Manchester has a long tradition of doing great cultural work — and then making sure everyone knows about it.
And that ability to celebrate ourselves isn't just a creature of the Madchester scene. Now, there’s a wave of photographers on social media showing off the city for what it is — a mix of architectural oddity, artistic fervour, and the place where things get made.
One of those is Nathan Whittaker, aka Manc Wanderer on Instagram. He’s amassed 28,000 followers on the photo-sharing platform, and now leads courses for amateur photographers.
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Throughout his travels across the city centre — or ‘wanders’, as his name suggests — he has built a reputation for being able to capture the spirit of Manchester in new and interesting ways. That’s despite largely using the same subject matter.
The Manchester Evening News joined Nathan on one of those wanders to learn more about what makes the city centre such a rich place to photograph. He also shared some tips for everyday phone users to get the most out of their shots.
Where he loves to shoot
Today’s wander with Nathan began in Stevenson Square. The Northern Quarter is ‘somewhere I have always said my favourite part of town’, he says.
“I think it used to be a lot because of the street art, but a bit less so these days. There are just so many adverts," he continues.
"Sometimes they end up being beautiful though, like the Co-Op one of the nurse. That was based on a photo from the National Portrait Gallery, but then it was only up for a month.
Despite the ads, Nathan loves the distinct charm of the Northern Quarter, summed up for him by independent businesses like Fresh Bites.
Nathan’s travels are usually unplanned, with his route dictated by which pedestrian crossing turns green for him at the right time. And, as the 'NQ' has changed, so has his approach.
"I think (photographers' subject matter) has shifted to the 'things' of the Northern Quarter from people," he adds. "Afflecks Is a good example of that because it has been there so long. I try to get something a bit different with it. I would be trying to get a different angle that I have not got before. The city centre is not that big though, and I have lived here for 11 years, so you do run out of stuff.”
As he tells the MEN about the challenges of finding new material, he spots something many of us might miss.
“There’s a cool detail with the street signs, that would be a cool thing,” he says. “There’s the difference in colour there.” The signs he’s referring to are for Thomas Street and Oak Street, which are each blue-text-on-white and white-text-on-blue.
It’s that attention to detail which Nathan has honed over the five years he’s been taking street photos. There are still shots he’s not nailed, though.
“I am sure there are plenty. I think the bottom of Oldham Street is one,” he says. “It will be some cool photo there, but it is very chaotic. There’s a lot we can do without chaos though.”
What he loves to photograph
Although Nathan names NQ as his favourite area, his imagery covers the entirety of the city centre, including St Peter’s Square, where he takes stock of the library. “Because it’s such an iconic Manchester institution it looks Manchester,” he says.
“But it does not have that classic Mancunian redbrick feel. With the Midland and Albert Hall people see them, but a lot of people see them and don’t go in — but still, because it is there so long, people have that resonance with it. It comes back to Manchester pride.
Nathan likes this corner of the city for the buildings which remain unchanged in a sea of regeneration. “No one is getting rid of the Midland. It’s nice to be reminded there’s still an area of Manchester of permanence," he says.
Permanent fixtures which Nathan can usually bank on include Manchester's old school boozers. The Vine and City Inn are some of his favourites.
“The City Arms and The Vine are similar, but with the contrast of the brick with the ‘Spoons it really works,” he says. “Some buildings that do not match can make a good photo. The City Road Inn also has that contrast with the skyscrapers in the background.”
That contrast in architecture is easy to find in Manchester, and so a useful tool for snappers, Nathan says. But it’s not his go-to.
“The number one thing I look for is the light and that different angle,” he explains. “You’re trying to get a different angle to show it in a different light. They all factor in together. It can be the classic angle with beautiful light.”
Nathan’s top tips for phone photographers
As Nathan says, his top tip is to look for light and look for an angle that is a bit different — but he also has more tips for the amateurs who are just getting into the craft and only have their phone to hand.
His first is to take photos from slightly lower down than you initially would, in order to ‘get a bit of the ground in or more of a building in the frame’. He also recommends iPhone users shoot in ‘raw’ mode, which makes editing easier — with Snapseed being a great app to start out with, he adds.
His last tip is quite simple: Look around. He explains: “If you pass the same street every day, look up and notice things. Notice the details on the buildings.
“Take a slightly different route to see things you would never normally, even if it’s just your regular commute.”
Nathan's top five places to shoot
- Oxford Road
- New Islington Marina
- Outside our many historic pubs; the Crown & Kettle and Peveril of the Peak for example
- Between Thomas Street and Stevenson Square
- Inside some of our historic architecture such as the Cathedral and John Rylands Library
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