The Graces II – Seeing Liverpool's Three Graces Differently
- Caroline Benzies
- Aug 11
- 3 min read
The Three Graces are probably among the most photographed landmarks in Liverpool. So why would I want to photograph them again?
It actually started with a visitor to my retail unit at Red Brick Market asking if I had any prints of “just the Three Graces.” And that word stuck with me... Just?
That isn't really me.
I don't want to simply reproduce the Liverpool photographs we've all seen before. I want to find different ways of looking at familiar places - creating images that make you stop and look again.
That request prompted me to create The Graces - my first interpretation of Liverpool's famous Three Graces :The Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building and Port of Liverpool Building.
From The Graces to The Graces II
The Graces proved popular and both photographic print sizes sold out their limited editions (thank you!). The Graces is still available however, as a Fine Art print.
As it had proved a popular print, I decided to revisit the idea and take it further.
The result is The Graces II - a new interpretation, building on the original ideas and techniques while taking the image in a slightly new direction. It's still a relatively new addition to my collection, but it's already proving popular.
More than a straightforward photograph
For both The Graces and The Graces II, I used multiple exposures to build the images, then developed them further through editing and by adding textures and colour to create layers of interest and atmosphere.
As always with my photography, I wanted to create something that felt like an artwork in its own right, rather than another photograph of the waterfront.
Something different from what locals and visitors might expect to see.
Something that makes you look twice.
Why photograph the Three Graces differently?
Liverpool's Three Graces are instantly recognisable, but that doesn't mean there is only one way to photograph them. That's one of the things I love about photography and what drives me on. The location may be familiar, but the way you choose to see it can completely change the finished image.
For me, photography isn't always about documenting exactly what is in front of the camera. Sometimes it's about experimenting and changing perspective until the photograph becomes something more personal and creative. Just like The Graces II !
A choice of three limited edition sizes
If you love The Graces II, you can choose from three different print options to suit your space and budget:
Smaller photographic print (limited to 100 prints)
Standard photographic print (limited to 75 prints)
Larger Fine Art print (limited to 50 prints)
Every print is individually titled, numbered and signed by me.
So if you love the Liverpool waterfront and its iconic architecture but want something a little different from the usual Liverpool skyline photographs, take a look at The Graces II.
You can also see my photography in person at my unit inside Red Brick Market, 70 Stanhope Street, Liverpool, where I display a changing selection of framed and unframed work.
Seeing Liverpool differently
I think The Graces II sums up what I try to do with my art photography:
Taking something familiar and seeing it differently.
Because sometimes the most interesting photographs aren't of places nobody has seen before - they are of places we think we already know.
Browse more of my work.
