William Coombs
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contents
introduction
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the shepherdess
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cumbrian folk scene
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border foresters
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Everybody has a unique story to tell and one interesting person led me to another
introduction
As rewarding as it can be, chasing mountains and rivers in the north of England has frequently left me cold, wet, lonely and confused. I only have myself to blame. However, the pursuit of hedonistic adrenaline trips has enabled me to meet the unassuming and incredible people who live and work in Britain’s rural environment. Everybody has a unique story to tell and one interesting person led me to another, and another. A dry stone waller introduced me to a shepherdess. The shepherdess led me to a farmer, then a folk musician, a forester, a tree surgeon, dog handlers, gardeners, joiners, ceramicists, engineers, stone masons and outdoor instructors. The network of people and skills seem as complex and beautiful as the walls, which divide the fields and coppices of the tightly managed landscape of which they are a part. It is my aim to meet, admire and celebrate these people, and their culture, through the photographs in this book.
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I met Jeanette and Blue whilst I was dry stone walling on a farm in Northumberland
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the shepherdess
A day in the life of a Shepherdess. Wet grass, lanolin, mud, sweat. Numb fingers stick to metal gates and heavy waterproofs catch on barbed wire. The dog is a tool and a companion. A life of constant running. Nipping at heels and racing through the long reeds and heather of the fell. Diesel and spray, from the Quad bike fill sinuses. This must be one of the most demanding and lonely yet rewarding professions in modern Britain. Despite the increased use of high tech machinery in 21st century agriculture. Some tasks, such as dry stone walling and tree planting can only be undertaken by hand. The task of managing livestock on the open fell is made easier by the use of sheep dogs.
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I seek skilled practical people of all ages for my photographs and want to respectfully document their way of life and philosophy through imagery.
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15th October 2012 After scraping up a farm track in oversized winter wellingtons, I routed my backside to the metal rack of the quad bike with one hand and held my camera with the other. I did this for three hours whilst Jeanette and Blue worked the sheep.
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Although primarily a tool, the bond between animal and handler is still essential for an effective working partnership. Working with Blue from a young age has enabled Jeanette to refine her shepherding to a high standard in all weather conditions.
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cumbrian folk scene
In the Summer of 2012 whilst working on dry stone walls near Hexham, I paddled across a lake with a friend to a farm where I found myself amongst the Cumbrian folk scene. As I lacked the patience and tenacity to learn an instrument as a teenager I began to use my camera to find out about these musicians and their way of life. After meeting Eddie, Wayne and Nona by firelight in one of the deepest of the Lake District valleys, I was invited to the jam sessions at The Boot and Shoe at Greystoke near Penrith. After the glaring headlights of the M6, the soft sounds of the fiddles, accordions, mandolins and guitars were like holding a freshly baked potato in cold hands.
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Jeanette introduced me to the value of music in these wild empty places
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19th January 2013 The link between acoustic music and the mountains has become apparent. Many of the people I have photographed, from dry stone wallers to shepherds have more than a passing interest in raw and elemental music. This music can take many forms and people listen to and make it for different reasons.
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20th January 2013 Unlike the inks, chemicals, plastics, circuit boards, gelatines and glass left by photographic images and cameras; corroding strings and tuning pegs left in the soil are all that is left after the musician has long gone. The photograph of a folk singer will endure long after their voice has faded. The picture of a tree just planted fresh will still be around when the tree has grown to forty feet or more, been felled and residing in a house as a wardrobe or picture frame in IKEA.
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Sat around the fire in a Cumbrian valley, I met a drummer who worked in forestry
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border foresters
As a photographer focused on people who live and work in Britain’s rural environment I look at people, who live a tactile existence in a modern world by building, planting, growing and physically investing in the future. I observe the aging process and the effect of manual labour on the body in the 21st century; in people such as foresters, joiners, hostlers and farmers. I met a forester whilst canoeing down the River Kent. Though I capsized in my boat soon after getting on and took no photographs that day, the forester had made a lasting impression. In this series I have observed the act of planting coniferous trees such as Sitka and Norway Spruce, by commercial foresters in the Scottish Borders. These portraits include voluntary members of the Carrifran Wildwood project based near Moffat in southern Scotland. The aim of the Wildwood project is to restore the valley of Carrifran to resemble as closely as possible the virgin woods of 6000 years ago before its deforestation. The planting of deciduous species such as Birch, Oak and Hazel will increase the biodiversity of this area.
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Phillip / A life of forestry
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Sam / Planting Sitka Spruce
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Dave / Firthhope Carrifran
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20th February 2013 I photographed foresters at Kielder for the first time today. It’s freezing and my hands go numb whilst photographing. A walk to a lonely bothy where I find a book with a picture of a pretty girl laughing in the rain inside. Sardines, cheese and jam sandwiches. Windswept faces in the back of my van, spaghetti, peas and beans. Television.
Bobby / On the border
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Hugh / Carrifran Wildwood
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Peter / Planting Norway Spruce
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Copyright Š 2013 All rights reserved Photography: William Coombs Design: Katie Jayne Roberts
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This is a book about Musicians, Foresters and a Shepherdess. The aura of the woods, fields and fells of the British countryside have and continue to be an inspiration for my photographic projects. These portraits are a result of the desire to meet new people and discover their personal stories in rural, often remote locations.