Stories from the Forest, Stories from the Sea was a series of workshops that focussed on how to use photography and other visual material to tell stories about place. The project was led by Documentary Photographer, David Severn, whose work explores the culture and social life of the former Nottinghamshire coalfields, where he grew up. The concept behind the workshops was for the participants and David to share images, local knowledge, and personal reflections, to educate each other on the character and identity of their surrounding area. This format stemmed from the unfamiliarity of the Duddon Estuary and Sherwood Forest to David and the participants respectively.
Though on the surface, the landscapes of the Duddon Estuary and Sherwood Forest seem disparate - coastal dunes and Lakeland fells contrasting with ancient woodland far from the sea – they are connected by a similar industrial past and subsequent deindustrialisation. Iron was mined and forged in Millom for over 100 years, whereas coal provided the economic foundation to scores of mining communities around Sherwood Forest throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. These contrasting and parallel factors made a strong catalyst for the group to begin a photographic investigation, that when presented together, invite new connections between these two separate environments.
Through a collaborative process of sharing and discussion, each participant has developed a series of images exploring varied aspects of the landscape, touching on history, geology, industry, and the restoration of nature. When viewed together, these photo series evoke an inspiring understanding of how the landscapes of the Duddon Estuary and Sherwood Forest have been formed by both natural forces and human activity stretching back thousands of years. However, they are also proof that these landscapes are not merely the remnants of ancient times, but continually evolving environments that go on shaping and being shaped by us.
David Severn presentation
Workshop participants
