© Terence Lane
Shutter Hub member Terence Lane is a self-taught photographer based in the Sherwood Forest area of North Nottinghamshire in England. Primarily concerned with the landscape he has spent many years photographing the fragile state of the world renowned Sherwood Forest, ‘Sciryuda’ (it’s earliest known name) and the post industrial surrounding area.
His images have been exhibited and published nationally and internationally with prints and portfolios being held in both public and private collections. For image capture he uses both digital and analogue equipment.
OutForest, is running alongside my other related long-term work ‘Sciryuda’ and is being undertaken in and around the managed, commodified and what I perceive to be ‘at-risk’ Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. Generally, the OutForest project is about a developing situation at the edges of the ancient forest, with urban development and encroachment making what appears at first to be subtle changes to the forest boundary. How far will this development go, what will we lose?
© Terence Lane
The forest boundary, parts of which are still marked by ancient trees on ancient tracks is no longer as once defined, but is being smothered, absorbed and effectively lost as urban developments are built alongside and in some cases within. A degree of consideration and protection due to the obvious heritage is applied but the creeping evolution of this landscape means that sometimes we don’t know what we had until it is gone, a cliché yes, but valid nonetheless. And then we rely on memory, stories and myth.
© Terence Lane
Like most others I am concerned about the environment, but I am not an activist. There are difficult and complex problems to grapple with, so this work should be seen as ‘revelatory’ rather than ‘accusatory’ but that said, it is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid the latter. The developers execute and remove the hawthorn trees, hedges and bushes from the landscape and then proudly name the housing development planted upon it as that which has been destroyed, or similar. Where do the harvest mice live now, those that survived the carnage?.
I suppose that more of us need to pay at least some attention and take note.
© Terence Lane
This is how I see things and of course, it is not always about capturing images that show or identify agreed facts. Within stages of transition, new things arrive, others are obscured or disappear and despite this work being in one sense a historical document, partly about the establishment of new communities. Newcomers, though welcome, do not feel the history, they cannot lament. There are so many ironies as new situations and new horizons evolve; our new landscape develops and the normalisation of irony eventually delivers acceptance.
© Terence Lane
The narrative will likely develop, but I invite you to look around and consider how you feel about the expansion, the creeping boundaries of necessary development – and then think about the compromises being made, what has been lost (or gained?) in return and whether a balance is really being maintained.
© Terence Lane
To find out more about Terence’s work, visit his portfolio here and his website here.
Got any questions? Email us at info@shutterhub.org.uk
Subscribe to our mailing list for all our photography news and opportunities, direct to your inbox.
Not a Shutter Hub member yet? Join here to access exclusive member benefits including portfolio reviews, project grants, meet ups, commissions, exhibition and other selected opportunities, and to be part of our community!
