Ruth Baldry responds to the open brief on 'Balance', by exploring Landguard Point: a magnetic area in her hometown of Felixstowe, to which locals flock to do nothing in particular, other than sit and watch the world go by.

Read more about the Through The Eyes project, on the Ace & Tate Journal.

Landguard Point is an intriguing meeting of history, nature and industry. It’s home to a 16th-century sea defence fort, a nature reserve and one of the largest container shipping ports in Europe. At the heart of Landguard is the viewpoint, where people can park their cars to watch the ships loading and unloading at the docks.

Visitors generally stayed in their cars rather than walk down to the beach, so there would often be an obvious contrast between the empty beaches and the heaving car park. They would sit with their fish and chips as if they were having popcorn at the cinema, with the docks as the evening’s entertainment.

The project ‘Landguard’ is both a personal and inquisitive series. It allowed me the opportunity to explore other people’s reasons for why they frequent Languard as much as my own reasons. It is also a chance to document the unexpected sense of community there, and how such a place can bring people together.

My project enabled me to build relationships with the regulars of Landguard Point. I developed a sort of fascination with their fascination, and with things incomprehensibly larger than ourselves.

Below: Photographer, Ruth Baldry (@ruthbaldry)

Read more about the Through The Eyes project, on the Ace & Tate Journal.