Assignment 2

People and activity

The Haworth 1940s Weekend

For this assignment I wanted to choose something a little bit different, something that wasn't a run of the mill public kind of event. I had previously heard about a 1940's weekend in Pickering that normally happened around this time of year, but unfortunately this year it was to be held later in the year. It was by chance that I mentioned what my plan was to a friend and they told me about the annual Haworth 1940's weekend.

What I wanted to capture from the weekend was a sense of what it would be like back in the 1940's, that is one of the reasons all my photos are in B&W, I wanted to feel when I looked at one of the pictures that you were instantly transported back 70 years and actually the picture could have been taken in and around the second world war.

I have tried to select the final set of images that don't have anything modern day in them that would have detracted from what I was trying to achieve.

The setting for the 1940's weekend was perfect, Haworth is a small industrial town situated between Keighley and Halifax. The High street itself is cobbled with a steep hill winding up to the top. All the way up the cobbled street Union jack bunting was streamed across the houses and shops winding its way all the way to the top.

At the bottom of the hill to set the scene there was a Home guard War Bunker (image 3) with maybe 8-10 men & women dressed up in there home guard uniforms with sandbags and barriers erected as if it were a checkpoint.

Because of the type of event it was I found it quite easy to interact with the people in costume and to ask them if they minded posing for a couple of photographs. Although sometimes it almost turned into a bit of a scrum as you had asked people politely to pose for you, you were then jostled by other would be opportunists trying to get the picture you had just tried to set yourself up for. I was conscious when taking the shots not to try and get anything in the photos that would not have fitted in with the period, on the whole I think to that extent I was quite successful.

Image 1

Image 1: For me this shot has a sense of purpose and almost evokes feelings of melancholy and desperation from the expressions characterised by the subjects, I think it gives you a real sense of time.
I had to include this shot in the final selection as it is one of my favorites from the day. It however almost did not make the cut. Once I had shot the sequence I had been unaware that my camera settings had been knocked off, probably because I was carrying it over my shoulder which led to the sequence of pictures being heavily over exposed. The saving grace was the picture was captured in Raw format so I was able to salvage a good proportion of data from the shot.  I don't think it detracts to much from the overall image it definitely makes for a very gritty shot.

Image 2

Image 2: This is quite a simple image of an old soldier possibly driving to the front line, I think it works because of the lack of anything else in the picture with the main focus being the expression on the old Soldier. The small details are still however visible.

Image 3

Image 3: There are so many bits to pick out of this picture any one of which would instantly transport you back 70 Years, from the poster on the window saying "careless talk cost lives" to the old bottles of milk stood on the table. 
I think this picture itself could tell you several stories, maybe one of trepidation at the impending night raids by the German Luftwaffe, or maybe the homeguards waiting for the imminent arrival of the next change of guard at the checkpoint. All of which would be a believable scenario for the above image. What constantly amazed me while taking these shots was the attention to detail of all the people involved.

Image 4

Image 4: This old soldier instantly reminded me of the Home guard led by the fictional character  Captain Mainwaring from Dad's Army. It is almost like you are transported back to a scene in Walmington-on-sea where one of the old soldiers are standing guard at a checkpoint. 

Image 5

Image 5: For me this image was the best portrait shot of the day. The subject blended perfectly with the background and his face was not too heavily made over with cammo paint. The subject is nicely positioned and not looking too far off camera to make the shot look obscure or unnatural. The man in the shot definitely had a certain look which helped with the overall look of the image.
I think the natural look of the photo helps this image work as nothing looks false or forced.

Image 6

Image 6: This is another one of these shots that could tell several stories, either maybe that of a young soldier returning home or even about to go back off to war. The almost expressionless pose from the young lady adds weight to the sense of the occasion. There is a nice depth of field in this photograph that draws you to both of the subjects eyes.

Image 7

Image 7: This was one of those "Moment" photographs, where a young lad picked up a Banjo and started singing "When I'm cleaning windows" by the late George Formby.  adding to the impact of the photograph is the Union Jack draped over the wall behind him. I think this is one of those pictures that could evoke feelings of patriotism, and being witness to his rendition of the song first hand and in the setting described above and can definitely attest to that. 

Image 8

Image 8: If there is one thing that evokes images of the 1940's for me is that smoking was fashionable.  There was nothing more fashionable than an officer in uniform indulging in the habit of the day.
I love the expression on the officers face in this photo, he just seems to be losing himself in the moment and enjoying smoke and aroma of the cigarette.

Image 9

Image 9: This is the Honeybirds, a 1940's based 3 piece group.  I like this image because the girls give it a sense of time, with the outfits, hairstyles and props you could immediately be transported back to the 1940's.

Image 10

Image 10/11: These two shots work for me again because of the attention to detail, the little boy is dressed up in the clothes of the day being proudly paraded round by his father. Little details like the Gas mask box around the child's neck and the over sized flat cap could quite easily of being a hand me down. The little boy is blissfully unaware of the pomp and ceremony going on around him which adds to the natural nature of the two images.

Image 11

In conclusion

I really enjoyed this assignment, and glad I waited for the right event to come along. I am pleased with the overall effect of the pictures and believe I accomplished what I set out to.
I have definitely learned a lot from this second module, "know your audience" so to speak and to know when it is OK to take pictures and when it is not.
Its quite refreshing to see how amiable some people are when a camera is pointed in their direction.
An event like this so close to the Diamond jubilee seems to bring out the inner patriot in people that may have lay dormant for many a year. Everybody seemed to be enjoying the event and the sense of occasion.