“A melancholy vibe seems to suit me more.”
“The area had a very atmospheric feel about it, with most of the holiday homes either boarded up or unoccupied by their owners waiting for the warmer months to return.”
In The Forsaken We Find Beauty
When I first discovered this area at the tail end of summer 2024, I knew I wanted to do a small project on it, but I was waiting for it to feel right. Late summer was beautiful, the light perfect, and in the evening, I was lucky enough to witness thousands of starlings doing what's called a murmuration before going to roost for the night. The sky buzzed with the sound of them passing overhead. It really was an amazing sight, watching them swoop back and forth in such numbers across the houses before going up to roost, but even this evening wasn't the one, and it took multiple trips out before I began to feel good about it.
It wasn’t until the winter that it slotted into place. Taken during the run-up to Christmas, the area had a very atmospheric feel about it, with most of the holiday homes either boarded up or unoccupied by their owners waiting for the warmer months to return. The winter mood and sometimes misty atmosphere suited the landscape more, and with it being winter and no one home, it had a lingering sadness about it, but beautiful at the same time.
These types of environments are my favourite to photograph, as they are slightly odd and against the grain in how usual folk live and holiday. I think it attracts a certain type of person, maybe. It definitely has a unique feel to it, and it's like no other place I have found in Norfolk. It reminded me of parts of America in some ways. What these places have is character and personality all their own. I’d imagine this is what draws people here—something a little different from the often very boring architecture of today’s living that we find ourselves in.
I loved walking around here; I loved the emptiness of the area and the isolation I felt. Something always resonates with me in these types of places. I often feel very at home and at peace, which I have come to realize over the last few months as I think more about myself, my photography, and the places I seek out. It strikes a sense of familiarity within me, reminiscent of when I was young and where I lived.