Alec gill’s hessle road photo archive
In celebration of Alec Gill’s Hessle Road photography project turning 50 in 2021, I created and launched a Kickstarter campaign in September of that year to raise the funds to produce a brand new photobook of Alec's long-standing documentary study of Hull's fishing community. The campaign was a success and the book is available to order here. Alec opened up his archive of almost 7,000 black-and-white photographs taken on his Rolleicord twin-lens reflex camera for around 15 years during the 1970s and 80s. I selected over 240 images for the final edit, all of which are presented alongside archival material such as his camera and notebooks, setting the work in its historical context. Since the book has been published, it has won some awards.
European Design Awards - Gold in Artistic Catalogue, 2023
Jury feedback:
“The Alec Gill Hessle Road Photo Archive' album project transforms an extensive photographic archive into a masterpiece and accessible printed visual essay. Despite the sheer volume of material, the publication surprises with its lightness and accessibility, making immersing oneself in the vast photographic archive easy and enjoyable.
Everything about this project is just right: the content layout, the proportions and rhythm of the photos, the selection of fonts, the composition of the texts and the fine details. Editing, digital image processing and print preparation are done at the highest possible level. The ideal choice of paper and bookbinding brings the quality of the publication to a master-class level. It is not just an album, but an absolute masterpiece in terms of publishing and working with archives.”
AIGA - 50 Books 50 Covers of 2022
Jury feedback:
“This book feels like meandering in the most beautiful way possible. It is not a loud book, but one that takes its time.”
“Really impressed by this—almost a time machine, but also vivid with typographic and graphic moves, from gatefolds to the lively active moving layout that moves me through a place while immersing me within it. Love the process bits at the end.”
British Book Design and Production Awards 2023 - shortlisted, Self-published Books