'New Topographics is only possible in America, where they have the intense, overhead light', R Woodfield, photography lecturer, insisted to my surprise in a second year class. The surprise was two-fold, in that New Topographics was actually mentioned (out of the blue and only in passing) but some thought had clearly gone into it. Maybe he was aware of a couple of students (me and JR) who had become evangelicalised after the visit of New Topographics-ist Numero Uno photographer, Lewis Baltz, who had left the student faculty indifferent at the time but two belatedly dazzled by what was his stunning but under-recognised achievement. So I reflected on those relentless grey northern skies incipient with rain that had previously seemed unproblematic, and although Baltz had done one of his best series Maryland - 39.0458° - and Bernd and Hilla Becher had done their best in similar conditions mapping the Rhineland - and even British collieries through the damp, but perhaps he was right. It was a question of latitude and Nottingham was a thousand miles too far north, and not in America.
I was reminded of that light comment when out of the blue, on a stunningly bright September the second last weekend when the sun abandoned its remorseless daily trajectory and decided to just press on, up and away for a change. It was only just feeling seasick and changing its mind when it was directly over a building site situated behind Farmfoods in Lincoln, England. New Topographics had finally arrived at 53.2307° N. I took a few pictures to mark the historic moment. This is for your Richard Woodfield, wherever you might be.
