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Road Trip To Llandudno & Rhyl
‘Rhyl Is A Playground’. Taken at 05:06pm. Sunday 26th June 2011.
The last time I went to Wales I was much younger and somewhat shorter than I am now. At a guess, I’d say it’s nearly fifteen years since my last visit. Back then, when I was a mere boy, my parents used to take me to the Sun Centre in Rhyl to go swimming and enjoy the Welsh seaside. I have fond, yet faded, memories of this time and now, as an adult with his own automotive transport I thought I’d go back with my camera to take a few photographs.
This Is Why I Love Living By The Seaside
Taken at 01:05pm. Wednesday 20th April 2011.
For the past seven months I’ve called Lytham St. Annes my home. It’s certainly a more genteel alternative to the bright lights and abrasive attitude of nearby Blackpool. In many ways I prefer living and working in this small seaside resort. It just seems to suit my personality and outlook on life. Don’t get me wrong, Blackpool is a fantastic place to photograph and I’ve shot some of my most well received and personally satisfying work there, but believe me (and I have seven years of experience to justify this statement) it’s not always the most pleasant place to live.
Swan In Lytham St. Annes
Swan In Lytham St. Annes. Taken at 08:37am. Monday 28th March 2011.
When I woke up this morning I opened the curtains to find a thick blanket of fog covering this seaside town. Fog transforms the aesthetic quality of the landscape and I knew I had to get outside straight away to shoot some images. The last series I shot in Lytham St. Annes was when it snowed back in December [ The Big Freeze ] so it was about time I went to see what else I could find.
The Idiosyncrasies Of Photographing Strangers #2
The Idiosyncrasies Of Photographing Strangers #2
Taken at 03:26pm. Thursday 24th February 2011.
You never have to wait long while walking the streets of Blackpool (camera-less or otherwise) until someone you don’t know starts talking to you. Although I prefer to shoot portraits in a more candid manner, I don’t really mind people approaching me to ask if I’d take their picture. This guy was sat next to his friend on the promenade and as I walked past they asked what I was photographing and whether I’d ever photographed the homeless. We had a short dialogue before one of them offered to pose for a photograph. He grabbed a can of beer and started drinking, waiting for me to shoot. I asked him to put the beer down and just look directly into the camera. I shot three photographs of him before asking his name and thanking him for his time. The whole encounter only lasted a matter of minutes, but it’s all great experience of how to deal with people and working in a quick and effective way.
The Starlings Season Begins In Blackpool
My First Photograph From The New Starlings Season In Blackpool
Taken at 17:49pm on North Pier, Blackpool. Friday 15th October 2010.
October is the month when we begin to see murmurations of starlings returning once again to the Fylde coast. They are one of my favourite subjects to document and I’ve eagerly awaited the day when I’ll see them once again.
Over the past two weeks I’ve noticed an influx of visitors to my website searching for information relating to the best time to see starlings flocking in Blackpool. Searches include “are the starlings in blackpool in oct”, “best time to see starlings at blackpool”, “starling murmuration blackpool”, “blackpool starlings morphing near blackpool”, “starlings in blackpool 2010” and so on.
Getting To Know Lytham St. Annes
The Old St. Annes Pier
Taken at 18:16pm in Lytham St. Annes. Sunday 3rd October 2010.
Ten days ago I packed up my belongings and moved six miles south to my new home in the centre of the beautiful seaside town that is Lytham St. Annes. Having spent the majority of the past seven years of my life living in Blackpool, I certainly felt like a change of scenery was in need. After all, they say a change is as good as a rest.
Notting Hill Carnival 2010
Public holidays were surely introduced so that the majority of the population could take a well deserved break from the daily grind of work and go out to thoroughly enjoy themselves. I thought that I’d spend this year’s August Bank Holiday in London photographing the main parade of Europe’s largest street festival: Notting Hill Carnival.
An Insight Into The Homeless Of Blackpool
Taken at 08:27pm in Blackpool, UK. Sunday 1st August 2010.
Last night, after far too many hours looking at a computer screen, I decided to go for a walk along the promenade with my camera to see what I could find. You never know what may happen in this town. There’s always a chance to encounter a photographic opportunity or come across something interesting on your travels. No more than half an hour had passed before I stumbled upon a man who I’d photographed and featured in a blog post back in June entitled ‘The Idiosyncrasies Of Photographing Strangers’.
The Idiosyncrasies Of Photographing Strangers #1
The Idiosyncrasies Of Photographing Strangers #1
Taken at 6:59am on Saturday 26th June 2010.
I made my way towards the seafront with my camera this morning to catch the first rays of sun over Blackpool beach. It was an early start to the day and by 5am I’d already encountered the last of the Friday night revellers attempting to find their way home. Two young men (both clearly intoxicated, but [thankfully] only the one of them exposed bare-chested) approached me near Blackpool Tower to ask why and what I was photographing. I explained that I’d photographed Blackpool for a number of years and that it was simply something that I love to do. They didn’t quite understand my explanation or motive for taking photographs at this early hour of the day, but nonetheless they asked me if I’d take a picture of the two of them together. I obliged and continued my journey towards the beach. I knew that the photographs I’d taken of them weren’t really to my liking, but it certainly wasn’t an act of futility. These encounters with strangers on the street are nothing new to my photographic practice (it comes with the territory of being a documentary photographer) and each time I’m faced with this situation I usually find that its for the best to smile, take the photographs and depart on good terms.
