As it happens ..

 

 

 

 

 

I know we all think we have 'the best job in the world', but I think you're pretty damned close to it with press photography. The variety and opportunity, the complete lack of routine, the travel, the celebrities. I knew I had it made when, on my first day as a professional snapper, I had to photograph the captain of Manchester United. The captain! Oh yes, it doesn't get better than that ..

And the point being? Well, there is no point, actually. I just needed a bit of pre-amble to allow me to show you today's photographs. A lot of you may have seen the new TV programme 'The Reckoning', featuring comedian Steve Coogan as Jimmy Savile. In my role as a press photographer I got to photograph them both (regardless of what happened later!)

Told you it was a good job. Just saying ..

In the market ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Hi there," read an email this week. "I've bought one of your photo-books, as I want to do one of my own. I wondered if you could give me any advice about marketing?" I did one of those comic 'double-takes', my neck whipping round swiftly to see who else could be in the room. Me? I thought. He's asking me for marketing advice? I'm sorry, I replied, I think you're asking the wrong person ..

Truth is, for all my puffing and panting, my blogging and tweeting (Xing?), my Instagraming and Facebooking, my radio interview, my article in Amateur Photographer magazine and even  .. yes, physically taking the books around to photography galleries in London and Liverpool .. I've managed to sell a grand total of one book in October. And now I've just realised .. it was to him, wasn't it .. ?

Ah well, Christmas is coming. Hint, hint ..

Are you there, Iggy?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's only one thing to do when the weather's as bad as it is. You dive into your big box of old negatives and see if you've missed that one great shot that's going to make you famous .. 

Well, I haven't found that (yet) but I've found this, among others, and haven't the foggiest idea when I took it. I don't know who the guys are, why they were putting on make-up or the location of that salubrious toilet. And I probably never will, unless the Iggy Pop lookalike suddenly recognises himself from this blog and lets me know. The amazing thing about human memory, though, is that, if 'Iggy' were to make himself known again, I might well then recall the circumstances of this photograph. The 'who' and the 'why' and the 'where' might still be stuck in that mass of wobbly jelly in my bonce, and I might be able to pull out the detail and recall the occasion. In the meantime, thank God for photography, eh? Are you out there, Iggy? Are ya?..

 

Salt and vinegar?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of my favourite images is this daft old sign, which I photographed in the window of a chip shop in Eccles back in the 1970s. (I even have a copy of it on my wall). Back in my home town again last week, I popped out for fish, chips and mushy peas (obligatory!) and, although quite reasonable by today's standards, the cost was £6.90. I allowed myself a wry smile as I thought back to 1977, when the cost of the same tasty nosh (wrapped in newspaper, of course) would have set me back sixty pence!..

An awful lot of other things have changed since I was growing up back then - lots of the buildings are gone or converted to other uses (A bank into a sun-bed salon, for example!); much of the town is behind steel rollers or wooden hoarding, the businesses inside long gone, and charity and vape shops abound. It was all very sad, albeit with a glimmer of hope as the precinct is set to be demolished and re-built, introducing a 'better' class of shop and a new vitality to a dead old town. I can only hope ..

Now then, salt and vinegar? Yes, please. Plenty ..

 

  

Cheese!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The latest edition to my photo-book series - Book Seven - is called Cheese! and will feature even more of my archive photographs from the late 1970s and early 80s. I'm working hard on production and it will be available to buy on Amazon in just a few short weeks. I'm proud to say that this edition will take the number of published photographs to well over 500. And all for a tenner a book. If that doesn't make you smile then nothing will. Say Cheese!  

A smile on my face

 

 

 

 

 

 

I watched the film 'Sideways' again last night. Great film, and fantastic acting .. with a novelist who can't generate any interest in his new book. Man, can I relate to that! My own story 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft', is currently wallowing at  2,211th in Amazon's Biographical Fiction list (But at least it's in there, right?), and I've run out of ideas as to how to promote it. (Well, apart from writing this, of course!) Still, at least I've had a new review today. A reader described it as "a really imaginative, funny, enjoyable read", and that's truly put a smile on my face ..

Sorry mate, no trainers ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

"That's Tommy Tarbuck," said Lesley, browsing through the latest of my photo-books. I'm sorry? "That's Tommy Tarbuck," she said again, and pointed to the fag-dragging bouncer in my photograph. "He was the doorman at the disco I used to go to" ..

Well how interesting, 'cos here he is, manning the entrance to the hall of the Salford Students' Union, just outside of Manchester. He must have been a jobbing bouncer, if there ever was such a thing. Did anyone else know Tommy? Is he still around? Did anyone ever get 'bounced' by him? (He does look as if he'd not stand for nonsense!) I'd love to know. And I'd love to know if anyone recognises anyone else in my books. You can check them out here, and contact me here if you happen to know anybody. Now, on your way, mate, 'cos you're not coming in here wearing those trainers ..

