The next dusk photowalk will take place on Saturday 25th of April, and this time I’ve decided we could explore the area in Broughton, Salford, known as The Cliff. It’s a strange, magical district perched above the rest of the city, and the large old houses are fascinating. Also, some of the street lights are still the old sodium lamps, which cast a lovely orange glow. We’ll meet in the Star Inn, a community run pub. BUY TICKETS HERE
MIDDLEWOOD LOCKS, WASTELAND 5.26AM I’m content to confess that I’ve spent much of the last decade, maybe longer, hoping to find a portal to pass through. In my head, the city is full of them, and I simply need to turn around the correct corner and I will be gone, into another dimension, an alternative version of Manchester and Salford, of shadow lives and other outcomes. Given the unlikely nature of this happening, I’ve accepted a compromise, where I travel […]
HYDRA CLOSE, 5.18am There is an estate in Lower Broughton of social housing, with streets named after constellations. Auriga, Cygnus, Lacerata, names to transport you deep into other worlds. But when I looked up on this morning the stars were covered with drifting cloud, and the world below felt encased in darkness, separated from the distant universe above. I was on Hydra Close, a short cul-de-sac. A single blackbird began to sing loudly from the upper branches of a tall […]
Join Not Quite Light for the second conversation from ‘Out of the Shadows’ Join me for the second in my series of talks with Manchester photographers. This time I’m in conversation with the fantastic music and fashion photographer Debbie Ellis, who is something of Manchester legend having been at the heart of the Madchester years. Her work is playful, inventive and always inspiring and she’s taken some wonderful portraits of the great and good of the city. It will be […]
Join Not Quite Light for the 3rd in the ‘Out of the Shadows’ series of conversations. This time I’ll be talking with dynamic young creative Liam Heeley, who not only is a great photographer, but he’s also proving to be something of a major force in the city as he tries to ensure creatives get the opportuities they need, and are treated and paid properly. Come and hear about his work and his mission to takae Manchester’s creatives to the […]
This month I tell you a little more about Not Quite Light, what inspires me, and take you out into the dawn and night with some readings. The music features tracks by Joan Shelley, William Basinski and Sofie Birch LISTEN HERE PLAYLIST
This month on my Not Quite Light show, I take you out at dawn into the Cambridge Industrial Estate in Salford, an area in the early stages of regeneration. Join me as I photograph the early morning streets. With delicious music and soundscapes to add to the stories of my encounters. This month the playlist features tracks by Ruby Tingle, Gruff Rhys and Chopin. LISTEN NOW PLAYLIST
CAMBRIDGE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, SALFORD, 5.58AM Yesterday morning, I left my studio at 5.30am, and made my way up to the Cambridge industrial estate, which lies just beyond the banks of the River Irwell in Broughton. Above me was a glum sky, which only grudgingly allowed smears of cleaner blue through just before sunrise. The birds were up early, forcefully calling their information songs out to each other through the rough branches of trees, left to hang wild over derelict land […]
There’s a lot going on at the Not Quite Light HQ this Autumn, so I’ve decided to use this page as a place to collate everything as it becomes available. EVENTS Once a month I’m hosting Creative Weekends at the studio, offering mixture of events, photowalks and workshops. On the Friday night, from the October event, there will be a dinner option too, which should be delightful… Visit this link to see the weekend dates, and for more information. Photowalks […]
This short film was inspired by joining a late summer group walk up Sharpitor on Dartmoor, hosted by writer Kirsteen McNish. We were a small group, and we took time to listen and observe as we made our way up to the summit of the Torr. Kirsteen read for us once we reached our destination. John Howell, from the Dartmoor Preservation Association, was with us to advise on the history and topography of the land around us. I returned on […]