Northern Spring

March 22, 2017March 21, 2017 / mikeosbornphoto / 4 Comments

It’s my first major shift of season since moving to Manchester. And yes, it turns out they experience Spring here in the north of England too. The mornings and evenings are getting lighter, and blooms are everywhere. I’ve found a spectacular show of flowers in a place a short walk from here in Castlefield.

St John’s Gardens is carpeted in a stunning show of daffodils and crocuses. This quiet spot is very close to the bustling thoroughfare of Deansgate in the handsome, imposing city centre. Armed with just my macro lens, this was irresistible…

Click first image to see the gallery

Manchester’s tall boy

December 4, 2016December 3, 2016 / mikeosbornphoto / 5 Comments

This slender chisel of a skyscraper dominates the Manchester skyline. It’s the city’s tallest building, a relative newcomer to the scene. The Beetham Tower is a constant reference point in my new home, perfectly framed in the living room window, steely during the day and twinkling with lights after dark. The temptation to photograph this architectural creation from a hundred angles is hard to resist…

Click first image to view this set

Cathedral of books

October 30, 2016October 29, 2016 / mikeosbornphoto / 24 Comments

This imposing building in the Deansgate area of central Manchester is the colour of dirty caramel. It sounds unprepossessing, but stands out among the sharp contemporary glass of its modern neighbours. But you have to venture inside the John Rylands Library to be truly impressed.

It was opened in 1900 as a memorial to Rylands by his wife, and its Gothic splendour is more in keeping with a place of worship. Stained glass, ornate stone columns and intricate woodwork make the library a reverential place to study and learn. It’s a building both flooded with light and full of dark, muted corners. I’ve captured my first architectural gem in this city…