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.

The nearest public entrance directly onto the beach is currently to the right of Central Pier (due to the construction of the new seawall and promenade between Central and North Pier) and when I arrived there I began to setup my camera to record some HD video footage of the scene. It was low tide and there wasn’t a single soul on the beach. I had the whole place to myself. Ten minutes later, this all changed when a man and woman approached me to ask what I was doing. I showed them both the LCD screen at the back of my camera and said that I was just shooting footage to satisfy my own creative inclinations. They asked me what I usually photographed and I told them that I photographed all manner of subjects, but my favourite subject to photograph were starlings during the winter months. The woman insisted that I go to Fleetwood Docks to see them sometime and I duly noted this before they both headed towards the sea to paddle in the water and watch the sunrise.

An hour passed by as I relished the tranquility and quietness of the morning with my camera. By this point I was at South Pier and reasonably content with some of the photographs that I’d taken, but still not completely ready or willing to return home just yet. As I walked towards the steps of the seawall to find another vantage point, a man appeared from the direction of the promenade. He made his way down the steps towards me, but couldn’t go any further as there was a wide stream of water between the seawall and the beach that separated the two of us. The man shouted across this small estuary saying that I should take a photograph of the reflection of the pier in the water. I replied that I’d much rather take a photograph of him instead and asked him whether it would be okay to do so. He smiled and said that he didn’t mind. I quickly composed my shot and fired off few photographs as he semi-posed for the camera.

We spent the following forty-five minutes chatting across this small, yet significant, stretch of water about all manner of topics to do with technology, life and the future.


Encounters With Strangers #1
Taken at 6:59am on Saturday 26th June 2010.

Throughout our conversation, I took his photograph sparsely and tried to capture him in a more natural way. I asked if he’d like me to include a quote from him if I decided to ever publish one of the photographs I’d taken. As he thought about what he wanted to say I took this photograph (above).

“If everybody agreed to the concept of time ‘a day in space is a year on Earth’ and if your day starts at 12am and your daily routine is that you fall asleep before 12pm, does that mean you fell asleep in yesterday to wake up in tomorrow; which in turn, is today?”

Now there’s something to think about...

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Tags: Blackpool,Documentary,Portraiture,South Shore,Thoughts

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.












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Tags: Blackpool,Football,Sport,Stadium,Wembley

Watch this video in HD on Vimeo

Inspired by my documentary photography project 'Starlings Above’; this short film entitled ‘Murmurations’ is my first attempt at shooting and editing 1080p HD video with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. As I mentioned in my previous blog post ‘Passing Conversations’, adjusting to capturing HD video on a digital SLR does take a bit of getting used too. For my first venture into video production I kept things as simple as possible. I chose a subject and location that I knew well (in this case, Blackpool beach and starlings) and stuck with a static camera on a tripod. All of the footage was shot during the past couple of weeks and was edited using iMovie 09.

I must say a huge thank you to Raikes Parade for allowing me to use a shortened edit of his wonderful track ‘On The Clock Face’ as the soundtrack to this short film.

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Tags: Blackpool,Flight,HD Video,North Pier,Starlings,Murmurations,Natural History

Taken at 03:11pm on Blackpool Promenade, Lancashire. UK. Thursday 17th December 2009.

Yesterday I spent the afternoon shooting on the wonderful camera that is the Canon 5D Mark II. Its an absolute pleasure to shoot all my new work with this camera. The superb Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM lens combined with the 21.1 Megapixel Canon 5D body results in amazing image quality. I must have read countless reviews about this camera over the past year and couldn’t wait to use this camera for myself.

One of the most technological advanced additions to the Canon 5D Mark II (and what made it revolutionary on its release) is the ability to shoot full frame HD video. Vincent Laforet’s ‘Reverie’ was the first 1080p short film to be photographed with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and successfully turned the independent film industry on its head over night. Reverie convinced photographers, film-makers and artists alike that this camera could transform their artistic practice forever (even with a small budget, time restraints and a touch of imagination).

There are a few practical considerations when switching between shooting still photography and shooting video. As a documentary photographer I rarely carry a tripod as they tend to be somewhat inconspicuous and cumbersome, but if you want to shoot professional looking video the use of a solid tripod or Steadicam is crucial. Then there’s the sound to consider. The camera has a built-in microphone, but if your in a location thats as windy as say, Blackpool beach, then an external microphone is a definite must to avoid any unwanted pops or clicks. I’ve been capturing HD footage in Blackpool on the Canon 5D Mark II over the past week and I’m beginning to get an idea about what it takes to produce video work. It’s still all work in progress, so for now I’ll just share this still photograph taken between shooting some HD video yesterday.

