Land Girls

Posted on 19/10/2011 by Paul Debois

During the autumn of 2010 I started photographing a few people I knew for a personal project, initially inspired by a Land Girls poster from WW2. Like the Gardeners’ Hands project from a couple of years ago, it gathered momentum, slowly at first, but by word of mouth it has grown from the original six portraits taken last year, to a surprising 30 portraits. And I only seem to have scratched the surface!

Not a literal interpretation of the original poster, the connection with everyone is that they grow edible plants or plants for cropping in some form – whether in a few pots on a balcony, in an allotment or in a vast garden and who are actively involved in writing, blogging, broadcasting or campaigning.

I plan to put up some of the images on the blog, maybe on a weekly or fortnightly basis, now I have a wide selection of folk. So a few recent portraits, in no particular order!

Beth Chatto, author and one of the UK's most respected plantswomen.

Jekka McVicar, plantswoman, organic expert and author, in her herb nursery

Alice Bowe, garden designer and author, making a start on her new veg plot.

Helen Babbs, author, on her balcony in Central London

Eradicating ecocide mock trial

Posted on 02/10/2011 by Paul Debois

Polly Higgins interviewed outside Supreme Court, which staged the Ecocide mock trial, 30-9-11

The concept of ecocide, or crimes against the planet, has been brought into the consciousness of many people by the barrister and author, Polly Higgins. She has been campaigning for several years, negotiating with the UN, and governments around the world, asking for ecocide to be adopted as the 5th crime against peace. Her book, ‘Eradicating Ecocide‘, highlights the problems and why it is necessary for large corporations be environmentally responsible and accountable for their actions.

Polly Higgins at Ecocide mock trial press conference, Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

On Friday a mock trial was held at the Supreme Court in London, where the proposed new law was tested. Two company CEO’s (played by actors) were put on ‘trial’ using evidence from real events. Standard court procedures were used with Michael Mansfield QC leading the prosecution team and Christopher Parker QC leading the defence.

Michael Mansfield QC at Ecocide mock trial at Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Christopher Parker QC at Ecocide mock trial, Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Each member of the jury was sworn in and real expert witnesses were called to give evidence too. In reality, a trial such as this would last several months, so the time constraints of a day could only give a very brief insight in what would really happen. But the message was clear – there is an appetite for such a law.

And the verdict – guilty.

Ecocide mock trial photo gallery

Posted on 02/10/2011 by Paul Debois

juror, ecocide mock trial at Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

The defendants, Mr Tench and Mr Bannerman, played by Nicholas Deal and Robert Hilder at Ecocide mock trial at Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Presiding Judge, Ecocide mock trial at Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Presiding Judge, Michael Norman, at Ecocide mock trial at Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Christopher Parker QC at Ecocide mock trial at Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Michael Mansfield QC, with Christopher Parker QC in background, at Ecocide mock trial, Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Ecocide mock trial at Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Michael Mansfield QC, at Ecocide mock trial, Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Ecocide mock trial at Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Steven Powles from Doughty Street Chambers, at Ecocide mock trial, Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Jane Russell from Tooks Chambers, Peter Robinson, Expert witness and Michael Mansfield QC, at Ecocide mock trial, Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Adam Hiddleston, from 3BP Chambers, at Ecocide mock trial, Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Michael Mansfield QC at Ecocide mock trial at Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Judge summing up at Ecocide mock trial at Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

Judge Michael Norman summing up at Ecocide mock trial at Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

The jury leaving to decide on the verdict, Ecocide mock trial at Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

The defendants, Mr Tench and Mr Bannerman, played by Nicholas Deal and Robert Hilder after the ecocide mock trial verdict at Supreme Court, London, 30-9-11

The holiday snap

Posted on 20/08/2011 by Paul Debois

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been asked by people to take snaps of them in front of important landmarks. A camera is thrust in my direction, usually a very small compact, with an impossibly slow shutter release, which makes me look as if I’ve never touched a camera in my life. I fumble and eventually get an image, often after some quick tuition by the owner, showing me how the camera works. My recent holiday was no exception. Though this time, I kept a record with my camera too.

