Black+White Photography

On Show – BW284

Fuel shortages, parking tickets and rain did little to dampen the spirits of Daniel Meadows as he set off on a road trip to document English society in the 1970s. To mark 50 years since his adventure, Tracy Calder asked Daniel about his work and his new show at the Centre for British Photography in London.
Image: ©Tanger Troupe, Circus Hoffman, Plymouth, August 1974 © Daniel Meadows

In September 1973 Daniel Meadows jumped into the driver’s seat of an aged Leyland Titan PD1 double-decker bus and set off on an adventure that would confirm his career as a documentarist. Over the next 14 months he covered more then 10,000 miles, stopping at villages, towns and cities across England where he ran free portrait sessions. He developed negatives in a makeshift darkroom on the bus. Sitters were encouraged to drop by the following day and collect a free print. Daniel’s project, Free Photographic Omnibus, resulted in a fascinating record of English society. To celebrate 50 years since he hit the road, the Centre for British Photography is hosting a show of his portraits, alongside previously unseen documentary work he made along the way. We caught up with Daniel to find out more.

 

Read our interview with Daniel Meadows in issue 284 of B+W.

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