I'm very excited to announce Project 1-4-4 Beechwoods limited edition book is now available to order!
Here are some images of the first print! I will do a limited run of 50 numbered samples.
Order information and FAQs are below the sample images.
Project 1-4-4 FAQs
Why 1-4-4 and what's the meaning of it?
1-4-4 (1 Location - 4 Compositions - 4 Seasons) is an idea that came when I first re-started my journey into a lifetime passion for Photography, mainly Landscape, Woodlands and Astrophotography. After scouting for possible locations around me and after visiting the same location for over a year, Beechwoods Nature Reserve, Cambridge, I started to realise that many people who visit the same place perhaps do so only on certain seasons of the year and have never realised how Nature changes so much throughout the seasons, there is also a special wonder on each season and a specific beauty that comes as Nature changes to adapt to the seasons that makes a place nearly unrecognizable when not completely familiar with a look of a photographer, the act of stopping and starring at the same scenery for countless hours in search for patterns and lines Nature provides us with like the time has stopped. From here the initial idea was born, to show my personal view of such a magical Woodland that became my zen place to visit, with or without the camera as my own company.
How long did it take to complete 1-4-4 and how was it accomplished?
By the time the idea came to mind, already had nearly one season in images ready, however, as the first images were not taken with the intention of re-take an identical composition over a year to get a full seasonal cycle, it took quite a while longer of preparation and thinking of a way, using only visual and photography composition cues without leaving any marks on the Nature, to come up with a way to come back months later and re-take an identical composition when the same scenery looks so different. Apart from the visual cues, lines and Nature patterns used, always carried with me small prints of all 4 initial images to compare when composing the image. It is apparent when looking at the images side by side that the compositions are identical, but this was not the case when taking the images. I have also decided that would like to have identical light positions for each of the images which increased the difficulty of the project as the same light angle in Winter and Summer can differ by 3 to 4 hours at times to have identical light on the image. In the end, it took just over a year to complete from initial concept, logo design, script and book production, all was produced by myself, off my daytime work "free" time :)
Will there be more locations for another 1-4-4 run and possibly another book?
I would love to, this project was extremely hard to complete, but an extreme pleasure to see it through completion and look at the final results. As Photography is a hobby, is not always easy to find time to scout for more locations and have the availability to return at any time of the day. If Photography would become my main work I would say I could attempt to do 2 to 3 or even more locations on a season cycle, however, I'm excited to attempt at least one a year, so yes, I would aim to continue to expand Project 1-4-4 to other locations.
Was a book always on the plans for 1-4-4?
The book was an idea that came nearly by the end of the project, and as soon as started to be visible the results, after 3 seasons, I was very proud to show prints of the images to anyone who would come to visit me and see the reaction and feedback got me thinking that a book would be a very good idea. On one of my visits to Beechwoods, got approached many times by other visitors wondering around asking "What are you doing today?" and in one of the many friendly and pleasant chats I had, I do recall listening "Are you doing a book for the project? I would love one!". From that moment on the idea of the book was real and the confidence boost of such a comment made me see it through the end. Unfortunately, I do not recall the person's name, but if you came across this FAQ and remember our chat, thank you ever so much!
How can I see 1-4-4 images apart from the book?
At the moment have no plans, however, I have been in contact with galleries and other places around Cambridge where I would love to exhibit big format prints of the project, news may come very soon about a possible 1-4-4 Beechwoods exhibition. For the time being, I'm more than happy to be approached and arrange a viewing meeting as I have all images printed in high-quality Art Gallery Photography Paper for presentation. Of course, all the images are also published on my website gallery and blog posts dedicated to the project development.
Is the book a private production or will it be officially published by a publisher?
At this moment is just a small private production, hence the limited number of 50 prints made by order, however, if a Publisher would demonstrate interest, that would probably be a dream come true, I'll wait and see what the future brings.
How many images are in the book and what is the paper type used?
1-4-4 has a total of 16 images, 4 compositions x 4 seasons, the book also contains a Biography, a short explanation text about the project concept and information about Beechwoods Nature Reserve with a total of 26 pages, 28 with cover and back cover. The book is printed on high-quality matte photography paper.
How can I order a copy?
Orders can be done via our store page.
If you have any further questions related to the project and/or book, please feel free to comment on this post and I will do my best to answer all the questions.
Hope you enjoy this project as much as I did producing it! Thank you very much for your time and support!
I would also like to leave a big Thank you to Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs & Northants for doing an amazing job looking after such places and for the support with the project and book advertising, it means the world to me! Please consider supporting the Wildlife Trust by becoming a member!
And of course, don't forget to visit Beechwoods Nature Reserve, Cambridge, I leave here the challenge to take the book on your visit and attempt to find out where on the Reserve all the images were taken!
And now I promise, is my final note, but the most important of them all, the biggest Thank you go to my family for all the unconditional support for my passion for Photography and my crazy ideas like starting on my own a full year-long project including the private production of a book, mainly to my beloved wife who got me back to my lifetime passion for Photography and without myself realising, saved my mental health with doing so! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!
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