UK Documentary Photographer - Sussex Morris Dancers
Members of the Knockhundred Shuttles Morris Group from Midhurst, West Sussex dance at the Weald And Downland Living Museum Morris Day Of Dance event in West Sussex, UK. Photo © Scott Ramsey Photography
Photographing traditional and often long-forgotten cultural events and festivals is something photographers like me love to document.
These local traditions vary from region to region and, often here in the UK, are specific to a county, town or even a village. Steeped in history and often a little quirky, these cultural festivities are usually kept alive by a small group of dedicated people who are determined the customs from the past should not be forgotten.
In Sussex, many of these events are supported by local Morris Dancers, and I've photographed many of them over the years. Wearing colourful costumes and dancing with hankies and sticks, as you can imagine, creates some great photos. But as a creative photographer, you need to not only focus on the activities; sometimes, you need to find a different angle and photograph the things others overlook.
And that's precisely what I did; by taking a moment to create some portrait photographs, I created an alternative set of images that showcased the people taking part. And this approach to documenting an event is worth remembering. As a photographer, you're there to photograph the activities, but as you do this, it's always worth looking to see if you can find something slightly different.
