People Watching with Dover Photographer Ross Wheatley
Street photographer Ross Wheatley reflects on both the affections for and frustrations with his hometown of Dover, writes Lee Penfold (@idylicpen)
For years, community photographer Ross Wheatley has been roaming the urban and rural landscapes of the place he grew up in, taking photos of what he sees as “a lost seaside town”.
His work is honest and tells the story of the real Dover, a story often lost in daily headlines of migrant crossings, roads jammed by lorries and Brexit. His affection for his hometown is clear to see in all his images, even when shooting difficult truths like the hardships of the high street.
Documenting his hometown in this way led Wheatley to become directly involved in his local community. In 2018 he joined the Dover Smart Project (DSP), a charity transforming lives through creativity and art. He began working on The Art of Age’ a project that he says “changed my life”.
“I had this idea about documenting dementia, not just locally but dementia and mental health,” he explains. “I thought it was a good outlet to start and they agreed. The Art of Age is a free community group for the elderly, including those living with dementia, with the aim of helping reduce loneliness and social isolation.”
Wheatley started attending the group every Tuesday when he wasn’t working, capturing candid and joyful moments of people having fun with art and taking portraits of individual group members. He managed to capture the sense of connection and community that this type of project can inspire.
“A place where people can show their art. I think that would propel Dover so much further”
“With the portraits I’ve done, you get to know people. I’ve become a volunteer now, really. I’m kind of part of the group, which is nice. I made a lot of friends there.”
After securing a small grant from the Dover Smart Project, Ross, who lives with his wife Samantha and daughter Sophia, is now able to put together a zine and will be having an exhibition of his The Art of Age work in the town to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the local charity.
“I know they (DSP) have been talking with the Turner Contemporary in Margate about bringing the exhibition there, which would be really amazing. And obviously we’re looking to raise money for the Dover Smart Project.”
From an early age, before camera phones were a thing, Ross, 45, recalls always having a camera on him. He would borrow his parents’ 35mm or take disposable cameras with him on school trips. But it was not until he discovered street photography that he realised the direction he wanted to take his own art.
“I found a book called The Americans by Robert Frank. That kind of got me into street photography and documentary,” he says. “I thought straight away that this is what I could do with Dover.
“I love to people-watch. Walking through town I’ll see split-second things that most people will miss. It could be a comical element or even political.” Wheatley points to a man he caught standing under the poo emoji outside a shop and a werewolf costume he spotted in a shop window. “It’s kind of funny, it looks funny. Street photography is capturing little moments like that. It just tells a story.”
He adds: “I think Dover gets a bad reputation, although if you look at some of my street photos it does not glamorize Dover. In a certain way, I see it as a lost seaside town. And I know that is quite a topic for the locals.”
While the likes of the Future Foundry and Dover Arts Development (DAD) projects are beginning to rub the sticks together, it is fair to say that the flames of creativity haven’t quite been fanned in the same way as in other coastal towns. Folkestone and Margate are feeling the benefit from the influx of artists invigorating areas of the towns and creating scenes for art to flourish. Dover is yet to really feel the warmth.
“We are missing the creative element in Dover,” says Wheatley. “A place where people can show their art. I think that would propel Dover so much further. Dover’s first move when we got a Banksy was to paint over it. It’s a disgrace, really.”
With summer approaching, Wheatley wants to work on a mini-project documenting the seafront. Taking colour photos that evoke memories of Dover’s seaside destination past - an identity he is keen to revitalise.
As for the enormous archive of Dover images stashed away on his hard drive, he says: “It would be so cool if someone found my images in 50 years’ time. It would be nice to be known as the guy who documented Dover.
“I suppose the end goal of any photographer is that people know your style, so they can look at your photo and say that photo was taken by Ross Wheatley.”
