Waking up early has never been my strong suit, but I had a special assignment that required it. I needed to travel back in time to the 7th century and take photos of Anglo-Saxon residents in Hitchin while trying to avoid getting hit across the head with weapons.
I arrived at Kings Cross Station at 7:30 am on a Saturday, armed with both my Sony cameras - the α7iii and α7iv - as well as the Sigma 28-70 f2.8 and the Sony f1.8 lenses. Although I brought both lenses with me, I exclusively used the Sigma lens for this shoot. My task was to take a set of images for Swords of Penda - Children of Loki, a small historical reenactment society that specializes in dynamic and entertaining living history and combat displays through character role-playing, crafts, and skills that are now mostly forgotten.
The shoot took place in a small field in Mill Farm, where an Anglo-Saxon Wic had been constructed. The area included a tent for King Penda, a cooking and crafts tent, and one for the Wise Woman. I was introduced to the group, which included a three-man filming and presenting team from History Hit, a YouTube channel that covers the most exciting and significant historical events on the planet. They were filming scenes of what it was like to live, work, and fight as an Anglo-Saxon.
Before the shoot, I thought about the shots I wanted to take throughout the day. There were several helmets, weapons, and trinkets on display, of which, the King had the majority of these in his tent. Of course, it's good to be the King!
As the day went on, I had the opportunity to get to know the people in the camp and learn about their roles in the Wic. I continued to capture shots of the warriors and the intricate details of their armour, which led to a series of striking portraits near the back of the Wic.
During the shoot, the warriors of the group staged several fighting drills. Luckily, I had a zoom lens that allowed me to capture the action without getting too close to the whirling weapons. Some of the warriors were gracious enough to hold a pose for me while I got a closer shot. There were also times when they formed a shield wall and clashed together, and I made sure to stay on the side and use my zoom lens to capture the intensity of the moment.
One of the warriors tragically died during the battle and was taken to the Wise Woman's tent. Here, we were shown all the items he would be buried with for use in the afterlife. It was a surreal experience, and I swear I saw his eyes open at one point!
The day ended with drinking from the mead horn, which was full of mead, of course. I was asked to try it, and it was my first time drinking from a horn. As expected, there was some splashback, but it was a fitting end to a remarkable day. It was a change from my usual Cabaret shoots and although it was a long day it was fun and educational.
You can find Swords of Penda at this link: https://www.swordsofpenda.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/SwordsofPenda
You can also find History Hit at: https://www.youtube.com/@HistoryHit