SPECTRUM

British summer time: exclusive photographs by Martin Parr

Hot (and rainy) new pictures, introduced by the photographer

Llandudno, one of my favourite resorts. I was careful to position the man’s sunglasses in the perfect space and this is what makes the photo work
Llandudno, one of my favourite resorts. I was careful to position the man’s sunglasses in the perfect space and this is what makes the photo work
©MARTIN PARR / MAGNUM PHOTOS
Martin Parr
The Sunday Times
A quick shower at Clacton beach in Essex caught everyone out. I am always excited when it starts to rain as people do the strangest things
A quick shower at Clacton beach in Essex caught everyone out. I am always excited when it starts to rain as people do the strangest things
©MARTIN PARR / MAGNUM PHOTOS
I came across the Great Dorset Steam Fair last summer and was bowled over by the obsessed (mainly older) men poring over their precious machines. This section was devoted to tractors pulling huge weights
I came across the Great Dorset Steam Fair last summer and was bowled over by the obsessed (mainly older) men poring over their precious machines. This section was devoted to tractors pulling huge weights
©MARTIN PARR / MAGNUM PHOTOS
The village of Whitchurch in Dorset has a fête and dog show every August bank holiday, which I have attended on many occasions — the dog show is great fun
The village of Whitchurch in Dorset has a fête and dog show every August bank holiday, which I have attended on many occasions — the dog show is great fun
©MARTIN PARR / MAGNUM PHOTOS
The charming resort of Teignmouth in Devon had this great cut-out car — so it was a question of waiting for the right combination of people to walk by
The charming resort of Teignmouth in Devon had this great cut-out car — so it was a question of waiting for the right combination of people to walk by
©MARTIN PARR / MAGNUM PHOTOS
I always enjoy attending agricultural shows and I made a point of going to this one in Anglesey. The display of scarecrows was a perfect backdrop
I always enjoy attending agricultural shows and I made a point of going to this one in Anglesey. The display of scarecrows was a perfect backdrop
©MARTIN PARR / MAGNUM PHOTOS
Scarborough, North Yorkshire, 2016
Scarborough, North Yorkshire, 2016
©MARTIN PARR / MAGNUM PHOTOS
Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, 2017
Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, 2017
©MARTIN PARR / MAGNUM PHOTOS

I have been photographing in Britain and Ireland for more than 50 years now. In the early 1970s, when I was studying photography at Manchester Polytechnic, I shot in black and white, taking pictures of Prestwich mental hospital. When I switched to shooting in colour in the mid-1980s, I started by depicting a working-class holiday resort adjacent to Liverpool — and so began a love affair with the great British summer.

The pictures in this article, taken from a new exhibition in London, are more recent images. As well as the seaside, I have a long fascination with the agricultural shows and fêtes that pop up all over the country in the summer months, and I’m constantly making wonderful new discoveries, such as the Great