Fresh interest in the landscape photographer’s images of Bristol Harbour has led to a new book about the series

JEM SOUTHAM

Based in south-west England, Southam is one of the UK’s leading landscape photographers. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he started to document Bristol Harbour, which had become forlorn following a period of postwar decline. The resulting collection of large-format photographs captured a vital record of an area which has now been redeveloped beyond recognition.

Although a book of the work was published in 1983, a new volume has just gone on sale. Featuring 58 largeformat photographs, The Harbour will present Southam’s unique record to a wider audience. We found out more about the book, and the project which spawned it, from Southam himself.

Behind Bathurst Parade, 1979.

Jem Southam

What was your route into photography?

I studied at the London College of Printing for a Higher Diploma in Creative Photography in the late 1960s. I’ve spent a majority of my career teaching and fitting in my own work around this. When you have only limited time for your own work, it really focuses you on the task in hand as you realise how precious and what a privilege this time is.