Photographing a Lost WW2 Airfield (my next project)
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- Опубликовано: 14 янв 2024
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In this video I'm heading out to an old abandoned RAF airfield from WW2 to start work on my next long-term photo project. This is a place that I visited a few weeks back that inspired this new direction. I spend a day exploring, making some images, and end up coming across one very unexpected find!
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This channel has rapidly become my favourite photographic RUclips channel.....Thank you Kyle....
Cheers, John.
Hi Kyle, I spoke with you on Instagram last week re your new project, I mentioned the US war cemetery at Maddingley. I am from Bedfordshire and you may be interested in what was RAF Twinwood Farm….the base where Glen Miller set off from on his final fateful flight and also RAF Tempsford which was where many of the SOE operatives left from in WW2 to be parachuted into occupied France. I am an ex Beds police officer and did my skid pan training at Tempsford in the mid 1980’s where the concrete base of one of the old long gone buildings was used as the skid pan. Not sure whether you are aware of either of the two locations but I think a small museum exists at Tempsford and maybe similar at Twinwood, I’m not sure if any other buildings still exist. I’m sure further research will reveal more of you don’t already know. Great project by the way, good luck with it.
Thanks, Ian. I appreciate the heads-up. I'll look. both of those up!
Thurleigh Hill is worth a shout too.....
Although American and not RAF my dad was stationed at Polebrook airfield as a b-17 gunner. Although I've never been there I know there are still some remnants of the base. Look forward to following your project. As a side note let us not forget why those bases were there and why they were desperately needed. The greatest generation.
Not one I've heard of. I'll definitely look it up. Thanks for sharing that.
Fantastic find. I grew up at the german north sea coast and there were WW2 bunkers and buildings all over the place. We used to play and hide inside them as children but now they are all gone - often for aesthetic reasons but manly because the old structures were not safe anymore. I wish that I could do a time travel with my camera to document everything like you do in in your work. Please keep going and never forget that time works against you.
I'm excited to see this project blossom. Great images so far.
Great video. Love the concept and the excitement that this project gives you.
lowkey showing off the Hassy is wild lol
That was great. Simply a delight. Thank-you!
Hasselblad H camera? 😮
Hello from frosty Ontario! Had a chuckle when you mentioned not being used to cold anymore. Woke up to a balmy -18 C this morning 🥶
What a gem of a find! thank you for sharing.
Regarding cold, I remember visiting my grandmother in Brighton, freezing cold under the bedsheets that felt damp even though the temp was 55F.
Fascinating places. Great images. I hope we see more of these places.
Excited to see this project progress, always love seeing your work and the videos when you're out in the field, there is something so enthralling in the way that you tell the stories of the places you visit.
Thank you!
As a Brit who lived in Quebec for 10 years, I fully understand that weird feeling of "why do I feel cold, it's not even -20", and agree that Costa is the Tims of the UK.
An absolutely incredible location you visited there! Would love to see many more shots.
Haha, yeah, I feel like 0 degrees should be t-shirt weather!
Great Start to the year Kyle.
So cool. Really exciting Kyle and great photography inspiration. Thank you for sharing!
You never fail to inspire Kyle thank you for the latest offering great project and great photos.
What a cool project and fantastic images. I love the organic nature of photo projects too!
This was great! Can’t wait until you return.
Such and interesting project. I'm excited to follow along.
Really enjoy this video and the style! Excited for more videos on the project!
Cheers.
I’ve been waiting for “this” video for so long. I love to see your content when you are outside, in the “wilderness”.
Cheers. My plan is to do a lot more of this moving forward.
I live 20 minutes away from there and wasn't aware of the place! Very interesting video thanks.
I can’t believe this. I just returned from a winter holiday in UK and Paris and visited this place but for another purpose: antique shopping! (Lorford’s antique hangers) It’s so unique and I thank you for sharing even more about this place. Looking forward to your travels and new project.
No way. Small world. That's awesome. Hope you enjoyed your time here!
Interesting project, I find these old airfields very atmospheric.
Cheers, John. So do I.
Some great images here and lots of amazing history! And good on you for capturing and preserving these images before they're gone forever. And yeah, I'm an over-planner often, but I need to embrace a bit more spontaneity in just going out and looking for images.
Cheers, Alex. Spontaneity is a big focus of mine this year. Plan a bit, then just get out there!
Really looking forward to seeing how this progresses. It has inspired me to progress a similar project around an very small abandoned early 20th century chemical works that apparently supplied a quarter of a key chemical that was used in WWI (a bit grim I know). Project for 2024.
