Goodbye, Elliott ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was fifteen years old, I borrowed a book from our school library .. and never gave it back! The book was 'Photographs and Anti-photographs', by a photographer called Elliott Erwitt, and he became the first major influence in my blossoming life as a photographer. The humour in his work was something I'd never considered before, and I've loved his work from that day to this. I couldn't believe it when, in 2006, I actually got to meet him in the flesh. He was giving a talk in Bradford, at what used to be known as the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, and I should have actually still been in Seattle on the day, but cut short my trip to fly back and listen to it. Imagine my delight when, arriving at the museum, Elliott pulled up in a taxi at almost the same moment and shook my hand. "Where do I go?" he asked, thinking I was a member of staff waiting to greet him. "Ah no," I stuttered, "I'm just a fan. In fact, could you sign this, please?" I handed him my copy of his book and he broke into a smile as he took it. "Oh my," he said. "I haven't seen this for a while." He signed a page, posed for our 'selfie' and went off to give his talk ..

Today, he died, after ninety-five years on the planet. A 'good innings', as they say, and I like to think he called it a day with that wry smile still upon his face. So goodbye, Elliott, and thank you. It's true to say you steered the whole direction of my photography ..

I just hope my school doesn't want the book back ..

Any preference ..?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've been to a couple of good photography exhibitions lately, and have it on good authority that the photographer involved in one of them shot over 20,000 rolls of film! Like OMG, it's no wonder he ended up with enough shots to fill a gallery ..

I very rarely shot more than one image of any of my shots. They really were 'one-offs' in the best sense of the word. But, looking back through my negatives, I see that, now and again, I did shoot more than one image at a scene. Today's photographs are an example. Doddington Lane, in Salford, circa 1978. Two versions, and I can't decide which I like better. Any preference ..?

Ho ho ho ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas comes but once a year, and when it does it seems to arrive earlier and earlier every time. Our supermarkets have been full of chocolate, toys and whiskey since about the third of September and, as today's photo shows, I'm starting to see decorated houses when I'm out and about on my bike. Now, an internet radio station that I tune in to has started to play only Christmas songs .. 

So, since you ask, I'll tell you what I want for Christmas. I want people to buy my books and for a major gallery to stage a massive retrospective of my work. Thank God then, that I've got Bill Jay to put things into perspective. (Bill was a renowned writer on photography and his books are always worth getting stuck into if you've any interest in the subject). He said "Photographers have enough to worry about, like calculating the odds (about the same as being struck by lightning whilst accepting the cheque from a major lottery win) of ever receiving a major museum exhibition, or any other national recognition for their work."

So it looks like socks and a woolly scarf again this year ..

 

For the record ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm showing you a photograph of my 1978 'music-centre' as a way of illustrating today's story. One of my fave ways of playing records has always been via 'Lucky Dip', whereupon I close my eyes and pull a random LP from my collection. I then have to play it, even if only for a minute or two, as it's a great way to rediscover long-lost music. The record chosen yesterday was 'Spring Session M' by LA band Missing Persons, which came out in 1982 and features the delightfully named Dale Bozzio as lead singer. (Zappa fans may recognise the name, as she sang on his 'Joe's Garage' records in 1979). Anyway, I enjoyed the music so much I went online to see if they'd done anything else. Reader, their first release in 35 years came out .. yesterday!

And now I'm off to buy a lottery ticket ..

 

Wednesday 14th March 1979

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've found an old diary. I am 18 years old and just five months into my new life as a press photographer. The date is Wednesday 14th March 1979 ..

We can see that I had a driving lesson at 2pm and worked from 9.30 to 5.30. (As an aside, I wrote recently about the flexibility of press photography and look at this .. I had to keep a record of my own working hours! I see I worked 54 hours that week and claimed expenses for three dinners and two teas!) I recorded the fact that I bought a new note-book (I could claim for them on expenses, too) and reminded myself to ask Gill about the band Squeeze (I presume we went to see them!) I also made a note to phone Chris Sievey and Steve Murray. Chris was lead singer of The Freshies, who I'd photographed at Bowdon Vale Youth Club on February 28th. I remember we arranged a photo-shoot and spent a fun few hours mucking about around Sale. (Chris went on to become Frank Sidebottom). Steve Murray was lead singer with The Fast Cars, who played the same venue on March 7th, and he and the band are still going strong to this day ..

There's another entry, too. Joy Division at St. Luke's. I've no idea why I wrote St. Luke's instead of Bowdon Vale - perhaps there was a church youth group associated with the club - but I certainly know what happened after that .. 

And we're off ..

 

 

 

 

Lovely to have pictures on walls again, even if it is only in our local library. My exhibition 'Martin de Manchester' opened on Friday night and will last for three months. Rather amusingly, it was visited yesterday by a journalist for one of the daily newspapers around here. He had a quick gander at the work, photographed a little introduction I'd written up then took four shots of me. A quick scribble in the visitors' book and he was gone. No questions, no chat, nothing! I can't wait to see the article ..

Of course, a lot of you won't be able to get to see the show, but don't worry! You can always get hold of any of the six books I've now self-published on Amazon. A tenner each, and full of wonderful pictures from the late 70s and early 80s. Order here or start dropping hints for Christmas ..

Here comes the sun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's only one antidote to all the rain this autumn. Sunshine! Sunshine and a funky post-punk energy-burst from those cheeky throb-merchants Department S. (You remember Department S don't you? Is Vic there? their unique machine-gun twanger from 1981?) Well they're back, and so are glowing sunlit skies and the fireball of heat and happiness that already seems a distant memory now we're in November. Four of my photographs have been used as the covers of the new Department S singles - yes, actual vinyl! - being launched soon by my good friend Phil Thompson (Lead guitarist, lead vocals, song-writer and self-styled "hardest working man in post-punk", who can also be found playing in The Rezillos - Top of the Pops - and The Vapors - Turning Japanese .. )

Anyway, the records - and much more - are available here .. 

Bet that's warmed you up ..

 

One in, one out ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I took down some photographs of mine that have been on display in our library all summer. And then I put up some more that'll be there until the end of January. I have to say, it made me feel very special. I've never replaced one exhibition with another before! And even though we're only talking about our little local bibliothèque, I think it's wonderful that they've invited me to have another show ..

The summer offering was 'Florescence', a collection of my flower photographs. Bright colours filled the walls for months. By contrast, my next showing 'Martin de Manchester' is a collection of my black and white street photography from the late 70s and early 80s. There's an opening event tomorrow evening and then it's open to the public from Saturday. I hope you can get down to see it ..

 

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 ..