Battle of the Bulge... or a muddy field in Kent? Stunning World War Two battlefield scenes are in fact re-enactments captured by photographer

Photographer Robert Bridgens embarked on four-year project to capture what life was like for soldiers in World War II

Took photographs at re-enactment events where thousands is spent on high quality replica equipment

He says the re-enactors 'have a burning passion for history' and 'are truly passionate about educating people'




Primed and ready for action, this collection of striking images from the battlefield could be mistaken for authentic photographs taking during World War II.



But they are in fact the work of photographer Robert Bridgens, who has spent four years amassing the impressive collection from re-enactment shows across the country.



Mr Bridgens, 29, has always been interested in the history of World War II, so much so that he wanted to embark on a project to capture what life was like for the soldiers who went through the conflict through a series of pictures.



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Action: Photographer Robert Bridgens has amassed a collection of striking images from World War II re-enactments

Danger: The crew of a tank fail to appear fazed as they make their way through a ball of flames

War: The images were taken at a number of re-enactments from across the country

FROM KODACHROME FILM TO CUTTING-EDGE EDITING

Mr Bridgens began shooting re-enactments with authentic equipment, using a copy of a Leica camera and some Kodachrome film. But when the film ran out he started using a Canon 5DMkII digital camera and learned ways to alter the images to achieve his desired effect. Mr Bridgens said he 'split-tones' the images and manually pushes the red and orange colour channels in the highlights to give that distinctive warm skin hue.

He said: 'In the shadow areas I push the cooler blue and aqua channels. This echoes the distinctive colours of the Kodachrome film but also allows the subjects of my photos to "pop" a little bit as there is more contrast between them and the background colours.'

He said he also reduces the saturation of the blue and green channels to make the sky and green foliage duller.

He photographed scenes from events including The War & Peace Show, in Kent, and The Victory Show, in Leicester. He now has a gallery of images that are reminiscent of the atrocious scenes soldiers went through during the war.

Mr Bridgens, from Kent, said: 'When I was given the chance to step onto the battlefield that first time I realised that I could use my camera to capture and recreate some of the drama and emotion that the histories speak of.

'Many of my images show the time spent working on various tasks around camp or the long marches that the soldiers would have had to have undertaken whilst on patrol.

'I am always on the lookout for an emotional connection in the shot. Whether that is fear, weariness or happiness, I am looking to convey that emotion through the images to give a feel of what it might have been like back then.



'I know this doesn't come close to the true terror of being in conflict but I try to convey as much as I can in this fabricated scenario.'

Some of the pictures show front-line conditions with trenches and hastily constructed fortifications, a rearward command station with officers, medical stations and surgeons.

Mr Bridgens came up with the idea after his brother joined a re-enactment group and he was asked to take some pictures for them.



He said: 'They threw some overalls at me and invited me onto the camp and to take photos from the back of one of the vehicles during a battle.



'From that point I knew that this was something I could make a body of work from and it has been my passion since.'

Thousands is spent on high quality replica equipment and powerful pyrotechnics to make the re-enactments as realistic as possible.



Mr Bridgens added: 'These re-enactors have a burning passion for history and use the living history areas to try and teach the public about what it would have been like to be an Allied or Axis soldier during the war.



'I have often been asked about whether this is glorifying war, but they are truly passionate about educating people.'

Explosive: Thousands is spent on high quality replica equipment and powerful pyrotechnics to make the re-enactments as realistic as possible

Re-enactment: A soldier lies wounded in the trench as a crowd watch the re-enactment in the background Down time: Soldiers are captured relaxing in the realistic war-torn environment

Combat: The pictures capture what some of the atrocities may have been like for soldiers during the Second World War

Just an act: Mr Bridgens photographed scenes from events including The War & Peace Show, in Kent, and The Victory Show, in Leicester

Demolished: A building stands partly demolished in the background as a tank makes its way through this war-torn scene

Equipment: Vehicles and weaponry is used to make the re-enactments authentic

Armed: A soldier prepares his weapon as his colleagues get ready for combat during a re-enactment

Mr Bridgens said when he started taking the pictures he was using a copy of a Leica camera, used by famous war photographers, and some Kodachrome film.



But when when the film ran out he switched to digital and now edits the colour of the pictures to create that authentic look.

