The street

July 23, 2015August 7, 2015 / mikeosbornphoto / 19 Comments

A little section of the Kent coast in south-east England has a magical little secret. At low tide off a beach in the charming resort of Whitstable, a shelf of pebbles slowly reveals itself, creating a pathway that leads out to sea. The urge to take a walk along ‘the street’ is irresistible, and visitors to this part of the seaside enjoy it in their droves.

It is a photographic gift to capture as it slowly grows and alters its shape. I was lucky enough to see it from a nearby beach house where friends exchanged their marriage vows, adding to a memorable occasion.

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Northern shores

May 24, 2015 / mikeosbornphoto / 15 Comments

This was far away from the hustle and bustle of London life. I travelled to Northumberland in the far north of England, a place blessed with beautiful coastline and the Farne Islands, which are the domain of bird life and seals. From the seaside village of Seahouses, you can take boat trips out into the North Sea, looking back at the commanding citadel of Bamburgh Castle and getting close to the islets crowded with wildlife.

The sun stubbornly refused to show itself that day, meaning light pastel skies and rolling clouds. Photography from a boat riding a choppy ocean caused some problems – and admittedly a little biliousness. Back on dry land, the sands at Bamburgh were dotted with walkers enjoying the open spaces of a magnificent corner of the country.

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Tyneside on mute

May 4, 2015 / mikeosbornphoto / 16 Comments

Don’t be fooled by the brash, cheerful red of the phone booth at Tynemouth on the north-east coast of England. It was a dank and overcast day, too wet for photography at first.

This is a place where Newcastle’s River Tyne flows into the North Sea, and is marked by piers and lighthouses on both sides. Against a misty, grey sky it cuts a dramatic sight with the muted captures holding their own strength. Meanwhile, the only colour came from a series of tokens and tributes tied to the railings near North Pier.

A little further up the coast lies Whitley Bay, a slightly faded seaside resort. Towards the end of the day, some light was breaking through, acting as a backdrop to coastal street furniture and a few hardy walkers.

When I go back, I hope to see this area basking in summer sunshine and beaming under a cobalt blue sky.

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Tale of two cities

April 19, 2015June 29, 2023 / mikeosbornphoto / 9 Comments

This is a glimpse of a city that has truly changed since my last stay 18 years ago. Newcastle upon Tyne’s southern neighbour Gateshead is now a clutch of bright, shiny new buildings, including the Sage concert hall and Millennium Bridge linking to its more established counterpart. Meanwhile, the Baltic – an old flour mill – has been converted into a contemporary art gallery.

Newcastle city centre is handsome, majestic and at times austere in the unforgiving climate of north-east England. At its ancient heart is a sturdy castle keep and some flights of steep, precarious steps. Enjoy the whistle-stop tour of a city divided by time and a great river.

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: Millennium Bridge

: Old city walls

: Back of the Baltic Mill art gallery

: Monument Metro sign

: Metal installation, Gateshead

: Sage Gateshead

: Castle keep

: Graffiti art, Gateshead

: Tyneside factory

: Stairwell, Baltic Mill

: Millennium Bridge

: Street signage, old Newcastle

: Bridges across the Tyne

: Old stairway

: Sage Gateshead

Norwich nostalgia

March 15, 2015 / mikeosbornphoto / 15 Comments

It took just a two-hour train journey from London to be whisked back years. I lived in Norwich, an ancient and important city in eastern England, from 1992-9. It was both family home and the place where I studied at the University of East Anglia.

This time I was armed with my camera to see its crowning glory, the cathedral. My feet remembered where to go, from the pretty lanes including Elm Hill, and to lunch at an unchanged old haunt, The Waffle House. The banana milkshakes were still deliciously rich, and the same guy still works there.

The UEA’s campus, a bold cluster of concrete set beside a lake, couldn’t be more different from the ancient city centre. It felt nostalgically familiar, but the current students weren’t even born when I was one of them. Sometimes going back can be a bad idea, but this was a happy retread.