Outdoor Photography – Issue 280 – April 2022
English | 102 pages | pdf | 52.74 MB
Welcome at Outdoor Photography Magazine Issue 280 April 2022
Was there ever a time when Corfe Castle in Dorset was not beautiful? Today it’s a wonderful subject for landscape photographers but I wonder if it was held in less affection in years gone by.
After the Norman Conquest, a string of castles was built across the country. The idea was not to boost tourism in the area. These were huge structures designed to instil fear in the local population. They were symbols of power and control. But the Normans could not keep their grip on history forever and over the centuries many castles fell into decline. Some, such as Corfe Castle, were partially demolished because of their role in the Civil War.
A dilapidated and redundant building could have been seen as an ugly scar on the countryside – but quite the opposite has happened. Castles now enjoy an after-life as romantic ruins. They have become deeply rooted in the landscape.
More recently, the West Pier in Brighton received thousands of visitors in its heyday in the early 20th century. Sadly, it fell into disrepair and was closed to the public in 1975. Parts of the structure collapsed and two fires did significant further damage, leaving a blackened skeleton of the once popular attraction. But what many thought was an eyesore has become part of the new coastal landscape and is now beloved by photographers and starlings.
Sometimes man-made structures have a shape and a story that add to the beauty of the landscape. It just takes time before that beauty is revealed.
Enjoy the issue.
Mark Bentley
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