#20 CAMERA Book Review: Andy Morley Hall - Please Do Not Feed

In this review, we discuss the work of photographer Andy Morley Hall and his rather excellent little gem of a book entitled Please Do Not Feed.

Andy Morley Hall's Please Do Not Feed is a documentary photobook that examines the relationship between zoo animals and the people who come to observe them. Published by Spine in 2003, the work was photographed primarily at London Zoo and explores the zoo as a shared space in which human behaviour becomes as significant as the animals themselves. Rather than producing a traditional study of wildlife, Morley Hall directs his attention towards the interactions, gestures and moments that unfold around the barriers separating visitors from the captive environment.

The photographs move between close observations of animals and candid studies of visitors, revealing parallels between the two without relying on overt commentary. Reflections in glass, enclosure boundaries and the reactions of people looking into exhibits become recurring visual devices that question ideas of observation, spectacle and captivity. By treating the zoo as a social environment rather than simply a collection of animals, Please Do Not Feed demonstrates how documentary photography can examine human behaviour through the spaces people choose to inhabit, while encouraging viewers to consider their own role as observers.

#andymorleyhall #photobook #photography #londonzoo

Camera is on
Thank you for all your support.