Stripes

The new look entrance to the Victoria Centre. Nottingham's largest shopping centre.

The centre opened in the early 1970s on the site of a lovely old railway station that was shamefully pulled down. All that remains is the clock tower.

The 'Vicci centre' has recently gone through a large refit and revamp, but has controversially moved the iconic Emmet Clock to another part of the building. A quiet bit, where not many people see it.

Lines

The Broadmarsh Shopping Centre was built around 40 years ago and so is getting a little run down, especially with all the boarded up shops dotted around the two floors.

But plans are afoot for it to be dragged into the 21st century. There have actually been plans for it for years, but nothing has happened up to now.

While the frontage of the centre may look enticing, the rear part of the building less so.  It has been completely neglected. I can't even remember when it was last used. If it ever was. It certainly doesn't help that it's in an area that people don't really walk near. Only perhaps photographers, people up to no good and the homeless.

Still it makes a good urban decay subject, with lines, lines everywhere.

Shapes

This abstract photo is of a hotel in the city centre called the Ibis. It is quite an odd shaped building and has a big box on the roof, which I think is the restaurant.

The clear blue sky certainly shows off the white of the building.

Yellow Peril

A workman with a an artistic flair has made an interesting design to highlight some cracked an uneven concrete in a local multi-storey car park.

Lines And Shadows

Abstract of a staircase and wall of the Nottingham Contemporary.

Lines

They are certainly cracking on with the renovation of the railway station. The new roof has made the interior brighter and it casts some interesting shadows across the newly cleaned brickwork.

There's still a lot of work to do, and it will certainly be interesting to see what it looks like when it's finished. It seems ages since I walked into the booking office or used the platform, that I can't really remember what it looked like.

Abstract

A different view of the Nottingham Contemporary art gallery. A flawless blue sky for the middle of January must be quite something. I'm sure we must be in for some really bad weather sooner or later.

The Bridge Arriving At Platform One

Here's a shot of the new bridge that is slowly being constructed over Nottingham's railway station. It is for the new tram line and will join up with the existing tram stop, which you can see in the distance.

The railway station is going to be closing at the end of July for a whole month, as it is presently being renovated and they will be installing some new signals etc.  Buses are going to be laid on to take passengers to the Parkway station, where I was stuck there for a while last month. Here's a LINK to the story, if you want to read more.

Bricking It

I spent some time this afternoon sorting, cleaning and stacking hundreds of bricks that were removed from the house earlier in the week.

The plasterer came yesterday and spent all day giving us a new ceiling, filling in the gap between the two walls and other parts of the two rooms, that now are beginning to look like one.

I hope to have a couple of days off this week so I can paint the ceiling and varnish the floor. Just have to remember to use the pots the right way round and do the ceiling first!

The house is still in a topsy turvy state, as we've tried to cram six rooms full of stuff into four. We will be getting rid of some stuff either through Ebay or down to the charity shop. Some will be used in our new studio as props etc.

It's going to be a long journey, but at least the worst is over with. I'm not sure what I am going to be doing with these bricks yet. But they always come in handy for a garden project or two.

Shadow On My Wall

Not a lot to say about this photo. A wall, a tree and a great shadow. What more do you want?

Abstract Saturday

A bit of a colourful abstract today for a change. Something a little different for a cold Saturday.

If you are wondering what it is, and I am sure many of you are; well it's one of the painted concrete floors of a local multi-storey car park.

Lines

After so many events and places that we've been to over the past few weeks, I thought I would slow the mood down a touch with a little bit of street photography.

I haven't really done that much photography on the streets of Nottingham recently, even though I go out walking around the city centre every lunchtime. It's just that I don't really see anything that's worth taking. Or I'm just not quick enough.

But I did spot this girl propped up against the wall of the Contemporary arts centre, and thought it would make an interesting shot, with the various vertical and horizontal lines, with the mirrored effect of the girls' legs.