Drapes

Tags

arteveywhere, drapes, Lumix G2, Manchester, northwest, Panasonic lumix, photography, The Daily Post, walls, windows

Out and about in Manchester at weekend and looking for one thing found something else..

The bright pink of the walls and ghostly torn drapes made me stop and exhale a sigh of sheer happiness and excitement. How could I not? Well you would too wouldn’t you?  This wall, these windows and the fabulous torn sheer drape are what makes me really believe art is everywhere and everything is photographable.

Status Curlers

Tags

a northern town, b&w photography, Blackpool, curled hair, curlers, hairnets, Liverpool and Blackpool, northwest, Panasonic lumix, postaday, street photography

Well Blackpool is always full of surprises and great photo ops and yesterday was no different than any other Saturday…pink bikes, wall art, old signs, Stags & Hens everywhere and then I saw these two lovely ladies dressed up made up and curled up too! The Scouse ‘Fashion Statement’ of going out with your hair in curlers seems to be catching on in Blackpool and so giving me another reason to stay in town just a little bit later on a Saturday evening.

©40SecondsStreet

Tags

a northern town, ©40SecondsStreet, Blackpool, Documentary Photography, northwest, personal project, postaday, street photography, videography

A short clip taken from my ©’40SecondsStreet’ project, 40 seconds of 40 streets documenting the sites & sounds of Blackpool. ©’Moving Pictures’ inspired by the great Federico Fellini -La Strada-.

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Short clip from the '40SecondsStreet' project, 40 seconds of 40 streets documenting the sites & sounds of Blackpool. Moving Pictures inspired by Fellini. #WHPonthego @documentingbritain @chloejuno @thephotographersgallery @photoworks_uk #documentingblackpool #docpicoftheday #reallife #movingimages #movingpictures #PhotoOfTheDay #docpicpicturesbritain #docbritpicturesbritain @amanda.joynt #ig_captures @igerslancashire #eb_seaside #myfeatureshoot #thewayiseethings #explore_britain #ig_britishisles #visitlancashire #visitblackpool

A post shared by DawnMander (Bird) (@dmanderphoto) on Apr 8, 2016 at 9:36am PDT

Mustard

Tags

Americana, Blackpool, decor, diner, inspired by Eggleston, northwest, paint, Panasonic lumix, postaday, Ramp City, retro style, skateboarders, The Daily Post

Took grandson to Ramp City in Blackpool this afternoon so he could let off steam and  frighten me to death while he ‘dropped in’ telling me he was going to ‘boost’ the bowl!

But I soon lost interest in his death defying feats when I noticed this fabulous mustard yellow color on walls and woodwork

My search for something to photograph got even more interesting when I found this Americana retro style area with two tables and 4 rows of diner style seats secured firmly to  the floor.The only kid in there left when he saw me with my camera and so I was free to crouch down in front of the window and get my shot of the day..

Love the color, style of the seats, random bits of rubbish, rust and the wooden floor.

So there you have it again…another hidden treasure in Blackpool, inspired by William Eggleston , Ramp City, not just for the skateboarding, scooters & bikes but also for the fabulous mustard walls and faded red leatherette seats.

Flowers Music & Food

Tags

Community event, Edge of Humanity, EDL Protest, Lancashire, Lancashire Police, northwest, Panasonic lumix, Peace & Love, postaday, Proud Preston, street photography, The Daily Post

Reading my twitter feed early yesterday I saw there was a community celebration being held at the Flag Market Square in Preston in response to the EDl protests so I quickly got ready and caught the bus to the city centre. Was surprised at how many police were on the streets but felt reassured that if there was any trouble there were plenty of police to deal with it.

 

Lancashire mounted and foot police did an excellent job and kept the very few EDL members away from the crowds of shoppers and the peaceful pro islam festivities on the Flag Market Square ..corralling the EDL in to a small tightly packed group held back by barriers but the real motive for this demonstration did not go unnoticed with the EDL making a point of openly inciting hate, spitting abuse and racial slurs…. 

Unity is Strength was the message on the other side of the barriers..

where the local community joined together in peace

handing out flowers and food to shoppers, passers by and supporters alike, not an angry hateful word was spoken and it seems a good time was had by all

  

and not even the bitterly cold rain could stop people smiling and the general reaction when it was all over was …Is That It?

