13th May 2006

Fountains Abbey near Ripon in Yorkshire is one of the most visited attractions in the region and its not difficult to see why.  This magnificent building built in the 12th century is a maze of intricate passageways and rooms, tucked away from the modern world.

The Cellarium shown here is over 300 feet long and has a river running underneath it near the far end.

You have to be patient to get a people free shot like this (particularly when you have a large format camera) and the setting really lends itself to contemplation and quiteness as you wait.

One of the fun aspects of large format photography is meeting people who wonder what on earth this huge antiquated camera you have is, and why you need a dark cloth over your head, and I genuinely get a kick from showing people the huge picture on the ground glass beneath.