Mischief of the Valleys
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY pensioners, sweet jars at the local “caff”, and lads smoking cigarettes by the football pitch – a series of stunning photographs have captured the smalltown mischief and realness of the Rhondda Valleys.
A far stretch from the beautiful mountain shots and landscape scenes often associated with the former coal mining region, Elijah Thomas’ collection documents some of the most vibrant characters and places that make up the tight-knit communities he calls home.
Combining black and white shots with technicolour images, Elijah set out to capture the unique, small-town charm of the Valleys, as well as the humour, mischief and larger-than-life personalities who couldn’t come from anywhere else.
“The initial idea I had was to capture a sense of community through the images – that, and the variety of characters you meet,” Elijah, 27, said.
“I still feel the Rhondda has a great sense of community.
“It’s there down your local pub, it’s there when you pass a familiar face on the street, everyone in some shape or form knows one another.”
Photographer Elijah, who is currently studying at the University of Salford, grew up in the heart of the Rhondda and knows only too well the unique identity of the region.
“The Rhondda Valleys has a variety of characters. When I’m home I meet up with friends, we go for a beer, and just standing at the bar you get a sample of the humour.
“You share little moments of laughter with people that you might not know the name of or even have met before.
“I’ve never really experienced that elsewhere.
“I really enjoyed growing up in The Rhondda. I’m still best friends with the people I met over 20 years ago.
“As for the place itself – there wasn’t a lot to do in a material sense but my mates and I had these amazing mountains to explore, so it was the perfect place for someone with a crazy imagination.”
Reaching out to potential subjects via family links and requests to friends of friends, Elijah focused, in part, on the Valleys’ long tradition of locals coming together in pubs and cafés.
“I think [the collection] is important because during the project I visited, on a number of occasions, the two remaining Bracchi cafés in Treorchy – Carpanini’s and the Station Café. These were opened by Italian immigrants at the turn of the 20th century.
“There’s a rich history of European influence in the Valleys community and I found it interesting, especially after the Brexit referendum.”
Elijah also captured stunning portraits of wellknown characters like Trevor Ward, the bingoloving 104-year-old greatgreat-grandfather who likes to both dance and walk on the mountains.
“If I was to choose some