My few days in Liverpool back in April were very contrasting. My first day down on the historic waterfront was grey, windy and (at times) wet. My plan was to take a ride on the Mersey Ferry, but the river looked so choppy I quickly dismissed this idea out of hand - that could wait for another day! Instead I used the architecture of the Museum of Liverpool and the Royal Albert Dock as my base - somewhere I could escape the wind and rain as necessary.
Inside the Museum I was immediately advised that I wasn’t permitted to use the tripod I was clutching as I was blown through the entrance by a strong gust of wind. Of course gat wasn’t going to stop me at least trying to take pinhole photos inside this eye catching building! Stealth tripod use in the face of security guards who say they’re banned is a challenge I enjoy, so first shot was taken in plain sight in the lobby downstairs, with my tripod kept low, between my knees, with the camera facing directly upwards. As a I suspected, no one noticed me and I was able to capture the concentric shapes of the roof light above me.
Upon the top floor I tried again, this time with my large format camera, using the large panoramic window to frame the Port of Liverpool and Liver Buildings. Again, no one tried to stop me and by the time a member of music staff came into the room I had all but packed up my tripod again in readiness to leave.
By the time I left the museum the rain had passed so I took the opportunity to catch this view, looking back towards the window I’d just been looking through, before heading off to explore the Royal Albert Docks.
Using the different height pinholes on my Ondu 6x6 Rise camera gave me opportunities to frame some of my images in a different way - in this case using a high viewpoint to frame the view across the water with the arches.
By the time I took this photo the light was beginning to fade, lengthening the time my shutter needed to be open, allowing for some movement in the boats bobbing on the water.
Bicycle and fairy lights…
Photos taken 16 April 2025