About Benedict Brain
Benedict Brain is a photographer, journalist, and artist based in the UK. He is an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society and serves on the Distinctions Advisory Panel of the society. He has also previously served as the editor for Digital Camera Magazine and is the author of You Will be Able to Take Great Photos by The End of This Book.
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.
However, they can be quite difficult to photograph. I’ve been utilizing my wonderful new Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN II Art, yet a tilt/shift lens could be advantageous to adjust the inevitable converging verticals when angling my camera upward. I confess I’ve employed Adobe Camera Raw’s Geometry Transformation tools to straighten things out – it’s not typically my approach, but I appreciate the orderly presentation of a clean, straight composition to highlight these signs. Perhaps there are ghost signs in your locality, or maybe you’ve overlooked something else for years without acknowledging it. Attempt to look around and perceive your local area with the same sense of visual wonder that you experience while traveling.
• Other articles in the Art of Seeing series
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