Morris dancing was historically a male-dominated activity, but the Morris Federation was established in 1975 to allow women to join sides. The older Morris Ring did not permit teams with women until 2018, yet today women make up more than half of Britain's morris dancers. Photographer Hollie Fernando was inspired to capture Boss Morris, an all-female side, to celebrate young women who honor and reinvent this traditional dance.
Fernando first saw Boss Morris perform at the Brit Awards with the band Wet Leg, with whom she was working. She thought, 'It's meant to be! If I don't do it now, someone else will.' Coordinating the group was challenging due to its size, but they all embraced the idea of a summer solstice shoot on Rodborough Common in Stroud during a practice evening. The location is a hilly green space near their homes.
Boss Morris members are artists who create their own costumes, but Fernando wanted a unique look for the shoot. She borrowed Victorian nightgowns and bloomers from a friend in Brighton, and a stylist friend of Boss Morris assembled the outfits on the day. It was a collaborative effort.
The dancers usually paint their faces for performances. Since Emma, the dark-haired member second from right, is a florist, Fernando suggested floral decorations instead. Emma brought flowers and decorated the group. Boss Morris founder Alex Merry is underneath the moss face, attached with eyelash glue. Another member, Rhia, later wrote a fable inspired by it called The Mossy Babber, which feels ancient. Fernando notes, 'It was a great example of how folklore happens – I like to imagine Moss-Face becoming a recurring character and part of local tradition.'
While the group prepared, Fernando scouted locations. She captured them rehearsing on a flat area of the common, then took portraits on a hill below, posing them in a staggered formation. The goat in the background is Caprihorn, a beast character based on a medieval manuscript of mummers in animal masks.
Fernando prefers a curated, storytelling approach, influenced by her father taking her to Tate Britain to see pre-Raphaelite paintings. She still shoots on medium-format film and hand-prints when possible, valuing a particular green tone hard to emulate digitally.
After the shoot, the group went to a pub where Boss Morris often gathers. They gave Fernando a snack of pickled egg mashed into a packet of crisps, her first time trying it. 'It felt like I'd entered some magic world,' she says.
For the project name, Fernando found the old word 'hoydenish,' describing boisterous, untameable, free-spirited women. It fit her theme of promoting strength and powerful themes around women. She loved spending time with Boss Morris and is now keen to start a new female side in Brighton, though she needs to find the time.
Hollie Fernando's CV
Born: London, 1991
High point: Winning the Taylor Wessing Commission. Shooting Rami Malek for the Guardian. Travelling to Mexico to shoot the Levi's summer campaign, a dream since age 16.
Top tip: Shoot first, aim later. Don't overthink or overplan a project as it can come together later. Just get out there and start taking pictures.
