The April meeting welcomed Peter Marshall, a long-standing LIP member who has concentrated for many years on photographing London and surrounding areas, including notable projects on the Lea Valley, Docklands, the Meridian and the Thames Estuary.

Peter was invited to talk about a series he made over two weeks in August 1984, called In Search of Atget. Peter was very clear that he wasn’t trying to replicate the work of Atget but to learn from it. Indeed, in making this series Peter talked about how it changed his photography, helping him to find his photographic voice and a more personal point of view.

After the presentation there was discussion about the locations, outside the Hausmann area, that Peter chose to make these photographs. Members also scrutinised the images for the reference points of positioning and viewpoints such as at a crossroads or on street corners and the inclusion of uncanny or surreal motifs. The idea of taking an important figure from photographic history and making a response in this way made for an really engaging presentation and discussion, that was very much in the spirit of Crossing Lines.