Coca-Cola Championship Play-Off Final 2010
I think it’s fair to say that my optimistic plans for posting more frequent blog entries has somewhat failed. In an attempt to redeem myself, I thought I’d share a selection of photographs that I shot at the Coca Cola Championship Play-Off Final 2010 between Blackpool FC and Cardiff FC last Saturday at Wembley stadium.
Murmurations: My First Canon 5D Mark II HD Video
Watch This Video In HD On My YouTube Channel
This short film is inspired by my documentary photography project 'Starlings Above' which won third place in the 'Fine Art - Natural History' professional category of the Sony World Photography Awards 2009.
There is something innately beautiful in the way starlings fly together, forming hypnotic shapes and patterns in the sky above.
"Impenetrable as the flock's movements might seem to the human eye, the underlying maths is comparatively straightforward. Each bird strives to fly as close to its neighbours as possible, instantly copying any changes in speed or direction. As a result, tiny deviations by one bird are magnified and distorted by those surrounding it, creating rippling, swirling patterns. In other words, this is a classic case of mathematical chaos (larger shapes composed of infinitely varied smaller patterns). Whatever the science, however, it is difficult for the observer to think of it as anything other than some vast living entity."
Murmurations Signal The Beginning Of Winter
Taken at 04:30pm on North Pier in Blackpool, UK. Tuesday 27th October 2009.
Since my last blog post back in October (Blackpool Public Artworks Photography Commission) there have been several noteworthy developments to my photographic practice. One of the most exciting items of news is that I’ve been asked to be an Associate Lecturer in Photography at UCLAN’s Media Factory in Preston. I’m currently teaching and mentoring first year photography degree students undertaking PH1010, a module that consists of a number of traditional black & white photography assignments. The last time I was in a lecture I was studying for my Masters in Blackpool, so its great to get back into the classroom and brainstorm new ideas about photography with the students.
Inspired By 'On The Road'
Taken at 02:33pm in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. UK. Monday 9th February 2009.
The title and content of today’s blog post are inspired by one of my favourite literary works; Jack Kerouac’s largely autobiographical book On The Road. The book is based upon Kerouac’s own journeys across America with his friends in the late 1940’s and is written in a style he called ‘spontaneous prose’ (which is similar to the ‘stream of consciousness’ method of writing). Kerouac wrote On The Road in just three weeks during a creative literary explosion in April 1951 and is now widely acknowledged as an American Modern Classic.
St Margaret's Church
Taken at 07:55pm in Wolstanton, Staffordshire. UK. Sunday 8th February 2009.
Saint Margaret's is a church located in my hometown of Wolstanton on the outskirts of Newcastle-under-Lyme and is the main focal point of the village (as can be said of many churches in small villages across the country). There are many possible reasons why this is (religious or otherwise), but for me it’s mainly down to the fact that it’s the single largest building in the surrounding area. I have to say that I’ve somewhat struggled to find inspiration in my hometown to produce creative photographic images, but the recent batch of snow and frost has given me a new found hope. The churchyard itself is quite fantastic to photograph (especially in these conditions) and holds a rather morbid mystery.
Starlings Above (Part Two)
Taken at 04:33pm in Blackpool, UK. Thursday 29th January 2009.
This black and white photograph is the latest addition to my on-going personal project documenting starlings in flight. Photographing natural subjects like starlings requires a great deal of patience as you never quite sure what they may do next. I usually find the best way to approach them is to compose the image the way you want it and then hope that they will do something rather spectacular within the frame (which doesn’t always happen!). They also demand that you think quickly on your feet as they are often unpredictable and incredibly fast in flight.
Starlings Above (Part One)
Taken at 3:51pm from North Pier, Blackpool. Tuesday 4th November 2008.
North Pier in Blackpool is a wonderful location to view starlings during the winter months and this afternoon I got another opportunity to photograph them. This is the first chance I’ve had to do some personal work since finishing my MA course and completing my recent freelance assignments, so I’m really pleased to be starting my postgraduate life with this photograph of starlings over Blackpool beach.
Return To Rigby Road (Part Two)
Taken at 12:21pm at the Rigby Road Transport Depot, Blackpool. Thursday 11th September 2008.
When I visited the depot in 2006 I never got a chance to photograph them cleaning the trams, so I was absolutely thrilled to catch this shot the other day.
Return To Rigby Road (Part One)
Taken at 12:08pm at the Rigby Road Transport Depot, Blackpool. Thursday 11th September 2008.
In late August I was asked to join the artist Simon Grennan and his group of volunteers for the community-based art project ‘Bloomfield Talks’. One of the volunteers organised a tour around the Rigby Road Transport Depot, so I thought I’d grab the chance of returning to take some more photographs. In 2006, I was asked by the author John Woodman to produce a series of photographs recording the fabric and infrastructure of this important historical site. I’ve also photographed a book launch at the depot in April 2008 and I’ll take every opportunity I get of documenting a space with such a strong identity and rich heritage.
Morecambe Bay Arena Fun Fair
Taken at 1:24pm in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire. Saturday 16th August 2008.
Morecambe Bay was a welcome day out after another busy week working on my Blackpool project. My girlfriend Kate and I decided to take a drive in the afternoon, with no idea of where we wanted to go (isn’t that sometimes the best way). I had never been to Morecambe before, but I had heard of its proud history of being a thriving seaside resort back in the mid-twentieth century. The town has declined over the years and this ‘Arena Fun Fair’ is certainly a monument to that.
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