This photograph is entitled ‘Passing Conversations’ and depicts the moment when two ladies pass two men along the promenade; separate conversations momentarily intertwined in a split second. The location is full of signs synonymous with Blackpool’s character (one detail being the ‘We Sell Fags’ sign outside the Scotties Got It shop) that make for a really interesting background for the people in the photograph.

There are also two new blog posts (Visual Exhibition At Nutmeg House and Murmurations Signal The Beginning Of Winter) that I’ve (finally) managed to upload.

Technical Information
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM
ISO: 250
Focal Length: 102mm
Shutter Speed: 1/250th sec
F-Stop: f/6.3

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Tags: Blackpool,Promenade

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.

I’m also a ‘Photographer in Residence’ at the Media Factory, so I’ve been busy organising two new photography projects (a psychogeographic assignment with UCLAN photography students and a separate community-based arts project in Blackpool) that will feature in a new photography exhibition at UCLAN’s Victoria Building in September 2010.

You may have noticed from the photographs featured in this blog post (and its title) that starlings are back in Blackpool once again. Starlings signal the beginning of Winter when these murmurations start to perform this marvellous spectacle. Murmurations are one of the most magical, yet underrated, spectacles of wildlife on display during Winter.


Taken at 04:32pm on North Pier in Blackpool, UK. Tuesday 27th October 2009.

“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.”

(Source: ‘The Mathematics Of Murmurating Starlings’ by Daniel Butler in the Telegraph newspaper)


Taken at 04:26pm on North Pier in Blackpool, UK. Tuesday 27th October 2009.

The promenade and piers offer fantastic vantage points to photograph starlings. North Pier did become somewhat crowded while I was taking photographs, which resulted in me having to answer all manner of questions about starlings from one particularly inquisitive tourist.


Taken at 04:19pm near North Pier in Blackpool, UK. Thursday 29th October 2009.

Wildlife photography requires both patience and persistence. Large periods of time are spent waiting for something to happen with quick short bursts to action that you can miss with the blink of an eye. Knowing your camera and subject inside out is crucial in capturing the best possible moment. The photograph above (entitled ‘Dog Chasing Starlings’) is a mixture of all these things. I watched and waited as the starlings feed on the beach, knowing that if I waited long enough, something would happen. I saw a man approach with his dog near the break of the waves when suddenly the dog bolted towards the flock. As they scattered, I began taking photographs and hoped for the best.

To see more starlings photographs please visit the Starlings Above gallery.

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Tags: Beach,Blackpool,Black & White,Flight,Natural History,North Pier,Starlings

'The Wave'. Taken at 07:23am in Blackpool, Lancashire. UK. Sunday 20th September 2009.

Last month I was commissioned by Blackpool Council Arts Service to photograph five new public artworks for their promotional postcards and permanent records. These artworks consisted of a WWII soldier sculpture in Salisbury Woodlands, The Choir Loft next to the war memorial near North Pier, The hoardings around the site of the old Yates's Building, illumination artworks on Dale Street and a number of installations (including the 'The Wave' sculpture) in the newly re-developed St. John's Square in Blackpool's town centre.

'The Wave' is a 10.5 metre high sculpture designed by the artist Lucy Glendinning, which forms part of Blackpool Council's regeneration plans to create new high quality public spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy. The sculpture features an illuminated colour-changing pattern in cast resin, reflecting the stained glass windows of St. John's Church. A 2.5 metre diving figure, secured with metal rods hidden inside the sculpture, springs from the main polished stainless steel structure and references Blackpool's coastal heritage and history. The highly polished mirror finish provides a ‘hall of mirrors' type effect that ensures 'The Wave' looks different from every possible angle. Five giant pebbles cast in clear resin also surround the sculpture that light up in various different colours.

This £500,000 sculpture is part of a £4.7m makeover of the town centre that is funded by the NWDA (North West Development Agency) and Townscape Heritage Initiative. The plaza, now open to the public, includes decorative granite setts, new plane trees, column lighting, plantings, and computer controlled illuminated water fountains.


'St. John's Square Bus Shelter'. Taken at 07:35am in Blackpool, Lancashire. UK. Sunday 20th September 2009.

“Reviving Blackpool’s economy remains a key priority for the NWDA and we have made a number of investments into key infrastructure and public realm projects to support the growth of the town’s visitor economy and enhance quality of life for local residents. The completion of this new public square is another significant milestone in Blackpool’s renaissance and I am sure that it will prove popular with visitors and residents alike."
- Steven Broomhead (NWDA Chief Executive)


'Hoardings'. Taken at 03:09pm in Blackpool, Lancashire. UK. Thursday 10th September 2009.

