Iwrck

When I first met Simon Buckley, last summer, he'd already started his Not Quite Light project. Now, I love a project, and I particularly loved this one; there was something terribly romantic about his getting up before dawn to head out to the streets of Manchester, to capture the transition from exotic night town to bustling metropolis. And, of course, being a photographer and an artist, his results were gorgeous and, at times, breathtaking. 

Sometime back, Simon talked about having a Not Quite Light festival. I thought it was a grand idea but - speaking as an arch procrastinator - I was surprised that each time I saw or spoke to him, matters had moved along until, this weekend the festival actually took place. 

Part of the festival was a walk around the area where the photos were taken with Manchester tour guide, Emma Fox. At each location, Simon spoke about the photo he'd taken and then Emma gave us some history, focussed on the period from 1730 to 1960, when the city was warped and mutated by the industrial revolution. 

This photo was taken down by the River Irk, just a few minutes walk from Victoria Station. It seems to emerge from the concrete to roll briefly in the wan sunlight before disappearing back beneath the city.