Cleethorpes in Winter

Photography from Cleethorpes on the North Lincolnshire coast.

I’ve never been to the North Lincolnshire coast before, but with my daughter having moved there for work and the threat of super-fresh fish and chips on the cards, well why not.

Despite it being bitterly cold, I really enjoyed the quiet, off-season, lots of things closed, slightly faded air in Cleethorpes that comes with so many seaside towns in the UK. And as I live as far as you can get from the sea in Britain, it’s refreshing in other ways.

And whilst I quite like fish and chips in paper outside with a view of the sea (it’s the law normally), this was not that sort of day. So without the need for a better excuse, it was time to introduce my daughter to the joys of “sit-down indoor fish and chips”.

We ventured into Steels CornerHouse restaurant which despite its less-than-ideal “Sports Direct” banner branding outside, revealed a step back in time inside. Lovely old signs, little booths and tables, waitresses with grey hair, pots of tea in ‘70’s metal teapots and a plate of bread and butter to accompany the best haddock and chips I can remember.

No shots of food to see here though. I made a few photographs that I hoped captured the look and feel of the day. And a lone airman.

I liked Cleethorpes and will return.

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V&A - Getting it on with Mary Quant - Timeless Portrait Photography

Images from a day of practical portrait photography with Owen Harvey at the Victoria & Albert museum.

The theme was to be “timeless portrait photography” and as I hope to do more posed work as a counter to my more natural reportage, this seemed like a great opportunity to learn in a different and stimulating place. There was also access into the Mary Quant exhibition and as I love 60’s art and culture - happy days.

The session at the V&A started with a meet-everyone-else round table of introductions and there was a full range of folk from beginners to keen amateurs, and all really nice people. Even the ones with Leica’s.

After a great presentation by Owen Harvey on his work documenting sub-cultures in UK & US (and a brownie point for me for spotting his Taylor-Wessing portrait) plus some experimentation with flash (not a fan of the controlled studio and strobes but there you go) we had some time to view the brilliant Mary Quant exhibition before working in groups around the V&A to find interesting portrait opportunities using available light.

As I looked around the Mary Quant exhibition, which is quite dark with mainly display lighting, I could see the visitors were mainly women, and ones with style too. Whilst I normally prefer the candid shot, the light wasn’t up to it and I’ve never really been brave enough to just stop people and ask to take their photo. But I thought, heck I’ve got special permission to be here with a camera, I’m trying to take myself out of my comfort zone and as this isn’t even part of what we supposed to be doing, what’s the worse that can happen as long as I’m polite?

So, after a little gentle stalking and a recce of where there was some useful light and background I dived in and was pleasantly surprised. No one hit me. Here are my favourites, including one lovely lady who was dressed from head to toe in original Mary Quant garb.

We then moved onto the group work and went about the V&A taking it in turns to photograph and be “models” - this I was not expecting preferring to be the other side of the lens. I also let myself do a little candid street work, as old habits and all that…

Afterward the day was over, our SD cards were imported to a group file and a selection of “best shots” quickly drawn out for Owen to review and feedback on as we went around the group. Some really good feedback on my work, including a few of the Quant shots which no-one knew I’d taken and which raised a few eyebrows. 10 years in to professional photography I still have terrible imposter syndrome but really cool to get some nods of appreciation from fellow professionals and enthusiasts.

Some more images from the day. All shot with natural light on location using a Canon 5DMKIII and Canon 100mm 2.8L lens.

Thanks to everyone who let me photograph them.

Visit the Mary Quant exhibition until Feb 2020

MK Gallery, Milton Keynes - Reopens

Review and images from inspired inside the new contemporary art gallery, meeting and exhibition space MK Gallery in Milton Keynes.

I’ve been a regular visitor to MK Gallery in Milton Keynes over the years and have been following the expansion and refurbishment programme with interest until March 2019 when it finally reopened its doors. So I wandered along to have a nosey and to capture a sense of the new space with reportage photography.