The 'hoardings', a colourful installation consisting of eighty 1.5 metre panels by the artist Sarah Galloway, is a £20,000 project that surrounds the site of the old Yates's building in Talbot Square that was burnt down on the 15th February 2009. Each panel is inspired by photographs of iconic Blackpool buildings and also features text from Blackpool Council's current poet in residence John Siddique. Some of the panels are hand painted by the artist while others use digital photography on acrylic discs.

Sarah says of her work: "I'm really pleased with how it looks now that all the panels are in place. I think it looks really good and it certainly gives people something to talk about and a destination to aim for." Reaction to the panels is mixed, with some people branding it a waste of money, while others say it is key to the resort's regeneration.
(Source: The Blackpool Gazette)


'Dale Street Illumination Artwork'. Taken at 06:57pm in Blackpool, Lancashire. UK. Sunday 26th September 2009.

Photographing the new illumination artworks, which are intermittently placed along both sides of Dale Street, provided one of the most challenging shoots for this commission. Not only is the street incredibly narrow and crowded with people at this time of the evening, the illuminated artworks that I needed to photograph are placed quite high and so there was no way of shooting them straight on. I am however, always up for a challenge. In the photograph above, I tried to use the cafe and street signs to provide a context for the artworks that I think makes for a rather interesting juxtaposition. You may not to see it in this particular photograph, but each artwork has a central circle that has a different backlit photograph of Blackpool which is framed by a sculptural seagull motif.


'WWII Soldier Sculpture'. Taken at 01:45pm in Salisbury Woodlands, Blackpool, Lancashire. UK. Wednesday 9th September 2009.

This WWII Soldier Sculpture in Salisbury Woodlands near Blackpool Zoo also required some thought and consideration in order to get the best photograph out of it. The sculpture is placed upon a pillbox in a densely wooded area and was built as an anti-invasion station during World War II. Needless to say, the army didn't build this pillbox in a brightly lit area. I went back to this location several times to get the best possible light and my persistence finally paid off during my fourth attempt to photograph this soldier sculpture. I think the trees in the background compliment the overall tone and texture of soldier, while also giving some context to where the photograph was taken.


'The Choir Loft'. Taken at 02:03pm in Blackpool, Lancashire. UK. Thursday 10th September 2009.

'The Choir Loft' is a contemporary memorial to those who struggle for freedom in all conflicts. It is a functional monument to the act of resistance and the importance of memory, and has been designed to compliment the existing Cenotaph near North Pier. The aim of the work is to provide a space for contemplation and reflection for visitors. On ceremonial days it will host public celebration and memorial through song. The memorial takes the form of a 'Choir Loft' that is a permanent space for a choir to sing, positioned so that the singers face the existing Cenotaph, and beyond that, the sea. The memorial is faced in white granite, with a contrasting band of blue granite into which the words 'Sing softly. Be still. Cease.' are written.

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Tags: Blackpool,Commission,Public Artworks,Sculptures

Preview of Blott Artist Studios Summer Exhibition 2009 (Flyer Design By David Butterworth).

The summer exhibition at Blott Artist Studios in Blackpool officially opened on Saturday 25th July 2009 and features an array of new artworks from Blott’s current members alongside paintings from this year’s guest artist Nazmin Abdullah. The preview night was a great opportunity to discuss the work, meet up with all of the artists and have our photograph taken for the local newspaper (as well as enjoying a few glasses of wine). The gallery is one of the few independent art spaces in Blackpool where local artists can exhibit and sell their original artworks to the general public, so its quite a pleasure to show my documentary photographs of Blackpool within this space.

Nazmin’s striking paintings of Muslim figures draped in Union Jack colours are a particular favourite of mine from the summer exhibition and I would throughly recommend viewing them for yourself if you get the chance. Speaking about the concept behind her work, Nazmin states that she “aims to challenge society’s perceptions and stereotypes against British Muslim females that are based solely upon appearance and dress”. She goes on to say “the image of the Union Jack, along with various other images associated with popular culture; consistently appear throughout my work, acting as visual metaphors, as a means of expressing the subject’s desire to conform to western culture as they strive to be labeled as British”.

Blott’s Summer Exhibition will run until the 15th August 2009. Gallery details can be found on my exhibitions page.

Featured Artists
Nazmin Abdullah | David Butterworth | Yannick Dixon | Simon Plum | Brian Spooner | Corrine Streetly

Important Amendment
From the 15th August 2009 I will no longer be a represented artist of Blott Artist Studios. This was a difficult personal decision of mine that I don't wish to go into here, but I do send my sincere thanks to Corrine and all the other artists at the gallery for their support and understanding.