Magic numbers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six books. Four hundred and twenty three photographs. Seventy pence a shot. That's what it would work out to if you bought my full collection of photo-books. And you'd have the shots forever. What a bargain! Fortunately, somebody else thinks the same, and has just ordered the full collection. If you're reading this, I'd love it if you got in touch ..

Today's image is one that will appear in book seven, now in production. Eccles library, circa 1981 ..  

James

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's my brother's birthday today. Sadly, he was found dead in his flat on Sunday and this cheeky, angry, troubled little scamp will never see 57. 

This one's for you, Jimbo. Rest in peace, little brother ..

Barking up the wrong tree ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today saw my annual pilgrimage to a Photo Festival in a small place called Barro (BarrObjectif 2023). The outdoor event features the work of photo-journalists and photographers from all over the world (but mainly France!) Twice now, I've submitted work for consideration, without success. Whilst I was there, looking at shots of war and Covid and trans-gender er .. people, I received an email from Salford Art Gallery saying my recent submission to them had been rejected. (Talk about exquisite timing!) Seems I can't get anyone interested in my work. Perhaps I'm barking up the wrong tree ..

Write on ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I told you I could write! (Welcome to Blog #476 in the series 'O'Neill blows his own trumpet'!) I've just come runner-up in a local writing contest. My essay 'You move me' has taken second place in a local magazine's 800-word short-story competition and a judge told me it was "a very close-run thing." Read it here if you really must and, of course, my real writing is still out there for all to enjoy ..

My picture today shows a 'real' writer, Salford's very own John Cooper Clarke, who is signing the copy of his book that I still have. I wonder if anyone will still own one of my books in forty years time ..  

Stop press: I just dug out my copy of this book, and I think the clues are in the title .. John Cooper Clarke Directory 1979. It was forty FOUR years ago!! OMG ..

 

 

My cap is doffed ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The keen-eyed amongst you may have noticed I've been trying to plug some of my photography books. (I hope I'm not getting boring, but they really are a big thing in my life at the moment.) There are currently six photo-books in my 'Wrong Way Wround' series, featuring archive photographs from the 1970s and 80s, and that number is certain to rise ..

The photography world likes 'themes'. It wants photographers to have worked on a 'project', explored a concept, visually probed something that is new to them. (Even if that's just empty spaces in car-parks!) It gives the photographer a weight, a seriousness, makes them 'legitimate'. My work is none of that .. it's just me, wandering around with my camera, 'learning' how to be a photographer. Doesn't make the work any less interesting though (in my humble opinion), so it was encouraging to read a new review of the photographs by renowned Salford historian Tony Flynn. He said "I can honestly say they are poignant, hilarious, touching and even a great social document that captures what was a less stressful time", and added "Martin O'Neill you have done a fantastic job capturing those days. My cap is doffed." 

There's nothing left to add other than a link to help you buy your copies ..

You're in my seat ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the 'then and now' shots I took during my UK trip was this one at the corner of Liverpool Road and Alexandra Road in Eccles, where I photographed my Dad over forty-five years ago. I put my shadow into the spot he'd have been standing, just to connect ..

I also went into The Grapes, the pub that was my Dad's 'local' for many a year. It's been done up with a nice bit of leather upholstery now, but this was his seat when he wasn't in the 'snug' with his mates. I can still see him sitting there, half a Guinness and a whiskey and lemonade on either side of an overflowing ash-tray. (Nice) ..

Writing this, it occurs to me that forty-five was also my Dad's age in this shot. (People looked a lot older in 'those days', didn't they?) He was a hard-working, hard-drinking Irishman and you'll have read many times in this blog how much I thought of him. Incidentally, there's a character quite like my Dad in a book I wrote .. 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft'. Gives a little insight into the pre-mobile phone world of a man that finds himself alone after years of happy marriage .. 

  

Good to be back?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had a quick flit back to the UK last week and the thing that struck me most was the astonishing amount of litter on the streets. Perhaps it's always been like that, and I only notice it because I live in such a quiet backwater these days but, my God, it's everywhere! I went to Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Warrington and, in every place, the amount of litter was eye-watering. It made me sad, folks. Where is the pride, the respect ..?

At least I got back to Eccles and had a chance to walk down 'memory lane', returning to the site of some of my archive shots from the 1970s and 80s. Funny to see how much has changed, yet how much had stayed the same. Click on any of the shots to see more, and check out the difference in petrol prices ..  

 

Who d'ya think you are, David Bailey ..?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have in my hands a hard copy of the sixth book in my photography series. Yes, Book Six has arrived, and I'm very excited ..

