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The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work (large edit) (650 images)

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  • The entrance to the RSPB's bird and wildlife reserve at Rainham Marshes, Essex.

  • Daily information board and wildlife film provided for RSPB bird ornithologists at Rainham Marshes, reserve.

  • Thorny plants in the foreground near an electricity pylon behind one foggy morning on Botany Marshes, Swanscombe, Kent

  • Thorny twig in the foreground near an electricity pylon behind one foggy morning on Botany Marshes, Swanscombe, Kent

  • Electricity cables stretch into early morning mist above Swanscombe, Kent, London England. In the foreground we see a stack of discs called Insulators which stop the electricity carried in the conductor (the wires strung between each pylon) from jumping to the pylon and then down to earth. The cables disappear into the winter fog creating a Sci-Fi scene of 21st technology. Diagonally, the cables travel across the picture but they are part of a line of 542 pylons that have already crossed 110 miles of English countryside, carrying 40,000 Volts along this network of aluminium cables from Dungeness coal-fired power station to West Ham sub station in London's East End - to power the West End's high energy supply demands.

  • Electricity cables stretch into early morning mist above Swanscombe, Kent, London England. In the foreground we see a stack of discs called Insulators which stop the electricity carried in the conductor (the wires strung between each pylon) from jumping to the pylon and then down to earth. The cables disappear into the winter fog creating a Sci-Fi scene of 21st technology. Diagonally, the cables travel across the picture but they are part of a line of 542 pylons that have already crossed 110 miles of English countryside, carrying 40,000 Volts along this network of aluminium cables from Dungeness coal-fired power station to West Ham sub station in London's East End - to power the West End's high supply demands.

  • The leg of an electricity pylon carrying lines 1.3km over the Thames from Botany Marshes, Swanscombe, Kent to Thurrock, Essex.

  • Local and nationwide electricity power lines merging with golden reed grasses on Botany Marshes, Swanscombe, Kent.

  • Local and nationwide electricity power lines merging with golden reed grasses on Botany Marshes, Swanscombe, Kent.

  • Insulators discs stopping electricity from jumping to a pylon down to earth stretches between pylons, Botany Marshes, Swanscombe

  • Avoiding fly-tippers, a barricaded and disused car park entrance is near electricity pylons at Dartford, Kent.

  • Rush hour train commuters on-board carriages travelling into London between Denmark Hill and London Bridge stations, London.

  • Rush hour train commuters on-board carriages travelling into London between Denmark Hill and London Bridge stations, London.

  • Rush hour train commuters blur through London Bridge mainline Station, walking en-route to exit and security barriers

  • Rush hour train commuters blur through London Bridge mainline Station, walking en-route to exit and security barriers

  • Rush hour train commuters blur through London Bridge mainline Station, walking en-route to exit and security barriers

  • Commuter chaos at Victoria during tube Strike of September 07.

  • Ballpoint pens stacked on a shelf in the stationery room of an auditing company at their London headquarters

  • Girl working in the stationery supplies office of an auditing company at their London headquarters

  • Staplers are available on a shelf in the stationery room of an auditing company at their London headquarters

  • Guided tour of an auditing company's London headquarters

  • Subsidized drinks and snacks vending machine in offices of an auditing company at their London headquarters

  • Free hot drinks vending machine in offices of an auditing company at their London headquarters

  • Laptop computer, phone and workstation equipment in offices of an auditing company at their London headquarters

  • Yellow sunflowers brighten up drab offices of an auditing company at their London headquarters

  • Employees walk through barriers of an auditing company 385,000 square foot London headquarters

  • Working separately and alone in private cubicle of an auditing company at their London headquarters

  • Working separately and alone in private cubicle of an auditing company at their London headquarters

  • Working separately and alone in a study booth cubicle at an auditing company London headquarters

  • Employees of an auditing stride along high on top floor walkways at the company's London headquarters.

  • Top floor restaurant prepared for executive lunch meetings in an auditing company's London headquarters

  • Top floor restaurant prepared for executive lunch meetings in an auditing company's London headquarters

  • Work colleagues and friends' pictures displayed on a board in an auditing company's London headquarters

  • Three clean office urinal toilets at an auditing company's London headquarters.

  • Casually-dressed accountants work in a cluttered office cubicle in an auditing company's London headquarters.

  • A casually-dressed accountant works in a cluttered office cubicle in an auditing company's London headquarters.

  • A casually-dressed accountant works in a cluttered office cubicle in an auditing company's London headquarters.

  • Casually-dressed accountants work in a cluttered office cubicle in an auditing company's London headquarters.

  • Employees of an auditing company stride along lower middling walkways at the company's London headquarters.

  • Corporate values statement written onto transparent screens at an auditing company's London headquarters

  • Office workers mingle and chat in warm late-summer sunshine during a lunchtime break at More London, Southwark.

