Going, going, gone ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Dad's old local will shut its doors forever on Friday. And the shopping mall in which I had my photographic studio has just issued eviction notices to every one of its tenants. I know nothing stays the same - and I understand the 'sensible' economic reasoning behind the decisions - but it was a shock for me to realise these places will soon be gone forever ..

The Bridgewater Hotel in Eccles was - I think - the first pub in which I ever had a drink. I know my Dad weaned me onto Guinness there (with the help of a little blackcurrant juice), and he was a big part of the darts team and a larger-than-life character known by many. When I called in at the end of November there were four people drinking there on what would have once been a busy Sunday afternoon. Very sad ..

The shopping mall will shut at the end of this month. I had my studio there for three years. The occupants, who have run successful shops and cafés for as many as twenty-seven years, will have to be out within 28 days. They each received an e-mail telling them the owner's plans and are, as you can imagine, still in shock ..

The Grammar school I went to has been a housing estate for years. The church in which I was confirmed was bulldozed to the ground late last year and the shopping centre in Eccles is about to bite the dust in a 're-development', too. Life goes on, as they say. Things can't stay the same forever. Hurrah for progress ..

What a shame ..

Moments in time ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was our friend Hélène's funeral yesterday, a very sad day of course, but one that also brought a smile to my face as we all watched a short 'film' of her life in photographs; Hélène as sweet, smiling little girl in communion dress, Hélène as sexy 60s teenager in fashionable hair-do and mini-skirt, Hélène as modern mum on holiday .. it was a fascinating glimpse into a life which, to my shame, I'd never considered. I've only ever know our dear friend as (apologies, Hélène) an old lady, and it was almost a shock to be shown that - yes - she had actually lived a full and rewarding life and leaves behind generations of family and so many, many friends who will miss her immensely ..

My new portrait books are, naturally, never far from my mind at the moment, and I show you two photographs from them today because these young girls will probably be as old as I am now, with whole life stories and possibly children and grandchildren of their own. It's all so fleeting, isn't it? I just hope their lives have been as successful as that of our friend. Rest in peace, Hélène ..   

Gone ..

 

 

 

 

 

This week I have been asked, once again, to supply a photograph for a funeral. A lovely friend from the village has died and, as I'd previously shot a portrait of her in my old studio, the family have come to me for a print. That's the third time it's happened in such a short space of time, and I'm sorry to be so maudlin but it makes me very sentimental sometimes to think of my photography as a record of the past. Of things gone, of people no longer here. It is literally the driving force behind the production of my two new portrait books .. Remember Me! 

 I feature here three young lads from my archive, all of whom left this life far too soon. May they rest in peace .. 

Portraits from a time ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm delighted to announce the launch of my new books, two self-published collections of portrait photographs dating from the mid 1970s to the early 1980s. Entitled '69 Portraits' and '77 More ..', the books offer a total of 146 portraits taken in and around my home town of Eccles, in Greater Manchester, during a time in which, according to my friend Janet, having your photograph taken was "pretty much a novelty and a delight" ..

Every subject in the books looks directly at the camera. Many of them are gone now, everyone else long into adulthood, but they all seem to be saying "Remember me" as they stare into my lens. The intimacy of the eye-to-eye contact makes a connection with each and every person featured, and I'm only glad I was there to take these photographs during that more innocent time ..

    

Gizza show ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't want to be sniffy about this, but there was a story in The Times last week about a woman who's currently having an exhibition at London's National Portrait Gallery. Turns out no-one had ever heard of her. Who was she? Where had she come from? And how on earth had she managed to snag herself a prestigious solo exhibition at such an esteemed establishment? Turns out she's part of the "Law Family Charitable foundation, which donated an undisclosed sum towards the gallery’s £40 million refurbishment." Aha!..

Now, there's nothing wrong with the pictures -  from what I've seen some of them are quite good - but they're nothing that you wouldn't see every week in a glossy 'celeb' magazine, and I find it a bit unfair (Well I would, wouldn't I?) that she gets such a fantastic show and the rest of us Oi Polloi never get a look in. As I launch the latest of my self-published books - two collections of portraits (One hundred and forty-six in all) - I send a message to the NPG. I have about four pounds twenty-seven in my bank account, and I'd gladly give you the lot if you'll just put some of my pictures up on your wall ..   

One hundred and forty-six ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An update on my forthcoming portrait photography books. (Yawn yawn, shuffle shuffle) ..

They say less is more, but I've completely ignored that advice and crammed some extra photographs into my two editions. '61 Portraits' has now become '69', and '75 MORE ..' has grown to '77'. That's one hundred and forty-six photographs in which every single subject is looking straight at the camera. It really is quite an intimate experience to share 'eye-to-eye' contact with so many people, lots of them now grown adults, lots having passed away. I feel, in a way - and without wanting to sound too cringey - that I'm honouring their lives with these little books ..

  

Trump ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strap yourselves in, folks. It's the first day of criminal Trump's presidency, and he's hit the ground running with a swathe of signed orders, having already left the World Health Organisation and the Paris Climate Agreement. Did this guy not see the news from Los Angeles? I despair ..