The shiny metal box with its feature windows already sits well with the other iconic building shapes at the eastern end of Central Milton Keynes and when the outside landscaping is complete it will be both a gateway and a destination location.

The interior space has been beautifully conceived (6a architects) comprising clean white-box exhibit spaces, areas of exposed concrete and bright primary-coloured steelwork and signage to complement the light, urban feel. More Pompidou than pomp. With the addition of a fine cafe space, expanded shop and spacious Sky Room meeting/exhibit/theatre/meeting space with lovely views across Campbell Park and beyond it already feels right at home.

As you can read in my earlier posts I find as much, if not sometimes more, photographic inspiration from space and the people that weave around it than the exhibits, not that these disappoint. On the contrary the inaugural exhibition “Lie of The Land” is both eclectic and informative.

That said, I did find equal muse in the building and the people…

A visit to MK Gallery (free entry / membership benefits available) is highly recommended and I look forward to popping in again soon…

USA - Tourists

Observing and photographing the visitors to popular attractions in the USA.

I’ve talked in a previous post about my inability to attend an art gallery or museum without being drawn into photographing my fellow visitors. They are always interesting and, more often than not, dressed with more panache that I can manage. Not always the same with tourists outside in hot weather.

Carrying my observing-the-observers burden on a road-trip to Western USA yet again the folk around drew my attention despite the grandeur and iconic settings…

Sunset in Monument Valley. Folk positioning themselves ready for the unfolding rich splendour. These massive, but also small in context, buttes warm up into all sorts of rich reds, oranges and browns as the sun sets. Helped by some aesthetic clouds it is a wonder to behold.

I just loved the way everyone was having their own moment, even from behind, and there’s a natural balance in positioning that draws you in I think.

Viewpoint Golden Gate bridge, San Fransisco. Hundreds of people pile into this car park / visitors rest / viewpoint to get an identikit we-went-here shot. And fair enough if you’re passing through, rather than having walked from Fishermans Wharf (well worth the effort) it’s safer than the bridge itself.

It’s actually not that great a view, photographically, but amazing how people don’t invest a little time walking to get a better photo or just a better view . The cheery people on the left will no doubt be delighted when they see their image of them, a foggy bit of the bridge and three strange ladies in their shot.

Holy heck it was hot. The Neon Museum or Boneyard, Las Vegas Nevada. Tucked away at the north end of the city sits a collection of bits and bobs of signage from over the years and it’s splendid. The stories of the old casinos, days of the Rat Pack and how lights and design evolved is captivating. I had the pleasure of a large, extended family of Mexicans on my tour and even they clamoured to get into the shade at any opportunity…

Horseshoe Bend, Paige AZ. A walk of about 1/2 mile across an area of sandy pathway/wilderness brings you from a small car park to what is probably one of the best and most spectacular views; even better than the Grand Canyon in my opinion as you can see from the ridge to the bottom. Not that you can see it in this shot…

When I first did this walk in 1997 we were there with about six other people and didn’t see that many more in the small dust “car park” where we parked with one or two other vehicles. Back then it was “off the grid”. Now (2017) the car park is paved, massive, busy and there were perhaps a few hundred people filing / shuffling to and from the ridge edge in 100+ degree heat.

And when I say edge I mean edge; the drop from this rocky outcrop is straight down hundreds of metres. That’s a one way trip. You can’t photograph that in any meaningful way, nor the view really, but everyone tries to. I believe the plan is now to manage people and put up rails. It’s a shame, as you will feel you are looking at a view rather than being part of it as it used to be…

Hollywood Boulevard Walk Of Fame. Just your usual street characters and only one looking at a screen…

Death Valley, California.

Not dissimilar to Monument Valley : the car park, the wall, the view, the shot. These wild spaces are so beautiful and worthy of off-piste exploration and contemplation but when that’s not possible at least the viewpoints provide extra layers of interest to the street photographer.

See a larger gallery of Tourists USA images.