Great Manchester Interiors
When we think of Manchester, we often conjure images of its iconic football clubs, rich industrial heritage, and lively music scene. Yet, one of the lesser-discussed charms of this city lies in its breathtaking interiors. Whether it’s the intricate detailing of a historic building or the modern elegance of a chic cafe, there’s no shortage of interior design marvels here. Join me as I take you through some of my favourite interior spaces in Manchester:
- Corn Exchange – Originally a hub for traders, this Grade II-listed building boasts a beautiful Edwardian Baroque style. Its grand atrium, ornate domes, and detailed facades provide a wealth of photographic opportunities. The myriad restaurants and cafes also make it an excellent spot to relax and soak in the ambiance.
- Manchester Cathedral – This iconic structure, dating back to the 15th century, is a prime example of Gothic architecture. The intricate woodwork, vaulted ceilings, and stunning stained-glass windows create an ethereal atmosphere, making it a must-visit for anyone seeking architectural splendour.
- Central Library – A blend of the neoclassical and the modern, Manchester’s Central Library is both grand and inviting. The domed reading room, in particular, is a sight to behold with its detailed plasterwork and expansive space.
- Barton Arcade – An elegant Victorian arcade with a rich history, its wrought iron and glass roof offers a unique perspective for photographers. The blend of boutique stores, vintage aesthetics, and modern touches create a delightful juxtaposition.
- Hello at Circle Square – A modern space brimming with innovation. This co-working hub’s design is sleek, vibrant, and radiates an aura of creativity. The strategic use of lighting, open spaces, and greenery make it a pleasure to photograph.
- John Rylands Library – A neo-Gothic masterpiece, this library is an ode to the opulence of the Victorian era. With its intricate stone carvings, stained-glass windows, and the historical reading room, it’s a location that transports you back in time.
- Deansgate Square lobby – Synonymous with luxury and modern design, the lobby at Deansgate Square boasts polished surfaces, gleaming lights, and a mix of organic and geometric patterns. The perfect spot for those who love capturing the essence of contemporary living.
- Arndale – While primarily known as a shopping centre, Arndale’s interiors, with its vast, airy spaces and contemporary design elements, offer a unique snapshot of modern Manchester life.
- Victoria Station – A testament to Manchester’s industrial past, Victoria Station beautifully marries its historic features with modern amenities. The restored Minton tiles and the vast ironwork of its roof make it a visual delight.
- Trafford Centre – More than just a shopping destination, the Trafford Centre’s design is an eclectic mix of Romanesque columns, Egyptian halls, and European boulevards. Each section offers a distinct flavour, making it a photographer’s playground.
In conclusion, Manchester’s interior spaces are as diverse and rich as its history and culture. From the historical to the contemporary, each space tells a story, waiting to be captured through the lens. Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or just someone who appreciates beauty, the interiors of Manchester promise an enriching experience.
Best of Manchester
I’ve been photographing Manchester for the last 10 years and this is a compilation gallery of all the best photos captured throughout this time. Organized by popular locations. I’ll frequently update it with new hot spots to keep it fresh as much as possible.
Places to see 2022 springtime
1. Edenfield
Last year a friend of mine told me about this place and I’ve been coming here ever since. You start the walk from the main road and climb your way up towards Darden Wood until you hear the waterfall. Simply follow the sound to find it. After that, you can continue to climb along the river or stick to the main path. If you don’t look for adventure and choose the latter it will be much easier as this footpath is well maintained. Either way, if you keep walking you’ll reach “High Scout Moor Reservoir” but the water area isn’t accessible to the public.
2. Clifton Country Park – Easiest way to access this location is via junction 16 of the M60 motorway. It’s a great walk around woodland, river, lakes with wooden sculptures trail with full-size Gruffalo. It is also a place of industrial heritage where we can find remains of old cold mine.
3. Healey Dell Nature Reserve – One of my favorite places to visit in Rochdale, especially during spring or autumn. For me, taking pictures of the waterfall is always the main focus when I get there.
4. Peel Tower – If you looking to get a good view of the Manchester skyline and you don’t mind bare looking Holocombie Hill this place is definitely worth checking out.
5. Derwent Reservoir – For those who are looking for a stroll around the reservoir and are willing to travel to the heart of Peak District I would highly recommend visiting Derwent Dam. Also, while you there you could also check out Lady Bower Reservoir as it’s very close and also a very beautiful area.
6. Philips Park, Prestwich – Located in North of Manchester in recently called one of the best places to live Prestwich area and for very good reason. This park is one of the largest, rich in wildlife with plenty of footpaths through the woodlands and grassland. The area also has many mountain bike routes if you’re into this sort of activities.
