For the past 12 years or so, British photographer Sian Davey has been making remarkable portraits of her family and friends that almost glow with humanity and the wonders of everyday life. Quite naturally, she’s accomplished her best intimate work without going very far beyond her home and her neighborhood in Devon.
Indeed, for The Garden, her third book published by Trolley Press, the setting for every photograph takes place in her own backyard, where she and her son Luke created a teeming paradise of a garden that is nearly bursting with an abundance of colorful wildflowers.
It’s the kind of place that attracts anyone who passes by — and that was part of the plan.
Davey writes about the three-year process:
“We … watched the flowers emerge, silently appearing from every corner of the garden. Mullein, meadowsweet, wild carrot, giant sunflowers and thousands of poppies and cornflowers. We built structures for climbing gourds, tromboncinos, and sweet peas to clamber over.
“And as the flowers opened, they called in the community; the mothers and daughters, grandparents, the lonely, the marginalised, teenagers, new lovers, the heartbroken and those that had concealed a lifetime of shame. They became enfolded into the story of the garden, creating and partaking in the story equally.
“As the garden evolved it became an expression of joy, interconnectedness, yearning, sexuality, and defiance. The garden became a metaphor for the human heart itself.”
It was a brilliant strategy. The resulting portraits show how beauty can shine out of anyone who is relaxed, unguarded and happy in the moment. The garden became a beautiful setting, aglow with color with natural light. The photographer made her subjects feel at ease in front of the camera. And she made heart-felt decisions about when to snap the shutter. Many many decisions go into the practice of making great art, but it starts with clear intentions, and thrives when the photographer is in the moment, too, ready to say Yes!
The book has an uplifting effect on me, as a reader, too. It’s generous in its size (it’s big, so the pictures are big and beautiful). The printing is impeccable, on paper that is luscious and thick. And the few pages that have text on them are like poetry. Everything about it seems to vibrate with beauty, calm, relaxation and a celebration of life. Take a look if you get the opportunity. Highly recommended.
The Garden
by Sian Davey
Publisher: Trolley Books
ISBN: 978-1-907112-71-3