Liverpool Photography Workshop - November 2022

I'd been looking forward to photographing Liverpool for quite some time before we finally headed west in late autumn 2022. It's a city with a rich cultural heritage and those famous docks and waterways were sure to provide plenty of interest. The last time I was here was 25 years ago, as a music mad teenager visiting the Beatles sights on a Magical Mystery Tour. I remembered how exciting and enchanting a walk around Albert Dock and the Strand could be, and now, even as I approach the ripe old age of 40, the excitement levels were at full tilt as we arrived in the city. 

And arriving wasn't the easiest of tasks due to RMT train strikes taking place across the country. We'd had trains booked for months, but plans were scuppered at the last minute and travelling by road became the best option. Luckily enough, the minibus was in good shape and ready to go, and we had Steve Bailey's Land Rover helping out too. Steve is a born and bred Liverpudlian and his local knowledge was hugely appreciated. You can see more of Steve's work here... https://www.photomeritics.co.uk

Upon arrival, we headed straight for the water and spent the afternoon shooting the area around the Liver Building and Albert Dock. By sheer coincidence, we'd timed out trip to coincide with the last night of River Of Light , a creative light show featuring installations that illuminated this part of town. The weather was (typically) showery, but we did manage to capture a fleeting sunset  that lasted around 10 minutes before being enveloped by thick cloud. Some of the very best moments came a short while later at twilight, as the sky turned to a wonderful inky blue providing a beautiful contrast to the vibrant artificial lighting. We continued shooting into the night, before heading to a fabulous Italian Restaurant Riva Blu for a well deserved meal. 

The following morning began with an early rise for the ferry to Seacombe and views back across the Mersey to the city skyline. It's a cracking viewpoint, but with little in the way of sunlight we opted for long exposures to add movement to the frame. The crossing itself is a fun experience and it only takes a matter of minutes. The views are fantastic and as an avid football fan it was great to see the new Everton stadium being built at Bramley Moore Dock. Upon returning to the city, Steve's local knowledge came in handy once again as he took us to the excellent Rococo Coffee House for a fantastic breakfast (highly recommended)! 

Feeling fully refreshed, we headed to the Cultural Quarter via a stroll through Mathew Street and the famous Cavern Club. A little further along, some of our favourite images were taken at the Central Library on William Brown Street which features a fabulous staircase and the Picton Reading Room, an amazing circular dome topped building that is jam packed with books galore. It really is a spectacular place.

With rain forecast and the prospect of long traffic jams due to the rail disruption, we had time for one final destination before hitting the road. There are two beautiful and vastly different Cathedrals in Liverpool, the Anglican and the R.C Metropolitan. We opted for the futuristic appearance of the Metropolitan and continued on the theme of black and white long exposures. The wind direction and cloud coverage gave us the perfect conditions to create streaks of movement across the late afternoon sky. As the rain began to lash down we decided to pack away our gear make our way home. Heading to the car park the Anglican Cathedral came into view, shrouded in rain clouds and giving us a tantalising glimpse of a location that we didn't quite get to shoot, reminding us that there is much more to be discovered in Liverpool. I've no doubt that we will be back...in fact I've already planned a return trip for 2023! (See below)

I'd like to thank Janice, Steve, Joe, Chris, Carol, Rashmi, Margaret and Debbie for joining us on this one. The company was excellent and I'm looking forward to seeing your work.

If you would like to join me in Liverpool next year you can find info here... JOIN ME IN LIVERPOOL 2023