landscape – Lucinda Taylor

Dacha Lake shoot (analogue B&W) January 2026

February 3, 2026Posted in analogue, FMP, MA Photography, Modules, photoshootTagged analogue, black and white photography, environment, FMP, landscape, module, photography, project, universityLeave a comment

This is the analogue shoot I did alongside the digital one on the same day. I used Ilford 400 film, which has been reliable and forgiving in a broad range of conditions. I had loaded the film before heading to the lake, I wanted to photograph without having to think too much.. however, this did become tricky at times when I couldn’t feel my hands! I moved slowly around the lake, listening and feeling the environment. I studied the places I have walked many times before but noted how they were almost unrecognisable in this new, icy world. An entiurely different atmosphere exists, it was both eerie and intriguing. My curiosity meant I stayed much longer than planned, fascinated by the images frozen on the lake surface. I literally couldn’t stop watching. Nothing moved. It was silent and as the sun went down, a pink, orange, winter sky cast its image across the ice. It was so beautiful. I wrote a short poem in place:

winter spreads its cloak across the lake
frozen images, as though printed on satin, hold soft light
silence reigns, I just hear myself, living, breathing in place.
Trees are looking down at me,
their branches hiding the tiny spies
who watch my every move.

I plan to use several images from this shoot in my final book. I love the texture in the images and the light, I keep reflecting on how easily I could have stayed at home in the warm! I would have missed out on an experience, let alone th opportunity for some photographs.

Selected images: 1, 4, 6, 8, 9 & 10

Original images are here: 3 January 2026 Dacha analogue

Dacha lake shoot (analogue colour) January 2026

February 3, 2026February 3, 2026Posted in analogue, FMP, MA Photography, photoshootTagged environment, FMP, landscape, module, photography, project, universityLeave a comment

I photographed an area of the lake with 120 kodak portra 400 film, a few days into January just after the ice had thawed. Having decided to focus on using analogue images for my book, I wanted to have a wider selection of images to see whether I could have a balance of colour and black/white photographs to choose from. By this point, I had identified several areas of the lake that I was drawn to, so although I engaged in a walk, I had a preconceived idea about where I was going. I attempted to note down a few words as a sort of poetry. Having been influenced by Mary Oliver’s nature poetry, especially her ability to say as she see’s, I wanted to practice this. I am not sure I want to use words alongside my work, I will most likely make a late decision on this!

Images 1, 2, 4, 6 & 10 are my immediate choices for inclusion in my book. The first & third photographs are particular favourites, I like their abstract nature as this fits with my theme and at the time, I was instinctive in my shooting. I didn’t think too much about framing or outcomes, I just spotted something that appealed to me, somehow carried some meaning for me and took a photograph.

The film itself is ideal for my subject. The colours are soft, a little too green in places but I think there is a good balance of tones throughout. The shoot was earlier in the day, compared to much of my work and it was a flat, dense cloud overhead. The film choice is quite forgiving I think. These could print well, I am excited to see how they will sit alongside my black and white photographs.

My first attempt at a short poem:

The leaves fall, dancing down into the depths, floating, descending
light flickers on the surface in perfect rhythm
as if to applaud their final show

Original images can be found here: 3 January 2026 Dacha analogue

Dacha Lake shoot (digital) January 2026

February 3, 2026Posted in FMP, MA Photography, photoshoot, UncategorizedTagged environment, FMP, landscape, module, photography, project, universityLeave a comment

This is a slide show of my most recent shoot, this was during a frozen spell at the turn of the year, this turned the lake at Dacha into a whole other world. I spent a few late afternoons walking through here as the light faded, it had a completely different feel to it. There was no wind and it was eerily still you can see from several of the images that even with a slow shutter, there is little movement in the trees branches. There is a satin effect on the surface of the middle lake, I love how the fading light makes it shine silver, and the tree branches frozen in time poking out from the ice. There is a stillness to the photographs that signifies a sort of solitude and silence, which is as I have been trying to portray in my subject.

Link to original images: 03 January 2026. Dacha (Access via onedrive)

I was quite excited at the results of this shoot, Being able to view them immediately once I returned home, I could easily identify those which I would like to add to my list of potential images for my submission. I had also taken photographs in tandem, with my analogue camera. I was hopeful I might have some images from this that I could use in my book or for my final exhibition piece. I am still undecided on how I will separate my images from analogue / digital and colour / black and white. Or even, whether its necessary to have this as a concern at all.

Key images: 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 26, 28

Shoot 2: The Lake

October 10, 2022June 17, 2025Posted in MA Photography, photoshootTagged environment, freedom, landscape, module, photography, play, project, teens, universityLeave a comment

Pentax 645z

Following further research into other photographers work (specifically Raymond Meeks and Sian Davey) this shoot centres around memory and place, childhood and the value of outdoor space. My mother and stepfather have an old farm which has been out of action for several years. There are many features including old buildings, woodland and several man made lakes most of which are now home to many waterbirds and a family of otters. Although no longer a working farm, the buildings are used for storage and my stepfather is frequently coming up with unique ways to utilise the remaining space for environmental projects or as a place to simply play. The area is regularly occupied by teens, but more so in the summer months, when the ‘square’ lake is used for many activities, all informal, creative and without too many rules.

During those months, there is seemingly endless freedom even though the time disappears fast. I am noticing the passing of time much more as my children transition through their childhood years and this is especially the case with my oldest child who is almost 15. I am acutely aware that in all likelihood the days of meeting his friends to seek out places to play and create will become less and less.

In these photographs I’ve experimented with shooting the ‘summer playground’ (lake and pontoon) as it appears in Autumn, a quiet place, with the abandoned equipment gathering leaves and dirt.

I have included some images of the massive abandoned glasshouse which is currently being used as an experiment by my stepfather (he has removed a large proportion of the glass and is attempting to grow plants around the entire frame) and finally photographs of my son and some of his friends contemplating how they might utilise the space next to the glasshouse to make a mountain bike course for the Autumn and Winter.

My instinct here is to develop a parallel project alongside module 7801. I feel that this has the potential to be a longer term project that could reflect other times of the year when the landscape transitions from season to season and forces the children to adapt their ‘play’ to integrate. I am interested in exploring further, how the young teens interact with their environment as they themselves change alongside the seasons.