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Tags: Blackpool,Blott Artists Studio,Exhibitions,Gallery Space,North West Artist

Taken at 01:05pm in Blackpool, Lancashire. UK. Wednesday 24th June 2009.

I recently read an article entitled ‘Personal Projects Can Make A Difference’ written by Grant Scott for a recent issue of Professional Photographer magazine that inspired me to take a closer look at the current direction of my photographic practice and, more importantly, to continue shooting new images for my personal projects. Like many photographers, personal work is the driving force for my creative inclinations and is an important aspect of any artistic practice.

As Grant Scott says in his article, “If you’re not shooting, your work isn’t progressing”. Simple as that.

Needless to say, I was throughly excited to get a free afternoon to photograph the people of Blackpool enjoying the glorious sunshine yesterday and get back into my element. One of my main reasons for staying in Blackpool after completing my photography degree and MA course is that I’m so utterly passionate and inspired by the diverse subject matter that the town has to offer. All you have to do is look for it and, to be honest, you don’t have to look too far.

The area between North Pier and Central Pier has always been one of my favourite locations for taking photographs in Blackpool as its what I consider to be the liveliest and most popular part of town for tourists and locals alike. In particular, the juxtaposition between the built environment and the people engaging within it has been a continuing feature of the photographs I’ve produced throughout this series. Yesterday, when I spotted this group of people sitting opposite the amusement arcade Coral Island, I noticed this juxtaposition and began taking a few photographs. The facade of Coral Island, with its prominent pirate skull (complete with eye patch), makes for a rather surreal backdrop for the people sat in the foreground. The title of this photograph is a somewhat tongue-in-cheek take on the expectation one may have of modern day Blackpool Revellers, with the town synonymous with large groups of people usually equating to hen/stag parties.

I’ve now added this photograph to the Blackpool: An Unimagined Space? gallery along with a couple of new photographs from yesterday’s shoot.

Technical Information
Camera: Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR
Lens: Canon EF-S 17mm - 85mm IS USM
ISO: 125
Focal Length: 85mm
Shutter Speed: 1/160th sec
F-Stop: f/14

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Tags: Blackpool,Coral Island,Holiday-Makers,Promenade,Portraiture,Tourism

Bloomfield Talks Photography Exhibition By Yannick Dixon. Saturday 9th May 2009.

I was asked to join the community based arts project Bloomfield Talks in August 2008 by internationally renowned artist Simon Grennan. Bloomfield Talks is a year-long oral history project commissioned by Blackpool Council and ran between July 2008 and May 2009. The project focuses upon the experiences of people who have connections with the Bloomfield, Foxhall, Revoe and near South Shore area of Blackpool.

At the heart of Bloomfield Talks was a team of local volunteers brought together specifically for the project. Ranging in age from the late teens to the late seventies, the volunteers engaged other local people in conversations and activities focusing on their daily lives in the area. The volunteers documenting these exchanges in writing, pictures and audio recordings, creating a new archive of records about ordinary people’s lives. There really are some great photographs taken by local people over the years that say so much about life in the area and I’m really pleased to have my pictures shown beside them. In February 2009, the volunteers edited and published the new archive as a book and will given away as a gift to the five thousand households in the area. All of the original material will be lodged with Blackpool Libraries and the North West Sound Archive. This archive is available online.

I was asked if I’d like to put together a photography exhibition of my Blackpool photographs to compliment the launch of the Bloomfield Talks book on Saturday 9th May 2009. I exhibition included a few of the photographs that feature in the book as well as some from my MA project ‘Blackpool: An Unimagined Space?’. The images were printed on an Epson Stylus Pro 7900 and then mounted onto Aluminium (wooden frames on reverse). There were sixteen photographs in all; ranging from A1 to A4 size. It was a great opportunity to get a response from local people about my work and to support such a fantastic event.

I also got the chance to take some more portraits during the book launch.


Although there was so much going on with the launch of the book and the photography exhibition, I think that this photograph I took of two old ladies standing outside the church is my favourite image from the day. The bad weather meant that more and more people came off the streets to see what all the fuss was about. These two ladies had come to see what the Bloomfield Talks project was all about and were braving the weather to watch a group of school children banging drums out on the street in celebration of the event.

I’ve included one of the pages that feature my photographs below.


To view a previous Bloomfield Talks blog post click on the link below:
Bloomfield Talks Tea Party

To view the Bloomfield Talks gallery click on the link below:
Commissioned Work

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Tags: Blackpool,Bloomfield Talks,Exhibitions,Portraiture,Publications

Today’s blog post is chance to show the latest addition to my Blackpool: An Unimagined Space? project and to share some news regarding the forthcoming SWPA Global Tour exhibitions and a reminder about the Bloomfield Talks book launch next month.


