2014 moments #8

January 2, 2015 / mikeosbornphoto / 9 Comments

I would like to share my 10 most memorable photographs of the past year over the coming days with you. These are shots that I am particularly proud of, while each evokes a sense of place and meaning from 2014.

LONER IN THE GALLERY

This is a glimpse into one of London’s grand, stately homes – a dazzling Gothic pile called Strawberry Hill House. It’s a photograph that captures the sumptuous architecture of it gallery and the order of a row of chairs set out at the end of this room. The surprise – which I didn’t notice when taking the shot – is the shoes of a volunteer guide on the right hand side, seated for a moment between visitors.

The oldest in the world

September 15, 2013 / mikeosbornphoto / 16 Comments

This is the story of a return trip to Essex, the county in eastern England where I was born and grew up.

It was just Mum and I, her trusty little car and a sudden moment of inspiration from me. I remembered a slim guide book tucked away in a drawer about a small church somewhere in the middle of the county. This building laid claim to being the oldest wooden church in the world.

So we drove to Greensted, little more than a clutch of houses and the church, a small building with a boarded spire. We had the place to ourselves, a dark and hushed interior warmed by the light from exquisite stained glass windows. Its neat pews come with wooden entrance doors, and I spotted an intriguing peephole.

The solid timbers of the nave date back to the 11th century. They were shortened during a Victorian restoration, but seem impervious to the elements. Greensted Church may have had additions, restorations and upgrades down the years, but without its claim to fame, this is a real gem of a place.

Click first image to launch the gallery

Derry’s striking murals

November 26, 2012March 28, 2016 / mikeosbornphoto / 5 Comments

The city of Derry (sometimes referred to as Londonderry) in Northern Ireland is a far-flung corner of the United Kingdom, very close to the border with the Republic of Ireland. It has endured a troubled recent history, which you can still see today in its stark political murals. The cluster painted on the walls of the city’s Bogside area document Irish nationalism and its struggles.

The famous “You are now entering Free Derry” slogan is on the surviving end wall of a house and has been painted dozens of times. It was even turned pink for a recent gay pride.

Others feature nationalist politician Bernadette Devlin and even Che Guevara complete with his Irish birth surname Lynch. While this wall art is now a tourist attraction, its careful preservation reflects a difficult history which is really not so far away.