  • Two ladies simultaneously check mobile phone messages in a lift at an auditing company's London headquarters

  • Corporate values statement written onto transparent screens at an auditing company's London headquarters

  • Office worker's cluttered desk with trophy, shield and company statement at an auditing company's London headquarters

  • Protecting data, a confidential waste depository at an auditing company's London headquarters.

  • A veiled Muslim lady passes European men at security barriers of an auditing company's London headquarters

  • School and college leavers listen to seminar given by an accountancy lecturer at a company's London headquarters

  • School and college leavers listen to seminar given by an accountancy lecturer at a company's London headquarters

  • School and college leavers listen to seminar given by an accountancy lecturer at a company's London headquarters

  • Work colleagues and friends' pictures and trophies displayed on a board in an auditing company's London headquarters

  • Squiggles and unreadable notes written on a whiteboard at an auditing companys's London headquarters

  • An employee works diligently in an open plan office at an auditing company's London headquarters

  • Busy main entrance of an auditing company's 385,000 square foot Norman Foster-designed London headquarters

  • Homeward through atrium of an auditing company's 385,000 square foot Norman Foster-designed London headquarters

  • An informal meeting taking place by outer windows of an auditing company's London headquarters

  • TV screen displaying corporate greeting message at main entrance of auditing company Ernst & Young's London headquarters

  • TV screen displaying corporate greeting smiley face at main entrance of an auditing company's London headquarters

  • TV screen displaying corporate logo greeting message at main entrance of auditing company Ernst & Young's London headquarters

  • An alphabetical guide awaits accountancy employees at the company's rally day, held for 3,000 UK staff at Excel, Docklands

  • A motivational guru gives pep-talk at a corporate rally day, held for 3,000 UK accountancy staff at Excel, Docklands.

  • Large arrows coloured red, green and yellow point north, west and east - or up, right and left - in three directions, to offer directions to seminars for accountants during their annual Academy Day held for 3,000 of company London employees at Excel in London's Docklands, England. The people are either confidently pacing forward, standing still to seek guidance or simply spontaneously emerging from the shadows to a brighter future, a moment when freedom of choice is offered and the road ahead dictates their fate. It is a scene of corporate theatre and each employee will attend this fair where motivational pep-talks from executives, outside speakers and gurus will talk to large groups of personnel so their presence on this day away from the office is vital for the year's business ahead.

  • Accountancy employees watch motivational circus acrobats at their corporate rally day, held for 3,000 UK staff at Excel

  • Circus acrobats perform high above auditor staff during a company Academy Day held for 3,000 of their London employees at Excel in London's Docklands England. Lit with blue light by powerful spotlights, the two girls are suspended in mid-air using hoops attached to safety ropes. They both make dramatic shapes in the air to demonstrate confidence, synchronised teamwork and co-operation between partners, the themes of this corporate day out of the office. The employees out of sight below are attending this fair where motivational pep-talks from executives, outside speakers and gurus will talk to large groups of personnel so their presence on this day away from the office is vital for the year's business ahead.

  • Accountancy employees watch their Chairman speaking at their corporate rally day, held for 3,000 UK staff at Excel

  • An executive peers down on his employees on a giant screen, addressing his loyal audience of his staff who have congregated at an Academy Day held for 3,000 of company London employees at Excel in London's Docklands, England. The hall is packed and his disciples listen and watch intently and obediently to watch their Leader speak like a Big Brother character, who ernestly and sincerely talks down to them despite being dressed casually for such a large event. Each employee will attend this brainstorming fair where later, motivational pep-talks from executives, outside speakers and gurus will talk to large groups of personnel so their presence on this day away from the office is vital for the year's business ahead.

  • Female employees help themselves to a buffet lunch at their corporate rally day, held for 3,000 UK staff at Excel

  • Employees watch motivational film at their corporate rally day, held for 3,000 UK staff at Excel

  • Employees watch motivational circus acrobats at their corporate rally day, held for 3,000 UK staff at Excel

  • Employees watch motivational circus acrobats at their corporate rally day, held for 3,000 UK staff at Excel

  • Employees watch motivational circus acrobats at their corporate rally day, held for 3,000 UK staff at Excel

  • Employees listen to an executive at their corporate rally day, held for 3,000 UK staff at Excel

  • Employees listen to an executive at their corporate rally day, held for 3,000 UK staff at Excel

  • Alphabetical guides await employees at a company's rally day, held for 3,000 UK staff at Excel, Docklands

  • Employees learn how to connect at a corporate rally day, held for 3,000 UK staff at Excel, Docklands.

  • Executives learn cookery and teamwork at a corporate rally day, held for 3,000 UK staff at Excel, Docklands.

  • Name badges await owners at a corporate rally day, held for 3,000 UK staff at Excel, Docklands.

