Standing the Test of Time

Although much of my photography centres on the landscapes of Cornwall and Devon, I occasionally venture further afield. Sometimes I'll set out to explore somewhere new, while on other occasions I'll simply stop to take a photograph when something catches my eye during a journey.

Stonehenge, standing on the open chalk plains of Wiltshire, is one of those places that hardly needs an introduction. Its enormous standing stones have occupied this landscape for thousands of years, yet the monument retains an extraordinary sense of mystery.

The earliest stages of Stonehenge date back to around 3000 BC, with the great stone circle erected several centuries later, around 2500 BC. Despite generations of archaeological investigation, questions remain about precisely how and why this remarkable monument was created.

I was particularly drawn to the dramatic sky gathering above the stones. Heavy clouds rolled across the landscape, creating a striking contrast with the weathered surfaces of the great sarsen uprights and their enormous horizontal lintels.

I chose black and white to emphasise the textures of the ancient stones and the movement of the clouds overhead. Without colour, the composition becomes almost entirely about shape, texture and light, with the imposing structures standing firmly against the restless sky.

What appeals to me about Stonehenge is the extraordinary passage of time it represents. These stones have stood through countless generations, witnessing the landscape around them change while remaining a powerful reminder of Britain's distant past.