Beyond the Front is a year-long exploration of Blackpool’s promenade, captured on 35mm color film. This project is a poetic and sensitive departure from the clichéd “kiss me quick” tropes often associated with British seaside towns. By focusing on the topography—the landscape, objects, architecture, and people—this body of work delves into the complex narratives that define Blackpool and its visitors, unveiling layers of resilience, authenticity, and pride beneath the postcard imagery.

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The British seaside has long been a metaphor for the nation itself. As Williams and Shepherdson observe in Seaside Photographed, “Decline and regeneration have become seaside descriptors, and the coastal population is a complex one.” To me, these towns embody resilience, reflecting the current political, social, and economic discourse in Britain—a tableau of the state of the nation. Through my lens, I aim to reveal the untold stories behind the fairground fun and candyfloss nostalgia, capturing the authenticity and real lives that sustain these communities amid a brutal economic and political climate.

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This project is rooted in a deliberate interplay of choices. The framing, lighting, timing, and focus reflect my intent to create a cultural code of “Britishness,” echoing Roland Barthes’ ideas of photographic connotation. These interventions transform the “brute photograph” into a layered narrative imbued with meaning, much like Barthes’ discussion of “Italianness” or “Arabness” in Image Music Text. Through these decisions, I aim to continue the visual discourse pioneered by photographers such as Tony Ray-Jones, Martin Parr, David Hurn, Simon Roberts, and Rob Ball, bringing contemporary perspectives to the enduring legacy of the seaside.

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For me, the British seaside represents more than just a physical space—it is a metaphor for resilience. Its traditions and authenticity endure despite the challenges of modernity, drawing people from all walks of life. By looking Beyond the Front, I aim to celebrate this uncelebrated toughness and pride, presenting the seaside as a space where nostalgia and reality coexist, a place quintessentially British in its contradictions and unwavering spirit.