One of the best
purchases I have ever made, was my bicycle in 2018. To be honest I
haven't used it as much as I should have, until the lock down was
slightly adjusted to include unlimited exercise. I can't tell you how
much I am appreciating this extra time that we have been given.
Today I have been out
on my bike, with my “proper camera” for the first time this year.
The main purpose was to photograph an estate pub, but the sun was in
the wrong position, so I abandoned that plan. I did however, manage
to photograph The Midland Hotel, which is a pub near Cheltenham Spa
railway station. I have photographed this pub, many times before, but
last year the pub's exterior, was given a facelift which includes a
spectacular mural. You can find all kinds of murals around Cheltenham
and Gloucester, they really enhance the surroundings.
The Midland is slightly
difficult to photograph, because it is on a slant. I have always thought that the design of this pub, with it's set of steps in front, looks out of place in Cheltenham. It is the kind of architectural feature you would expect to find in somewhere like Bristol. I've noticed that
they have installed an ugly telegraph pole next to an equally
unattractive street lamp by the pub. Which brings me on to an
annoyance often associated with pub photography and photography in
general – street furniture, or clutter in other words.
“Picture” the
scene, the weather is great, you've travelled quite a distance to
photograph a subject, and you get in position. You spend a little
while trying to get the best composition (or in my case ages,
standing like a lemon until the conditions are right!) You take what
you believe are a great set of photographs, you travel home and
download the images from your camera. You are poised ready to start
editing the photos, when you notice the following items – huge
refuge bins or litter bins, lamp posts, telegraph poles with masses
of cables – in one case electricity pylons (I know they are not
street furniture, but they are still intrusive), and street signs
Many a glorious composition has been ruined with these unsightly
additions. Whilst it is true that I could always photograph the subject from a different position, the original one is more than often a better composition.
After I had finished photographing the Midland, I cycled along the Honeybourne cycle path which I haven't used in years, so all in all it was an enjoyable few hours in the sunshine.
The Midland Hotel in 2011
The Midland Hotel, May 2020
A close up of the mural
Note the clever way, in which
the artist has incorporated
the vent on the side of the building,
into the mural.
His signature is also incorporated.
There is some information about the mural, in the following link.
The Midland Hotel in 2017
The Midland Hotel May 2020
I did not want to publish this photo because of the recent addition of the telegraph pole,
but it gives you an example of my issues with unsightly street furniture.
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