Cromer: Norfolk’s seaside gem

October 9, 2022October 9, 2022 / mikeosbornphoto / 4 Comments

Cromer is an English seaside town perched on the edge of the Norfolk coast. It’s traditional, picturesque and holds a lot of personal memories. Enjoy the photographs and read more below

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This was my first visit to Cromer in 25 years. I completed my initial stint as a fledgling newspaper reporter in the town. It was a time of new experiences, including a first significant relationship.

Cromer felt essentially unchanged, with its iconic pier at the centre of things. It was thronged with holidaymakers, relaxing with ice-creams and munching on freshly fried fish and chips.

Back in the late 1990s I wasn’t a habitual photographer, but this time was struck by the beauty of Cromer’s location. The wide stretch of coast that glimmered with gold at dusk, and the rows of candy-striped beach huts.

The town’s architecture is richly-coloured with turreted Victorian houses and full of the detail I maybe didn’t notice the first time around.

Cromer is a long way from Manchester and north-west England’s Irish sea coast but was worth the trip. Nostalgia and fresh eyes can often work hand in hand.

Have you gone back to a memorable place years later? Tell us about it in the comments section below!

Morecambe: Blue and white

September 4, 2022September 5, 2022 / mikeosbornphoto / 7 Comments

When summer comes to the UK, you have to visit the coast. On a sunny day recently, I took a train from Manchester to Morecambe, a Lancashire seaside resort.

Have a look at the photographs, then read more below and let me know your impressions of Morecambe.

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The town sits on the edge of Morecambe Bay, a sweeping arm of the Irish Sea that stretches to neighbouring Cumbria.

This coastal setting is a pleasure to wander around – even when the sunshine is accompanied by a brisk, chilly breeze! I also explored the town’s West End area, where some of the buildings could use a little tender loving care.

But my favourite piece of architecture by far is the Midland Hotel, an Art Deco gem opened in 1933 and reopened in 2008. Curvy, elegant and whitewashed, it’s hard to ignore.

The standout Midland, along with fluffy clouds peppering a blue sky, seemed to be inescapably attractive that day.

Do you ever come home with a set of photographs where there is a distinct colour scheme?

The gleaming white Art Deco Midland Hotel in Morecambe against a blue sky

The Midland Hotel gleaming against a blue sky

Whitstable portrait

November 24, 2013November 24, 2013 / mikeosbornphoto / 14 Comments

I spent a memorable day in the Kent coastal town of Whitstable recently. It was a cold but wonderfully bright, sunny day while the sea was tempestuous and invigorating.

This seaside resort basks in glory compared to many around Britain’s coast. It has many regular London visitors who enjoy the rustic pebbled beaches, a pretty town studded with independent shops, not to mention its oysters and seafood.

It feels alive but with an old charm, and no air of neglect and sadness like its rival to the east, Margate.

It was a beautiful day for photography, with the powerful sea, details of seaside architecture and the beachside providing rich food for the camera.

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