All the fun of the fair. The fair’s only being going for 266 years, but for some reason unbeknownst to me this is the very first time I’d been out on the first Friday evening in June to go and photograph the Govan Fair.
The historic fair, which takes place on the southern banks of the River Clyde, Glasgow, is a local community event taking place over a few days, with a local girl crowned Fair Queen, and with a procession led by a gent carrying a ram’s head on a pole. He later told me he calls the ram’s head Barbara, and keeps it in his electricity meter cupboard between fair outings…
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
Friday evening past was beautifully sunny, but that sunlight was harsh through the lens, the camera exposure jumping up and down, just like the local dance troupe, depending on where you looked.
These images were shot purely out of curiosity, an inquisitiveness to see more of Glasgow and my fellow Glaswegians, but ultimately they all fall into my ever ongoing project of images of the city shot over the past three decades.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
The 266th iteration of the historic Govan Fair, held on the first Friday in June, in Glasgow, Scotland, 3 June 2022.
Glasgow 1990s was the first decade I was really photographing, working in black and white, aware of the names of photographers Bert Hardy, Joseph McKenzie and Oscar Marzaroli who had gone before and left iconic images in their wake. Some of those early images by me, when I was still finding my feet and knowing what to photograph, have now been collated in a new zine, Glasgow 1990s, published by Café Royal Books. You can see some sample images from the new zine here, in this slideshow.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.
‘Glasgow 1990s’ published by Café Royal Books.
in Glasgow, Scotland, 31 May 2022.