Guardian photographer Denis Thorpe was on a whirlwind tour of Cumbria in November 1990, documenting the activities of rural communities with the then Countryside Commission, when he chanced upon a pair of shepherds bringing their sheep down from the hills – a ritual known as “the gather”, says Thorpe. “I was lucky to be there at the moment they came through the gate – I felt I’d captured the animals’ breath in the cold air.” It was a beautiful composition, he says: the shepherd with his stick, the dry stone wall, the sheep. “It couldn’t be anywhere but the north of England.” Words: Hannah Booth
Specifications
- Exclusive collectible fine-art print from the Guardian & Observer
- Presented on museum-grade C-Type matt photographic paper stock
- Guaranteed archival quality for 100+ years
- 30x40cm print size, dimensions include border for easy framing
- Delivered to your door, supplied unframed
- Printed in the UK, Global shipping available
