Documenting ‘absence’ in an ecclesiastical space

What kind of photographs did I manage to capture when I made a visit to a local suburban church with the aim of documenting 'Architectural Absence' for my latest Substack post?

This church structure was finished in 1932. The building's style bridged the gap between late-Victorian craftsmanship and a cleaner, structured interwar architecture.

I made arrangements to have the space almost to myself. I wanted to ensure I was not disturbed. I needed some time to absorb the light, silence and surroundings. I packed my Canon AE-1 with Canon FD 28mm and Canon FD135mm breech-lock lenses. I loaded a 24 frame Ilford HP5+ film into my camera. I knew I would need some flexibility with the ISO in an internal space while relying on natural light alone. The 24 frames is a deliberate choice. It is good to have the limitations of film. I needed to document the space within the limit I had set myself.

I wandering around for a while from one space to another, looking at the way the light shone through the opaque glass windows on to the mundane materials of stone, wood and brick transforming them into something far more. There is a harmony at work here built into the very fabric of the building. I began the process of making images...

The silence and stillness of these interior spaces spoke volumes about how for over 90 years this suburban space has served the local community in so many ways. The ghosts of yesterday are everywhere in this old building. The more photographs I made, the more I felt the past at my shoulder.

I had become fully absorbed in making photographs, documenting the space, the light, the tones and textures around me. Time passed quickly and before I fully realised it I had used up my film. 

It was time to return home, make a brew and write up my notes for reference.