NORTH YORKSHIRE photographer Lucy Saggers explores the relationships between people, community and place through the lens of her camera.

An exhibition of her work, Of Life and Land, opens at Ryedale Folk Museum later this month showing selected images from an ongoing documentary project in her home village of Ampleforth,

The everyday scenes have been taken over four years as part of this venture.

Ms Saggers says her work “seeks to shine a light on the sense of continuity that still exists in rural communities and the way a piece of country is stitched into people’s lives despite today’s fast-changing times.”

From a young age she was drawn to the documentary photographs of James Ravilious and learned darkroom photography while at university.

After a career in wildlife conservation and rural development, she undertook a diploma in photography in 2012 and began documenting the landscape.

Struck by the intricacies and connections in everyday community life, she then turned her camera to capture the ordinary goings on in and around her village.

Last year one of her photographs, Coconut slice, was highly commended at the Only in the North photographic competition at the Bowes Museum and made the second round of the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

It captures a moment when a woman reveals, in a fleeting moment, her pleasure in the piece of cake she is eating as she and her friends enjoy tea together in the garden.

Other photographs are of shared everyday moments between villagers going about their lives or their work.

Mr Burn, the coal man from Coxwold, is a snapshot of a working man covered in black dust, his hand drawn to his face and eyes closed. In his light-filled apron, surrounded by shadowy coal bags, he is given a distinct magnitude.

Jennifer Smith, director of Ryedale Folk Museum, said: “Lucy’s work is captivating. Her photographs chart people’s stories and make you think about the ongoing strength and significance of community. I am delighted that the museum will host this exhibition. It reflects our own aspiration to tell the unique stories of people in the area.”

Of Life and Land opens on Saturday, February 10, and runs until Sunday, March 25, in the museum’s free to visit art gallery, which is open daily during this period from 10am-4pm. The exhibition will tour to The Witham in Barnard Castle from July 5 to August 4.

Lucy Saggers has received financial support from Ryedale District Council to produce a book which will accompany the exhibition and be available to buy from Ryedale Folk Museum during the exhibition.