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thesuffolkproject

@thesuffolkproject

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A study of Suffolk: people, rural life, farming and conservation, by professional photographer Richard Allenby-Pratt.

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One of the reasons I've been a bit quiet on Instagram lately is because this has happened to my favourite place on earth, my daily dog walk, and it has, rather, knocked the wind out of my sails, or, at least, the camera out of my hands. People say 'You don't appreciate it until it's gone' but I have loved this place with a mindful passion for some years now, probably because through the process of repeated photographing I've come to know it so intimately, not just this view, but every inconspicuous little weed and bug, every soft contour in the valleyvside. Just this summer I sat under th middle oak until the barn owl flew almost close enough to feel the draft from his wings. It's not the love of the exceptional but the familiar, it's loving something just as it is, because it's good and you know it well and you're grateful for it. Somewhat like when Robin Williams, in 'Good Will Hunting', talks about his beloved wife farting in her sleep. Anyway, forgive me while I continue to process and contextualise all this. It would probably help me to walk somewhere else in the morning, but how could I just turn my back? by @thesuffolkproject

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2 days ago

There's the most marvellous exhibition of tree art just opened at @roweandwilliams and it inspired me to dig out some old favourites of mine. They are: oak, elm, black poplar, London plane, birch, lime, beech, Scots pine, copper beech, alder, gorse, hornbeam, cedar and field maple. A decent portrait of an ash tree still evades me, frustratingly, likewise for hazel. But having portraits of veteran elm and back poplar makes me happy. Yes, I know these aren't all native species and, to be honest, I don't really love copper beeches, but they are photogenic. You might also argue that gorse is not a tree but, according to Colin Tudge (or my interpretation of) if it looks like a tree then it pretty much is a tree. by @thesuffolkproject

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20 days ago

Hectic and fun day shooting for brilliant @workhousengland recently with Iggi and Ruben. From the Blackshore to the Dingle Marshes, up to the Waveney Valley, with a boat from @threeriverscampsite and finishing at Hulver Farm with the ever-generous Paul and @smallsuffolkfarmer looking on (somewhat bemused 🙂) We all agreed that @mytrimtwinstrimtwin, who was only meant to be a styling assistant on the shoot, should give up his fashion design course and start full time modelling immediately! by @thesuffolkproject

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2 months ago

There's an occasional upside to teen driving lessons in ww2 airfields. by @thesuffolkproject

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a month ago

I took a little trip down to Orford yesterday to see @alex.curry.art exhibition at the Watch House Gallery on the Quay. I’ve admired, and been influenced by, Alex’s work for a long time; he is undoubtedly a connoisseur of Suffolk sheds, whether drawing them or building them. I strongly recommend going to see his show, it’s on this weekend and, let’s face it, Orford isn’t such a bad place to nab an ice cream or take a trip to a WW2 weapons-testing site. There’s also some pretty spectacular sheds on the drive out there (the wonky one at Sudbourne is featured in Alex's show) by @thesuffolkproject

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a month ago

One of the conservation grazing dartmoor ponies on the heath at Aldringham, helping to maintain the heath as predominantly heather rather than leaving it to change to scrub and then woodland. After the fire at Dunwich I assume people will be asking questions about the particular vulnerability of heather/gorse heathland to wildfires in the context of warming/drying climate. by @thesuffolkproject

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a month ago

It's a strange sort of country at the moment after the long-awaited rain and fresh green growth pushing up under the droughtscape. by @thesuffolkproject

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2 months ago

Photoshed, the free weekly photo workshop I run in Saxmundham, went to Orford Castle for the morning yesterday 🙂 by @thesuffolkproject

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a month ago

Despite my original ambition to photograph all the village dog shows this summer yesterday's Sweffling fete was the first one I actually made it to. But it was a quintessential one. by @thesuffolkproject

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2 months ago

Went to watch the eclipse from the Locks Inn, got distracted by some loosestrife. Other people got distracted by the cows. by @thesuffolkproject

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2 months ago

Waiting to hear the extent of the fire at Dunwich Heath yesterday. From what I could see at Minsmere it seemed to be centred around the Exercise Kruschen area, and as the wind was blowing it North hopefully it ran out of fuel 🤞 by @thesuffolkproject

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3 months ago

Mark and Isla, two of our most dedicated volunteers, in the village community woodland yesterday, carting the hay away from the wildflower meadow. After a rainy start (🙏) we were blessed with beautiful sunshine. by @thesuffolkproject

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3 months ago