'Rural, Town and Fringe Areas'

So, of course, yes, Graffiti...

[Graffiti: The marking of public space with a form of visual communication.]

Disclaimer, I apologise for any incidental commercial references in the following blog/article and/or photographs. It is not my purpose or intention to adverstise [unpaid or otherwise] any company, individual or organisation!

Location: Somerset Avenue meets Elmham Way Roundabout.

Saturday morning 12th August 23 and I was having issues with the health of my ears and subsequently needed suitable medication in order to treat them, so I was off to a local pharmacy. Now normally I'd drive myself, though given iffy balance and questionable spacial awareness, as a precaution, today, I was being driven.

Consequently, as my driver and I approached Somerset Avenue meets Elmham Way Roundabout, A370 from Weston-super-Mare, I saw something from the corner of my eye I'd not normally see – you know, of course, as you'd be watching the road when in control of a vehicle, at least I hope you would be, unless you've one of those 'Look no Hands – Does the Driving for You – Or not, as the case may be' Wonders!

What had attracted me was an abuttment wall, topped off with coping stones, and on that wall had been spray-painted a word. To me this, most likely, meant there was a culvert or subway under the road? Sunday morning 13th August 23 and I walk there, with a camera, to reconnoitre the spot...

Approaching the area on foot via the cycle-way & footpath alongside Somerset Avenue and at a break in the scrub bushes I find this subway! And of course the attendant graffiti.

Walking through the tunnel to the other side and looking back gives the better perspective. The subway is lit both sides, along its length, by 45 degree lights placed at the corners where wall meets roof, though they aren't the brightest. There are some impromptu seats of concrete and wood half way through on the footpath side, presumably for the benefit of the nightlife visitors. As to the graffiti some of the pieces are quite brilliant however, the overall impression is an imposing one and that you'd be best served not to dwell too long to view the art work. [I must state that I'm not aware that there has ever been any problem or trouble here.]

Please Note: I cannot credit any street artist whose work is included here as I simply have no knowledge of who created the original spray paintings or any derivations thereof depicted.

And so, to the atmosphere I wish to share with my photographic interpretation of the environment and street art I found at this location.

Walking in to... Inside now Tight lipped quiet Feeling watched Walking out of... Discuss... https://i-davis.carrd.co https://snap.as/unaoculusaperta https://unaoculusaperta.weebly.com

#WestonSuperMare #Subway #Urban #StreetArt #Photography

A fellow photographer (named Ian, as am I) called me to ask if I'd like to make the trip to Highbridge, Somerset, UK, one evening. One evening when the tide would be coming in and we could photograph some wrecks... Well, yes please!

Now, I have been to Highbridge many times, yet had never been to this inlet which is at the end of a Cul-De-Sac off the main road. We park up and tote our gear across a small bridge over the river, clamber over some stiles and through a turn style gate then down along a raised ridge of a flood plain. Setting up tripods we begin photographing, as we wait for the waters of the Bristol Channel to rise.

At this stage the river level is still relatively low. The weather was perfect with good light even as the sun began to set. The wind though was a little on the brisk side with a cool edge to it. This cold air eventually sapped the warmth from our hands!

These were the two wrecks we'd come to photograph. One, could be forgiven, I reckoned, for initially feeling somewhat underwhelmed, or disappointed even, especially if one were expecting a shipwreck of any kind, as these were damaged and abandoned boat wrecks! Once over that preconception though, these two craft were photogenic and worth the trip.

Once set up and ready for high tide, I wandered around looking for suitable subjects, anything that caught the eye – for black & white...

... such as this metal pole. A ground anchor or mooring post, with a substantial rope attached.

...or this, substantial, reinforced concrete pillar, again with substantial rope attached.

Back to the wrecks themselves which were well out of the river and stranded up on the bank – We couldn't get that close even at low tide though as the ground is water-logged and no, we didn't take Wellies with us and that, in hind sight, was a mistake! There always next time...

Above: a wooden launch. Below: a motorboat with the right rear side missing.

And now, the tide was coming in and the river's water level was rising fast!

Then it was pretty much high tide. Though spring tides can reach higher, this tide didn't disappoint as nevertheless we are photographing from the raised bank at this point. The setting sun casts a beautiful, warm and orange glow over the scene.

The end of the day is amazing to experience at Highbridge on such an evening as this. Whether one is a photographer or otherwise. To say this photographic excursion lifted one's spirits would indeed be a huge understatement. I often think of these outings and usually at length.

Discuss...

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#Highbridge #BristolChannel #Boats #Wrecks #Spring #Photography

This is a monochrome photograph of sculpted outdoor street lamps.

I took this picture in Paris, near La Defense, circa May 1992. It was a dull day to say the least, though one can just about make out a modicum of sunlight above the clouds which has nearly brightened the picture in the sky area.

The idea was to get close enough to be shooting upward against the sky in order to isolate the lights from their cluttered background. Using the effect of converging vertical lines to bring the five poles, which were standing apart from one another, together and emphasise the screw thread effect. The exposure was as long as I could risk hand holding to keep some detail in what I knew would most likely be a semi-silhouette.

The film is Ilford HP5. I would have rated the film at 400ASA and developed the film in Ilford ID11, stock diluted 1+3. This photograph was taken on a very cloudy and dull day.

#photography #monochrome #film #LaDefense #Paris #lamps

This is a monochrome photograph of an abandoned Citroën 'H' Van and Citroën '2CV'.

I took this picture in Brittany, circa May 1992. The Van was a drab, silver-gray colour and the 2CV was white. This somewhere near Quimper. There was, pretty much, nothing else besides more empty fields around this area.

The empty, quiet, loneliness, except for these two dumped vehicles, seemed at that time to fit my frame of mind. I had lost my Father the previous October and my maternal Grandmother on Christmas eve night; both to cancer.

Though I'm never sad looking at this picture. Moreover, I had and still have a sense of acceptance and of moving on. No, I never feel down at seeing this photograph.

The film is Kodak 5063 TX or as I knew and loved it Tri-X. I would have rated the film at 1600ASA/ISO using a red cokin 'A' filter and developed the film in Kodak HC110 solution B, 1+39. I was, just a little, into that infrared-ish look back then. #photography #monochrome #film #Quimper #Brittany #Citroën