Monday 18 February 2008

Glory Days

My old chum Ian is a pretty talented photographer. He's just started uploading a load of shots taken at college onto Flickr, so I thought I'd highlight my favourites of the ones he's scanned in so far.

I don't think I've seen any of them before, and some of the occasions that they were taken are hard to pin down.

This first one was taken on a charity fund-raising day. I can't remember what it was for, and I don't remember the photo being taken, but I'm pretty sure that the bus was stationary at the time. I certainly didn't have the cojones to hang out of a moving double-decker Routemaster like that otherwise!

I remember that "sheepskin" coat though. A mid-1980s charity shop special. And very warm. Blimey, I was thin back then! Ah dear. Perhaps one day I will be again.

This next one is Phil at his drums. It sums him up perfectly. A drumming astronomer who was the most off-centre of all our gang at QMC.

The whole "1-stop overexposed" grainy look of the picture reminds me of Anton Corbijn's work - in the 1980s he was THE photographer to emulate, I guess. I don't know if Ian deliberately set-out to follow that style, but it works for me. Very evocative of the time and a stunning image.




Another great atmospheric portrait. Of Jon this time (he hasn't changed a bit - the lucky b****r!).

I'm glad of the poster behind him as it pins down the date to a one-month period in the 3 or 4 years we were at college. I guess the Rugby Club didn't invest a huge amount of money or effort into graphic design!

Thanks for the memories, Ian. I'm so glad to have seen these pictures.

7 comments:

jomoore said...

That picture of you is excellent - it seems to epitomise carefree college days, when you'd just borrow a bus and go off on an adventure!

"Son, you'll be a bachelor boy, until your dying day..."

Mima said...

Its a great photo of you, and interesting to see your younger days!

Anonymous said...

Pete

I think the first photo was taken whilst the bus was stopped at traffic lights. It was some kind of rag week stunt as far as I can remember. The sheepskin coat is not as bad as the selection of jumpers you are wearing in the other photos I have of you.

And I'm glad you like the photo of Phil, it's one of my favourites too. I don't think I'd heard of Anton whatshisname at the time, I was just trying to be arty

petercmoore said...

Jo - the lyrics to "Bachelor Boy" have a gay subtext which I'm not comfortable with!

Mima - thanks!

Ian - Jumpers, glasses, haircut. None of them are acceptable! Can't wait to see more blasts from the past!

jomoore said...

I went to look at Ian's Flickr, and, of course, the jumpers! With the big holes in the sleeves!

With jumpers like that, you never need worry about a gay subtext...

Chris said...

Aaahhhh!! The jumpers - the one knitted for you by your Nan!!!! Stretched to 6 times its normal size and with ENORMOUS holes in the elbows. I thought you'd probably get married in it!

D said...

Pete you look like you were auditioning for Summer Holiday with Cliff in that photo - great pictures by the way very atmospheric.