‘Sea of Steps’

Frederick H Evans is one of my photographic heros, priniciply down to his architectural photography work. One of his most famous photographs is called Sea of Steps, taken at Wells Cathedral – the steps to the Chapter House. This fact was nowhere in my mind when we visited Wells Cathedral in October, you can guess my reaction when I turned the corner to see these steps – instant recollection from nowhere is a powerful drug.

I could only grab a snap of the steps which were the subject of his work – I didn’t have the right lens, I didn’t have a tripod, there were tourists wandering up and down the steps, I was in the way, I couldn’t get the right angle and they have a hand rail in the wrong place. All the excuses in the book. Nevertheles, it was great to see the steps in real life.

As an aside, I was privileged to handle some of the beautiful images he produced during my studies of photography. It’s difficult to describe the beauty of them, the delicacy of the toning of his platinum prints was awesome.

—Stephen G. Hipperson—

“Not now, Salome!”

Caught these Mallard ducks as the sun was sinking – I thought the duck’s pose a little unusual, almost as if she was dancing.

—Stephen G. Hipperson—