light in these early pictures, particularly the shot through the mud mountains which so typifies this area.
The Old Sail Lofts, Tollesbury
This evening I walked out around Tollesbury Wick to catch the wonderful evening light and for the sun to set one last time on day 366. The Wick is a pretty amazing place for wildlife and photographers, with changing scenery all the way around. I met 7 other people on the 6 mile walk but for the most part it was quiet, just the sounds of the incoming tide and wild birds for company. The gentle breeze warm in the sunshine, an Avocet flying overhead, Shelduck arguing, Oyster Catchers joking. This is a world away far from the Essex of the tabloids, of TOWIE. This is my Essex, the Essex that I wanted to share for a year to show its natural beauty, its wilderness, its city, its rivers and fields and skies, to share our special corner of this world.
Tollesbury Creek
The Blackwater
Big skies over Tollesbury Wick
There be pirates on the Blackwater ... the Ross Revenge, Radio Caroline
The sun dipped behind a band of cloud just before sunset, which it's done so often over the past couple of weeks, just peeping out for a brief moment before it bid farewell, leaving a final lick of fire in the sky.
Solstice, Last Light
From a photography perspective, my style has changed as a result of this year. Maybe more fluid, more responsive, searching for stories and emotions and, of course, I've found my perfect photo partner, the fast 50mm lens. I didn't shoot as much film as I would have liked and I didn't shoot on my big Pentax anywhere near as much as I'd hoped; but there is plenty of time for both of those things particularly now I've reclaimed most of my darkroom kit making it easier to develop the films at home.
This year has also seen some pretty major events, with Brexit, Trump and a disastrous general election that did no-one any favours; although having said that it may just have saved our A&E departments in Essex! For us, it was something closer to home that has had a much bigger impact than any of these global events. I was born in Maldon and photographing the area has brought me so much closer to it, to home, to such a beautiful part of the world. Tollesbury is home now and it's been very good to us in such a short time and no more so than to my father-in-law Jack, who embraced Tollesbury with a great enthusiasm and a huge heart; he loved this place. Sadly we lost Jack during this project. So here is my favourite photo from the year, the one with the biggest story, a 97 year story spanning from the height of empire to the advent of cyber-space, of a world war survived, of 4 generations and a story of the most extraordinary love for life, every day.
If it weren't for this project I probably wouldn't have had my camera with me to capture this memory. Shoot more photos, capture more stories and treasure what is most important.
