Chance Meeting

A few weeks ago, I was feeling restless so decided to jump on the train and head to Liverpool for the afternoon. Standing in the Walker Art Gallery looking at this painting, the back of the woman's head in the right hand side of this photo caught my eye. It was familiar. I edged sideways to get a glimpse of her face. To my surprise/horror it was a matronly native French woman whom I'd lost to in a crazy golf tournament in Nimes in June last year. A woman I'd never seen before or met since. With this revelation, and seeing her raise from her seat, I tiptoed backwards and hid behind an exhibit. She found me. We had an awkward conversation. About chance meetings and the world being small. I really need to be less antisocial.

Bad Marriage

The longest standing commitment a man ever makes is one decided on a schoolyard or a playing field when he chooses which football team he is going to support. It's a relationship like no other which spans decades, brings pain, joy, misery and frustration. A relationship that defies any sense of logic especially when involving midweek treks to far flung corners of the country to stand in wind and rain for a couple of hours.

A couple of weeks ago, on a bitterly cold Saturday afternoon, I sat in the stands watching yet another soul destroying performance. A second goal inside the first ten minutes proved too much for many and they began to leave, muttering under their breaths that enough was enough and that they wouldn't be back. Of course, in their heart of hearts, they knew they'd be back in those very same seats within days. In the closing minutes I took this photograph. It summed up the loyal, brutal, stoic and often heartbreaking nature of being a football supporter.

(Please click on the photograph to see the full image)

Submitted by JNReed (Glossop, England)

The Berlin Wall.

Submitted by JNReed (Glossop, England)

The execution yard of Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp.

Lyme Park, Cheshire. The 'Cage' - a Grade II listed building that was once used to lock up poachers / bad peasants back in the day as they say. With Stockport and Greater Manchester in the background on a glorious day.

Subbuteo subs 'warming up'. They might actually be ballboys but subs sound cooler, coupled with a rare bit of snow.

Submitted by Mark Woodward (Grimsby, England)

I found this tape when I was messing with my camera using different objects to create abstract photos. This was the last tape I ever copied from one of my dearest friends. He used to come round to mine every so often with a new tape so I could copy it. It was also the last time we shared anything other than conversations. We seemed to take different paths in life shortly after. Unfortunately his path lead to his death. He was 26. 

RIP Christopher J Butterworth (1972-1999)

Submitted by Mark Woodward (Grimsby, England)

This picture tells the story of my life since I got made redundant. I walk down my stairs and 20 yards to the pub, pay £1.80 for a cup of tea. Although I have tea bags, it gives me an excuse to leave my flat, when I feel I need to escape.