David Simper takes a creative look back to January 2024.
Lured out of his domestic fastness by bright January sun, he took his film camera for a bracing walk from Starr Gate to central Blackpool.
26 January 2024 was my post-Yuletide leave day and I wanted to use it to do something creative. Waking to sun, a photo walk was the obvious choice and some useful exercise too. Picking up my 35mm Yashica Electro 35, with its excellent 45mm lens, and loading it with a favourite Kentmere 400 black and white film, I headed down to catch the service 18 bus down to Starr Gate.
The sky was an intense blue, which registers beautifully dark when shooting through my usual yellow filter. I have taken similar photos several times before, but not in this particular light. Take a camera to a familiar location and you’ll always see something different. If you start from Starr Gate in the morning the sun will be behind you. In January the sun will be low and the shadows long, making it tricky to keep your shadow out of your shot, but that’s a minor issue. The cold air tends to be very clear in these conditions.
The tide was in, making for a good seascape opening shot. I strolled steadily down the South Promenade camera in hand, nipping to road level a few times to grab shots of the trams. The public art and gazebos, coupled with the trams and ‘People’s Playground’ ‘marram’ grasses, constantly throw up photos to take. Finally I arrived level with the now abandoned police station and cut through to get a shot of that and its attendant graffiti.
Out of film, it was time to go to the excellent Tea Amantes for refreshment and to get warm, before the service 6 bus home. A morning very well spent. I hope the photographs speak for themselves and that you enjoy this one roll offering.
A high sea with the tide in gives a strong composition for an opening shot, the slipway covered in a film of water.‘Don’t shoot into the light’ is the orthodoxy, especially with an automatic exposure camera that will predictably render the frame in silhouette, but I knew that the composition would make this work.The tram depot side helps frame this portrait shot trying to make the most of the promenade’s designed in vertical elements.An irresistible view over ‘Glam Rocks’ by Peter Freeman. I must come and look at this piece when the lights are on.I’ve always looked for good perspective in a composition and the promenade is superb for that. Also its features can be neatly lined up for a bit of a tunnel effect.When I take a shot of the mirror ball, or ‘They Shoot Horses Don’t They’ (good book), I always wonder how many thousands of times the same shot has been taken. Not many would have been taken against such a flawless blue sky.The sky might have been blue, but the other side of the seawall a high sea was raging. Those keep out and other precautionary signs were much needed; going for a swim would have been terminal. Spray was flying over and I had to shield the camera.Those fish tail shelters are so distinctive.A not to be missed shot as this tram passes the gaudy joys of the Pleasure Beach frontage.‘People’s Playground’ marram grasses neatly frame the Tower. The camera’s 45mm focal length lens seems ideal for this kind of photography.What could be more Blackpool than a tram framed against the Tower? We seem to have a bus too; I didn’t think we had a service 125, so that’s a mystery.I didn’t know how the camera’s automatic exposure system would cope with this one, but it seems to have done fine. Here’s the shortly to disappear former police station. Take its portrait while you can.This is one that might have worked better in colour, something which I rarely concede; however, I would say the monochrome does give this graffiti a nice desolate look.Late January in Blackpool. Shutters down, but plenty of people around (not showing on this shot) enjoying the winter sunshine. That sun shines on a fibre glass parrot, a skull and the iconic Tower.
I have worked in the housing and transport professions for several local authorities, specialising in policy, strategy preparation and bid writing.
Having always had an interest in film, the visual arts in general, theatre, music and lterature, I thought it would be good to combine the writing experience with these interests to contribute to altBlackpool.
In addition to writing, my hobbies include watercolour and pastel painting, photography, woodwork, cycling and vegetable gardening.
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