DESOLATION

A desaturated and intriguing look into the loneliest aspect of architecture and the landscapes of West Yorkshire. Left to rot and standing solitarily, the textile mills unnerving silence catered to the side of me that loves my title as an independent photographer. 

The deep moors that haunt the countryside catch the worst of the weather and made for a truly isolated subject. A sinister atmosphere dragged the location down further, no aided by the ill-omened history of the vast hillsides. 

With the careful angling of studio lights, positioning of additional iconographical props and sweat from rushing back and forth from the viewfinder to the prop, the outcome was highly rewarding and proved to be a begrudgingly appreciated challenge. 

The final images made from the dozen shoots arranged were a taster of what could be if I pursue a career as a product photographer and not only am I surprised at how much creative freedom comes with such a career choice but also as to how much enjoyment was gained from seeing a studio-based journey develop.  

This project was a personally driven quest, for the majority of it. I've had a distinguished interest in Norse Mythology and the Scandinavian folklore that stems from it even today. 

For the images, the outcome became something of a ragtag portfolio, an extensive concoction of landscape, nature, still life, portraiture and even fashion. My goal was to capture the same feeling and tone that we can imagine has been felt before back when Vikings sailed the seas, however, it became something much more personally challenging.   

The Norway Spruce tree. Highly common in Scandinavian countries, and also many parts of British after being introduced to the wilderness. 

It is assumed that many, if not most, Norsemen had tattoos applied at some point during their lives.

Of course, surviving in harsh environments such as the mountainous regions of Norway required thick furs and leathers in order to retain as much heat as humanely possible.