Nick Hedges
PHOTOGRAPHY
Nick Hedges (1943 - 2025) was a documentary photographer for nearly 50 years. He worked in the field of social affairs with a number of voluntary organisations. His work is in the collections of the National Media Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and is archived at the Central Library, Birmingham.
"The explanation is not just the housing, but looking at the housing; either the massive sandstone tenements of the 19th century, or the colossal high rise project of the late 20th century, one is tempted to see in it the evidence of minds desperate for a solution, yet unable to disentangle the knot of the Industrial Revolution."
Nick's approach to documentary photography was always to seek a normal unexaggerated response to the subject matter he photographed. He believed that the subject of the photograph was always of more significance than the photographic image and that the psychological and human relationship between the photographer and the subject was of prime importance. His photographs were never set up or posed, and were the result of waiting for people or situations to reveal themselves.
You will be able to find much more about Nick's approach to photography in the book “Seeing How” which is published through blurb.com
The photographer always believed in using basic reliable equipment and a simple unvaried technique in making his images. He used second hand Leica M2 and M4 rangefinder cameras with 28mm, 35mm and 50mm lenses, in addition he used a Canon slr camera with an 85mm lens and occasionally a 200mm lens. He always used Kodak Tri-x 35mm film, processed in Kodak D76 developer diluted 1:1. His prints were made on Kodak WSG doubleweight paper, dried unglazed. He processed his film and prints himself, and never used a lab. This equipment and processing technique allowed him to work at what were then the extremes of available light, without ever having to resort to any additional lighting.
It is possible to order high resolution digital files for reproduction in publications, online or for use in broadcast media. For these and printed reproduction requests or queries, please use the contact form below.
This book explores both the promises made, and then the betrayal of politicians, architects and planners as they sought to construct a new world for the citizens of this country in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. It uses both colour and black white photography in its documentation of New Towns, shopping centres, and high rise public housing.
