Aerial photography exhibition shows our landmarks
Sep 29 2010 by Tony Henderson, The Journal
STUNNING images of the North East from the air feature in a major exhibition launched yesterday.
The pictures are among more than 100 aerial photographs which showcase Britain’s natural and human landscapes, accompanied by a huge walk-on map launched by Michael Palin, president of the Royal Geographical Society in the centre of Bath in Somerset.
The exhibition has been created by the Royal Geographical Society with street gallery pioneers Wecommunic8, and is supported by the Ordnance Survey.
The outdoor exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to walk the length and breadth of the country over a 16 metres by eight metres Ordnance Survey map, exploring the precise location of each large-scale image.
North East images include the Port of Tyne’s 68-acre Tyne Car Terminal vehicle export and import facility (pictured) on what was Jarrow Slake in South Tyneside. The terminal handles many of the world’s major brands, including Nissan, VW, Subaru, Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Skoda and Renault, and has capacity for up to 17,000 vehicles.
Other images include The Angel of the North, Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, Raby Castle in County Durham, a cliffside railway line in Teesside and in Cumbria Wast Water and Ullswater.
The Jarrow and Angel of the North pictures were taken by photographer-pilot Jonathan Webb, who runs Webb Aviation.
Two years ago a book of his work, called Tyneside from the Air, was published by Breedon Books.
The exhibition will be in Bath until February and will then tour the country to locations which express an interest in taking it.
Images can also be viewed on line at www. rgs.org/bfta.
Michael Palin said: “The scale of the huge images that make up this spectacular gallery is breathtaking, and I very much hope it will one day travel to every major city in Britain.
“Our landscapes in Britain tell the stories of our heritage, bring alive the beauty of our environment, and challenge us all to understand the changes taking place in our towns and cities.
“All too often, chasing far-away places, we forget just what beauty we have on our doorstep and just how varied Britain is, even today. This exhibition is designed to celebrate this diversity and shows us, very powerfully, just what we’re missing down on the ground.
“The stories of these landscapes are revealed, so visitors can truly explore and discover something new.”
Britain from the Air captures mountain valleys carved by glaciers, saw-toothed coastlines, abandoned villages and sprawling transport networks. RGS director Dr Rita Gardner hopes the exhibition will encourage the enjoyment and exploration of Britain’s great outdoors.
She said: “A unique value in the exhibition lies in its ability to help everyone to appreciate Britain and understand more about how natural forces and people have shaped its landscapes for millennia.
“As people take in this view of Britain as they have never seen it before, we hope it will inspire them to get out and about around the country and see for themselves the wonders of our islands.”
Chris Bridge, exhibition director, said: “We are privileged to be working with some of the very best aerial photographers in Britain whose work we are proud to showcase in this extraordinary exhibition.”
Other pictures in the exhibition include rows of terraced housing in Liverpool, Stonehenge and the island of St Kilda.
