From Homebound to Homegrown: Rediscovering the Art of Photography in Familiar Places

Most photographs I mention in this column are captured during my journeys. I have a passion for photographing in fresh, new locations which stimulates my creativity. Perhaps it’s the unfamiliarity that allows me to ‘see’ anew, or it could just be the escape from the routine of daily tasks and pressures that helps me concentrate, both literally and metaphorically. Unfortunately, the last few months have led to a depletion in my travel schedule, so I have found myself at home. My photographic output has significantly declined, and my productivity has been limited in contrast to earlier this year. Nonetheless, I am beginning to remind myself of a crucial lesson: photographs can be made anywhere. Although I still enjoy my travels, capturing images right outside your own door can be equally gratifying.

These four pictures showcase ‘ghost signs’ I’ve photographed in my hometown, Bath, UK. While most tourists come to capture the magnificent Georgian architecture, I see these subtle, often unnoticed remnants of history as a brilliant means of connecting with the city – and, most crucially, a valuable lesson in observation. To my embarrassment, I have walked past many of these signs for years without genuinely seeing them. For those unfamiliar, a ghost sign typically refers to faded advertisements or signs painted on buildings, often weather-beaten and sometimes hardly perceptible. It turns out, Bath is filled with them – and these are four of my preferred examples.