A welcome sight to anyone entering western Cornwall, the 90ft tall Celtic cross sits atop the hill of Carn Brea, as it has done for almost two centuries. Basset Monument, more widely known as Carn Brea Monument, was built to honour the nobleman Francis Basset, 1st Baron de Dunstanville and Basset. After a steep walk up the hill to marvel at the monument, visitors are rewarded with unparalleled views over Camborne and Redruth, stretching out to the north coast.
The monument is a wonderful example of the contrast between natural and manufactured, which infrared highlights well. My favourite photo from this section is on the bottom-right, where the 720nm filter creates a stark image that is almost greyscale, but with small hints of both warm and cool tones scattered throughout. Being almost monochrome transports the viewer back in time.
While Carn Brea is a popular area for families and dog-walkers alike, it is also a common place for criminals to dump their stolen goods, especially vehicles. In fact, in 2006 a Ford Anglia was stolen from the Harry Potter film set and later appeared at Carn Brea. Who stole it and how it got on top of this hill remains a mystery - the car didn't even have an engine.
When I went for a walk, I found this charred abandoned car. After checking with nearby residents that the police were aware, I decided to take the opportunity to get a few shots of it with the monument in the background. This is not something I will include in my exhibition as the purpose is to help people fall in love with Cornwall all over again, not to remind them of local crime, although I may include it on Instagram as a "behind the scenes" post. The image on the left is particularly striking, and looks as though it could be from a dystopian video game.
I also visited Carn Brea Castle, built by the Basset family as a hunting lodge. It was built on the site of a 14th Century chapel and, after falling into a state of disrepair over the latter half of the 20th Century, was transformed into a restaurant and café - a welcome sight after climbing up the hill! Of the two top images, the left was the photo straight out of the camera. With a little white balance adjustment and a small crop, the photo on the right looks much more inviting. The coolness of the grass in the foreground contrasts with the warm tones found in the town behind the castle, with the trees in the far distance a striking, almost snowy white. The third image highlights the interesting architectural design of the castle - some of it was built on top of large granite boulders, which look somewhat unstable. The 590nm filter works particularly well here, as the pale grass and orange sky create an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue.
After visiting Carn Brea I decided to briefly go to one of the local engine houses. These are a popular symbol of Cornwall and, while I am planning to visit St Agnes, I had to take some photos of the ivy-covered archway here. The sun was setting but this allowed me to capture some interesting shots. I was particularly struck by the contrast of the stone and the ivy, and with the last rays of daylight shining through the clouds, I felt this created a mystical atmosphere. You can lose yourself here in the beautiful ruins of an abandoned industry.
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