Match Day - Part 2 - 'That's What We Do'

Time for an update for one of my ongoing personal projects. I have continued to concentrate on images of the build up outside the ground and was pleased to see the return of the police horses for the last two home games. I chatted to one of the police riders and made the observation that I hadn't seen them around much this season and he confirmed this suggesting there has been a change of policy. I'm sure it is a reflection of how little trouble there is these days (a good thing) but can't help wondering whether our two latest opponents at home have anything to do with the reappearance of the horses (West Ham and Cardiff in case you are interested); I hasten to add that both games passed off peacefully.

There has been much discussion of new stadiums over recent years and, although I am very well aware of the limitations of Goodison Park and admire the fantastic modern facilities of other clubs, I know it will be a very sad day if Everton ever leave this grand, old place; the surroundings are so much more characterful than some of the much nicer, but rather sterile new stadiums.

As for the photography: Well, I admit to still feeling a little uncomfortable pointing my camera at people in the street and some of the pictures have captured the odd suspicious look. However, match day has been so much a part of my life that I feel passionate about recording it. This time, however, I've also tried to find some more unusual compositions. I will leave it to you to decide whether or not they stand up.

 

 

'No Trains' - Square Mile - Update 1

These are my first efforts in the square mile. There was the promise of some lovely evening light today so I headed down to Helsby station. I had the picture above in mind but with the station buildings and hill bathed in golden light; sadly, the sun was swallowed up by cloud but I spent half an hour or so looking for photographs to make.

 

The final two images of the day were taken outside the local petrol station. One is an in camera multiple exposure I had planned, the other a 'grab shot' of the brief glow of the setting sun.

The Square Mile

I wrote in my last post about my desire to challenge myself a bit more this year with some personal projects, the first of these being the street photography themed match day project. That project will continue at least through the remainder of the current football season, if not the rest of the year but, of course, I can only do that on certain days. I wanted to come up with something else, closer to home and this is where the 'square mile' comes from. The idea is that I challenge myself to create a portfolio of pictures constrained not by genre but by area; that area being a specific square mile. I may try this with other 'square miles' ultimately but to start with I will be working in the area defined above - a square mile centring on Helsby Hill. All photographs in the portfolio must be taken of or standing in that area and I will endeavour to cover as much of it as I can.

I know this area intimately but that doesn't necessarily mean I can easily create interesting images within it. It is, after all, a fairly ordinary village with little to distinguish it other than the modest heights of Helsby Hill itself. It is, however, an opportunity for me to try some new techniques.

I will not be setting myself a time limit but I will post periodic updates of my efforts here and, as always, welcome any comments. As a starter, here is a picture from this morning.

Match Day

I'm not really a great believer in making new year's resolutions but, lately, I've been feeling like my photography has become a little stale and I need to challenge myself a little more. Consequently, I've started a photographic notebook; the idea being that any ideas I document in the book must then be followed up. The first of these 'projects' is intended to force me to have a more committed go at street photography, a genre I admire but have always found very difficult.

I am an Everton season ticket holder (who says I like things easy) and have occasionally taken a camera along on match day so this seemed like a perfect subject to base my project on. However, I knew that I was never going to achieve much in the short time span I normally have before a game and so, for the last home game, I arranged to meet my father at the ground and set out to arrive at Goodison Park two hours before kick-off. I had with me my Fujifilm XE-1, 35mm and 14mm prime lenses.

It is useful to start with a plan and, prior to going, I had given some thought to the kind of things that might make good images; some obvious like street sellers and some less obvious  such as policemen taking a break in St. Luke's Church. However, I soon discovered that it was going to be far from easy. Opportunities are many but you have to have the courage to take them and, in some cases (as with the aforementioned policemen) I completely bottled it and only came away with snatched attempts which have already been consigned to the digital waste basket. I also had far too many failed pictures as a result of carelessness (focus in the wrong place for instance) and spent far too much time swapping lenses. All good experience of course and this is only the first attempt. I still have some untried plans to execute and am determined to be braver next time. As we Blues like to say; Nil Satis Nisi Optimum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Featured Photograph for December

I'm a little late posting my featured photograph this month - the result of a busy two weeks which included a couple of short talks for Wilmslow Guild Photographic Society and judging a competition at Frodsham & District Photographic Society. In both cases I got out alive and I am going to consider that a result.

My photograph for December was taken this time last year and is of one of the finest buildings there is (imho), Liverpool Cathedral. I had taken my youngest daughter into Liverpool to seek out architectural subjects for her A Level Photography project and this was top of the list. It is a truly magnificent building and is also where my graduation ceremony was held.

They even let you use your tripod!

I suspect I won't get around to posting again before the new year so I wish everyone reading this a very happy Christmas!

Featured Photograph for November

It seems I wasn't the greatest talent to emerge from my school:

DULCE ET DECORUM EST

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.

Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud 
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest 
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori.

Wilfred Owen

8 October 1917 - March, 1918