Faces in a Crowd

On Tuesday, Country Mouse (me) went to the Big City (Newcastle). Big cities are busy, full of life, of people. And that’s why I was there. A friend in my fairly-newly-joined photographic club had offered to take me in hand, get me over my diffidence in photographing people I don’t know, and communicate as well his affection for black-and-white photography. Newcastle was the place to go.

We started in the station. We walked along the banks of the Tyne. We criss-crossed several of the seven – yes seven – bridges spanning the river between Newcastle and Gateshead. The shots we took there are for another day.

We took pictures of bridges, buildings, windows, shadows, gulls, pigeons, statues, rotting wood, city swank and urban decay. And we took shots of people click on any image to see it full-size.

Man meets sheep
The two of us take our last shot of the day -reflected in a shop window.

It occurred to me that I might get away with offering these for John’s Lens Artists Challenge: Faces in a Crowd.

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Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

66 thoughts on “Faces in a Crowd”

  2. You might just get away with it. Charmingly, as you always do. I love Man meets sheep! And I love Newcastle and ALL it’s bridges. Such a bustly, busy city on the water. I don’t recognise the Urban Garden, but then, it’s a good few years since I was there. Newcastle friends came to Ushaw Hall in Durham to meet me this trip and that was a grand day out. Thank goodness for your friend. I thought, initially, that he he was the smiling face at the Keep! And Sarah was somewhere in the crowd?

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    1. The Urban Garden is just a summer holidays thing, and a lot of fun too. I love Newcastle. If work had come up there, I’d have gone like a shot. No, my friend was only in the last shot, as I was. Haha! We saw Sarah in Ripon on Sunday, but she’s safely in London now.

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  6. Lovely selection of Newcastle folk. I understand the reluctance to take photos of strangers and, indeed, some may get quite hostile nowadays. I know someone who always asks, first, if they may take a photo but then, of course, all spontaneity is lost!

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    2. On other matters, Rebecca, I simply can’t comment on your own recent post. This was my comment: ‘Here in the UK, we barely have a perspective. South American politics only tended to be reported when the likes of Pinochet were in the frame. Any relationship between North and South America is a closed book to us – or to the general public anyway. I rely on you do offer me some insights.’

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      1. Margaret, that’s an excellent comment. I encourage you to post it. In the US when I talk about US intervention in Latin America people are both shocked and skeptical! That is part of my mission of Fake Flamenco, to get this news out there because it’s rarely discussed in the news.

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      2. I’ve tried to post it five times, Rebecca. I’ve tried logging out – all the things you do when computers (and WP) play up, but nothing’s working. I have a Canadian blogging pal whom I have the same problems with, though she doesn’t have them with my blog. Keep on keeping on keeping us informed please!

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  14. I love Newcastle! We visited there a few years ago and had a wonderful time meandering through the streets and visiting the churches and the Newcastle Castle, the medieval fortification in Newcastle upon Tyne. Thank you for taking me back with you to Newcastle. Did you meet up with Vera?

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  15. Wonderful captures of people in B&W version, Margaret! Looks like you had a wonderful time in this busy city. I, too, love the Man meets sheep image.

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  16. Well, that was quite the success! Great B&W shots and of people too 😀 My favourites are the man at the Castle Keep and the man with the sheep, followed by the drink by the Tyne. I’ll look forward to seeing your other shots from that day too. Did you shoot in B&W or did you use colour and edit after, as I prefer to do?

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    1. My friend is a great user of b/w – in fact the camera he took that day only does b/w. He said that in order for me to really understand what works for b/w, that’s what I should use at least at first. And I certainly began to have insights into that. One or two I did in both, and preferred the b/w version!

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      1. I find that even when I know a shot will work best in B&W I still prefer these days to shoot in colour as it gives me more options in the edit. It’s easier to adjust tone and structure if the original is in colour imho. I’ve never heard of a camera that can only shoot B&W!

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      2. Well, you have now! It’s a Leica. I will follow your example, I’m sure. But while I’m new to it, I think I’ll stick with it. My camera is easy enough to switch if I really want to use colour.

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