holiday snap on beach at Fuente del Gallo, Conil

This happy group ran up saying, “Foto, foto”, and spontaneously assembled themselves in front of me. They all started chanting something, I assumed (and hoped) to be the Spanish equivalent of ‘cheese’. It sounded like ‘Horchata‘, (a traditional drink), though my grasp of Spanish is slim, and the Andalucian accent is nigh on impossible for a beginner. Slightly alarmed, I obliged, but they turned out to be very friendly and good humoured. I even learned a new word ‘arroba’, which is the @ used in email addresses!

holiday snap on beach at Fuente del Gallo, Conil

Another group, who had covered themselves in a grey-green clay found on the beaches locally, which is believed to have beneficial effects.

Holiday snap on beach near Conil

Tomas and his girlfriend covered in the same clay. I did ask him if I could take his picture – and of course took one with their camera too!

RPS photography course at Mill Dene Gardens

Posted on 12/06/2011 by Paul Debois

Mill Dene Gardens in Autumn

After the success of the flower photography course Jason Ingram and I ran last May with the Royal Photographic Society, the follow up was held last weekend. This time it was for two days, with detailed assessments and plenty of time for practical experience in the beautiful gardens at Mill Dene, in the Cotswolds.

Photography student at Mill Dene gardens, June 2011

Again we had a full house with 10 students who all appeared to enjoy themselves, despite the fact that at 6am the expected beautiful morning light was, in fact, rain! Plan B came into play and a daylight studio session was held instead.

Our next planned course will be a one day event at Batsford Arboretum on 30th October 2011, photographing the beautiful Autumn colour in the extensive grounds.

Acer at Batsford Arboretum, Autumn 2010

Old Jimmy Garlick

Posted on 09/05/2011 by Paul Debois

On Friday I visited the Tate Modern to see the Miró exhibition. As I left Mansion House Station en-route to the gallery, I noticed that the small lane by the exit was called Garlick Hill. This reminded me of one of my earliest shoots, carried out in 1982. I had been asked to take some shots of a church, St James Garlickhythe, which is situated at the foot of the lane. It is still one of the oddest jobs I have undertaken.

St James Garlickhythe

I had to take shots of the church interior, and whilst being taken round the building, my escort said, “When you have finished that shot, I’ll take you to see the body”. Not normally an invitation I’d hang around for, but the body in question was that of a poor fellow on display in a glass fronted case. I was more surprised the body was still in the church, as all information at that time indicated he had been reburied as his existence attracted ghost hunters. Nobody really knows who he was, and over the years he has acquired the unfortunate name of Old Jimmy Garlick.

Jimmy Garlick or Old Jimmy Garlick, a naturally desiccated mummy of a man in a wooden cabinet in the church of St. James Garlickhythe, a Wren church on Garlick Hill in the City of London.

After finishing my shots, I was asked to move the case containing Old Jimmy back into its correct position. This I duly did. Apparently some builders, who had been working in the room had moved it, as they didn’t like him ‘looking’ at them while they carried out their business. Far from feeling spooked, my only reaction at the time was to notice the condition of his teeth!

I’ve no idea of his whereabouts now, but I hope he is still safe and sound inside the church, where he has probably been for at least three hundred years.

Crossbones Graveyard, 25.3.11

Posted on 27/03/2011 by Paul Debois

A few examples from this shoot. The Crossbones Graveyard is in Bankside, near Borough Market and London Bridge. It was originally an unconsecrated burial ground for ‘single women’, a euphemism for prostitutes, who worked in the “Liberty of the Clink“. This was an area controlled by the Bishop of Winchester, and the graveyard was used until the mid-nineteenth century when it was closed down after being declared full. Excavated during the Jubilee Line extension works in the 1990’s, it was estimated that up to 15,000 people were buried there. The women who worked in this area were referred to as ‘Winchester Geese‘.