Hey everyone, Zig here! How’s your Wednesday treating you? Staying warm (or staying cool depending on which part of the world you’re reading from)? Well, either way, I hope you’re doing well!

Today, I’m going to talk a bit about a book I’ve only been able to take brief glances at since I bought it last October and I’m excited to share some of my experience with it after taking some time to sit down and really go through it. The book is titled, “Seaside Shelters,” and it was created by Will Scott, a wonderful architectural photographer whose work I wish I had found earlier. The photos within are all distinct in their own ways, but the focus of this book is to showcase quaint, often small, structures that reside along the coasts of the United Kingdom. It begins with a lovely essay written by Edwin Heathcote, that spans several pages, and describes the history and cultural impact that these structures represent for many British people. It helps to set the backdrop for you, as the viewer and gives you the information you need to get the most out of each image, even if you haven’t grown up in the world that’s described. There is a line written by Edwin, on the last page, that resonates with me deeply, “They are, perhaps paradoxically, among the saddest and the most joyous, the smallest and the biggest hearted buildings ever built. They will surely outlast us all, still shabby, still slightly funny, still decaying.” I think this illustrates Will’s aesthetic and focus excellently.

The rest of the book consists of 50 photographs, an alphabetically sorted index of each location, and a map showcasing where each image was shot. I think it’s a lovely illustration that shows just how intimate the country’s size is when compared to the variety of architectural styles Will showcases along the coastline. There’s a wonderful variety of familiar settings ranging from night and day to overcast and sunny, clear skies and one of the things I especially enjoy about how Will photographs these structures, is that he very clearly makes them the foremost subject on each page. Sometimes, there are no people around at all, and in others, they’re around or inside the structure, but the image is composited in such a way that they feel almost like a fleeting image, much like the memories associated with the buildings themselves. The shelters stand firm at the center of the frame on every page, like silent guardians standing headstrong against the elements. The ocean and sky stand just behind them and the view feels like it goes on forever. Looking out past the structures, I think back on memories of family trips along the coasts of New England when I was just a young kid. I remember visiting beaches with my family and moving around the shore to get as much of the ocean and sky in view as I could. I remember looking out and seeing the waves move synchronously with each other as the clouds drifted across the sky overhead. It’s a very calming, hopeful feeling that I always look forward to when I visit the beach. The colors and tones that Will captures also evoke a feeling of nostalgia. I think back on the familiar sights and sounds of leaving the busy city and arriving at the beach or harbor where my family would spend the day. The soft tones of the sandy beaches and the light blue skies fills me with a warmth that is especially wonderful on colder days like today.

However, Will also evokes that somewhat bittersweet feeling we all experience when looking back on our past and I feel that it’s especially present in this book, with images that reflect memories of trips to the beach, snack bars, and sandy towels. Seeing the deterioration and decay of the structures can remind us of the neglect we, too, have felt as we’ve grown older and lost some of that childhood magic. Still, I think these somber reflections serve as an important reminder that even with the constant motion of moving forward, those feelings of loss and regret are just one side of a two-sided coin. The shelters serve as an anchor in both mind and body, and their resilience, despite their treatment (or lack thereof) is a testament to the connections we make with the past through the buildings we build and the memories we form there. It’s a reminder that nostalgia is cloudy and formless. It’s something that you can get easily lost in, but buildings like these can act as a guiding light in that messy fog, bringing you back to reality.

I highly recommend this book for the content, as well as the price. I purchased my copy from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston for about $20, but I have found it available on Amazon, as well. It’s become a staple of my bookshelf and I have enjoyed sharing it with others. I look forward to seeing more of Will’s work in the future, as well as maybe purchasing another one of his books!

You can find Will’s website with more of his work here: http://www.willscottphotography.com/

Anyway, that’s all I had to share for today, but I look forward to recording the next episode of the Shutter Button Podcast next week. I’ll be talking about some steps and necessities for planning projects for both personal and professional work. I’ll see you all in the next post!

Have a great week,

- Zig