Taken at 02:49pm on Blackpool’s South Pier. Tuesday 31st March 2009.

SWPA Forthcoming Exhibitions

After the Sony World Photography Awards ceremony in Cannes earlier this month the SWPA Global Tour 2009/10 has already begun with showcases of the work at the Edge gallery in Hong Kong before moving on to the Hong Kong Art Fair (the details of which can be found on my exhibitions page). A number of limited edition prints from my starlings series will be on sale throughout the tour and will hopefully be seen in print by a global audience for the very first time.

Bloomfield Talks Book Launch

On the 9th May 2009 the launch of the new social history book ‘Bloomfield Talks’ will be launched at St. Peter’s church on Lytham Road, Blackpool. I will be exhibiting 14 photographs from my Blackpool projects (some of which appear in the book) as well as documenting a creative account of the event itself. Further information can be found on the Bloomfield Talks website.

Sizzle Network ‘Staying Upbeat in the Downturn’

On the 22nd April 2009 I attended my first ever Sizzle creative networking event at the Barcelo Imperial Hotel in Blackpool. The aim of the meeting was to cast a positive light into how artists and creative business’s can tackle and survive the current economic climate. The event was organised by Creative Lancashire and was a great opportunity to meet liked-minded artists in the Blackpool area. I would certainly recommend attending the next one in July...

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Tags: Blackpool,Exhibitions,Holiday-Makers,Portraiture,Promenade,Publications,South Pier,Stallworker

A preview of my photography book ‘Blackpool: An Unimagined Space?’

“Everyone has heard of Blackpool, and it projects, enduringly, a permissive but unthreatening image of proletarians at play. That the image is unduly simple goes without saying, and there are many intersecting Blackpools, including the residential, respectable and poverty stricken ones, behind and to either side of the pullulating, pulsating sea-front of the Golden Mile and Pleasure Beach, living out a more prosaic existence alongside the glitter and gowns of the night-clubs and cabarets which represent a more recent dominant image of Blackpool’s pleasure identity”.
- Walton, J.K (1998)

The production of my series of documentary photographs exploring life on Blackpool’s seaside fringe has undergone many transformations and alterations since I began the project back in July 2006. My approach has always been organic, free to adapt in response to the town’s ever-changing topography and characteristics. Inspired by many aspects of the town’s unique character, cultural heritage and history the project documents the mélange of experiences and ‘vistas’ that I’ve encountered throughout my daily life by the sea. Central to my approach was my desires to not only record these experiences, but to celebrate the medium of documentary photography itself.

In many ways, Blackpool and documentary photography go hand in hand. For instance; during the Berlin Photography Festival ‘After The Fact’ in September 2005, Jan-Erik Lundström commented that the current state of documentary photography is “both affirmative and disillusioned, pragmatic and utopian; is often impure, hybrid, layered, combinatory, even internally contradictory or unresolved”. Lundström goes on to say that the medium is “on the one hand, a struggle to maintain public space, to sustain active public discourse and collective dialogue, to find or establish a place where it is possible to talk, speak and listen, and on the other hand, a mode of artistic praxis engaged in art as a vehicle for knowledge production”. This idea that documentary photography has the ability to communicate, in a complex manner, the world around us is one that I considered an important notion throughout the production of the Blackpool project.

The ‘Blackpool: An Unimagined Space?’ book features over twenty of the most striking and revealing documentary photographs I’ve taken during the project, covering everything from the local built environment to the spectacle of live performance on the promenade. There is also an introduction to the series in the book that offers further insight into the approach and production of the project as a whole. Each hardcover book is made to special order and produced in full colour (measuring 28 cm x 21.5 cm). Softcover books are also available on request at a discounted price.

If you would like further information on the book or would like to pre-order one, please contact me for details and prices.

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Tags: Blackpool,Photography Book,Publications

Taken at 01:16pm in North Shore Blackpool, UK. Friday 23rd January 2009.

I’ve always loved being on the edge of the seaside fringe, so to start today’s blog post I thought I’d share where I think this fascination originated. As a young boy I spent my summer holidays with my Grandma at her house in St-Idesbald, Belgium. We’d spend our days picking shells along the beach, walking her three lovely Bassett hounds and enjoying being at the seaside together. I think this is were my affinity and affection for coastal life began, yet it wasn’t until I moved to Blackpool in 2003 that I became aware of what a profound influence the times with my Grandma had on me and my relationship with the seaside.

