With this shoot, I want to look at the rituals and the actions of witches in Jersey, with a a clear focus on the goings on at the dolmen at La Pouquelaye de Faldouet. In my research I have found that witches were active at the dolmen in the 1980s, as evidence was found suggesting satanic rituals and sacrifice. I want to produce images commenting on this idea with actors portraying the modern witches dancing around the dolmen. As the evidence was found by a priest who came to exorcise the dolmen for a third time after the first two attempts at an exorcism failed. I want to explore ways to display this failure and the power that the ‘dark’ arts supposedly have over this site.

In the 16th and 17th Century, ways of cursing individuals and cattle was very physical and took more than a few words and incantations. Spells came in the forms of little hempen bundles twisted with feathers and moulded with clay; these were kept placed close to the victim – often under their mattress or pillow. I want to create a series of these little bundles to scatter around the dolmen as a way to comment on this aspect of witchcraft that led to the accusations and convictions of so many people within the island.

The other link to witchcraft that I want to explore with this photoshoot is the pagan history of the toad. Jersey people have always been referred to as Crapauds (jerriais for ‘toad’) The toad has been linked to both good and evil in the history, as a vessel to ward off evil spirits but also as vessel for the Devil himself to communicate with his servants on Earth. A quote from ‘The Gods and Goddesses of Old Europe, 7000-3500 BC’ by Marija Gimbutas illustrates the significance of the crapaud:

“Toad’s meat was eaten until recently to invoke labour pains, toad’s blood was used as an aphrodisiac and dry toads were hung up to protect the house from all evil. Such beliefs suggest a benevolent goddess, but the toad as a nocturnal and mysterious creature can cause madness, can take away the milk and suck the blood from humans while they sleep.”

I want to photograph a simple figure of a toad at the dolmen using a macro lens to get a clear close up image. I would also include the crapaud figurine throughout all of my photoshoots as a way of linking the series together, similar to Alfonso Calero’s ‘Remnants of Abandonment’ where a discarded stuffed toy is shown in every image of an abandoned orphanage.

Photoshoot Info

• Day: Thursday 11th March
• Place: La Pouquelaye de Faldouet
• Time: 20:30 – after sunset
• Weather Conditions:

• Style: Macro and Tableau

Camera Settings

• Shutter Speed: 1″
• Aperture: F4.5
• ISO: 1600
• White Balance: Custom White Balance
• Format: RAW