Whilst only one nation has actually detonated a nuclear weapon in anger many have shown their capability to do so. However, no one denies that accidents have occurred and just one major error could cause the apocalypse. These objects form part of the daily life of missile combat crews and many of them expose the decades of use that they have received. The traces of their work remain as the fingerprints of a history that was almost as secretive and unknown to their opposite numbers as to the rest of the world. The responsibilities of those maintaining a nuclear armament cannot be greater, given the incredible complexity of the engineering feats required to send a missile into space at a moments notice, to land a warhead with spectacular accuracy thousands of miles away and the extreme consequences of accident, error or misjudgement. It can be cogently argued that mutually assured destruction (MAD) remains a spectre that has prevented catastrophe for many decades, but it is also true that the use of these weapons is the most likely route to the end of our civilization.
My work focuses primarily on identity and heritage. Seeking a deeper understanding of history I examine objects and people in detail and use the reflection of today to glean unusual perspectives on the past. I use both still life and portrait genres for personal documentary work. This series was shot on Wista 8x10in - Kodak 160nc film. My influences include Simon Norfolk, Edmund Clarke, Charlie Crane, Roger Fenton and other large format film documentary photographers.