He said: 'I began shooting with a copy of the famous Leica camera - a popular choice for famous war photographers like Henri Cartier Bresson and W Eugene smith - and some out of date Kodachrome film.

'When the film ran out I changed to digital but tried to emulate the look I achieved with the original set up.



'I now shoot using my Canon 5DMkII and assorted lenses. It allows me to be flexible and react quickly to what is happening around me.

'Effects-wise I have based my editing on the colour film images from the late war period, specifically the Kodachrome film. This film had a very distinct orange tint to human skin tones and a wide contrast with a mild grain.

Violent: A man has suffered a head wound in this violent re-enactment

Atmospheric: Mr Bridgens started his the project using a copy of the famous Leica camera and some out of date Kodachrome film

Action shot: Mr Bridgens captures the action as soldiers engage in combat during a re-enactment Realism: Despite the fact they were taken during re-enactments, the pictures look as if they could have come from the Second World War Authentic: The photographer now edits the film digitally to make the pictures look as if they came from the late war period

Time to rest: Many of the images show time spent working around camp or the long marches the soldiers would have had to undertake

Project: Mr Bridgens came up with the idea after his brother joined a re-enactment group and he was asked take some pictures for them

In the distance: A soldier peers through a telescopic lens during a re-enactment

Heavy duty: A tank fires as part of a realistic re-enactment, captured by photographer Robert Bridgens

'I have tried to emulate this but at the same time given a slightly cinematic effect of my own. I have had to purposefully soften the images as the modern equipment I use is just too sharp.

'When the images are in perfect focus they lose some of their emotion and look less dramatic. I think I have come away with something that looks authentic to the era but has leanings toward a more dramatic cinematic look.'

Mr Bridgens said he 'split-tones' the images and manually pushes the red and orange colour channels in the highlights to give that distinctive warm skin hue.



He said: 'In the shadow areas I push the cooler blue and aqua channels. This echoes the distinctive colours of the Kodachrome film but also allows the subjects of my photos to "pop" a little bit as there is more contrast between them and the background colours.'



He said he also reduces the saturation of the blue and green channels to make the sky and green foliage duller.



Passion: Mr Bridgens said the re-enactors 'have a burning passion for history and use the living history areas to try and teach the public about what it would have been like'

Ammunition: Mr Bridgens says the re-enactors do not glorify the war, but are passionate about educating people

Smoke: A tank makes its way through a re-enactment battlefield

Consequences of war: Two soldiers lie dead in a field during a re-enactment (left) while another two soldiers appear to be happy by their supplies of meat and vegetable stew (right)



Marching: Soldiers make their way through a field on a march during a re-enactment

He said: 'I then took inspiration from classic war films and added my own cinematic styling to the way the images looked to evoke a more gritty feel.'



He went on to say: 'My Canon 5DII and 24-70 lens are a fantastic ccombination but images are too sharp when taken straight from the camera and they subsequently do not look authentic.



'I lower the sharpness of the image slightly and add a rough grain to the image to further soften the shot and give it a bit of an analogue feel of film.



'I always shoot my images in RAW so I have the most latitude to make edits without sacrificing image quality.'



He makes most of his adjustments in Adobe Lightroom and has built his own set of preset actions. More heavy duty changes, such as removing electricity pylons, are done using Photoshop.



Commands: Some of the pictures show front-line conditions with trenches and hastily constructed fortifications

Invitation: Mr Bridgens started his project when he was invited onto the camp to take photos from the back of one of the vehicles during a battle

Re-enactment: One of the re-enactors climbs a pole to tie a rope from a nearby bell-tower (left) while a soldier carries out his work near a motorbike, similar to one used during the Second World War (right)



In the air: No expense is spared to make sure the re-enactments seem as real as possible

Side by side: Two soldiers keep their eye on enemy lines during a combat re-enactment

Weapons: A soldier armed with a weapon from the Second World War takes aim

Dramatic: Mr Bridgens said he thinks his collection 'looks authentic to the era but has leanings toward a more dramatic cinematic look'

Having a laugh: Re-enactors dressed as soldiers talk to a woman playing the role of a nurse

Reading the paper: A young soldier reads the paper while taking a break from the fighting action

Realistic: Soldiers act out the roles of both Allied and Axis troops during the re-enactments