Wednesday 23 December 2020

Spray and Pray


That was the year that was, it's over, let it go. Only it isn't; not yet, anyway. With still over a week to go, who knows what fresh horrors lie in wait? A plague of locusts surely can't be far away; I fear 2020 hasn't finished with us yet.

One of the few positives I can take from this year, and believe me they've been few and far between, is the sheer volume of music I've listened to. Obviously precious little has been in a live situation - my last gig (The Lathums) was way back in February - but I've invested many many hours of listening and if you want to know precisely what my musical diet comprised then my Spotify 2020 Wrapped is as good a starting point as any.

Photography too has been a big thing in my life this year. I guess with all the additional steps I'm clocking up (2020 has definitely been the year of 'the walk') I've been even more aware of my surroundings so every urban ramble usually offers up new photo opportunities. From the hundreds of photographs I've taken this year, I've condensed it down to a dozen: 12 months, 12 photos* in no particular order. Here you go:

Indoor Market, Carlisle 


Nottingham Trent University


Nottingham Council House


Neighbours' 1st Wedding Anniversary


White Swan, Vernon Park


Happy Hour, Lanzarote


Cows on the Loch Ryan shoreline


Skegness Italia


Sneinton, Nottingham


Sherwood, Nottingham


James & Janneke, Manchester


Ratcliffe-upon-Soar Power Station 



I've not included the tree that sits outside my front door. Regular readers will know I started taking photographing this beautiful Beech back in October and I've been photographing it every day since

* 13 if you count the reindeer currently standing in my local park.

 

13 comments:

  1. Let's hope we can get through the next 8 days without any fresh horrors.

    Love your pictures, especially the houses and the Nottingham Trent ones - You definitely have a style and it involves colour and hue. Very clever.

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    1. Thank you, Alyson. I've photographed that row of terraced houses a few times now. The first time I shot it I posted it on Twitter and got a lovely reply from the guy who lives in the green one!

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  2. Great pictures John, love the Skegness cafe and the cooling towers.

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    1. Thanks, Adam. I love the way you've picked two different ones to Alyson! The Italian caff shot is from a smash and grab raid on Skeggy made during those halcyon days of Tier 2. And, even if you don't know Nottingham, I'm sure you'll have seen the cooling towers as you've driven past J24 of the M1.

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  3. Great pictures John
    I'll go for Carlisle and Loch Ryan
    Merry Christmas to you and yours

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    1. Thank you, CC. And compliments of the season to you too.

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  4. You have the eye, my friend, and nary a sign of any 2020 issues in any of them, which I appreciate. Happy holidays, John.

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    1. Cheers, Brian. Rightly or wrongly I have not gone looking for mask photos, folks queuing in line etc. I'll leave that to the social historians.

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    2. Sorry, nearly forgot, have yourself a merry little Christmas!

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  5. Oh I love your photos, and I think what I particularly like here is the eclecticism (is that a word, or is it eclecticity?!) of the selection. Right up my street!
    The power station pic also has a painterly quality, very striking.
    A happy Christmas to you and yours and here's to looking forward!

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    1. Thank you, C. Eclecticity certainly sounds like it should be a word! Have a safe Christmas too both of you.

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  6. Your year seems a lot more colourful than most people's, John.

    Happy Christmas, and all the best for the next one.

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    1. I wouldn't say that Rol, but thanks for putting your head round the door.
      Have a great Christmas and make sure you spoil that lovely lad of yours.

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