While most other photographers took their places on the sidelines of the athletics track at the White City stadium for the 1965 British Games, photographer Gerry Cranham, always hunting something a little different, ducked down alongside one of the steeplechase hurdles and awaited his quarry. He knew his low vantage point, combined with the mirror-like surface of the water, would offer a crisp reflection of the action and the surrounding architecture; he knew, too, that having athletes leaping over his shoulder into the drink would fill the frame with drama. The resulting image is a dynamic example of Cranham’s vision and craft – it’s also a memento of one of London’s long-lost sporting stadia. Erected for the 1908 Olympics, the 93,000-capacity venue played host to numerous British Games, as well as greyhound racing, speedway, boxing, Queens Park Rangers Football Club and a match at the 1966 World Cup before being raised in 1985 to make way for the expansion of the BBC’s headquarters. Words: Jonny Weeks
Specifications
- 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 by theprintspace
- Global shipping available