Piers and Surrounds

My project titled ‘Piers and Surrounds’  is taken from my love and interest of the Blackpool coast. Although the piers are local to me, I had never thought to critically analyse their purpose.
 

The project addresses the historical significance of these architectural structures placed in comparison with their modern interpretation and functionality. In addition, the aim is to understand and portray the underlying beauty of the three Blackpool piers whilst at the same time considering their political aspect and exploring their surrounding architecture 

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I have delved into the class systems that these piers once had whilst also comparing them to the present day. Overall, I am presenting a powerful visual analysis of the piers, showing peoples’ relationship to the landscape over the years and the changes that the piers have faced.
 

One of my main influencers for this project has been a body of work titled ‘Pierdom’ by Simon Roberts. ‘Pierdom’ is a comprehensive survey of Britain’s Pleasure Piers which were predominantly constructed during the 19th century in the context of expanding Victorian seaside resorts and railways. I have used Roberts’ work as inspiration for this project and it has helped me greatly in understanding the aesthetic aspects of photographing piers.

 

Throughout this project my style has naturally led me down the minimalist category as most of my images tend not to incorporate people as the centre piece, but instead focus on the space as a whole.  This changes perceptions and it is interesting to realise that the more you look at these images, the more detail you see.