The Blackpool coast is a constantly shifting and morphing landscape which offers a mélange of creative possibilities and the space for conceptual musings. This space where the sea meets the land has been a major theme of many artistic practitioners (including nineteenth century landscape painters such as JMW Turner and John Constable) and plays an integral part of my own personal work documenting life on the Fylde coast. This black & white photograph, entitled ‘Breakwater’ looks at the boundaries between the sea, the land and ourselves. The composition is simply constructed into thirds, focussing on the three main elements of water, concrete and rock in the image.

Forthcoming Exhibition News - I’ve been selected to exhibit my work at Keele University’s Three Counties Open Photography Exhibition 2009. I’ve exhibited at this annual exhibition in my hometown for the past seven years and its always a pleasure to have my work next to other photographers from the area. This year I have one photograph (entitled ‘Ballroom Dancing’) in the exhibition and I’m really looking forward to the preview night on the 25th February 2009. If your in the area on the day, feel free to come down and take a look at the work. The exhibition will officially open on the 26th February 2009 and will run until early April 2009.

Technical Information
Camera: Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR
Lens: Canon EF-S 17mm - 85mm IS USM
ISO: 250
Focal Length: 24mm
Shutter Speed: 1/200th sec
F-Stop: f/8

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Tags: Blackpool,Black & White,Exhibitions,Landscape,Waves

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. Each time I see starlings in Blackpool I always try to record a different aspect to them and, in this particular image, I’ve focussed upon them feeding on the beach.The image also shows a little bit more of the environmental setting that this natural phenomenon occurs, which is something I feel is slightly lacking in some of the other photographs I’ve taken for the series.

My recently updated Starlings gallery includes this new photograph alongside another black & white photograph that I took during the same afternoon.

Technical Information
Camera: Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR
Lens: Canon EF-S 17mm - 85mm IS USM
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 44mm
Shutter Speed: 1/125th sec
F-Stop: f/5.6

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Tags: Blackpool,Beach,Black & White,Flight,Natural History,Starlings

Taken at 02:19pm in Blackpool, UK. Thursday 22nd January 2009.

The Winter Gardens is home to Europe's second largest theatre (the Opera House) and is one of Blackpool’s most treasured historical buildings. It opened in 1878 and has seen the likes of Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassey and a host of West End theatre productions over the years. I’ve seen several gigs (including The Arctic Monkeys and The Subways) there and I also had the job of photographing NALGAO’s three-day conference throughout the venue back in October 2008. Although the interior decor needs sprucing up and looking after, I personally think that it’s still one of the town’s better assets.

I took this photograph from the top level of the recently regenerated Hounds Hill Shopping Centre car park. I’d always struggled to get the shot I wanted of the exterior of the Winter Gardens because there simply wasn’t a high enough vantage point to produce something more interesting from the usual images you see of the building. The new car park at the Hounds Hill helped me to overcome this problem and, at the same time, offered the chance to see Blackpool’s town centre from a completely new perspective.

I’ve recently re-edited my series of photographs for the Blackpool project to include some new photographs and (hopefully) make it a stronger set of images.

This can be seen by visiting the ‘Blackpool: An Unimagined Space?’ gallery.

Technical Information
Camera: Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR
Lens: Canon EF-S 17mm - 85mm IS USM
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 26mm
Shutter Speed: 1/80th sec
F-Stop: f/16

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Tags: Blackpool,Architecture,Art Deco,Winter Gardens

I have the pleasure to announce that I’ve been invited to be a member of Blott Artist Studios in Blackpool.



Blott Artist Studios was founded in 1998 by Corrine Streetly with help from Sean Hanford and Ann Carragher for professional artists living in and around the Blackpool area. Blott Studios have put on some great exhibitions in their gallery and I can’t wait to exhibit my own work alongside the other members of the group. I’ve already printed some of my photographs ready to be framed and I’m really excited about showing & selling my work in a local gallery. Much of the work that comes out of Blott represents the artists individual responses to the town and I’d like to think my photographs will fit in quite nicely. As I’ve only joined this week my details are yet to feature on their website, but I’ll be sure to announce it on this blog as soon as they are.

Speaking of exhibitions, I have some new work featured in the MA Visual Design as Creative Practice graduate exhibition in the foyer of the School of Art & Design in Blackpool. The exhibition officially opens on the 3rd December 2008 and if your around in the area it would be great if you’d check it out. Some great work to be found from my peers, including Aaron Tonks fabulous sculptures and amazing hand-made frames. The exhibition celebrates over two years work and showcases some of our finest work. I hope you can make it.

Finally, there won’t be any blog posts over the next week as I’m paying a flying visit to the city of Guangzhou in China and then on to Hong Kong for a few days. The weather forecast doesn’t look too promising (typical that it has been sunny there all this week!) yet I’m 100% determined to make it most of it regardless. I’ve never visited that side of the world before and I’m so excited to get out there, soak up the atmosphere and start taking some great photographs (hopefully)!

