Portraits

Charleston - March 2017

These portraits are made during the Charleston Festival at the former country home of the Bloomsbury artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant.

Right from the start it was important to me to photograph participating authors, artists, actors and performers in the context of the House and Gardens. Charleston, with it's inspiring heritage, offers something different to other festivals in the UK. Most speakers connect with the history of the house and the creative spirit of it's former inhabitants, evident in every room.

Between roving the grounds of Charleston and the speakers being on stage, I have just a few moments to make a portrait, and to find the right time requires a considerate approach. The wait can be short, or it can take hours or days until the moment is right. But they become precious moments in which an encounter and a small part of Charleston's history is preserved.