Fay Godwin
Born: 17th February 1931
Died: 7th May 2005
Fay Godwin was a British photographer who was well known for her black and white pictures of the British countryside. Although, before moving her photographic work in this direction, she took portraiture pictures of famous literary figures such as in the 1970s and 1980s.
In 1985, she released her book 'Land', which was described as the 'book she will be remembered for'. It featured black and white images of many different landscapes in Britain. It was used to encourage environmental change and was informed by the sense of ecological crisis in 1970s and 1980s Britain.
Then, in the 1990s, she started photographing colourful urban landscapes. Fay Godwin was pushed towards this direction after being offered a Fellowship at the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television.
The use of black and white in Fay's images take away anything that could make the images look fun or vibrant and so make the viewer of the image focus on and take in the actual landscape. The use of dark tones in the image make it look dismal and depressing, whilst the knocked down fences make it look unkempt and abandoned. This image could connote an isolated journey as there is nothing around and the road in the centre leads off to somewhere unknown.
The dark tones in this image make a place that would normally be associated with happiness and vibrance seem lonely and dull. It could connote how people no longer go out and spend time together but instead spend their time inside being anti-social. This would tie in with her ecological movement as it shows how people no longer care about the scenery outside and places that were once busy are now abandoned.
This image connotes isolation as for as far as you can see it is empty fields. It contrasts with the busy and manic life in cities such as London and Manchester, and could be related to how the industrial revolution has left England's countrysides deserted and bleak.
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