You Should Go To Liverpool And Take A Photograph

Liverpool Architecture Triptych

A black and white photo of the Liverpool Docks on a clear day showing a reflection of the brick dockland buildings in the water

2022 - The Albert Docks on Kentmere 400.

What I was trying to capture here was the dominating red brick Albert Docks; imposing. They are built for business and industry. They feel stoic. But just out of centre, modernity is creeping in in the form of the Museum of Liverpool, which was temporarily hosting the Tate Gallery at the time. In this photo, I see that metropolitan has taken root in Liverpool.

A photograph of Bold Street Coffee

2022 - Bold Street Coffee on Kentmere 400.

In this photo, I like to imagine what the two ladies are talking about. Where the man at the door heading out to after closing up his cafe.

In this photo, I like to imagine what the two ladies are talking about. Where the man at the door heading out to after closing up his cafe. I could have easily walked past this scene. I wonder what conversations he overheard that day. But camera in hand, on a mission, I did stop. I was forced to focus, slow down, and see if I could capture the scene around the coffee shop.

A black and white photo of the Liverpool Liver Building

2022 - 5 past 9 at the Liver building on Kentmere 400.

This is the iconic Liver Building. It’s grandeur is impressive, however, it now seems to be merely the administrative building for a food and drinks company.

I find comfort in that. Like the Liver building, expectations are high, with people often overestimating what you can do, what you can achieve. Just doing something is better than falling into disrepair because nobody could figure out what you should do to make the most of your time.

This is a photo of the Liver Building. It is a bland and uninteresting take on one of the most photographed buildings in the North of England. But I took a photograph. I took a light reading, focused my rangefinder, made the composition, prepared my film canister, paid for it to be developed.

A lot went into this grainy, poorly exposed, blandly composed photograph. That is OK. It was fun. It is enough.

Closing Thoughts

We can go and do something we don’t know much about, in a place we are unfamiliar with, and find the time to slow down and focus. There can be meaning in making something mediocre. It can spark adventure, you may meet strangers, and for me it helps me slow down when my urge is to speed up.

Architecture photography in a small city might be the best way to give yourself an excuse to get out there, and try to capture what you feel.

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