Its title harks back to an old 1970's advert featuring the superstar photographer and an Olympus Trip. People would shout it to me whenever I took their photograph. "Hey mate, who d'ya think you are, David Bailey ..?" ..

Anyway, it's here, it's finished, and it's available for you to buy here for just ten squids. Yes, I know .. such a great price for ninety-one wonderful street photography images from the 70s and 80s. How can you resist?

Cold water

 

 

 

 

 

 

The heatwave is back and it's going to be another hot one today. Thirty-eight degrees is the forecast. (That's 100° if you're an American or my Mum!) The garden is fried, as am I from trying to keep it watered. On Saturday night I was at an event two hours from here and it hammered down. Here? Not a drop. When will it end? I've had enough of summer now. I yearn for cooler evenings and crisp autumn walks, woolly scarves and seeing my breath condense in a cloud ..

In the meantime, it's another day of hunkering down and doing not a lot. Little Lisa had the right idea .. a bath of cold water and an ice-lolly. Mind you, this shot was (probably) taken in 1977, and 'little' Lisa will now be in her fifties. Sadly, I'd have to think twice about taking a photograph like this today. The 'right-ons' have poured cold water on good old innocent street photography ..

Gone in twenty seconds ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The lady from the band smiled sweetly. "Hi," she said. "Quick question. Have you ever photographed any musicians?" My gulp was audible, the grimace on my face a picture to behold. "Er, hello .. " I gasped. "Joy Division, The Smiths, Siouxsie Sue?" (Etc., etc., etc ... ) "Why do you ask?" I enquired. "Well, we wanted some new shots of the group," she said, (still smiling sweetly) "but, judging from your Instagram posts, we thought you only photographed flowers!!" It was like having my entire career wiped out in one twenty-second conversation .. 

Anyway, here are some more flowers for you. (Oh, and a musician) ..

 

 

Mama Mamiya ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's a Bank Holiday weekend in the UK, the last break before that long, slow slog to Christmas. The date means something else to me now because, six years ago this weekend, I photographed the last wedding I would ever shoot before I moved to France. It began at a church in Altrincham and moved to a reception in Manchester city centre, and I remember sitting at a roof-top bar whilst I waited for the meal to finish, reflecting that I would probably never do anything like that again ..

The thing is, I thought I'd miss it like hell. After all, I'd concentrated on wedding photography for seventeen years up to that date. But the surprising thing is, I didn't. Once I'd got into the swing of life in France, I never gave wedding photography a second thought. (In fact, I've even turned down the offer of shooting a couple over here). Those days have gone. I'm a different 'me' now. A retired 'me', a more relaxed 'me', a 'me' that doesn't have to work all the hours God gives me just to maintain a presence in a completely flooded and clichéd market. So never again will you see me at Peckforton Castle, up a ladder with a Mamiya RZ67 Pro strapped to the top, shooting a mere twelve frames before I had to change the film ..

Come to think of it, they were bloody great, those days ..   

David Bailey? Who's he ..?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What to do when it's so goddam hot outside? Knuckle down and finish the next edition of your photo-book collection, that's what. So now Book Six is done and dusted, and I can't wait to see what it looks like when it comes back from the printers ..

It's entitled 'Who d'ya think you are, David Bailey ..?' - which will only mean anything if you're old enough to remember the Olympus camera ads he made in the late 70s - and is a bumper collection of 91 images from my archive. The photos were all taken in the late 70s and early 80s, around my old stomping grounds of Eccles, Salford and Manchester, and the good news is that, even after six books of photographs, I still have over a hundred pictures left to show you, so there'll definitely be a Book Seven at some stage. After that, I'm going to start on my colour photography, as I've got thousands of Kodachrome slides from my travels around the world ..

A review in Amateur Photographer magazine said my work was "a flick through history in a well-observed, light-hearted trip down memory lane." You can start your own collection here .. and, by the way, they're only a tenner each!

Up the wall ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a new exhibition in our local library. Sounds grand but, in truth, it's only because of a last-minute, stop-gap request from the lady who runs the place, who'd happened to see my some of my Florescence flower photography. "Can you put some up for the summer?" she asked. "Happily," I replied. "Just try and stop me." (I didn't really say that. I don't know how to say it in French, but you get the idea!) It was lovely to be asked though, and so here they are, for the whole month of August, in a little library in our quiet corner of France. The good news is they've asked me to exhibit again in October .. a 'proper' exhibition this time, with a vernissage - or opening night - and invited guests. I'll be showing my 70s/80s black and white documentary work from Manchester, and I hope you can make to one or both of the shows .. 

(One for the anoraks .. all the flowers in my collection were photographed on a Mamiya 645 medium format camera using Fuji Provia 100 transparency film.)