If you would like to get in touch with me regarding anything over the next week please contact me via email and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

Important Amendment
From the 15th August 2009 I will no longer be a represented artist of Blott Artist Studios. This was a difficult personal decision of mine that I don't wish to go into here, but I do send my sincere thanks to Corrine and all the other artists at the gallery for their support and understanding.

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Tags: Blackpool,Blott Artists Studio,Exhibitions,Gallery Space

Taken around 4:50pm on South Shore Promenade, Blackpool. Tuesday 8th April 2008.

This is a panoramic photograph made from nine images taken of the Pleasure Beach in Blackpool back in April 2008. The backdrop features one of the town’s premier attractions, the Pleasure Beach’s biggest ride, ‘The Big One’. It is Europe’s largest roller coaster rides and certainly needs the panoramic treatment. To the right of the image are several of the new sculptures produced by contemporary artists (for example, those of Sir Peter Blake) that now feature on the newly revamped promenade. It is a great walk from Stargate, past the Pleasure Beach and onwards towards the centre of town, with plenty of attractions to enjoy and things to experience.

Technical Information
Made from nine photographs all taken at the following exposure:
Camera: Canon EOS 20D Digital SLR
Lens: Canon EF-S 17mm - 85mm IS USM
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 40mm
Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec
F-Stop: f/22

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Tags: Blackpool,Landscape,Panorama,Pleasure Beach,Promenade,Seaside Attractions,Sculptures,South Shore,The Big 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.

I will never forget the first time I saw a flock of starlings. It was during a cold February morning in 2006 on Blackpool promenade and there wasn’t another soul to be seen. I was walking past North Pier when I saw a huge swarm of starlings feeding on the beach. After a minute or so, the starlings all took off, on mass, creating what can only be described as a giant bubble. They made their way towards me, flying fast and low across the beach. The sound they made was simply incredible. There is something innately beautiful about starlings and I always feel very privileged to just to see them.

A selection of six black & white photographs that I’ve taken of starlings in flight can now be viewed in the portfolio section of this site. More to follow...

Technical Information
Camera: Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR
Lens: Canon EF-S 17mm - 85mm IS USM
ISO: 500
Focal Length: 85mm
Shutter Speed: 1/80 sec
F-Stop: f/5.6

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Tags: Blackpool,Beach,Black & White,Flight,Natural History,Starlings

Taken at 3:04pm at St. Peters Church, Lytham Road. Blackpool. Saturday 11th October 2008.

In September I was asked to document the website launch of the community-based arts project ‘Bloomfield Talks’. After the madness of the NALGAO conference, this was a nice way to round off a busy week of work. There were quiet moments where people would write down their experiences of the Bloomfield area juxtaposed with live web-broadcasts, balloons, cake, music & much more!

‘Bloomfield Talks’ is a year-long oral history project commissioned by Blackpool Council and runs between July 2008 and February 2009. The project focuses upon the experiences of people who have connections with the Bloomfield, Foxhall, Revoe and near South Shore area of Blackpool. At the heart of ‘Bloomfield Talks’ is team of local volunteers brought together specifically for the project. Ranging in age from the late teens to the late seventies, the volunteers have engaged other local people in conversations and activities focusing on their daily lives in the area.

As one of the volunteers for the project I will be producing a series of photographs exploring the Illuminations Depot and its character. The depot is soon to be relocated, so this is perhaps the last opportunity to document the site.

I can’t wait...

A selection of ten photographs taken during the Bloomfield Talks Tea Party can now be viewed in the Commissions gallery.

Technical Information
Camera: Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR
Lens: Canon EF-S 17mm - 85mm IS USM
ISO: 320
Focal Length: 35mm
Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec
F-Stop: f/10.0

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Tags: Blackpool,Bloomfield Talks,Commission,Community Arts Project,Portraiture

Taken at 3:31pm on Blackpool Promenade. Tuesday 23rd September 2008.

In the summer of 1969, the photographer John Gay was commissioned to produce a photographic assignment documenting English holiday-makers in the town for Country Fair Magazine. This work was featured at the Grundy Gallery in 2006 and the series of photographs offer a remarkable insight into Blackpool culture during the post-war heyday. Almost sixty years on, the photographs I’ve taken in Blackpool over the past two years hope to offer a contemporary view into the character & identity of the resort.

Added to the site today are a selection of tearsheets of my work.

