Godwin, Fay. Bison at Chalk Farm and Other Snaps by Fay Godwin.

Foreword by Frank Muir. [1st book of humorous photos by the well-known English photographer.] Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1982. Fine, illustrated boards, issued without dust jacket. Uncommon in hardcover. Near fine to fine.  Summary:

Bison at Chalk Farm and Other Snaps is a charming and uncharacteristically playful photobook by the celebrated British landscape photographer Fay Godwin, published in 1984. Known primarily for her dark, atmospheric, and majestic black-and-white landscapes of the British countryside, this pocket-sized volume reveals a lighter, more humorous, and deeply observational side of Godwin's photographic practice.

Key Themes & Highlights

• A Quirky Departure: The book represents a deliberate shift away from Godwin’s grand, formal landscapes. Instead, it compiles a collection of "snaps"—spontaneous, casual, and witty snapshots taken during her travels across Britain.

• Urban and Rural Absurdities: The collection is centered on bizarre, surreal, and ironic juxtapositions found in everyday environments. The titular photograph features a model of a bison incongruously situated in the urban landscape of Chalk Farm, London, setting the tone for the rest of the book's eccentric visual jokes.

• Observational Humour: Godwin trains her lens on the oddities of British life, capturing peculiar signs, makeshift roadside attractions, strange architectural anomalies, and unexpected animal encounters that highlight a distinctively dry, British sense of humor.

• The Democratic Snapshot: By embracing the aesthetic of the casual snapshot, Godwin demystifies the photographic process. The images celebrate the joy of looking and the unexpected treasures of everyday wandering, proving that compelling photography does not always require grand vistas or complex technical setups.

• Fay Godwin (1931–2005) was one of the most influential British landscape photographers of the twentieth century, celebrated for her stark, atmospheric black-and-white images that captured the rugged beauty and deep history of the British countryside. Entirely self-taught, Godwin began her career taking portraits of literary figures before shifting her focus to the land, embarking on landmark collaborative projects with writers such as Poet Laureate Ted Hughes for the acclaimed 1979 book Elmet. Her work evolved from a poetic celebration of ancient pathways and megaliths into a sharp, politically charged critique of land privatization, industrial pollution, and restricted public access. As a passionate conservationist, she served as president of the Ramblers' Association from 1987 to 1990, using her camera not just as an artistic medium, but as a powerful tool to advocate for the public's "right to roam" and the preservation of the natural world.