Ep. #54: Landscapes in Transition - Richard Chivers on the Art of Photographing Landscapes in Flux

The Urbanaut Pidcast - Richard Chivers🎙️ Welcome to Ep. #54 of The Urbanaut Podcast, presented in collaboration with Urbanautica.com. In this fascinating episode, we sit down with British photographer Richard Chivers, whose work documents the transformation of the British landscape. Richard shares insights into his creative process, personal and professional projects, and the environmental and cultural narratives that inspire him.About Our Guest: Richard Chivers About our guest: Richard Chivers is a documentary photographer whose work explores the shaping and reshaping of the British landscape. His practice focuses on how humans modify both urban and natural environments through infrastructure, industry, housing, and leisure—and how these changes affect and define our world. Richard has received multiple Arts Council awards to create, curate, and exhibit his work, which has been showcased across the UK and internationally. As the co-founder of the Human Endeavour photography collective, Richard developed projects such as Degeneration and The Glasgow Effect, which were exhibited at the Brighton Photo Fringe and the Format International Photography Festival. Now a member of the MAP6 Collective, Richard has worked on recent projects in Milton Keynes, The Shetland Islands, Finland, and Wales. Episode Links: Website: www.rchiversphoto.co.ukInstagram: @chiversphotoprojects Tune in to this episode to: Learn how Richard’s upbringing and influences shaped his photographic voice. Explore the cultural and environmental narratives behind his projects, from industrial quarries to disappearing gas holders. Delve into his documentation of the decline of social housing in Degeneration. Understand the balance between professional architectural photography and personal exploration. Discover his process-driven approach to photographing the British landscape. OUTLINE: 0:00 - Most Replayed0:55 - Richard’s Background and Introduction2:41 - Early Influences: Family and Film5:10 - Switching Careers to Pursue Photography12:03 - University Projects: Insecurity and Early Style11:23 - Exploring Urban and Industrial Landscapes37:24 - The Fascination with Quarries and Geology45:04 - Photographing Greenham Common and Nuclear History1:05:15 - The Collective Project: Degeneration1:14:21 - Documenting the Decline of Gas Holders1:19:00 - Architectural Photography as a Career1:25:00 - Balancing Personal and Professional Projects1:30:29 - Reflection on Process and the Enjoyment of Photography1:34:00 - Challenges of Photographing Familiar Spaces1:42:10 - Nature Reclaiming Industrial Sites1:50:00 - Documenting Social and Environmental Change SOCIAL: Twitter: /UrbanautPodcast Facebook: /TheUrbanautPodcast Instagram: /TheUrbanautPodcast Support on Patreon: /TheUrbanautPodcast #RichardChivers #TheUrbanautPodcast #Photography #DocumentaryPhotography #UrbanLandscapes #ArchitecturalPhotography #MAP6Collective #VisualNarrative #ArtisticProcess #Urbanautica #PatrickLeeHubbard