  • A detail of a notepad jotter with inspirational words on the top of each sheet of A5 paper. The words 'doodle, list, jot, collate, note down and create' help personnel at a counselling workshop make the right decisions during a day of ideas and creativity brainstorming, held for employees at Prospect House, Borough, Southwark, London. An out of focus biro pen is placed diagonally on the paper that has been left on office table furniture for arriving staff.

  • Vacant desks and empty chairs are placed facing each other for a counselling workshop held for company employees at Prospect House, Borough, Southwark, London. Soon, employees of this seminar will arrive for a day's role-playing in this classroom setting where the office furnature makes a square to force participants to confront their opposite numbers. Jotter pads are provided for brainstorming ideas and concepts that help E & Y get the best out of their talented people. The room is otherwise empty as bright daylight floods through a window allowing positive thoughts and bright ideas to influence their thinking.

  • Role-play and positive thinking at a counselling workshop held for company staff in Borough, Southwark.

  • Role-play and positive thinking at a counselling workshop held for company staff in Borough, Southwark.

  • Role-play and positive thinking at a counselling workshop held for company staff in Borough, Southwark.

  • Role-play and positive thinking at a counselling workshop held for company staff in Borough, Southwark.

  • Role-play and positive thinking at a counselling workshop held for company staff in Borough, Southwark.

  • Role-play and positive thinking at a counselling workshop held for company staff in Borough, Southwark.

  • Three clean office urinal toilets fixed to dark wooden pannelling in Borough, Southwark, London.

  • Apples and tea cups awaiting takers at a counselling workshop held for company staff in Southwark, London

  • Employees stop for well-earned elevenses at a counselling workshop held for company London staff

  • A menu of seminar room choices is placed near an entrance for those attending a counselling workshop held for employees at Prospect House, Borough, Southwark, London. Words like 'Visualise, Captivate, Innovate and Expand' are listed vertically on a perspex board as well as directions to amenities such as the toilet and an 'Internet Touchdown.' Soon, seminar participants will arrive for a day's role-playing and brainstorming in classrooms named after these concepts. Encouraging the students to be inspired by these verbs.

  • A menu of seminar room choices is placed near an entrance for those attending a counselling workshop held for employees at Prospect House, Borough, Southwark, London. Words like 'Visualise, Captivate, Innovate and Expand' are listed vertically on a perspex board as well as directions to amenities such as the toilet and an 'Internet Touchdown.' Soon, seminar participants will arrive for a day's role-playing and brainstorming in classrooms named after these concepts. Encouraging the students to be inspired by these verbs.

  • A menu of seminar rooms at a counselling workshop held for employees in Borough, Southwark.

  • Role-play and positive thinking at a counselling workshop held for company staff in Borough, Southwark.

  • Cafeteria and cutlery on laid tables at a counselling workshop held for company London staff

  • Looking up towards majestically tall Ash trees and blue skies, the sun glints off a window pane in an Edwardian age semi-detached house on Ruskin Park, Denmark Hill, SE24 (its post code) South London England. It is a beauitiful winter afternoon in this inner-city suburban district of Britain's capital, approximately 5 miles south from the River Thames. A couple are walking their dogs past an elegant line of period homes that were completed in 1908, the age of innovative building in the new 20th Century. The properties overlook the borough park named after John Ruskin, the renowned artist and commentator who lived in nearby Herne Hill. It looks an affluent area, a prosperous location to invest in a mortgage in uncertain times with market prices falling during the credit crunch and recession.

  • Bent rubbish bins in front of Edwardian era semi-detached houses on Ruskin Park, Denmark Hill, SE24 London

  • Bent rubbish bins in front of Edwardian era semi-detached houses on Ruskin Park, Denmark Hill, SE24 London

  • Trunk of an Ash tree in front of Edwardian era semi-detached houses on Ruskin Park, Denmark Hill, SE24 London

  • Early evening lights glow from windows of Edwardian era semi-detached houses with Westminster and city behind, SE24

  • Early evening lights glow from windows of Edwardian era semi-detached houses with Westminster and city behind, SE24

  • Standard generic bathroom fixtures reflected in a Paris hotel room mirror.

  • Two toilet rolls are ready for use in a Paris hotel room toilet. Folded into triangular, pointed ends that point down to the bathroom floor in a famliar manner known to businessmen and and tourists during overnight stays in these anonymous and generic rest-stops frequented by travellers. Mounted onto a brown wall, the twin toilet roll holders are fixed side by side and have a shiny chrome finish.

These 650 images (in file name order) originate from the book project 'The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work' (subtitled A Song for Occupations) by Alain de Botton. The gallery called One Hundred Images contains a much smaller edit than seen here and may help the viewer acquaint themselves with this body of work.

In his book, de Botton writes:
"We spend much of our lives at work - but surprisingly little gets written about what makes work both one of the most exciting and...
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