Beach huts

So I have finally sucumbed to the English Photographer's pecadillo of photographing beach huts. Can't tell you why these last two weekends I wanted to, but I did. Can anyone tell me why they are so photographic?

Charmouth Beach huts

It seems odd that wether they are closed up or occupied they appear to want your attention. Perhaps it is that essentially a garden shed is personalised and put on public display. Now I can hear many of you say that rarely are they personalised, coming as they do (generally) in either wood brown or an ordered set of colours. But, as anyone who has visited the English seaside in summer will tell you, each occupier brings a little bit of home ritual and puts it on display. Favourite towels, books, beverages and food, music, patterns of behaviour. You would say it is all a little extrovert if it wasn't for the general lack of ostentation. In fact it seems a little strange that people who live most of their lives privately behind closed doors should choose then to display their home comfort so openly to strangers.

Steamer point beach huts

It could be argued that everyone on the beach is behaving the sameway, but if you look at those who sit on the beach the pattern of behaviour appears to be different. Enforced by the environment, but also social rules, there are less home rituals present. Although, I guess with pluging your ears into the MP3 player being the normal response for kids these days perhaps that is not so true anymore. My point was going to be the beach is more about the picnic ritual, food chosen for convenience and to be a little different to what is eaten in the house. There is an element of show, more than required, the best we have. Special equipment chosen to reflect who we are and what we aspire to be, less everyday.