Saturday – Pall Mall and Viewing Screens in St James’s Park
This Field Note documents a two-day editorial commission for Helsingin Sanomat, covering the Coronation of King Charles III — a historic state occasion — across London and Windsor. Working as the publication’s official photographer alongside journalist Helmi Muhonen, the assignment involved near-live image delivery to support three published articles over the course of the weekend.
The first day of coverage focused on public gathering points in central London, including Pall Mall and St James’s Park. As crowds assembled in the early hours, the emphasis was on atmosphere, anticipation, and collective presence — people arriving with flags, picnic blankets, and umbrellas, positioning themselves around large viewing screens within walking distance of Westminster Abbey.
Photographing in these conditions required rapid decision-making and the ability to work fluidly as light, weather, and access shifted throughout the day. Images were filed on a rolling basis to support same-day publication. Working alongside a journalist on location, photographs were edited and transmitted within short turnaround windows, allowing coverage to be published as events unfolded.
As the ceremony concluded and crowds dispersed, attention shifted to the quieter moments that followed — saturated ground, improvised shelter, and the gradual emptying of public space. These details formed a visual counterpoint to the scale of the occasion, reflecting how large state events are experienced at ground level.
Sunday – Windsor Long Walk
The second day of the commission took place in Windsor, alongside the Long Walk and surrounding public areas. The focus here was on community response: families gathering for street celebrations, performances by local choirs and schools, and the visual language of national celebration repeated across shared spaces.
During the afternoon, an unannounced appearance by Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales briefly shifted the rhythm of the day. The moment was treated as a factual development within the wider coverage, photographed quickly and transmitted alongside the broader visual narrative of the event.
Across both days, the commission prioritised clarity, responsiveness, and consistency — producing images that could function independently while also contributing to a broader editorial record of the weekend. Rather than focusing on ceremony alone, the work centres on public space and collective participation, documenting how a historic moment was witnessed at ground level.
The article went up quickly, and, as it went live, the weather had changed, and it started raining. Everyone who had brought and umbrella was still stood in the crowds, but the trees that gave shelter became increasingly popular for the ones who had forgotten.