 

Lower prom steps

Tags

a northern town, abstract, beach, beaches, Blackpool, colour photography, contemplative photography, Lumix G2, Miksang, northwest, Panasonic lumix, photography, postaday, sea defences, sea wall, seaside, The Daily Post

A simple elegant design that I really love, no place better to sit in the summer with a bag of salty chips than on these steps. Maybe because they remind me of a Roman amphitheater… a place for viewing

or maybe just because I can always manage to get another shot of another unsuspecting member of the public as they sit enjoying the summer days.

And of course am partial to continuous repetitive lines and curves so must admit these steps are another of those little things that I like about Blackpool.

Alarm Bell

Tags

a northern town, alarm bells, Blackpool, Blackpool Winter Gardens, colour photography, demolition, Fire Alarm, northern town, northwest, Panasonic lumix, postaday, street photography, The Daily Post

The car-park on Leopold Grove at the side/back of the winter gardens.. depending on which entrance you use.. has recently been demolished and of course I wandered down to see what I could see..nothing much to see..lots of big angry machinery and tons of twisted metal and dusty cement, bricks and rubble..

I walked outside the fencing trying to find a way in hoping to get on the ramp that led to the upper floor, thinking it would be a brilliant view for photographs of the steel and glass roof of the Floral Hall but there wasnt a gap anywhere in the fence so had to be content to wander about on the periphery..and wander I did and as always found a treasure..

I remember had seen this on a previous occasion but it was hidden behind a low brick building right at the back of the car-park and as there was nothing to climb on and it was very dark any images I managed to get were a complete failure..but this time out in the light of day there it was…oh how I love the treasures that this wonderful little town keeps throwing at me, so I took about half a dozen photos…probably all the same cause couldnt get near enough to it and was stretching over the fence but was determined to not let it get away again.

set up

Tags

a northern town, Blackpool, colour photography, Lumix G2, northwest, Panasonic lumix, photography, postaday, street, street photography, The Daily Post

Saw this shattered bus stop window and knew immediately I had to do something with it..and so after some umming and ahing I tried to get the shot from inside the shelter..this wasn’t easy because there were people in the shelter waiting for the bus to open the doors and let them on. Well I explained what I was doing and they kindly made space for me,  mum’s with buggies moving toddlers and adults jostling to make room but stay careful to stay in the shelter away from the biting wind and, no doubt, to watch what I was doing.   So I took some shots, thanked everyone and stood back to ‘chimp’ at what I’d shot. Not happy…the bus behind the glass did nothing for the image and messed up the figures in the tower design and of course at this point there was no one in the shot because I  hadn’t even thought of someone being in the shot. Anyway I stood and stood waiting for the bus driver to open doors then the small group got on and paid fares and as the kiddies waved to me from the bus it left the stop. Oh frabjous day.. callooh, callay…I chortled in my joy…and stepped into the road..beautiful grey background…checked aperture , focused and the guy in the hat walked in to the frame and I got my shot of the day!

red seats

Tags

a northern town, Blackpool, colour photography, Lumix G2, northwest, Panasonic lumix, photography, postaday, seaside, street photography, The Daily Post, upnorth

Out meandering again this week…wasn’t my intention to waste time as had somewhere I needed to be but ended up dilly dallying along the deserted back streets and was duly rewarded for wasting time…turned a corner and there they were. Held together by peeling paint and rust these red seats really cheered me up and had me muttering to self once again about how the town looks so sad and neglected out of season.
Determined to find more oddities I carried on down the back streets and found a second set of seats inside the back courtyard of a now empty B&B..I had to sort of ‘trespass’ and was aware there were CCTV cameras pointing right at me but the dilapidated gate was hanging off its hinges so, feeling very adventurousI carefully climbed over the rotting wood avoiding rolled up soggy carpets and various other unmentionables, found a clear corner got the shot and quickly got out. I love exploring and so far have always been lucky not to get questioned by anyone or arrested.

North Sea, mist and the faint line of the horizon..my thalassotherapy

Tags

a coastal town, a northern town, Blackpool, Lumix G2, northwest, Panasonic lumix, photography, seaside, straight from camera, The Daily Post, upnorth

It was hard to see where the sky ended and the sea started at the weekend but this grey light is something I love and something that inspires me at this time of year. I have recently had the privilege of being in the company of someone who also loves this light so this is dedicated to him.