Art & Culture

A Manc photographer is taking beautiful on-the-spot portraits around the city

Sometimes there's nothing better than simply capturing what makes this city the best: the people.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 26th January 2023

There are about a hundred and one brilliant photographers taking pictures around the city centre every day, but most of them tend to focus on the macro scale of things — snapping our lovely architecture, long shots of our rain-soaked streets, parades of morning commuters and so on.

So, when we stumbled across this lovely little TikTok account showcasing some of the most simple but beautiful portraits you’ll see anywhere online, all taken around the streets of our beloved city, it understandably caught our attention.

Manc photographer Scott James, or ‘certigrammer‘ as he goes by online, makes his living doing everything from weddings and commercials shoots to music videos, taking photos for Sheffield United and more, but we happened to come across a more recent pastime of his: taking pictures of strangers.

Not in a weird way…

People are clearly chiming with his casual, understated and fundamentally wholesome style. So are we, and it’s not hard to see why.

ADVERTISEMENT

Perhaps most impressively, it seems like he’s only been at this particular kind of photography for a little over a week and is already pulling in thousands of well-earned views across his social media.

As you can see, there is a very candid nature to his approach; he snaps people just going about their business and even when he stops people on the spot and asks if they’d be willing to pose, he still manages to capture that impromptu and organic vibe.

ADVERTISEMENT

From happy couples and randomers on the street, to complimenting an old boy on his style, he photographs people from all walks of life.

Credit: Scott James

Read more:

Whether it’s Northern Quarter, the more upmarket surround of King Street, or the backstreets just round the corner from the Arndale, you also get a good feel for the city we know and love.

Best of all, even in such a short space of time, Scott has managed to provide a wonderful cross-section of Manchester‘s cosmopolitan nature. That’s what it’s all about.

ADVERTISEMENT

While this city is a veritable rainbow of colour, some of the shots we enjoy the most are his black and white photos. There’s just something about them.

It’s hard to pick a favourite but if we had to pick one, it might have to be his picture of this older gentleman about town, simply because it looks like it really made his day. You love to see it.

@certigrammer Aww bless this old man, I hope I made his day 🤍 #photography #povphotography #pov #quote #fyp ♬ original sound – Scott

Keep it up, Scott.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image — @certigrammar (via TikTok/Instagram)

Art & Culture

Corn Exchange has a cute new vending machine strictly for pre-loved books

Danny Jones Danny Jones Corn Exchange book vending machine

Every now and again we stumble across a clever little idea and we think ‘why hasn’t someone thought of this idea before?’ That was definitely the case when heard about Corn Exchange’s new vending machine for books.

Having appeared in the popular city centre food hall and trader spot only earlier this week, most people might be unaware of the Corn Exchange‘s fun new initiative and some people might have walked straight past it without noticing what’s actually in it — yet another reason we love stuff like this.

The concept is called ‘Read. Swap. Repeat.’ and the idea is to not only keep people reading when they come into the city or are perhaps staying here in the likes of the Corn Exchange, but also to provide a home for pre-loved books with an added incentive.

See for yourself.

Read more:

It’s a great little idea, isn’t it? You even get a free bookmark for your trouble.

As you can see, all you need to use the vending machine is to bring a book with you, ask a member of staff for a token and then select which generously donated second-hand read you want to select for yourself.

Beyond just being a cool and interesting way to entertain local book lovers and hopefully get more people reading again, it’s also good for the environment as it provides yet another outlet for people to donate their old texts without any waste.

So, if you’re looking for a new read or looking to share one of your favourite old books with someone else, why not give it a try?

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image — Corn Exchange/The Manc Group

Art & Culture

Manchester to be filled with fresh blooms as annual Flower Festival returns this summer

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Manchester is set to become one of the most picturesque places in the UK this summer, as the city gets dressed up in celebration of the annual Flower Show.

Back by popular demand for its fifth year, the four-day festival – which is often dubbed the “most Instagramable event of the year” – will see Manchester bloom to life and be draped from head to toe in magnificent floral displays.

Plants and flowers will be seen covering landmark buildings, shop windows, doorways, balconies, statues, fountains, and more right across the city centre.

Taking place over the late May bank holiday, festival organisers say to expect a “fabulous floral spectacle” – with a dedicated ‘Manchester in Flowers’ floral trail gearing up to be the star of this year’s show, and several other stunning show gardens and green installations all set to weave through central streets.

Manchester to be filled with fresh blooms as annual Flower Festival returns this summer / Credit: The Manc Group

Organised annually by Manchester BID, the festival usually sees tens of thousands of people flock to the city centre – and this year will be no different.

Visitors can also expect al fresco dining, live music, and a wide range of family entertainment too.

With the event now only a few months away, festival organisers are on the hunt for budding and professional gardeners, florists, landscapers, businesses, charities, community groups, and schools across the region to be part of the celebrations.

Manchester Flower Festival is known for offering both seasoned and aspiring gardeners the chance to showcase their talent, while helping to create “a unique floriated experience across the city” – with opportunities open this year to lend a hand with large-scale headline gardens and displays, floristry displays, and smaller ‘Bijou’ gardens.

The annual event gives both seasoned and aspiring gardeners the chance to showcase their talents / Credit: Manchester BID

Local traders can also sign-up to sell the Festival Market, which will feature everything from plants, and produce, to garden decor, street food, art, and so much more.

Businesses in the city centre are also being encouraged to show their support for the festival by creating window, building, or in-store displays, and hosting dedicated events, and food and drinks specials.

Read more:

Volunteers are also needed to help at this year’s event, with festival organisers promising the chance to “gain valuable experience” and enjoy being part of the team at one of the city’s annual flagship events.

Find out more about Manchester Flower Festival 2023 here.

Featured Image – ManchesterBID

More Art & Culture

Art & Culture

New £1m AI prize announced in Budget – and this is why it’s named after Manchester

Art & Culture

Manchester Pride reveals theme for 2023’s Parade celebrating ‘the power of love’

Art & Culture

Manchester International Festival programme to include inflatable sculptures, coin treasure hunt, and work from Juan Mata and Maxine Peake

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches