Category Archives: Urban scene

Dec 15 2022
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Portrait, Stranger

Order now for Christmas

Wednesday 14th December 2022, 5.00pm (day 4,129)

Butchers', 14/12/22

At least I live in a town that still sustains not just one, but two proper butchers’ shops. These guys must make their entire annual profit at this time of year; I know in advance what it will be like when I go to collect my bird two days before Christmas. (Never a turkey, which is a meat I have never found all that appealing, to be honest.) There is no advertising intention to this blog, so can I also point out that despite depicting one of the establishments here, I actually ordered my meat from the other shop.

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Dec 12 2022
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Landscape

Too cold outside

Monday 12th December 2022, 9.00am (day 4,127)

Snowy house view, 12/12/22

What small part of the world can be seen from our house, all looked like this today. With no reason to leave the house, I did not; picture opportunities were limited to using the long zoom to see what might be going on over the other side of the valley. They had their fires burning, anyway. This is also one of those shots that looks like I’ve taken it monochrome, but really have not; if anything I have beefed up the saturation a little.

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Dec 10 2022
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Daily Post, Urban scene

The lights on Spring Gardens

Friday 9th December 2022, 3.30pm (day 4,124)

Spring Gardens lights, 9/12/22

In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s coming up to Christmas. Manchester city centre gets frantic at this time of year and in recent times I have done my best to avoid it: in fact I only have one more day there scheduled for 2022. The proprietors of this posh store on Spring Gardens (where all the stores are posh: next door is Vivienne Westwood) go for it every year to this extent; this year there’s the added layer of statement, that energy bills are just something other people have to worry about. But it does look pretty: even with the back of a ‘No Entry’ sign in the way.

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Dec 08 2022
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Urban scene

Frosty morning

Wednesday 7th December 2022, 9.00am (day 4,122)

Frosty morning view, 7/12/22

A cold day today. Of course, ‘cold’ by British standards is not cold by, say, Canadian or central European standards, but we notice it in our own way. Look, someone in Royd Terrace has even lit a fire.

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Dec 07 2022
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Leaving Victoria, early

Tuesday 6th December 2022, 7.40am (day 4,121)

Leaving Victoria early, 6/12/22

Decided I’d probably better put in an appearance in Manchester, but at this time of year it’s still barely sunrise when the 06:55 (constantly late-running) finally makes it there. I am pleased with this shot simply because it’s one of those that turned out just how I wanted it to when I pressed the shutter. I know the verticals are out of true, but that’s deliberate.

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Dec 06 2022
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Urban scene

Ducks are for life

Monday 5th December 2022, 11.50am (day 4,120)

Ducks message, 5/12/22

In an ideal world, this message would end, “…. and not just for Christmas”, but sadly it does not. Then again, it’s been up for several months now, waiting only for an otherwise opportunity-light day of photography for its chance to be shared with you, my faithful readers. So this is not the seasonal reference it may seem.

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Dec 03 2022
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Urban scene

World’s steepest street? (candidate)

Friday 2nd December 2022, 2.45pm (day 4,117)

Marlborough Street, 2/12/22

When I was in Dunedin, New Zealand, almost ten years ago, I saw a street, Baldwin Street, that claims it is the ‘World’s Steepest Street’. And it certainly was very steep, particularly at one end. However, taken as a whole, the gradient of the street from start to finish cannot have been a great deal more, and was possibly less, than Marlborough Street in Hebden Bridge, which I walk down (never up…) on occasion and can attest to the fact that it is very steep indeed. I have tried now and then to get a photo that really captures the gradient but before this one have never been happy enough to post one, however, today’s can make it. I do feel that the Guinness Book of Records people should really come and settle the question. Hebden Bridge or Dunedin? I pose the challenge. (I’m sure you know of a steeper one in Italy, say, but let me dream.)

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Dec 01 2022
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Out of season

Wednesday 30th November 2022, 3.40pm (day 4,115)

Southport out of season, 30/11/22

Circumstances today brought me to Southport, a place that has featured twice on the blog before: here and here, both of them images of endless sand and sky (the sea here makes a notoriously long retreat at low tide, going out literally miles). These suggest the major function of the town is as a seaside resort, and that’s quite correct. So in late November, quite a lot of it looks like this.

I like this shot, except for the parked car. It’s impressive how often cars screw up an otherwise pleasing composition.

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Nov 24 2022
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Booth Street East

Wednesday 23rd November 2022, 3.15pm (day 4,108)

Booth Street East, 23/11/22

A day to reacquaint myself with people, who, generally, have not been seen on here for the last few days. Not that there will be many visits to Manchester coming up; I’m trying to minimise the need for them. And. by the way — Japan, brilliant stuff guys.

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Nov 22 2022
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Urban scene

Eiffel Buildings, twilight

Monday 21st November 2022, 4.15pm (day 4,106)

Eiffel Buildings, 21/11/22

I’ve said it before, but it’s days like today — spent entirely in my house, day 1 of the latest batch of marking — that will eventually do for this blog, will drain my creative juices dry and leave me with simply nothing to photograph. But there’s always the view. Same comments as yesterday re: the hours of darkness, only today, half an hour earlier. The car headlights coming up Birchcliffe Road, and about to turn behind the buildings, give the necessary additional touch.

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