Would love to see some archival images of these places to compare then and now. The original artworks give such a sense of humanity in these places and I love that.
Absolutely. Lots of site layouts and old pictures of these places around. Something I'd love to include in the project.
Good video, thankyou. Your intro at the 2:00 mark brought me back to the opening scene of the movie twelve o'clock high. Those old buildings and artwork have many stories to tell...................good luck on your project
Excellent!
Love the images. So intriguing.
What a great project!
I really enjoyed this vid, Kyle. Great to see you buzzing from those discoveries - that donut must have tasted so much better. I remember that vid you made of the large format shoot in the valleys that never quite went right. Such a contrast. This project seems to be a better fit or you.
Hey Kyle! Could you ever do a video about your background and life along with your pursuits? I'm sure you've done one in the past, but would love to know more about you and how you've become a photography juggernaut!
Cheers man! Glad you enjoyed this one.
I'm also interested in WWII history and look forward to following your adventure.
Aside from photography. I love how Europe is steeped in history both old and new.
I live just near the Reichswald in the Netherlands. And there are so many trenches left from WW2.
And Nijmegen and the general area as well has reminders of history tracing back to the romans as well.
Whenever I visit the UK I try to find the areas with a palpable sense of history!
I went to Holyhead last October, and I stumbled upon an Iron age fortress I didn't research beforehand!
And please journey to the channel islands for WW2 history!
I did visit the island of Alderney last year. There's a video of it up on the channel.
Beautiful Kyle
Thank you.
Great video
Great project I will follow you to see where it goes.
we just meant to ignore the Hassie then? 😂
you have to start hanging around RAF Historians. Have i missed some episodes, you have a Hassy now?
Happy New Year! Your hat game remains strong.
🙌
Fantastic one! I Love love the "new" video direction, kinda vlog-style. Just a great one. But.... man, where did this Hassy come from? 😃 --Kyle, how many cameras have you got man? --All!
Interesting Project. I am looking at documenting the decaying industry in our region. Have a lot of fun. Interesting in the work you are creating.
I always enjoy you videos and style good work keep it up
Thanks!
Would be crazy if you found any veterans who were stationed there to photograph
Agreed.
great Video
Another great video to start 2024. When you were scouting around those old bases, had the thought and wondered if you could find anyone that may still be alive that worked on these sites? There’s options for portraits of them for sure.
Thanks. And yes, that's something I've thought of a bit. We'll see where it goes!
hey Kyle; very inspirational video thanks for this. Truly cool old buildings stunning how the trees are taking back the ground, loads of history there. Tim's for tea is my vice. LOL Cool to see a Blad, great glass and an interesting digital system. Hope the GFX is still a thing. :) I am trying to develop a project here in Alberta with old abandoned industry buildings, that is before they tear them down. LOL I hope your Christmas was good!!
Cheers! And yes, the GFX is still a thing. Using it for my B&W work.
no more GX680 for this project? (I had to let mine go)
Are you rocking an H series?! Badass. I’m hopeful we’ll see a revamped version one of these days. The X series is neat and all, but the giant sensor and the satisfying shutter sound of that H camera is still unmatched.
Yep. H39II. Love the OVF.
great vid :)
Fascinating!! Yes it's all about serendipity!! Can't make out what camera you are shooting on though could you enlighten us please..
Cheers. It's a Hasselblad H3DII-39
Hi Kyle. You can check out Charmy Down airfield just north of Bath. Another similar old airfield with a few buildings.
I've heard of that one. I'll have to check it out. Cheers.
Your videos inspire me to start my RUclips with my GFX 100.
Very cool to see how your next project is developing! I find it really interesting that even though you’re Canadian, An American Mile was as American as it gets, and now you’re delving into European history.
One day I'll do a Canadian project. I'd love to explore the Prairies.
@@KyleMcDougallI’d actually be really interested to see some traditional landscape work of yours! I’ve heard you mention that that’s what you used to do before starting to photograph along Route 66, but I haven’t really seen any of that I don’t think.
I'd have to go digging for some of that. And it would probably make me cringe a bit now, hah!
@@KyleMcDougall :D As older work tends to do. Or it makes you think you haven’t gotten better at all. Usually it’s one of the two, isn’t it :D
This is an incredible place, been many times - This is the WAAF Chedworth - Womens Auxiliary Air Force segregated base.
Chedworth! Lovely place, awesome Roman villa there, look into Throckmorton airfield, cycling distance from me, built in the 1940s and threatened with demolition soon!
I'll check it out. Cheers.
