Thames Waters I
1/2 Mile downstream, Thames Head
Thames Waters II
2 Miles downstream, near Kemble
Thames Waters III
3 Miles downstream, near Ewen
Thames Waters IV
5 Miles downstream, near Ashton Keynes
Thames Waters V
15 Miles downstream, near Cricklade
Thames Waters VI
64 Miles downstream, Abingdon Lock
Thames Waters VII
85 Miles downstream, near Goring
Thames Waters VIII
96 Miles downstream, near Reading
Thames Waters IX
99 Miles downstream, near Sonning
Thames Waters X
100 miles downstream, dawn near Shiplake
Thames Waters XI
103 Miles downstream, near Henley-on-Thames
Thames Waters XII
104 Miles downstream, Marsh Lock. Henley-on-Thames
Thames Waters XIII
129 Miles downstream, near Runnymede
Thames Waters XIV
132 Miles downstream, Under M25 bridge near Staines
Thames Waters XV
158 Miles downstream, near Richmond, London
Thames Waters XVI
160 Miles downstream, near Kew, London
Thames Waters XVII
165 Miles downstream, Wandsworth, London
Thames Waters XVIII
169 Miles downstream, Houses of Parliament, London
Photographs of the mercurial River Thames made during a 10 day walk in August 2012 backpacking and wild camping where possible along 170 miles of the Thames Path from the source near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the City of London, I chose to end my journey on the steps of St Pauls.
Sweet Thames, run softly till I end my song,
Sweet Thames, run softly, for I speak not loud or long
TS Eliot.
Signed limited edition prints available at £195 each (40x40cm). To purchase please contact me. Larger sizes also available
Geometry & Silence 
These are amazing. I particularly like the more abstract ones.
My favourites too, but i felt to tell the story of the river as a series a needed a few that were more representational
Reblogged this on mimimimimimicho and commented:
Some of these photographs are so exquisite it perplexes me that they are not paintings..
yes i really try and get some of my photos to look like paintings
very refreshing……
thanks!
These are lovely and what a great theme!
Thanks Anna Marie!
Well chosen shots – you’ve a great eye for geometry, which is unsurprising given your metier. I particularly like your choice of a square format (it’d have been tempting to pick landscape depicting the movement of water across the frame). The unexpected diagonals and verticals are really effective. I’d love to see these printed big! Echoing a comment above, IV should have been painted by Monet.
Thanks Greycoopers. I tried different formats but square added an extra dimension o abstraction which I wanted. IV is the one that is best as a large print
Wild camping eh? How was that?
Gorgeous photos by the way
Difficult as relatively populous, so pitching at dusk and breaking camp at dawn. I did try official camp site but so noisy and unpleasant – also ground is softer wild camping. Ironically being next to a river clean water was a problem to source!
Lot’s of positive comments on the photos. I’d hazard a guess there might be a book there.
Good idea with the book!
Beautiful shots — thank you for guest-hosting this week’s Photo Challenge. The geometry theme required some thinking outside of the box. ~ Kat
[…] surface. We’ve chosen six representative images above, but the full set — named Sweet Thames, run softly till I end my song — can be seen in higher resolution over on Quintin’s website. Limited edition prints […]
[…] the water’s surface. We’ve chosen six representative images above, but the full set — named Sweet Thames, run softly till I end my song — can be seen in higher resolution over on Quintin’s website. Limited edition prints are also […]
[…] From Sweet Thames, run softly till i end my song by Quintin Lake […]
[…] See the full series here […]
[…] I’m taking Thames Print orders up to Sat 22nd midday for delivery in time for Christmas . View the full series here […]
Absolutely lovely photos, very inspiring, I’ll be putting a link to these on my mudlarking blog in the next month or so.
Julia
Thanks Julia, Fascinating all the things you’ve found on the river. There are so many ways to read the Thames
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[…] Photographs of Egypt’s Western Desert made during a 10 day trek and 4×4 expedition with desert explorer Sam McConnell. The approach to this work is in part inspired by my earlier abstractions of the River Thames […]
[…] An assignment for Barr Gazetas and Nyla Hussain Architects to photograph their refurbishment to a period property in Primrose Hill, London. The building had previously been divided into separate flats so a new staircase and structural changes were necessary to make the building feel like a unified dwelling again. The project includes a kitchen by Roundhouse and my photographic artwork Sweet Thames, Run Softly. […]
This is a wonderful series Quintin – just the focus on the water is mesmerising. I tracked up and down and across the Thames for many years working with the Min of Ag (as was) and then worked for a while in Defra in London. As an Aussie I never felt like I was at home in the landscape, but then a fellow vet described the country around the Thames and the South Downs as ‘White Man Dreaming.’ It then made me realise what a lost tribe we are – unable to truly be part of our adopted land, which is similarly elusive and magical, yet sensing that there is something about the country around the Thames which just might be embedded in the (celtic) soul. Maybe to walk along the length of the river is the right way to make our connection with it.
Yes it a strange and intruiging landscape for sure. Although I was born here I’m half Canadian so have never felt this island as unquestionably my home. I also find the more I travel to “exotic” places the easier it is to see “home” with a steady eye. I found the experience of walking the river very moving, its not a grand or spectacular river but the whole of human endeavour seems to express itself at some point along its length and subtle texture. In terms of how people inhabit the area by the river “White man dreaming” is very true, symbolised for me by the wealthy man’s hardly used boat house of which there are many along the river.
Ah yes – there is that ‘White Man Dreaming’ too isn’t there? the modern Henley and Goring dwellers – so picture perfect around there.. I suppose the ancient tribes who lived on and from the river were very different.
[…] This photo series was conceived of as a follow-on project from my walk along the Thames last year Sweet Thames, run softly till I end my song. […]
[…] image from my photo series Sweet Thames, Run Softly has been featured on the cover of Landscape Magazine Autumn […]
This is a pretty good overview of the Thames up to central London; some spectacular pictures!
Thanks Charles, I hope to continue the journey to the sea next year
The more abstract the better. Loved these photos, Quintin… And the Iranian ones.
Thanks James! The more abstract are my favourite too – its sometimes feels like a matter of confidence. Have a look at my most recent series of the Ridgeway its the most minimalist I’ve done yet and was conceived of a direct follow-on from the Thames series https://blog.quintinlake.com/2013/09/22/ridgeway-momently-clinging/
[…] The start of a photo series looking at the United Kingdom’s longest river, The Severn. A follow-on work from Sweet Thames, run softly till I end my song […]
[…] Part two of a photo series looking at the United Kingdom’s longest river, The Severn. A follow-on work from Sweet Thames, run softly till I end my song […]
[…] Part three of a photo series based on a walk along the United Kingdom’s longest river, The Severn. This leg ran from Caldicot to Chepsow via both sides of the Severn bridge. A follow-on work from Sweet Thames, run softly till I end my song […]
Absolutely beautiful. Love this series.
[…] would unite. The first strolling based mostly body of labor I’m actually pleased with is Sweet Thames, Run Softly in 2012. This was a 274km stroll from the supply of thames as a spring in Kemble to the Houses of […]