While doing a deep dive into the seasons and how we experience them (see yesterday’s blogpost), I came across a special photo series from the sixties, titled “In An English Country Garden”.
In 1963, photographer Ken Griffiths followed a year in the life of Mr and Mrs Sweetman’s beautiful cottage garden in East Sussex. Every month, he took one picture on the exact same spot...12 photographs to document the passing of time.
Almost immediately, the series became less about the garden and fully about The Sweetmans to me. I noticed her leaning towards him, him becoming wet in the falling rain while trying to protect her from it and of course in the last photo...well, her absence hit me hard. He had taken her place, she must have passed away!
It moved me to tears.
When I began doing a little more research, I found that it wasn’t just me that was ready to embrace the sad ending of the series. Worldwide publications had interpreted the last photo like I did.
The truth however was different..Mrs Sweetman was happily alive at the time, it was just freezing! She decided to stay inside and on closer inspection, you can actually see her standing at the kitchen window. That’s why her husband stepped aside.
I love the Sweetmans for this giggle of relief they gave me.
Such a lovely reminder of how our mindset can influence our perception.
xez
* all photographs copyright © Kenn Griffiths (June 7, 1945- August 20, 2014), click to enlarge.
His website can be visited at http://www.kengriffiths.co.uk/.