Grantham@Work is a personal project for 2016, documenting businesses and their premises in Grantham, Lincolnshire. I’ve long been fascinated by the Victorian and Edwardian photographs of shopkeepers and shops and find the static scene and facial expressions a wonderful glimpse into the working lives of ordinary folk in ordinary places. My aim is to capture some of the same authenticity, here in 2016. The photographs are unscripted; time of day is determined by the business availability and the proprietor and staff are invited to pose as they choose, with or without the ‘tools of their trade’. The lighting is real; I don’t add or take away light and the sun’s shadow (if it appears!) lies where it lies. The photographs are honest too; no retouching to remove street furniture or chewing gum on the pavement or peeling paint.
Many thanks to the extra-ordinary Grantham business people who are embracing this project, some of whom are showcased here, and all of whom will be exhibited in town in the Autumn.
Photographs captured on a Fuji X-Pro2 using the ACROS Red film simulation and further developed in Lightroom and Photoshop to add subtle colour and text.
