Ian Bramham's Photoblog
Manchester Ship Canal
Posted by Ian Bramham (Manchester, United Kingdom) on 24 September 2007 in Business & Industry and Portfolio.
I took this photo recently at around the time of sunrise, if there had been any sun that is!
This part of the Manchester Ship Canal on the edge of Salford Quays has been heavily industrialised for well over 100 years but is now slowly giving way to new museums, apartments and offices.
The weather was not at all unusual for this time of year in Manchester with overcast cloud and heavy but very fine rain that combined to form a mist that turned the whole scene into an impressionist painter's dream.
I hope that this photo conveys to you some of the other-worldy feel that I experienced that morning.
I went to Manchester Art Gallery again recently and they have on permanent exhibition the work of some of the early impressionist painters from the start of the 20th century. This painting here of Manchester by Adolf Valette from 1912 has some of the qualities of light that I have rather clumsily tried to portray in this photo - I think the weather on that day in 1912 was the same as now and typically Mancunian!
For purchasing high quality archival prints of any of these photos you can send me an email by clicking here or by going to MY NEW WEBSITE where prices are listed in the gallery sections under each individual photo.
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Links to the websites of other photographers whose work I love and who have all helped me enormously over a long period of time. I find the work of all 3 to be inspirational.
Xuan from Singapore
a very nice shot. i like the misty feeling at the background. the picture looks like as though it was taken in the 1890s.
24 Sep 2007 10:49am
@Xuan: Thanks Xuan for your comments on this photo and the other ones! - the canal was opened in the 1890s and I would guess that fundamentally this area hasn't changed that much since then. This area is now giving way to modern high rise apartments, offices and museums - in ten years time I guess it will look radically different.
@Lorraine: Thanks Lorraine - it felt like winter arrived suddenly in Manchester last week when it started raining and hasn't stopped since!
@Shutterbug: Thanks Shutterbug!
Brian from United States
I love images of industrial areas. I grew up on the NE coast of UK and this image reminds me of Teesport. It always seemed a magical place to me...
24 Sep 2007 1:46pm
@Brian: Thanks Brian - I'm pleased that you liked the photo!
MaryB from Staffordshire, United Kingdom
Another outstanding capture Ian, you have captured the atmosphere so beautifully!
24 Sep 2007 2:04pm
@MaryB: Thanks MaryB!
yiannis krikis from thessaloniki, Greece
I want to travel with this image - excellent b&w and excellent composition - bravo
24 Sep 2007 3:05pm
@yiannis krikis: thanks yiannis!
Nick Passantino from Bronx, United States
great black and white shot.. great tones ian. like this image a lot.
24 Sep 2007 4:59pm
@Nick Passantino: thanks Nick, I appreciate it.
@Shahab: thanks shahab!
@Michael: thanks Michael!
irvin from Czerwionka-Leszczyny, Poland
I like your picture Ian! It is so sad... The sadness of this photo is overwhelming... It's really stirring image. Great work!
24 Sep 2007 9:02pm
@irvin: Irvin - thank you for those kind words!
Steve from Hellam, United States
Interesting shot...I think the b&w treatment works really well here.
24 Sep 2007 9:48pm
@Steve: thanks Steve!
@LuisRodrigues: thanks Luis!
@Martine Lapointe: thanks Martine! - well I'm relieved that you do, in fact, feel its beautiful as its not a very obvious trait of this photo. I knew it is rather sombre too, but I was hoping that it wouldnt just be me who liked it.
@Josh: Thanks Josh!!
Nataly from Santa Monica, United States
Great image and great spot! You should revisit it ones in a while just to see how it changes with the wether and time.
8 Feb 2009 10:05pm
@Nataly: :-) Hi Nataly....it's just around the corner from where I work so I do revisit from time to time although there's a lot of building development going on there at the moment.
Fujifilm FinePix F31fd
1/150 second
F/2.8
ISO 200
8 mm