We live in a world where even mountains are star-rated and valleys reviewed, as algorithms flatten nuance into 'likes' — while countless people and places, richer than any rating, slip through unseen.
This Digest is my countermeasure: it revels in the in-between, the transitional, the presence of absence. My camera, with its dials and knobs and sharp focus, has taken me into the blur of things. Because something can’t be heard or measured doesn’t mean it isn’t of any value.
Which is why, shortly, one of my Digests will come from an isolated post-medieval farmhouse in the Yorkshire Dales — a place that doesn’t feature in star-charts or “must-see” lists, yet holds its own magic.
Fed by a 150m deep borehole, it felt like a cabin in the woods, with real fires, strange marks on the wall, and deep ingle-nooks that kept the night at bay.
I’ll be sharing the story of my time there, with information for those who might want to stay themselves in a couple of weeks. For members, there will also be exclusive content from the visit.
As the days tip into darkness, I’ll be seeking out the light — fragments of architecture, firelight, landscapes, and stories that nourish the spirit. Think of it as a kind of photo-serotonin; as the start of a journey to carry us through the darker days and into spring.
As the days tip into darkness I'll be seeking out the light.
In Pursuit of Spring - A Series of Special Edition Digests
It's hard to think about it now - but do you know that period in the new year when we're starved of light and activity, and we're so looking forward to the longer days and to see what spring has to offer?
I am thrilled to share the beginnings of a major new project. Next year I’ll be travelling the full length of Britain, from John O’Groats to Land’s End, in pursuit of spring.
I'm hoping this project will bring forward the joy and pleasure of spring and combat the darker days.
Inspired by Edward Thomas’s celebrated book of the same name, I’ll follow the season’s unfolding from north to south, visiting some of our most ancient and sacred landscapes along the way, as well as many of my all-time favourite buildings.
It will be a journey into light and renewal, and I cannot wait to bring you with me in a series of special edition digests.
A big part of what makes this work possible is Member Powered Photography. Membership doesn’t just support the Digest, it directly funds free professional photo shoots for historic places that need them. We’re currently just six new members away from unlocking the next one — another chance to shine a light on a site that might otherwise go unseen.
Since lockdown and throughout the cost of living crisis, your membership support has helped keep me afloat. It keeps Woody on the road. It makes this work possible. And through our Member Powered Photography programme, we’ve now completed eleven free professional photo shoots for historic buildings and craft practitioners.
Below - some photos taken at Member Powered Photography Shoots
Membership Offer - Can you help support my work?
If the Digest has ever offered you a moment of stillness, sparked a memory, or shifted the way you see the world — and you feel able — I would be delighted to welcome you as a member.
Right now, I’m offering 20% off The Parlour tier, which includes:
– Monthly access to Patina, where I share early drafts from the book I’m writing on recovery and rebuilding
– Extra photography, members-only content, and reflections
– Members Supplements
– And the knowledge that you’re helping keep this road-worn work alive
If you feel able to support – thank you.
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And if now isn’t the right moment to take on a paid membership, please don’t worry.
The Digest will always remain free to read. For those who would love access to the extra content but can’t afford it, I’ve have a few no-cost places — just reply to this email and I’ll set you up with no fuss. Many readers also use the Digest for CPD, and the members’ content provides a rich seam of material for professional development. If that would help you, just let me know.
Thank you – I’m so grateful for your support.
Andy
Kind Words:
To receive your Loci Digest is to take a long drink from a cool stream on a hot day. Your beautiful word paintings take me to places I'd forgotten. Thank you. (Email from a subscriber)
You're writing and photography are so beautiful - you have a wonderful skill. Thank yo ufor giving your insights ad helping us to really see. (Email from a subscriber)
Andy your work is becoming wonderful, remarkable. A so-called breakdown has been milled into its constituent parts, becoming profound construction: through perception, architecture, the lens and the pen. In your Repton crypt essay a deep description of our social anxiety - and our reason to be.... (Email from a subscriber)
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