Magnum Editions: Whitby. England, 1974

After a decade of travelling and living in Africa and then France, Magnum photographer Ian Berry conceived of The English as a project that would enable him to both document and rediscover the country in which he was born and grew up. “It seemed like a good idea to do something on the English before my eyes got too jaded”, he recalls. Returning to London in the mid-’60s, he became the first contract photographer for The Observer. His images capture the unique character of the country and the diversity of its residents and visitors, both well-established and recently-arrived. Pictured here, a sunny Sunday afternoon brings tourists and residents to the hill overlooking Whitby Harbour. 1974.