Category Archives: Daily Post

Subway, Hebden Bridge station

Saturday 6th July 2013, 10.40am (day 681)

Hebden station subway, 6/7/13

One of the criteria for choosing which pictures get onto this blog is whether one encapsulates the day on which it was taken. That is not true of this photo. I had a busy day today, visited my parents and then had a Saturday night out with Clare, in Blackpool – and one could do an entire photo essay on the subject of ‘a Saturday night in Blackpool’ (though I think it might be a job more fitting for a war correspondent than a humble amateur like myself). There was great light today, a beautiful high summer’s day, and I took plenty of photos I was happy with.

Nevertheless, this wins. If the art of photography is not about capturing moments, those coincidences of place and time which raise any experience above the mundane and everyday, then I feel happy with what I’ve done here. This place could not be less exotic really, just a tunnel I pass through at least two or three times a week when I am here in town. But this morning I loved the way the light was spilling down the steps and giving it a warm feeling. This photo is exactly what I wanted it to be when I took it, and that happens only occasionally.

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A Sunny Friday Evening Outside the Railway

Friday 5th July 2013, 4.55pm (day 680)

Outside Railway, 5/7/13

The title of the post says it all. It’s sunny, warm, Friday evening… this is where your friends are… what would you do?

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Books on the floor of Joe’s room

Thursday 4th July 2013, 4.10pm (day 679)

Books on floor, 4/7/13

While citizens of the USA were presumably celebtrating their Independence Day today, I had a day spent mostly at home writing. These books caught my eye later on though, bathed in a small pool of afternoon sunlight. It would be nice to claim our Joe was a voracious reader but I think these are on their way to the car boot sale. Indeed it would probably embarrass him to reveal to the world there are still around 20 Thomas the Tank Engine books visible here. So I won’t point that out.

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St. Peter’s chaplaincy steps

Wednesday 3rd July 2013, 12.25pm (day 678)

St Peter's steps, 3/7/13

Second day in a row in Manchester, that hasn’t happened since January. Familiar territory, but new in that I’ve never managed to catch anyone blowing their nose before. I didn’t set out to take such a shot; but that’s street photography for you. Taken on the steps of St. Peter’s, the University’s Catholic chaplaincy.

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‘The Constant Gardener’

Tuesday 2nd July 2013, 8.00am (day 677)

The Constant Gardener, 2/7/13

As being uploaded on the train to Manchester this morning, by the inefficient but highly effective data collection form known as ‘reading’. The book in the background, by the way, belongs to my fellow Manchester academic Mike, whose surname I can never remember but who teaches English & American literature so reads things far more obscure than my relatively populist novel.

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Cat readying to jump

Monday 1st July 2013, 9.50am (day 676)

Cat about to jump, 1/7/13

Here we are at the halfway point of 2013, more or less. I spent the first six months of it almost entirely away from home but right now I am in the middle of a comparatively long period here. Which means, as I have already posted 244 photos of Hebden Bridge on this blog (today’s becoming #245), finding new subjects is becoming more of a challenge. I will keep trying, however. On days where I do little but sit at home working it is a matter of spotting the occasional opportunity, like this one: the cat is just slightly out-of-focus, which is a shame, but otherwise I like this shot. It made its jump a split-second after I fired the shutter.

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Bunting, baby shower party

Sunday 30th June 2013, 6.40pm (day 675)

Baby shower bunting, 30/6/13

The weather isn’t exactly bad at the moment but the light is consistently flat and grey, hence the prevalence of interior shots at the moment. Little to add except to explain that I don’t normally frequent baby showers, but this one was held in a pub, so that drew me in.

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Arndale Centre, Manchester

Saturday 29th June 2013, 4.05pm (day 674)

Arndale Centre, 29/6/13

In the 12th century we built castles. In the 15th century we built cathedrals. In the 19th century we built factories. In the 20th century we built shopping malls. We might not like them but sometimes you just end up there.

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Clare and Joe on Hope Street

Friday 28th June 2013, 6.45pm (day 673)

Clare & Joe, Hope Street, 28/6/13

Was genuinely struggling for inspiration today, not even thinking about taking a photo until about 4.30, but the family came through for me with a late opportunity. It’s grainy because it’s got a very long zoom on it, I was taking a photo of something else (I forget what) when I caught sight of them larking about.

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Newcastle station bar

Thursday 27th June 2013, 4.35pm (day 672)

Newcastle station bar, 27/6/13

Went to Newcastle today for a training course. Spent 90% of my time there (including lunch) sat in a computer cluster on said course, 7% of it getting myself to and from Newcastle station through the drizzle, 2% of it in this bar at the station and 1% on the toilet. I think this was the best subject matter. The guy bending down gives it some interest I think.

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