Photographer's mountain activist manifesto.

Respected photographer,Henry Iddon has offered an upland photographic manifesto in the form of a 'Hill People Statement' which outlines his...
" intention is to examine how clothes and posture serve a communication function by decoding the messages in the wardrobe of one subculture – a group of people who identify themselves as “hikers or outdoor enthusiasts”. By this, I refer to those people who are to be found in an upland environment throughout the year and in a range of climatic conditions.

With trusty Mamiya film camera in hand,Henry has roamed far and wide over the Lakeland Fells, stopping outdoor activists in their tracks and photographing them in what is essentially, a formal portraiture format.

From fell runners to mountain bikers....lardy tourists to cross country skiers. Each subject framed in the attire demanded by their activity. Well...in the case of some informal walkers ascending the fells in trainers,T shirts and Camo shorts, more a case of attire hopelessly inappropriate for the activity in question!

Henry's project has revealed the multi faceted nature of those for whom the English Fells is their regular or perhaps,occasional playground and in particular,has identified activists who essentially "fall into two categories – those that attempt to overpower nature and those that harmonise with it. The latter presents possibilities for developing positive relationships between humans and the natural world'.

The author offers a fascinating insight into deconstructing the specific codes which can be read by those who are willing to look beneath the superficiality of outdoor attire and read the subliminal message which many mountain activists offer through their dress code.

In the words of the author..
"The existence of ʻoutdoorʼ culture allows its members to recognise one another and to convey messages. This communication process is accomplished by adorning the body in appropriate articles of clothing and trinkets, which can be decoded to give specific meanings. A person may have a walking stick emblazoned with badges of previously visited areas stating “I am well travelled”; they may use an old rucksack “I have been in the game for years”; they may wear an expensive jacket designed for Himalayan mountaineering “ I have achieved extraordinary things”, “ I aspire to achieve” or more likely “I am buying into the notion of extreme achievement”.

For those who regularly take part in mountain activities in the UK, the activists captured by the author will be easily recognized and identified as part and parcel of the great outdoors tribe which roams the hills and valleys of these islands, each wearing the uniform of their particular sport. Given the fact that mountain activists often like to consider themselves as a bit different and detached from the typical 'man in the street'. It's surprising just how conservative and formal we really are!

The full Hill Statement, series of photographs and the author's website details can be found below.

All images Henry Iddon©Shot on 6x7 medium format film.