Category Archives: Portrait

Aug 27 2017
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Jazzmen

Saturday 26th August 2017, 4.10pm (day 2,193)

Jazzmen, 26/8/17

Happy birthday to me — fortysomething again. I’m sure if you have been following this blog long enough you know the exact figure. With me being on my own in Urbana this week it was never going to be the most sociable anniversary but I did my best back at the Sweetcorn Festival’s second day. The New Orleans jazz band were the best feature. Another talent I wish I had — I seem to recall some forty years ago playing the clarinet in the school orchestra and so maybe I should reword that, ‘another talent I regret losing’. Still, perhaps I’ve picked up others along the way. Onward, onward with my 49th year on the planet. Whoops, there you go — I gave it away.

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Aug 26 2017
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

The owner of the ‘Iron Post’

Friday 25th August 2017, 10.20pm (day 2,192)

Iron Post, 25/8/17

The Iron Post is a pub in Urbana. Many years ago — well, twelve anyway (in 2005) — this place saved our bacon on the 4th July when it was the only pub in the city that was open for food and drink. I also remember being here in 2006 and talking to this guy — he had a beard then — on the day that the state of Illinois passed the ordinance which forbade smoking inside any public building. It’s safe to say he wasn’t happy. He won’t remember me, but when I returned this evening for a beer and saw him sat in the far corner of the bar doing his books, or whatever it is, I recognised him.

And so ends the sixth full year of this blog. I set out to do one — I’ve done six. I may as well keep going, there are still things in the world worth depicting. Are you sticking with me? Good, let’s do some more.

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Aug 18 2017
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Rolling up

Friday 18th August 2017, 9.15am (day 2,185)

Cigarette break, 18/8/17

Well, I assume he’s rolling a cigarette, but perhaps he might just be playing a tune on the world’s smallest harmonica.

Last day in Manchester for a fortnight, anyway. If things work out — I have, let’s say, a logistically complex next 72 hours, but the payoff will be good if it does…

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Aug 16 2017
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Before the match

Tuesday 15th August 2017, 7.20pm (day 2,182)

At the Three Pigeons, 15/8/17

“Come to the football, son,” he said. “All the glamour and excitement of FC Halifax Town v Dover Athletic, playing out before your eyes. That’ll be better than a night on those silly video games, won’t it?”

I hope they both stayed until the end, anyway. 0-0 after 86 minutes: final score 2-1 to Dover. Enjoyable in the end but perhaps not for Halifax Town fans.

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Aug 08 2017
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Out for a drink

Monday 7th August 2017, 3.30pm (day 2,174)

Mother and baby, 7/8/17

Returned to work today — albeit at home. Too long a day to spend entirely in the house sorting out a pile of email and draft student work however, so popped out for a drink in the afternoon, which is when I saw these two, doing the same thing and seemingly happy about it. (Was tough to get the camera focused on her face as opposed to the drinking straw, mind you.)

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Jul 21 2017
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Daily Post, Friend, Portrait

Waiting for the graduation ceremony

Thursday 20th July 2017, 12.15pm (day 2,156)

Waiting for graduation, 20/7/17

The twice-yearly graduation ceremonies give us the chance to dress up in our finery and enjoy some pomp and circumstance. Opportunities to do that are getting fewer in the world so let’s embrace them while they still exist. And as ever, congratulations to all the students as well.

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Jul 17 2017
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger, Transport

Tired

Monday 17th July 2017, 3.35pm (day 2,153)

Tired, 17/7/17

It’s actually not a bad place to catch forty winks, the train home — I manage it frequently. Like these two gentlemen, I am tired…. but have now just three days left before my summer break.

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Jul 09 2017
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Daily Post, Family Member, Portrait

Joe and the hedge

Saturday 8th July 2017, 3.10pm (day 2,144)

Joe in hedge, 8/7/17As predicted on Thursday, the weekend is seeing a family effort with manual labour on the allotment. Joe is contributing his bit, having discovered power tools (namely the hedge trimmer), although this photo doesn’t really reflect this. It’s interesting to compare this photo with another one of him in a hedge, taken in January 2012; that’s what adolescence does to you (visually anyway).

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Jul 03 2017
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Evening in Argyle Square

Sunday 2nd July 2017, 6.40pm (day 2,138)

Argyle Square, 2/7/17

Still in London, and back in the usual haunt of Argyle Square, home of the cheaper hotels around King’s Cross. And a nice place to chill out on a sunny evening, as it was. Like the textures on this shot, and the colours.

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Jun 26 2017
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Daily Post, Family Member, Portrait

Joe at the Handmade Parade

Sunday 25th June 2017, 12.15pm (day 2,131)

Joe, Handmade Parade, 25/6/17

Having taken Friday off work because of the funeral Sunday was a day at the desk for me, but at least around lunchtime there was the distraction of the 2017 Handmade Parade, Hebden Bridge’s annual photo-fest. Having featured this event on several occasions before (it’s made it every year from 2012 onwards), let’s add distinctiveness to this year’s entry by featuring Joe in his home-made finery. As ever, hearty congratulations to all who took part, the level of effort and creativity which goes into this totally non-corporate event still amazes me.

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