This was England (and the IOM)

A lovely little collection of images in The Guardian late last week, promoting an exhibition which includes the work of documentary photographer Chris Killip.

This one is a fog-(on the Tyne)-gy Wallsend, dated on the site as being taken in 1976. But the Tyne Pride – one of the huge ships being built at the Swan Hunter shipyard which was the be-all and end-all for all the families living in that area at that time – was actually launched in late 1975, so I think that might be incorrect. They built BIG SHIPS there back then. Here’s a better view of just how big:

Mark I Raleigh Chopper FTW!

I know Chris Killip’s work from his time on the Isle of Man, mostly documenting Manx farming life in the early 1970s. Not a lot had changed in the previous 100-odd years for many of those communities at that time, and not a lot changed in the 15 or 20 years after that either, so I recognise quite a few of the places and scenes (and maybe even one or two of the people?) from my time over there as a kid.

There are plenty of those images on the Manx Museum ‘iMuseum’ site here.

Not a photography trip

And that’s my excuse for this.

I’m down in Agulhas: a quick trip to review some work, rather than any sort of pleasure or leisure, but I’ll never say no to the opportunity to spend some time here.

And I brought a few lenses, tripod, monopod, spare batteries and cleaning kit, and an array of SD cards. Because while this isn’t a photography trip, there will always be something to take photographs of.

Except…

I left my actual camera in my office at home.

To be fair, this was a bit of an unusual one: no kids, no dog, a full toolbox to bring down with us, a Saturday morning departure and even a different bedroom. So I was clearly thrown out of my usual routine.

But suddenly, as is always the way when you don’t have a camera to hand, everything is a photo. Remember this?

And it is a remarkably pretty day down here at the Southern Tip.

Sadly, you’ll just have to take my word for it.