My father was in the 29TH Infantry division and was stationed in England and took his camera with him and brought back pictures of England. My daughter married a Brit and lives in London planning a trip this spring to see her and plan to bring my dad’s camera for another visit. I Live in Virginia and there seems to be a Civil War battlefield every twenty feet never thought of photographing them you may have inspired me I will see if can equal Sally Mann
Cheers, Steven. Lot's to see over there when you come and visit!
So invigorating when you find material/ project stuff. Welcome to our national obsession. Last decent thing thing this country did.
Hi Kyle - that's a really fascinating project. I think you are right to broaden it beyond photographs to include text, maps etc. I notice you were using a digital Hassy. The poor Fuji GX680 didn't last long. Only a month ago you said you would be using it for all of your medium format projects. Remember, it's not what you've got that counts - it's what you do with what you've got.
Cheers. And yes, lots of potential with other locations. For example. I have an idea to photograph Beachy Head, which was often the last part of the UK the aircrew would see when leaving for missions. I think it was also their reference point when returning. As for the GX680, love that camera, as mentioned in the video, but have made some changes for this year to place as much focus on image-making as possible. A long story which maybe I'll talk about in a future vid.
my man has switched to the hassy system ?
Lovely content as always. I was wondering, how do you go about finding you locations? This is one of the biggest sticking points I've got currently.
Mostly just google and then go down rabbit holes. There's a lot of information about these places online, and people who have documented/mapped out all the old airfields.
Hi Kyle,
I am curious to know what are your impressions about the Hasselblad H (and compared to the GFX 50R). I own one H5D-40, most of the time I love the pictures given (There is a sense of depth into them) and sometimes I just can't figure out the colors. Hate and Love story in a way :) Not an easy camera but it makes you really think about the process like for film photography. I find it good to slow down anyway. In a way, inspired by you and your experience with the fuji 50r, I have decided to make a combo with these 2 cameras with the help of the Fuji H mount adapter (soon to come, camera and adapter).
Let me also join the others' positive comments on your project !
I've only had it for about a month, so can't comment too much on it yet. What I do know, is I love having an optical viewfinder, and I enjoy the colour more than the GFX. I'll see how I get on with it over the next while.
@KyleMcDougall This is very interesting what you are saying about the colors, I would have thought the fuji was the one for you. So you are getting me even more curious. The ergonomie of the camera is really well thought. And I like this camera imaging I am shooting film with faster result, but it demands precision in the process overall. Learning how to use Phocus helps I found out, and when I can't get descent color I try Iridient developper which gives interesting result as well.
Looks like a video about it will come one day or another. I will be glad to watch.
I must tell from many of your videos, what you say resonates well with my thoughts.
Really enjoy your channel.
All the best.
Brilliant as always. I live about 45 mins away from there and didn't know any of those buildings still existed. Still, I'm not as shocked as I was when I clocked that Hassie H. When did you start shooting one of those?
Cheers, Rich. Something I've been testing out over the past month.
Jeremey Clarkson keeps some of his farming gear on those runways, lots of bits to see there.
This is SO cool. My dream location to shoot. How do you find such great places like this?
Thanks. Lot's of internet research.
Have you been to Tyneham village? Might be interesting. Also, the Cornish tin mines, amazing places. It's been really cold but the light has been great.
I haven't. But Tyneham is a place I've wanted to get out to for a while.
Looks like you are at RAF CHEDWORTH
Have you ever worked on a project that "can't" be researched? I have a couple of photos that I've collected together in a group called "Beautiful Death" and I'd like to add more but, to date, I only add them when I run across them.
I haven't, no. Some are more difficult than others though.
Funny what we consider cold. its a balmy -11 here in Western Canada which is huge improvement to the -40's cold snap we just went through. the winters in the UK look like fall in Ontario. Q: Are you expanding the WWII project to other parts of Europe and beyond? I recall the Blue Sky project by a photographer that photographed the sky above various European concentration camps. I suppose that the sky is the limit when considering war time projects. thanks for sharing Kyle.
Just going to stick to the UK for this one. Cheers!
An other excellent video as always!!! I'm sure you've thought of this, if you do a series on the East coast/Norfolk air bases, will tie in to the Masters of the Skies series, interest will take off, sorry bout the pun
Can't wait for that. Was a huge fan of the previous two series!
super cool Kyle! if youre ever in switzerland lemme know i can give you a bunker tour haha
Cheers, Max. I'll take you up on that one day! You living over there now?
