On The Idle Hill of Summer.
A review.
I am an avid photobook collector. I have more books than can fit on a single bookshelf. These books mean so much to me, they inspire me to go out and create and teach me how to create better work. In this series, I will be sharing some of my favourites with you. From anthologies to retrospectives. From the largest names in photography to exciting and emerging talents.
The first book I want to share with you is that of Joshua J. Sneade. Titled “On the Idle Hill of Summer”. A documentary-style work with a story that could unfold across a single blissful day or an entire summer. Sneade takes us on a journey through Shropshire as he discovers his passion for wild swimming and his adjustment back to life in the English countryside after he is forced to return to his home county in 2020 due to covid.
Featuring 29 images throughout the book sequenced poignantly with a nostalgic, almost melancholic aura about them. A visual story of discovery and re-discovery. Sneades’ use of colour and black and white images throughout offers a pleasing mixture of landscape, portrait and documentary-style photography which come together to form a coherent and interesting collection of images.
While this is assumptive the collection of photos leads me to believe the move home wasn’t an easy one, however, one which he came to love in the fullness of time. As someone who has always lived in the English countryside, I reflect on this book with a sense of relation. Growing up in the countryside was not always easy and my relationship with where I lived was relatively tumultuous. Born from the jealousy of not being a cycle ride or bus ride away from my friends who lived in larger towns or cities. Although, throughout my youth the more I grew up the greater my love and understanding of the countryside became. To this point, I now can't imagine living elsewhere. The photos are touching insights into his relationship with his friends with an overarching theme of the landscape and activity that binds them all. Well composed although the composition, in my opinion, is second to the candid storytelling the photos achieve.
Throughout the book, there are poems by Alfred Edward Housman, picked from the series “A Shropshire Lad” The poems themselves put the emotions of the story into words. Housman's words were an inspiration in the making of this work by Joshua. From my point of view, it adds a whole extra layer that you seldom get with photo projects. Rarely do you get an insight into the works which inspired the artist right next to the final piece. A fantastic addition, which pushed me to explore how other art forms could inspire my own work.
Largely my goals with my reviews are not to tell you how good it is or that you should go right out and buy the thing. I want to convey how they make me feel, how they inspire me and make me want to go out and explore my own creative interests. There is a reason I chose this book as the first in this series. Covid-19 was difficult for all of us, my girlfriend alike. I bought her this book during a period of our separation when she felt particularly low, a surprise gift with the intention of raising her spirits. I had followed Joshua for a while but I was unfamiliar with the content of his book. When - over various FaceTime calls - I was shown the book I had bought I instantly fell in love with the perceived meaning behind the book and it goes without saying, the photos themselves. They inspired me to make the most of this time alone, this time of isolation and explore the place I live further. I was 18 when Covid hit, and now nearly 22 I hold this book as inspiration to get exploring, to explore where I live and the everyday beauty so often missed but most importantly, it reignited my love for photography and my desire to create.