Photographing the Queen’s Jubilee Party on Reeth Green – A Day of Celebration, Community, and Capturing Memories
There are days that stay with you – not just because of what happened, but because of how it felt. Photographing the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee party on Reeth Green was one of those days. A proper, heartwarming community celebration that reminded me why I love this village, and why I never tire of picking up my camera when something special unfolds right on my doorstep.
I live in Reeth, and over the years I’ve photographed just about every kind of weather, wildflower, and wandering sheep the dale can throw at me. But there’s something different when you get to document people – your neighbours, friends, and families – coming together for a moment in history. And the Jubilee was exactly that: a once-in-a-lifetime moment, packed with colour, laughter, and more bunting than I thought humanly possible.
The Green was absolutely buzzing that day. Union Jacks fluttered from every table and gazebo, the smell of homemade cakes and barbecue smoke drifted lazily on the summer air, and there was that unmistakable sense of a village putting on its best smile for a right royal knees-up. The whole space was transformed – like a scene from a postcard – and everywhere I looked, there were moments worth capturing.
From the get-go, I was spoilt for choice. Children in face paint waving tiny flags, couples in deck chairs enjoying a glass of fizz, dogs in red, white and blue bandanas trotting between picnics, and a soundtrack of live music and laughter echoing against the backdrop of Fremington Edge. One of my favourite things was watching the generations come together – great-grandparents and toddlers sitting side by side, all sharing in the joy of the occasion.
As a photographer, there’s a sweet spot I’m always searching for – those natural, unscripted moments that tell the real story. And at the Jubilee party, they were everywhere. The flurry of activity in the tea tent as volunteers kept the brews coming. All these tiny, fleeting moments built up into something really quite magical.
I wandered the Green for hours that day, camera in hand, chatting with folks, snapping candids, and soaking it all in. I tried to be as unobtrusive as possible – just a friendly face behind the lens – but I was struck by how many people wanted to share their stories, show off their outfits, or simply ask if I’d be taking a photo of their family. It was lovely. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming – classic Swaledale spirit, really.
What really stuck with me, though, was the sense of unity. After a few tough years – lockdowns, distance, uncertainty – this party felt like a collective exhale. A way of saying, we’re still here, and we’re still celebrating life together. That’s what I hope the photographs show: not just the event, but the feeling of it. The togetherness. The joy. The pride in our little community.
Photographing the Queen’s Jubilee party was a genuine privilege. It reminded me that while I love chasing the light across the hills and moors, some of the most meaningful images I make are the ones right here, in the heart of the village, amongst the people who make Reeth what it is.
So here’s to community. To shared moments. And to having a camera in hand when history, celebration, and a whole lot of bunting come together on the Green.