Technical Information
Camera: Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR
Lens: Canon EF-S 17mm - 85mm IS USM
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 85mm
Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec
F-Stop: f/11

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Tags: Blackpool,Promenade,Portraiture,Sunbathing

Earlier this month I was commissioned to be the photographer in residence for this year’s NALGAO (National Association of Local Government Arts Officers) conference. The conference is entitled ‘Switched On!” & will focus on “the contribution that the arts and creative industries make in building sustainable communities and supporting regeneration”. This annual event is held at a different venue each year, with this years being held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. The photography residency will document a creative account of the event, including keynote speakers, breakout sessions & study tours.

The conference runs from the 8th October - 10th October 2008 and is financially supported by Arts Council England. The event is a partnership between NALGAO, Blackpool Borough Council and other local authorities in the region.

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Tags: Blackpool,Photographer In Residence,Commission,NALGAO Conference,Winter Gardens

Taken at 12:21pm in the Tram Shed at 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.

Technical Information
Camera: Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR
Lens: Canon EF-S 17mm - 85mm IS USM
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 73mm
Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec
F-Stop: f/5.6

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Tags: Blackpool,Bloomfield Talks,Rigby Road,Portraiture

Taken at 12:08pm in the Fitting Shop at 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.

Technical Information
Camera: Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR
Lens: Canon EF-S 17mm - 85mm IS USM
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 68mm
Shutter Speed: 1/60 sec
F-Stop: f/6.3

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Tags: Blackpool,Bloomfield Talks,Rigby Road,Portraiture

Taken at 2:45pm at Stargate, Blackpool. Saturday 2nd August 2008.

Over the last five days I have frantically been gathering together all my research, contact sheets and notes for my MA course. Next month I will have to hand it all in and that will (hopefully) be the end of my studies (for now!). The only problem with coming to the end of the course is that I have to catch up on some written work, but I’m just constantly drawn to my camera and the thought of being out & about taking photographs. Anyway, I think I’m starting to get some sort of balance to the whole thing and all should be just fine.

This photograph is another from Saturday afternoon at the sand dunes in Stargate, Blackpool. I’ve always taken candid portraits when I go shooting and I think this is perhaps the best one I took that day.

Technical Information
Camera: Canon EOS 20D Digital SLR
Lens: Canon EF-S 17mm - 85mm IS USM
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 47mm
Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec
F-Stop: f/16.0

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Tags: Blackpool,Beach,Holiday-Makers,Sand Dunes,South Shore,Stargate,Tourism

Taken at 2:40pm on Blackpool Beach, Sunday 13th July 2008.

I began work on making a book featuring some of my favourite photographs I’ve taken in Blackpool over the years. It will include a diverse photographs not featured on this website, but are hopefully quite interesting none the less. I took this photograph yesterday and it shows holiday-makers making the most of the lovely sunshine and new promenade.

Technical Information
Camera: Canon EOS 20D Digital SLR
Lens: Canon EF-S 17mm - 85mm IS USM
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 85mm
Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec
F-Stop: f/16.0

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Tags: Blackpool,Beach,Holiday-Makers,Tourism

Taken at 12:17pm on Blackpool Promenade Bridge, Monday 17th December 2007.

Since I started my documentary project on Blackpool in 2006 I have taken thousands of photographs, so every now and again there are photographs that I don’t spot straight away during the editing process. Editing and revisiting my work on a regular basis can help re-shape and re-imagine the whole feel of the series. I recently came across this photograph I took six months ago during this process and it features two locally well known subjects; the art deco of the old Palace Discotheque and the world famous Seagull.

Technical Information
Camera: Canon EOS 20D Digital SLR
Lens: Canon EF-S 17mm - 85mm IS USM
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 61mm
Shutter Speed: 1/160 sec
F-Stop: f/9.0

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Tags: Blackpool,Promenade,Wildlife,Art Deco

Taken at 2:03pm on Blackpool Promenade, Saturday 14th June 2008.

A walk along the promenade reveals the living statue, one of a number of street performers providing light entertainment for Blackpool tourists during the summer months. Blackpool is synonymous with providing popular entertainment for the masses, but I wanted to explore what is available on street level (there is certainly more to the town’s ‘pleasure identity’ than The Pleasure Beach and Blackpool Tower). This location (opposite Central Pier) is a popular hot spot for local street vendors, performers and beggars as there are usually many passers-by along the promenade. I took a few candid photographs from across the street before the living statue noticed me, but once I had been spotted, I crossed over to put a couple pounds in his box to say thanks for letting me take his picture. He posed for a few photographs too but my favourite is this shot taken just as he noticed me taking pictures.

Technical Information
Camera: Canon EOS 20D Digital SLR
Lens: Canon EF-S 17mm - 85mm IS USM
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 75mm
Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec
F-Stop: f/8.0

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Tags: Blackpool,Living Statue,Performance,Promenade,Portraiture,Tourism