Category Archives: Streetscapes

Co. Antrim, History, Ireland, Reportage, Streetscapes, Travel

Dr Adam Clarke

On a recent visit to the North Coast (of Ireland) I visited the town of Portrush, and made some images of the local Methodist Church there.  Why so?  Because of it’s name!  This church is named for the learned Bible commentator Dr Adam Clarke.

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Adam Clarke was born in 1760 near Tobermore, and died of Cholera in Westminster, London in 1832. Clarke’s greatest work was his Bible Commentary, which was to be a standard theological text among Methodists for around 200 years.  Continue reading Dr Adam Clarke →

Co. Antrim, Landscapes, Streetscapes

Ballymartin, Co.Antrim

Ballymartin Road runs from the A57 Templepatrick Road to the Ballypalady Road, in Newtownabbey, and crosses the NIR trainline from Belfast to Antrim by way of a remote controlled level crossing.  It’s a single track line and trains cross the road every 30 minutes or so.  I first crossed it around 10 years ago, when I visited a bride’s home for photographs on her wedding day, but more recently a road closure forced me to travel along this minor road again.  I was reminded about the derelict building that sits at the side of the tracks, now covered in very professional looking graffitti.   It has chimneys and loos like it may once have been someone’s home – perhaps that of a railway worker?  At the time I made a mental note to pay it a visit again when next in the area.

I took the Fujifilm X-T2.  It was a cloudy enough October day and the light required an ISO around 800.  Here’s some of the images.

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F/16 @ 1/60th Sec on ISO800, focal length 16mm.

Continue reading Ballymartin, Co.Antrim →

Belfast, History, Streetscapes

The Bunch of Grapes

The Bunch of Grapes

So, I’ve visited a derelict pub in inner east Belfast, and made some photographs. Why? Well, because the site has been sold for redevelopment, it’s going to be demolished and a block of apartments built in its place. But more importantly, because this building has an ugly and gruesome history.

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The Bunch of Grapes is situated on the Beersbridge Road / Castlereagh Road junction, formerly known as ‘John Long’s Corner.’ (In the 1950’s my Great Grandfather (Mr Robb) owned and ran a cobbler’s shop (a shoe repairer) at the corner, so I’ve been familiar with the area for all my life.) Continue reading The Bunch of Grapes →

Belfast, Child Portraiture, Streetscapes

What’s to see? w/c 8th July 2018

What’s to see?

Over the next couple of weeks there’s plenty of opportunities for some really good photography outings.

Most obvious of course is the annual ‘OrangeFest’ (as they now call it) on July 12th. Whether you like it or loathe it, there’ll be parades and celebrations right across the province. Where there’s people there’s photographs just waiting to be made. Don’t do the obvious. It’s easy to photograph bands.   Instead find a street or a town centre and make it your studio for the day. Watch the street life. Look for interesting happenstances, quirky moments. What’s happening around you on the streets that’s not in the parade? Continue reading What’s to see? w/c 8th July 2018 →

Beautiful Ulster, Co. Down, Streetscapes

Dromore, Co.Down

On the way to Banbridge, Janette and I stopped in Dromore, primarily for an ice-cream in Graham’s, but who coud resist making a few images of the historic town while we’re in the area.  Dromore’s history as a town goes back at least to the times of John deCourcy in the early 13th century, when a Motte and Bailey was built.  The town was captured by Robert the Bruce (he of spider fame) in 1315, and sacked.  Before this there was an abbey of monks (Canons Regular) dating back to the sixth century. Continue reading Dromore, Co.Down →