Seeing Stonehenge: On Assignment for Discover Britain Magazine with Jeremy Flint

Uncovering the unknown and revisiting historical past are two nice explanation why photograhy is so particular. Relating to important landmarks around the globe, we may see 1000’s of pictures of those relics over the process our lifetime. However the tale in the back of those websites and the person views in the back of those pictures are in point of fact distinctive. Time and time once more, new pictures convey new lifestyles to ancient locations.

We attached with commute photographer, characteristic author, and PhotoShelter member Jeremy Flint for a behind-the-scenes take a look at his fresh photograph project for Uncover Britain Mag. Right here, he had the chance to photograph Stonehenge and one of the most group of workers who assist give protection to this historical monument. 

However earlier than leaping into this visitor put up, we need to percentage a little bit extra about Jeremy, his spectacular profession, and likewise categorical our gratitude as he stocks this within take a look at a once-in-a-lifetime project.

With a keenness for world commute, Jeremy’s award-winning paintings captures the wonderful thing about locations and displays his fascination for tradition, traditions and humanity.

Jeremy frequently undertakes commissions for a spread of purchasers the place his photograhy paintings options in publications together with Nationwide Geographic Traveller, BA Highlife, Virtual Photographer, Out of doors photograhy, Scotland, This England, and Uncover Britain Mag. To look extra of Jeremy’s paintings, discuss with his PhotoShelter site and practice him on Instagram and Fb.

The next is immediately from Jeremy Flint:

With a up to date photoshoot for Uncover Britain Mag, I used to be tasked to seize the fantastic Stonehenge: certainly one of Britain’s maximum iconic landmarks, and the custodians of those stones. This was once a dream project to adopt and a spot I’ve all the time sought after to photograph.

Surroundings the Scene: A Transient Historical past of Stonehenge

Prior to selecting up the digital camera, I love to take a look at the historical past of a spot. It is a nice approach to perceive the character of Stonehenge while offering a supply of inspiration for the shoot. 

Set within the middle of Wiltshire, Stonehenge is a powerful neolithic stone circle and easily probably the most biggest monuments on Earth. The stones have stood proud on Salisbury Undeniable ever since their building round 2500 BC. The placing pillars are a testomony to our ancestors’ achievements and creativity. Their meeting required superhuman effort the place the stones have been raised through as much as 100 other folks according to stone and attached the use of mortise and tenon, and tongue-and-groove joints to suit them into place.

Of the 2 stone circles, the bigger slabs of the outdoor ring are mentioned to have come from the native Marlborough Downs and the smaller bluestones of the interior circle from the Preseli Hills in Wales. Extremely, they have been carried through sledges and ropes and formed the use of elementary gear corresponding to hammerstones (huge heavy boulders comprised of flint and stone). 

I discovered this fantastic feat of bodily engineering attention-grabbing and sought after to do it justice with the pictures I’d make.

Mild and Shadow: Regardless of the Climate

Stonehenge is a fascinating position to look, let by myself photograph. Having observed photographs of Stonehenge awash on social media, I sought after to seize my very own model of the stones with contemporary eyes. I used to be excited with the shoot and spark off in nice anticipation. 

On location, I like to paintings with the sunshine and issue this into attention-grabbing compositions.  On the other hand, on arrival, it was once raining closely, and I assumed the shoot could be a washout. Fortunately, my success quickly modified and because the rain clouds handed overhead and the solar all at once seemed, I captured the solar’s rays bursting in the course of the stones. Witnessing and taking pictures those fantastic moments actually will get my ingenious juices flowing and I used to be thankful to be there for this decisive second.

But even so the elements, having restricted time on website earlier than the primary guests would arrive and an excessively busy highway within the background with unending visitors to cope with, I controlled to triumph over those difficult hurdles all through the shoot.

As a certified commute photographer who actually enjoys travelling everywhere the sector and photographing incredible puts, I really like operating with herbal mild, slightly than synthetic lights. Stonehenge was once no exception, the place I in particular discovered photographing the scene with the solar arcing decrease within the sky helped so as to add some setting when attention-grabbing shadows have been shaped, raising the picture.

Documenting a Faithful Workforce

The UNESCO Cultural and International Heritage Website is owned and controlled through the English Heritage and a legally safe Scheduled Historical Monument. Due to this fact, get right of entry to to the stones is moderately restricted and you’ll be able to’t if truth be told contact the stones when there, so I needed to be in particular cautious when capturing round them.

With a big footfall of 10,000 day-to-day guests all through the summer time and just about 1 million other folks yearly that is comprehensible. There’s a roped perimeter surrounding the stones to assist maintain their situation and maintain the website as a peacefully conserved house.

A faithful squad of group of workers and volunteers additionally attempt to maintain the stones for long term generations together with a safety workforce who’re completely provide to protect the stones. The second one a part of my project was once to satisfy and photograph those guardians corresponding to Heather Sebire, Curator of Stonehenge, who’s chargeable for the maintenance of preserving the stones and studies their situation to UNESCO once a year, to retain its International Heritage standing.

I sought after to seize those custodians of certainly one of Britain’s maximum recognizable landmarks, inside the context of the stones and it was once a privilege so as to photograph them within the circle for the fee.

Jeremy’s Cross-To Tools

As a longstanding Canon consumer, who has not too long ago switched to mirrorless, I used a Canon R5 digital camera for the shoot with a Canon RF 24-70mm lens, an actual workhorse lens with nice optical high quality and zoom functions.

This was once my go-to-gear of selection, paired with a Gitzo GT2542LS tripod and a Manfrotto 405 head. In softer mild when the luminance was once restricted, I wished an extended publicity time and located my tripod to be an very important piece of equipment to stay the whole thing strong.

Status among the stones, you’ll be able to actually really feel the historical past and sweetness this position eludes while getting a way of magnitude and thriller from this magical monument. It was once fantastic to stroll within the footsteps of the prehistoric individuals who have been right here 4,000 years in the past and I felt honoured to take in this process and percentage my imaginative and prescient of this in point of fact British icon and its custodians.

Jeremy Flint

If you are feeling impressed to discuss with the stones your self, you’ll be able to be told extra at the English Heritage site. 

If you wish to be told extra about Jeremy, discuss with his PhotoShelter site. There, you’ll in finding his surprising portfolio and a selection of his revealed paintings. 

He additionally has an attractive choice of advantageous artwork prints on the market (over 100 photographs to make a choice from)! Observe alongside Jeremy’s subsequent journey through checking him out on Instagram and Fb.