Philip Larkin, Poet

But o, photography! as no art is,
Faithful and disappointing! that records
Dull days as dull, and hold-it smiles as frauds,
And will not censor blemishes
Like washing-lines, and Hall's-Distemper boards,

From a poem by Philip Larkin called "Lines On A Young Lady's Photograph Album"

August 9th 2010 is Larkin Day in Hull at the History Centre.

Leading up to that I will be returning to Hull to capture some of its allure and its celebration of Larkin the poet, photographer and promoter of toads.

For today I've attempted to recapture one of his own self-portraits! You can see it here in the banner at the top of the home page.

It took a lot of doing and with this final image I'm not totally satisfied. But there are only so many hours in the day.

At least I am serious in it, not like my other loony efforts.

PS. For Larkin fans, there is a superb video of the first part of a BBC Monitor programme that was broadcast in 1964. As this was the year I went to Hull it is especially signficant for me.