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Navigating between nations, news, one image, and endnotes.

Navigating between nations

A runner rests and like others in front of him takes in the view from Killiney Hill, Dublin, across the Irish Sea towards Wales.

When people ask me questions like: “Where are you from?” “Where is home to you?” “Which country do you support or identify with most?” I find it difficult to answer. So much so that sometimes I just say I’m confused. I was born in England, to an Irish mother and English father who moved to north Wales when I was nine years old. I’ve developed a complicated affinity and love to each. I recently read Jan Morris’ take on nation hood, nations and states in her posthumous book “Allegorizings” It’s given me much to think about on this.

We visited family in Ireland for the first time in three years last week—just as it seems the Omicron variants are gathering speed… I  remarked to a friend via email that returning there I found that I felt suspended between my own memories of visiting Ireland as a young boy, and visiting it now with my own children. I likened it to being trapped in the pages of Harry Gruyaert's "Irish Summers", Jill Freedman's "Forever Ireland" and Seamus Murphy's "The Republic". Are these images that I pour over imposing themselves on my own memories? For sure, that is how memory works, each recall becomes associated with the context it is newly recalled in. That’s something to bear in mind as our photographs age

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// News

The Singing Hills in Caught by the River

I read the Caught by the River newsletter every week to catch up with what they’ve published so I was really pleased that they recently ran a small feature on my ongoing project about people of north Wales heritage in NY and VT.

I hope to have some more exciting news regarding this project soon…

Ukrainian artist Mariya Borysova

Ukrainian artist Mariya, Masha, Borysova, in front of her paintings

At the start of July I photographed a new member at Little Acre Studios, Ukrainian artist Mariya, Masha, Borysova. More images and a bit about the spontaneous session here.

Local South West Surrey Labour candidate Michelle Birchwood

Michelle Birchwood, South West Surrey Labour Candidate for Farnham South

I recently took the new campaign portrait of South West Surrey, Farnham South Labour candidate Michelle Birchwood. Also on my website here.

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// One Image

Dragon’s Fire

We broke 40C for the first time ever in the UK in July. It’s not a record that I’m celebrating. On the eve of that day, knowing the forecast, I was compelled to make this image when I saw the sky above the setting sun.

How do you feel about this 'new normal'?

Read more about my thoughts on this image and the climate crisis on my website.

If there is interest I will make this available in my print shop.

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// Endnotes

1. A Guide to the Books of Jan Morris, National Geographic

2. We’ve overexploited the planet, now we need to change if we’re to survive, Patrick Vallance, in The Guardian

3. Alive and Enchanted, the regeneration of forests to create a soul connection with woodlands, by Ben Rawlence, with photography by Catherine Hyland, in Where The Leaves Fall

4. January 6 Was Only The Beginning, Jeff Sharlet in Vanity Fair’s HIVE

Thank you for reading The [ED]it, I hope you enjoyed it, please do forward this on to anyone else you think might enjoy it. If you have questions, comments, ideas, projects, sponsorship or anything else stimulated by this edition, you can reply to this email, or get in touch by leaving your thoughts in the comments or contacting me via email at edbrydon@gmail.com

Take care,

Ed

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I was not paid for any content in this newsletter.

About me:

I am a photographer and writer available for commissions based near Farnham, Surrey, in south east England, just 45 minutes from London. I also regularly work in North Wales. 

My more recent work explores personal connections to place, the land and natural environment, how each of those, and the connections between them, are changing. 

In 2017 my ongoing project on people of North Welsh heritage in the northeast US was exhibited at Northern Eye Festival. I was subsequently awarded a commission from the Welsh Parliament in 2019 to make new work for exhibition around Wales in 2019-20. 

You can find out more on my website here.

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