Natural wonders

Salford spectacle

/ mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

The time after Christmas and before New Year is a strange void. One of my greatest desires is to escape the house and the excesses of the festive season with a nice brisk walk.

On this particular afternoon I crossed the canal into Salford, Manchester’s twin city. I wanted to visit a hydraulic platform depot, where a whole family of ‘cherrypickers’ sit tall, glancing up at the sky.

And then the sun began its downward journey. Before long, it was filled with a blazing splash of scarlet clouds and gave the machinery a breathtaking backdrop. The nearby Bridgewater Canal became a golden bath.

The sunset on Sunday 29 December was witnessed by many people in Manchester and beyond. It made a simple leg-stretching exercise worthwhile and very memorable indeed.

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2019 in 12 photographs

/ mikeosbornphoto / 10 Comments

Another year is drawing to a close, and there’s just enough time to glance back at 2019.

The year until October was dominated by travel, experiencing new places and creating new memories. The latter segment of 2019 has been about reconnecting with my neighbourhood and city of Manchester.

These photographs – just one for each month – distill the essence of each location and take me right back to that place, whether it’s on top of a Namibian sand dune, experiencing a magic Icelandic snowfall in May, or right here in Manchester.

It’s time to herald 2020 and wish you all a very healthy and Happy New Year.

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Manchester dusk

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Winter is coming to the north of England and the light begins to fade before 4pm.

One afternoon, sitting at my desk at home in Manchester, I glanced out of the window to see a fading, red and beautiful light.

I grabbed my camera and went out, walking along the Bridgewater Canal towpath that stretches from my neighbourhood of Castlefield to Pomona.

It was cold and the water was coal black and still, creating delicious reflections. Tracing back my steps, I looked around and was blessed with a rich urban sunset.

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A year of travel

/ mikeosbornphoto / 10 Comments

It was a big decision taking a year out to spend travelling. Those 12 months passed very quickly and I’ve had time to take stock of places visited, people met and what’s next.

I came back with a lot of photographs and set myself the task of choosing one image to sum up every trip and country. They’re images I’m proud to have captured, but also are the most evocative of each place. It’s sometimes a strong personal memory, other times a striking impression.

The journey hasn’t finished for me. Travelling has sparked a desire to see more of the world and change my life.

Please share your memories of travel, particularly the ones that have stayed with you forever.

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Dead Sea shores

/ mikeosbornphoto / 4 Comments

A stark, arid landscape. Temperatures of 45°C. And a body of water that’s like a warm bath. Doesn’t sound appealing?

Well you’d be surprised. I had a week of relaxation on Israel’s Dead Sea coast at the small resort of Ein Bokek, and it was a haven for many holidaymakers.

The water is saline-rich and packed with minerals, so floating around in it aimlessly is a popular pastime. Piling on pounds of black Dead Sea mud and leaving it there until it bakes is another way to occupy the hours.

The hazy blue hues of this strange environment are entrancing, while I enjoyed the stark architecture of the sprinkling of big hotels. The calm reflections of the water and bathers drifting around in the brine just cried out to be captured. 

Go beneath the gallery to read a cautionary tale for travellers

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Departing from Israel via Tel Aviv airport is an unnerving experience. Before you queue up at the check-in desks, there is a line of security officers, and I wasn’t prepared for at least half an hour of questions about why I’d been in the country and what I’d been doing.

The grilling became increasingly awkward and stressful. Why had I only visited the Dead Sea? Why did I have to alter my flight? Do you have the receipt for that? It felt very intrusive for someone who had innocently been relaxing by a salty pool. Three officials later and almost losing my cool, my suitcase was tagged and I was relieved to be on my way.

Only back at home did I discover the card slipped into my case which informed me it had been manually searched after check-in, which did nothing to reduce my sense of unease.

I set about doing some research and found out that it’s not uncommon to face quite tough security questioning on departure from Tel Aviv airport. As a lone male I was of immediate interest. Also, the ‘interrogation’ is a way of measuring an adverse or suspicious reaction. In my case they noticed a trembling hand and wondered if I’d seen a doctor for treatment!

Israel considers this a good method to ensure aircraft leaving its airspace are safe and is unlikely to change. It’s best to be forewarned and keep calm during the process. However, it did nothing to make me feel valued as a visitor to the country. I maintain that I won’t go there again.