UNIQUE photographs of RNLI crew and lifeboat stations in Ceredigion have been acquired by the National Library of Wales.

The images, made at Aberystwyth and New Quay RNLI stations, were created by photographer Jack Lowe using Wet Plate Collodion, a Victorian process that captures stunning images on glass.

They form part of The Lifeboat Station Project, Mr Lowe’s epic mission to photograph all 237 stations in the UK and the Republic of Ireland — one of the largest photographic projects ever undertaken and currently scheduled to be completed in 2020.

The 20 limited-edition prints will now be housed within the National Collection of Welsh Photographs, which comprises over a million photographs connected to Wales, at the National Library in Aberystwyth.

These range from works by pioneering photographers from the earliest days of photography to portfolios by contemporary practitioners of the art.

Will Troughton, curator of photography at the National Library, said: “Jack’s photographs are important to the National Library in many ways.

“They are part of a systematic documentary record of Welsh RNLI stations, the first to be offered to the library.

“His use of a Victorian camera and glass plates produces atmospheric, mesmerising and aesthetically pleasing photographs.

“The use of black-and-white produces a timeless quality and emphasises the crew members rather than their brightly coloured equipment as well as creating a link to our historical photographs of lifeboat crews.

“Having seen Jack at work here in Aberystwyth I’m delighted to add some stunning photos of Welsh RNLI crews to the National Library of Wales, where they will sit alongside works by some of the greats of photography.”

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