walk the wall

There aren't many places that I know of where you can take a walk along and within an hour, you get to view a great historic city from every angle, York is the first one that I encountered.

The city wall runs along the old town. Walking on it, you could feel its stronghold presence in its days as a core military, political and economical base which hosted and served "unwelcomed guests", including Nordics, Anglos, Normans and Romans.

Modern urban developments blend in nicely with the ancient city, injecting a new life into the old. People of all ages, all races and from all over the world live under the harmony of this blessed city.

Everybody holds a piece of the history, every walk has different footprints, every building records some kind story. No matter where you are in the city, whether in a pub, at a junction, inside a shop or simply walking down the street, you'll see and hear the history is repeating itself yet moving forward at an elegant pace.

If you've never been to York, make sure you pay a visit; if you have been, make sure you go back again.

There are simply too many history and rich stories waiting to be heard, remembered and taken away to every corner of the world ...

York Minster Exterior

York Minster exterior on a sunday morning, mingling with tourists, prayers, students and locals.

The ancient history it's sitting on does not in any way weighing it down, instead, it injects a strange amount of energy into this magnificent masterpiece of architecture and art, opening its doors welcoming people from all corners of the world.

It's not common that in a holy place like this, photography would be ever allowed, but it does, even flash is allowed! I've travelled many places and visited a numerous minsters and cathedrals, none, before York Minster, allows any kind of photography, unless they commissioned you to do so.

Not that it stopped me in any way to snap a few, but the fact that you could take time to adjust exposure, compose your framing and try alternative approaches is a luxury in every way! Ask any travel photographer or even a tourist with a camera, they could tell you that.

Having said that, if any photo comes out a bit shakie or incorrectly exposed, there would be no attendant to blame to BUT yourself!

Guess there is a downside to every upside :)

Eboracum - Jorvik - York

York, an old town with significant value in the history of England, greeted me on the 30th of March, the very same evening when I was brought into this world 8,000 miles away, exactly 26 years ago.

It is my first time to celebrate birthday traveling. I couldn't think of anything better than to do what I love doing on such a special occasion ... well I could, but for now, this is as good as it gets!

Since the weather wasn't particularly great, I ended up spending most of the day indoor, and where could be a better place to be than the none-other-than York Minster?

This is my favourite shot of the interior from the bunch, slightly different approach in the post processing, oh, not to mention it was my first go at Adobe Lightroom.

I must say, I really like the program!

Zurich City Centre

It's time of the year again, well, getting close ... and the urge to travel started to crawl all over my mind, not to mention my ichy shutter finger.

Now I have equiped myself with a Sony HD camcorder as well as my well sorted Canon still system, I think I'm ready to take on some adventures. Before I start scouting for destinations, I couldn't help but going through my past captures.

This one was taken on Christmas day last year in Zurich, Switzerland. I booked last minute flight and spent a week there. Despite the expensive living standard, I had an absolute blast!

Weather wasn't particularly good on that day, it was grey, dark, blended with drizzle in the air, but it wasn't anything I have not experienced in Manchester. Maybe because it was in another country, a country famous for its "peacefulness"(some say cowardice), watch, chocolate and knife making, I did not mind it at all. Since I couldn't do anything to change it, might as well enjoy the most.

dancing music

My first commissioned work in near pitch black, a definite challenge for Canon 1D MK2's low light focus ability and endurance test for my hearing! It was also the first time that I get to play with my 580EX with delayed sync on camera(back in 2004), was I excited or what!

A few beers later, I felt the "creativity" rising through my spine, I started to play with zoom, different light bounce, light painting and other tricks I couldn't remember ...

Well, it certainly was fun for me, my client loved the photos, too.

Happy days!

forever gone ...

I don't know the artist who's responsible for this great piece of work, but I do know for sure it's no longer there, it's gone forever.

I captured this during my "purposefully aimless stroll" in the city, just me and my camera.

I did manage to bag a few shots that I was happy about, even more so now. Simply because someone-with-authority-but-no-taste-in-art decided the plain brick wall looks better than this one.

There are works like this all over the city, maybe not as good, maybe better, all you gotta go is take an afternoon off, grab your cam, and stroll through the city. Make sure you walk through the back alley way, look up when you're under the railway bridge, try walking through as much unknown part of the city as possible.

For all you mum's boy out there, if you think or feel that you would get robbed in a certain area, you're mostly guaranteed to find good graffatis while NOT getting touched by anyone who's slightly darker than white!

it's a manc thing

Due to a wrist injury, I've not been able to shoot much lately, so I thought to utilise my time and be more productive by going through the archive.

And I found this one.

"Belle Vue" - a Manc Rock band. From left: Nick, Anthony, Paul, Dan and Pete.

They have been together for god knows how many years, every member's got a day job, while do whatever they can to pursue the sound that keeps their hearts beating, blood pumping and face smiling. You can often bump into them drinking away in Corbieres or dance their shirts off in 42nd street.

Where are those places you ask? Well, you have to be a Manc to know that, I'm afraid.

Oh, they nicked that Belle Vue sign, and it has been turning up wherever the band goes, typical Manc, you gotta love it!

first image

Well, you can't exactly call this a photoblog if there isn't a photo, can you?

This was taken last year for a press photo call for "Pulp Magazine".

A sad story really. Ashley, the girl in the photo, was born with terminal disease. As a charity appeal, she was given an opportunity to be on stage with Russian ballerinas, to make her dream come true.

During the photo call, she did not smile at all, I guess she doesn't have much to smile about. Her saddened eyes tell me she knows exactly what she has, and how long she has to enjoy or suffer for the every minute of her remaining life.

The other photographer from Manchester Evening News, however, simply was there to earn his dime. The moment he stepped into the room, he started commanding everyone around him so he could go home with a perfect shot, including little Ashley.

Maybe it was the Russian ballerinas, maybe it was her own ballet dress, maybe it was her dream come true, Ashley did try to smile at camera once or twice. Almost immediately after the flash, her face turns sad. That was when I decided to press my shutter.

It is a photojournalist's duty to tell a story as truthfully as possible, and reflect the emotion of his/her subject, and I believe that is the very element which differentiates a great photographer to any mediocre working photojournalist, who call themselves "pro".

I am not trying to nudge my way into the professionals in any way, I am simply sharing the experience I had, consequently, my thoughts.