7. Dovestones – Eventhough this place gets very busy, especially weekends I still love to going back there. It’s very easy to access via Greenfield village and it offers plenty of hiking trails with stunning views aross Peak District.
8. Naden Vallery – I first visited this place two years ago. This area’s natural beauty and incredible vistas always make me come back at least a few times a year.
Esport photography at Pixel Bar Manchester
I’ve paid close attention to the esport growth since its inception. The success of esports in recent years is mainly due to the social aspect of live-streaming and gaming in general. It allows players to interact at game-specific online platforms such as Twitch TV or Youtube Gaming. It gives fans a direct connection to players and teams.
When photography became my passion, I looked to get involved in esports events here in Manchester. The first event I covered was at Koyo Lounge, followed by a tournament called “King of the North” organized by Manchester student organization.
As a big esports fan myself I was very happy then Sam, team owner of “Into the Breach” reached out to me and asked if I could produce content for his team at boot camp organized at video games bar; Pixel, located at Northern Quarter in Manchester. We start the day by recording players’ intros, interviews, headshots followed by a scrims session where I watch them compete at the highest level against other pro teams. Day ended with a watch party of the ongoing tournament, IEM Katowice.
Here is the highlight video from the day as well as some of my favourite shots.
Salford Quays walk during the fog
Those of you who have followed my work know I absolutely love photographing foggy scenes. Whether it’s a moody forest or urban city, it doesn’t matter; I’m super drawn to be out there shooting in these rare conditions. My wife laughs at me when I’m constantly checking several apps on my phone, trying to predict the weather in the UK. Even though I have plenty of photos around Manchester city centre, I have never seen Salford Quays shrouded in fog. I always thought this area would look very good with its glowy bridges and beautifully lit up architecture but up until now, I didn’t have a chance to photograph it.
Here are some of my favourite photos taken that evening:
Magic hour in Cheshire
At the beginning of the summer I was given an assignment from prominate estate agent to create blue hour, long exposure style images of some most popular villages in Cheshire. Idea was to look for a perfect moments during twilight hour and capture still present natural light and combine it with artificial lights of streets along with passing traffic. This project gave me a great opportunity to explore Cheshire a little bit more and I had a lot of fun doing so.
Alderley Edge – This village is located at the base of sandstone escarpment that separates two relatively level areas with different elevation. It’s also where you can snapp one of the best skyline photos of Manchester or simply come to watch a spectacular sunsets. This village is also part of Cheshire’s “golden triangle” where most expensive houses and designer shops are located. Unfortunately I spent the least amount of time capturing Alderley Edge but despite the project is now complete I’m planning to return on my own volition to get a few more pictures of this village.
Prestbury – Most of the buildings in the center of the village are painted white therefore it contrasted very well with the blue color of the twilight sky. I was also very lucky in terms of the weather. Very little cloud cover enabled me to shoot for much longer and gave me plenty of time to carefully choose my compositions.
Bramhall – Next on the list was Bramhall. Upon visiting this location a had a chance to check out famous timber-framed, 14th century Town Hall building located in parkland area with lakes, woodland and gardens. It mostly serves as a museum these days. Hopefully I’ll be able to explore it from inside once renovation work is complete. After that I head off to the center of the village to capture a few long exposure shots during the dusk.
Wilmslow -Part of previously mentioned “golden triangle” and probably biggest of all visited places during this project. However the town was quite empty perhaps due to ongoing school holidays. I had to wait quite a bit for cars to pass by in order to capture the light trail images I came here to do.
Nantwich – Last place I visited was this lovely village located furthest south of them all. This time I arrived during golden hour and the weather once again didn’t disappoint and treated me to a stunning sunset. I met many friendly people who stopped by my tripod and asked me questions about what I was doing and seemed genuinely interested when I explained what the assignment was about.
For the first time in my life I gotta do what I truly love. Photography and travel is a dream that hopefully will come true one day.
5 Essential techniques for stunning interior real estate photography
As a professional property photographer and editor, I have learned the importance of taking extra time to ensure that each photo is polished and beautiful. While it’s easy to rely on automatic HDR blending software to get the job done, careful attention to detail can make a significant difference in the final result. In this post, I’ll share some of the techniques I use to make sure my property photos stand out from the competition.
- Flambient technique – This is a technique I’ve developed that involves blending ambient exposure with multiple flash strobes. It allows me to control the colors, shadows, and highlights in each interior space I photograph, creating a distinctive 3D look. While it does take more time to shoot and edit images using this technique, it makes a world of difference compared to the standard HDR used in real estate photography.
