Inside the Church of St Salomon at La Martyre
The door opens to a rich collection of wall paintings, carvings, vaulted ceiling, 16C stained glass windows, statues, and a Glory Beam – this is a place for lingering, preferably alone.
La Martyre, Brittany
The Church of St Salomon in La Martyre, like many of the parish enclosures, is built on the site of an earlier complex. And like many of the churches it had to be rebuilt after storm damage. It was in the … Continued
Inside Notre Dame, Lampaul-Guimiliau in Brittany
As people push open the door of the church and step inside there is usually a murmur, or an ‘Aah’. After the dark exterior even the dim light inside cannot hide the extravagant colours, exuberant altar pieces, and extraordinary ceilings.
The Church of Notre Dame in Lampaul-Guimiliau, Brittany
Notre Dame in Lampaul-Guimiliau is one of the extraordinary Parish Enclosures in Brittany.
The Church of St Mélar in mono
It is quite difficult to take ‘interesting’ but true photographs of a church. Colour? Black and white? Odd angles? Details or the broader picture? And how can I convey the sense of age, beauty, and the mix of originality and … Continued
The Church of St Mélar in Locmélar
In early May I took myself and my camera to Brittany for two weeks to photograph the Enclos Paroissiaux which are particular to western Finistère. I was quite nervous about the trip – driving on the right, and coping with only very basic French … Continued
Notre Dame de Lorette
On our last morning in France we stopped at the French National Memorial at Notre Dame de Lorette – nothing prepares one for this and photographs from the ground simply can’t capture the size of this cemetery where 20,000 soldiers … Continued
Vimy Ridge in WW1
Vimy Ridge was the site of a battle in WWI in April 1917, as part of the fighting around Arras. All four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Corps in the First Army fought together and were tasked with capturing the … Continued
Beaumont-Hamel & Thiepval
I had visited several cemeteries and battle grounds and reflected on what I had seen. It was disturbing and unsettling, but nothing quite prepared me for the atmosphere of Beaumont-Hamel, where I shivered and felt heavy as I walked into … Continued
WWI around Arras
We stayed in Arras for two nights, visiting cemeteries and countryside around the city. The aim was not to follow the historical path of the war, or specific battles, but to photograph for an illustrated talk and to ‘react’ to … Continued