Buckland

In early 2019 I was commissioned to create a photographic study of the ancient trees within the estate for its current owner.The parkland extends across more than eighty hectares, home to a remarkable collection of mature and historic specimens.

Over many days I wandered the grounds, moving quietly among these towering forms.There was a strong sense of presence in the trees – each one shaped by time, weather and circumstance, carrying its own character and quiet dignity.

The resulting picyures became a series of portraits – not of a place, but of individuals.Trees that, for reasons often difficult to define, drew my attention and held it.

The work was published as The Ancient Trees at Buckland House, a finely crafted monograph in which each photograph was hand-tipped onto debossed pages, the book itself produced as an object of considered and enduring quality.

My time spent among these trees left a lasting impression. They stand as quiet witnesses to centuries of change – enduring, resilient, and deeply rooted in the landscape.

As Nelson Henderson once wrote – “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”