2. Whitening ceilings – Ceilings can often be overlooked in property photography, but it’s important to make sure they look bright and clean. In post-production, I carefully whiten the ceilings to make sure they look their best without appearing unrealistic.
3. Consistent colors – It’s crucial to ensure that every image has consistent colors across the entire space. Yellow corners or dirty-looking furniture can be a major distraction. I always equalize colors without making the image look washed out or de-saturated.
4. Perfect windows – One of the benefits of property photography is being able to showcase the beauty of both the interior and exterior spaces. To do this, I make sure to take care of the important detail of ensuring that the scenery outside the window looks stunning. When necessary, I replace the sky to achieve this.
5. Fixing TV reflections – Reflections on TV screens can be very distracting in property photos. To clean up the image and make it more appealing to the eye, I fix these reflections in post-production.
By focusing on these important details, I’m able to produce property photos that truly shine and stand out from the competition.
Please view my portfolio and let me know what you think either on comments below or drop me a line at my social media.
Another 8 Manchester skyline photo locations
Last year I created a little guide with top hill views. I was thrilled and extremely grateful when “The Manc” published story based on my post. This bit of recognition encourage me to explore even more in order to find better locations than in my previous post. It felt so good when people had written or said to me that my work inspired them to get out more or that I helped them to become better photographers. This is why I kept looking for new places to go and what led me to find another 8 Manchester skyline photo sports.
1. Merton avenue playing fields – I spent most of last year looking for the best place to capture cityscape of Manchester. I have found a few interesting locations that led me to create my top 7 best hilltop spots described in my previous post. At that time however I was not aware about one spot that instantly became my favorite. This place is not only great for capturing amazing skyline photos but also nice for portrait shoots or even an engagement session especially for those who enjoy playing football.
2. Scout Moor wind farm – It is the second largest on shore green energy provider in England. Supplies electricity to 40 000 homes across Manchester. It’s a perfect place to cycle on a mountain bike or simply to walk around to enjoy a good view of the city. Most of the presented images are captured with a telephoto lens at about 200mm.
3. Heaton park – It was the first park where I was taken by my friend when I arrived in Manchester all those years ago. I immediately fell in love with this place and I even moved my house to be closer to it. You can get really good shots of the town from the Temple area located at the north side of the park.
4. Tandle Hill – This place is not only a perfect spot for snapping the great cityscape of Manchester but also a great to have quality time with your family at one of nearby picnic areas or a unique playground with a sand pit and long slide for kids.
5. Snake pass – It a gateway road to Peak District National park some of the best areas such as Derwent Dam or Ladybower Reservoir. It is one of most picturesque roads to drive though that offers some stunning views including this perfect sport for cityscape. You are going to need at least a 100mm lens to enjoy this view.
6. The Edge at Alderley Edge – As I was scouting for my new assignment I found this great place at Alderley Edge with a unique perspective on Manchester skyline. Unlike other locations recently visited this one offers a very clean foreground full of greenery perfectly highlighted with setting sun and Scout Moor wind farm visible in the background. I will definitely be going back there for sunrise photos in the near future.
7. Greenbooth Reservoir – One of best walks you can find and very underrated with great views over the city with only one caveat… There are power lines obstructing the view of the city but it is possible to climb a bit higher on the north side to get a clean shot.
8. River Irwell and Pomona
If you have never walked along River Irwell from Manchester to Salford quays or you are just going to visit Manchester there are certainly some of the best views on the city skyline worth checking out. Although you’re never gonna get a good view of the entire city due to low altitude like you could have with spots mentioned earlier, I decided to include this location nonetheless because it’s such a good walk for anyone who is visiting town or those who are not aware of this walk. Best way you can enter on the path is either from Lowry hotel or the cross of Trinity way and Regent road. You can get both reflections on the river as well as for those who enjoy long exposure photography as much as I do there are metrolink trams constantly passing by leaving plenty of light to capture.
Snake Woodlands - Peak District
We are truly blessed to be living in Manchester when the weather is right. 1h drive and we have a beautiful Peak District national park to explore. 1h drive other way and we can bask at the sea side. Who needs holidays abroad? This time I went to what is probably one of the best walks in the entire Peak District; Snake woodlands. I spend half of the day enjoying the nature and beauty this area can offer. I fully recommend visiting this place if you haven’t already!
Alderley Edge viewpoint
As I was scouting for my new assignment I found this great place at Alderley Edge with a unique perspective on Manchester skyline. Unlike other locations recently visited this one offers a very clean foreground full of greenery perfectly highlighted with setting sun and my favorite Scout Moore windfarm visible in the background. I will definitely be going back there for sunrise photos in near future.
Here are a few photos taken during my short visit.
