anti limited presents

I often drive past this old structure, outside Halifax on the Huddersfield Road, and I’ve meant to stop and shoot it for some time. Most of the graffiti is obscured from view by the low wall along the road, so one only catches a glimpse of colour through the gate mesh when driving past, and a few larger pieces poking out above eyeline.

Not sure if it’s an officially condoned legal graf site, or if the authorities just turn a blind eye to the artists who regularly update pieces on here. Pieces get updated and changed regularly, so it’s constantly in use. When I visited there were some very good pieces on display.

[Edit: I recently got a mail from HXurbanart, telling me that it's known as the 42spot, after the 42crew who started painting it a decade or so ago. No one now claims ownership of the structure, formally a retaining wall for a substation, so it sits in a legal limbo, with no prosecutions for painting. It looks like by being a 'grey' area it's providing a chance to act as an incubator and showcase for some good local talent, and from further afield. Long may it last.]

Click below for a full screen 360° view of the scene with Flash, or to locate it with Google Earth.

Since moving to Calderdale I’ve been curious about this magnificent but somewhat incongruous tower which sits on the hillside at Skircoat Moor, between Halifax town centre and Sowerby Bridge. I drive past it on my daily commute, and enjoy how it stands proudly above the clouds which wreathes the hillside on misty mornings, and is beautifully illuminated at night.

I’d heard it was originally designed as a chimney for a local factory, but never used; and had also heard it had stairs inside it, leading up to a viewing platform which afforded stunning views of the surrounds. Intrigued by such nuggets of information, I read more online and discovered that Calderdale Council, the present owners, had recently completed renovations to the ornate stonework and several public open days were held. Needless to say, I had to visit and try to capture some of its glory in 360°!

Click below for a fullscreen 360° view of the scene in Flash or QuickTime format, or locate the scene in Google Earth.

Click below for a fullscreen 360° view of the scene in Flash or QuickTime format, or locate the scene in Google Earth.

Click below for a fullscreen 360° view of the scene in Flash or QuickTime format, or locate the scene in Google Earth.

Not long after moving to Calderdale, I came across a cracking market stall on Todmorden market. Seduced at first by the wonderful pies on sale, I soon sampled the locally made cheese, and struck up a conversation with the proprietor, Robyn Heap. She told me about the farm she and her husband David ran, and how they’d started to produce their own commercial farmhouse cheese, the first in Calderdale, based on a century-old recipe they’d found whilst carrying out work in the cellars. I’m a sucker for good Yorkshire ales paired with equally good Yorkshire foodstuffs, and I’d found a great half of the equation at this stall.

Fast forward eighteen months, plently of pies and cheese from the stall, a royal visit and much official recognition later, and I was finally able to visit their farm on the tops at Hubberton above Sowerby Bridge. I really couldn’t have asked for a better day: not a cloud in the sky, and only the sound of bees and curlews in the sky above. I shot the panoramas in this post, and a regular photoshoot of farm life as well, and enjoyed the banter, wisdom and hospitality of David and Robyn during my visit. I think the views below capture a little of the magic, beauty and hard work which this successful farm exudes. I can’t finish without urging you to try and sample some of their wares if you’re in the area (see their website for stockists) because it’s great stuff: somewhere between a Lancashire, Wensleydale and a Cheshire cheese. Perfect with some homemade bread and a bottle of locally brewed beer!

Click below for a fullscreen 360° view of the scene in Flash or QuickTime format, or locate the scene in Google Earth.

Click below for a fullscreen 360° view of the scene in Flash or QuickTime format, or locate the scene in Google Earth.

Click below for a fullscreen 360° view of the scene in Flash or QuickTime format, or locate the scene in Google Earth.

On the morning of September 17th Lloyds/TSB announced it was making a bid to take over HBOS (Halifax Bank of Scotland). One giant financial entity, comprising two well-known high street banks, swallowing another whole to prevent widespread destabiliation and further nationalisation of banking in the UK during the ongoing credit crunch. HBOS is currently a major employer in the Calder valley, where the roots of the former Halifax Buiding Society lie, so this was an important story for the local economy. It’s too soon to say what the impact of the takeover will be on jobs, but the news prompted fears of redundancies.

Sensing an opportunity for panoramic photography as timely photojournalism, I proposed to head past the massive offices in Copley, near Halifax, on my way home. Originally I wanted to use the metaphor of the sun setting on the building, but I was working late so by the time I got to the site it was too dark, and eerily quiet. It’s too far away to see from this vantage point, but the giant HBOS sign on the right has been squashed and depressed into the facade surrounding it. Perhaps that’s metaphor enough for the current banking crisis.

Click below for a fullscreen 360° view of the scene in Flash or QuickTime format, or locate the scene in Google Earth.

Watching a very swollen beck from the grounds of St Mary’s Church in the picturesque village of Luddenden, near Halifax.

Click below for a fullscreen 360° view of the scene in Flash or QuickTime format, or locate the scene in Google Earth.