A project on my local town..

I like them all but I think the first shots is maybe out of place here as there's no context? You know best though :D

I've been thinking of doing something similar.

Good luck with the project and I hope you'll post more :D
 
Thanks @woof woof - these are all fairly recent.. and I have a few older ones that I can dig out once I find them.

In term so the first one being the odd one out, you're right of course ;) At this early stage of the project I'm happy to mix a bit of traditional street photography, urban landscape and surfaces/close ups. We'll see how it goes :D
 
benc98 said:
Thanks @woof woof - these are all fairly recent.. and I have a few older ones that I can dig out once I find them.

In term so the first one being the odd one out, you're right of course ;) At this early stage of the project I'm happy to mix a bit of traditional street photography, urban landscape and surfaces/close ups. We'll see how it goes :D
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I think if it was me doing this I might have taken the same picture, but it wouldn't be out of place as I'd know where it was :D

It was just a thought and not meant to be a criticism as I do like them all. Maybe the first tatty poster shot would be better placed between town centre pictures rather than being the first in the sequence? I don't know, maybe I'm talking tosh.
 
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benc98 said:
I have no idea where I'm going with this.. hopefully an idea will develop over time...
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That's how I usually start a project, and something does usually materialise. Just keep shooting and occasionally reviewing what you've got to see if any themes, visual or otherwise, emerge. (y)
 
Looks good here and paticularly on your website (where the poster shot is further into the theme)
Your other project re London night time looks good also.

As a standalone I really like the comp and colours of the car beneath the blossom trees. Symmetry, colour of doors, slightly unsaturated - (y)

The shots do illustrate the desperate state of this country's urban fabric - not at all uncommon in the majority of our towns . Quite depressing:confused:
 
Many years ago a Birmingham Jeweller semi-retired in Tewkesbury. The first thing he did was to take a number of photographs recording the time/place. Twenty years later he repeated this and showing the differences was quite interesting for locals. Inspired by this I took a set of shots around my town picking some places that I thought would change and some which I thought would not. Over 20 years has passed and I was considering completing the exercise but the originals were not dated precisely and are slides which is a pain. But the idea of then and now is good.

Dave
 
Glad you’re keeping up with it.
 
I think it's a good idea. One that tends to get overlooked. The only problem is I've got to hang around for twenty years to see the results. :p
 
One of the diversions that I've been on with this project is exploring some of the empty retail units using a deadpan aesthetic.. I suspect a lot of people can relate to this set when they walk around their local town centre

DSCF7154 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr

DSCF7160 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr

L1008347 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr

L1008346 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr

L1008343 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr

L1008339 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr

L1003396 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr

L1003133 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr
 
benc98 said:
One of the diversions that I've been on with this project is exploring some of the empty retail units using a deadpan aesthetic.. I suspect a lot of people can relate to this set when they walk around their local town centre

DSCF7154 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr

DSCF7160 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr

L1008347 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr

L1008346 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr

L1008343 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr

L1008339 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr

L1003396 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr

L1003133 by Ben Cremin, on Flickr
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I like this idea very much.
 
Fantastic project. Some very thought provoking images.
 
benc98 said:
It's been a long time since I've added to this project with any intention. On a semi regular basis I've popped into town and struggled to get going and come home without making a photo. Since the end of November, I've managed to find my stride gain. So these are some newish pictures..

1) View attachment 471190

2) View attachment 471191


3) View attachment 471192

4)

View attachment 471193

5) View attachment 471194

6) View attachment 471195
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I like those. I'm particularly drawn to 5 though. It's well spotted. I've got to go into town myself, this afternoon. I may well take a grungy film with me and experiment.
 
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You don't say but that looks like Swindon - if so it's run down a lot since we left, ten years ago. :(
 
Weirdly I haven't come across this thread before - interesting project.
Sad to see Debenhams behind the urban hoardings, I worked there for a short while, travelling daily from Bristol.
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
You don't say but that looks like Swindon - if so it's run down a lot since we left, ten years ago. :(
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Yes, Swindon. The town centre was struggling anyway, but particularly COVID accelerated things sadly. I don't think Swindon is unique like that, I don't think many town centres are surviving
gramps said:
Weirdly I haven't come across this thread before - interesting project.
Sad to see Debenhams behind the urban hoardings, I worked there for a short while, travelling daily from Bristol.
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Thanks Gramps. I'm not really sure what they're doing with it, builders are in and doing stuff. Last I heard, it was being turned into a self storage facility - such a waste. Lovely brutalist building..
 
benc98 said:
Thanks Gramps. I'm not really sure what they're doing with it, builders are in and doing stuff. Last I heard, it was being turned into a self storage facility - such a waste. Lovely brutalist building..
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The one in Bristol is temporarily a skatepark and coffee shop, nearby Bath I think is being re-developed but I'm not aware of any detail - the old department store age had passed by. :(
 
benc98 said:
Yes, Swindon. The town centre was struggling anyway, but particularly COVID accelerated things sadly. I don't think Swindon is unique like that, I don't think many town centres are surviving
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Exeter seems to be doing better than most, possibly due to the University, which appears to be bringing in a lot of money.

It's a shame about Swindon, We were in Cricklade for a few years, then moved into outer Swindon for several years more. I liked the place a lot but from your pictures, perhaps we got out before things started to fall. :(
 
benc98 said:
Yes, Swindon. The town centre was struggling anyway, but particularly COVID accelerated things sadly. I don't think Swindon is unique like that, I don't think many town centres are surviving
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Swindon is a very unusual case. The town is right between some wonderful towns and cities such as Cirencester and Bath that clearly do not show any signs of declining, probably the opposite. Brutalist architecture and planning may have a lot do with it, and council may be wise to do a major redevelopment project here
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Swindon is a very unusual case. The town is right between some wonderful towns and cities such as Cirencester and Bath that clearly do not show any signs of declining, probably the opposite. Brutalist architecture and planning may have a lot do with it, and council may be wise to do a major redevelopment project here
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Those are quite touristy and generally a bit nicer which helps. Swindon was always a local shopping hub for the nearby rural areas - you’d go there regularly for the weekly shop, etc.. and make a day of it.
Now, you wouldn’t even visit if you lived on the outskirts of town. I was in town yesterday and needed to pick up some sausages for dinner, there’s nowhere in the town centre to buy any! Apart from a tesco metro..
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
Exeter seems to be doing better than most, possibly due to the University, which appears to be bringing in a lot of money.

It's a shame about Swindon, We were in Cricklade for a few years, then moved into outer Swindon for several years more. I liked the place a lot but from your pictures, perhaps we got out before things started to fall. :(
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Were you here when they were constructing Regents Circus? An entertainment / retail hub where the college was, I think a £50m ish development. Well, ten years on.. all but one of the businesses have moved on and they plan on demolishing it next month..
 
benc98 said:
Were you here when they were constructing Regents Circus?
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We were there when they started clearing the college site. I have a vague memory that there was some dispute about the project but I don't remember anything more than that.
 
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