@@KyleMcDougall nah im split between toronto and switz but I have a place there, so even if i wasnt there youd be welcome to use it
Cool man. Hope all is well with ya!
lots of really cool history here. glad you're out shooting it because it looks like it's rapidly in decline.
Cheers, Brian. It's amazing this stuff has lasted this long, but yeah, probably doesn't have much longer.
Curious choice of camera no?
Wait, so now a Hassy?
Hi really like this WWII project you have just started.
Have you just got a Hasselblad H series camera?
I picked one up a couple of months ago, really like it the CCD sensor is great.
I'm also using it for a project, which will take longer than I first thought.
Yep, H3DII-39. I quite enjoy it.
Great project Kyle! Curious as to what focal length you are using? Looks like the 50?
Yep. 50mm
Wait a Hasselblad H3D or H4D, surprised that someone is still enjoying it today.
Have you watched the 1949 movie 12 O'Clock High. Starred Gregory Peck. Excellent film.
I haven't. But I'll check it out.
Holy moly! Is that a Hasselblad H system camera?!? As a former H1 owner/user I know those lenses are super sharp. How do you like the H system overall?
Yep. Been enjoyed it quite a bit so far.
@@KyleMcDougall I would love to see you do a review on that. The 120MM Macro and 50-110 - great lenses.
Is that a Hasselblad??
is that a Hasselblad H6D you are using in this video?
H3DII-39
what do you use to capture audio for your videos?
Rode VideoMic Pro, or Wireless GO
Hi, I'm curious what camera you shot this on after watching your video about vlogging with the iPhone. What did you use?
Fuji X-H2s
@@KyleMcDougall have you abandoned the idea of the iPhone having the ability to handle the job, didn't enjoy the experience as much, or something else? Thanks.
@developingtank nope. The iPhone is great, but was never meant to be a replacement for my Fuji. It’s a nice second camera for me. For example, I just used it in some situations during my latest trip to wales where I wanted to travel light and be more low key.
@@KyleMcDougall Thanks for the detailed reply. I've purchased it with the same kind of low key mentality in mind. I see other creators using it in limited and extensive capacities, so I've been curious to what extent everyone is using it. Great video as always. Godspeed.
Hi Kyle, can I ask what tripod you are using?
Gitzo 4543LS legs with a Markins Q10 head.
Tim Hortons missed you 🇨🇦
Haha, there are some over here actually!
Hey kyle, are you shooting digital or film in this video?
Digital.
you should really come over to Germany. i shoot old soviet barracks here for over 10 years. think this would be a narrative you would really like
Would love to visit one day!
@@KyleMcDougall
you should sooner than later Kyle
in the past years, places vanished.
In the past 5 years, more and more of these places are disappearing and/or being destroyed.
Are you using a different new camera? What is it? Curious.
H3DII-39
@@KyleMcDougall why the change? And how did you come to that choice? I am in a similar position. I’d respectfully like to learn more. Thanks so much I appreciate your channel immensely.
Bit of a long story, which maybe I'll talk about at some point, but basically went for this for my colour work, to shoot digital. Appeal for me is the low(ish) price, larger sensor size compared to GFX, optical viewfinder, and I was always curious about the look of this sensor. So far I've been happy with it. Although I'm still using GFX for my B&W project work, which I enjoy a lot.
@@KyleMcDougall Oh. Thanks so much for sharing I am grateful. The larger sensor and price are what attracted me also as well as the viewfinder being optical on them. I appreciate your help and candid sharing with me. You’re gracious in the RUclips space. Love the work…
2 questions. Digital? Hassy?
Yes/yes
Very interesting project Kyle. Which camera and lens were you using in this video?
As I suspected, it is a Hasselblad!
Seems to be Hasselblad H3DII-39 with 50mm lens
Yep, this.
@@KyleMcDougall if you have a need to expand your lens options, feel free to send a message if you would like to see test shots or something on different lenses on the H3DII-39 and we can see if something can be arranged. I have the same camera+back, 28/35/50 (v1)/80/100/120 (v1)/150 (N) lenses (all older without orange dot) and the V-series CF-adapter.
I appreciate that. I have the 80 as well, and the only other lens I'd probably pick up is the 35
dudes will see this video and be like hell yeah
great project but would have been better on film imho (bw, grain)
Cheers. Not for me. I prefer colour for this one.
H6D ?
H3DII-39
@@KyleMcDougall Ahhhh.
Check Cambridge airfields. It also has an American cemetery near it. Easy Anglia was closest to the Channel and very flat for large bomber missions. The cemetery will tragically show sacrifice American airmen made.