Cornwall to Cumbria

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

From Cornwall to Cumbria from spring through to winter, Jasper's wide reaching vision of a year in the English countryside has finally been realised. His 300 page first book, Jasper Conran Country, rolled off the press last month and hits shelves this week.

Two years in the making, this ambitious project was thoroughly researched and planned - Jasper wanted to shoot seasonal marvels like the blossoming of wild garlic or a blizzard in the Pennines but to also catch one day events like the Dalemain Marmalade Festival and Gifford's Travelling Circus.

But of course, nothing ever runs to plan in the outdoors, and in amongst this bustling schedule came some unexpected delights.

It was the hunt for his perfect 'mist shot' that found Jasper awake at 4.30am on the most miserable of Dorset mornings. He and photographer Andrew Montgomery were sloshing down water logged tracks waiting for the thick fog to clear just enough to capture its fleeting magic. As they turned into a country lane, they found their shot - an avenue of trees so overgrown and flooded with sunlight that they formed a glowing green tunnel. It was this accidental image, found in the search for something else, that became one of Jasper's favourites and ultimately the cover of his book.

As the year went on the contact sheets of photography built up and Jasper would spend long afternoons poring over them, editing and re-editing his selection. He considered not only a balance of landscapes, people and interiors but also their colour, texture and proportion – an approach not unlike the editing of his catwalk collections.

But the effort has been worth it. He says the experience of creating this book has only intensified his “lifelong love affair with country life.”

Jasper Conran Country is now available to purchase online.