A Photographer’s Guide to Liverpool

As someone who has lived in Merseyside their whole life I can vouch for how easy it is to overlook all of the great photographic resources Liverpool has to offer. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have an abundance of museums, galleries and stores like Open Eye Gallery right here on my doorstep. Whether you’re a seasoned pro, a budding beginner or have never touched a camera before I hope there will be something in the list for everyone either local or visiting for the first time.

Galleries

Open Eye Gallery

The first place to mention is Open Eye Gallery. With a constant rotation of exhibitions exploring everything from local communities, the environment and world events all under the umbrella of social engagement, Open Eye Gallery is a must visit for anyone interested in photography. The gallery also stocks artist books, zines, prints and a variety of film stocks in the shop. The gallery is located at 19 Mann Island but keep an eye out for exhibitions and events hosted beyond the gallery.

Website

Address: 19 Mann Island, Liverpool, L3 1BP

Opening Times: Tuesday–Sunday, 10am–5pm

Other Galleries

Although not on display at the moment, galleries such as Walker Art Gallery and Tate Liverpool have a history of exhibiting celebrated photographers such as Don Mccullin, Tom Wood and most recently Chris Shaw so it’s always worth keeping an eye on their upcoming exhibitions. However if you’re looking for inspiration outside of the world of photography they also exhibit a great selection of modern art or classical paintings that is definitely worth a visit.

Walker Art Gallery Website

Address: William Brown St, Liverpool L3 8EL

Opening Times: Tuesday–Sunday, 10am–5pm

Tate Liverpool Website 

Address: 21 Mann Island, Liverpool L3 1BP

Opening Times:  Monday–Sunday, 10am –5.50pm

The Hardmans House

A lesser known location to visit in Liverpool is ‘The Hardmans House’, the home and photographic studio of Edward Chambré and Margaret Hardman. Although located at 59 Rodney Street the visitor entrance is on Pilgrim Street at the back of Rodney Street near the Anglican Cathedral. Entry is by guided tour only so you will have to book in advance. The house contains the Studio, Living Quarters, Darkroom, On Commision Exhibition and the Hardman Archive so is worth the visit for anyone interested in the photographers of Liverpool’s past.

Website

Address: 59 Rodney Street (Visitor Entrance on Pilgrim Street)

Opening Times: Varied (check website available dates)

Coffee Stop

Ropes and Twines

With a history of photographic exhibitions, specialty coffee shop and wine bar Rope and Twines is the perfect spot to stop off for a drink and something to eat. Located on Bold Street, Rope and Twines is currently exhibiting local photographer Sam Batley’s project ‘The Point of Non-existence’.

Website

Address:70 Bold St, Liverpool L1 4HR

Opening Times: Sunday–Wednesday: 10am–6pm; Thursday: 10am–9pm; Friday–Saturday: 10am–11pm

Camera Shops

Liverpool is a great place for anyone looking for camera stores. Whether you’re in need of a repair or an upgrade, Real Camera and Wilkinson Camera are great options. Located at 7 Hatton Garden, The Real Camera Co first opened up shop in Manchester before recently expanding into Liverpool. They specialise in the buying, selling and repairing of a variety of photographic gear, from 35mm, medium format, large format and digital. Wilkinson Camera on the other hand is located at 4 Bold Street and has stores across the northwest of England. Although they offer a number of the same services they specialise in new top of the range digital cameras.

Real Camera Website

Address: 7 Hatton Garden, Liverpool L3 2FE

Opening Times: Monday–Saturday, 9.30am–5pm

Wilkinson Camera Website

Address: 4 Bold St, Liverpool L1 4DS

Opening Times: Monday–Saturday: 9am–5pm; Sunday: 10am –4pm

Photography Spots

If you’re coming to Liverpool for the first time you may have come across a list of the most Instagrammable places in Liverpool but I wanted to use this platform to highlight three or four lesser known places I think are great for unique photographs.

• St George’s Hall/St John’s Gardens

A stone’s throw away from the Walker Art Gallery and perhaps now famous as a filming location for The Batman (2022), St George’s Hall is a great spot for photography, with some incredible architecture and plenty of photographable details, this is a spot I return to over and over. At the back of St George’s Hall is St John’s Gardens, filled with interesting monuments that are well worth a walk around.

• Exchange Flags

Only a six minute walk away from Liverpool ONE and tucked behind the Liverpool town hall is Exchange Flags, home to Nelson Monument. It’s imposing nature and unique sculptures make this a great location for some unique photo opportunities. 

• Memorial to the Marine Engine Room Heroes/Port of Liverpool/Cunard Building

Although the waterfront is a common location to visit, buildings like the cunard, the port of Liverpool and monuments such as the Memorial to the Marine Engine Room Heroes can often be overlooked due to the popularity of the Liver Buildings and Beetles Statue.

• St James Mount And The Gardens

If you’re visiting the Liverpool Cathedral then I’d recommend walking down into St James Mount and Gardens. On a clear day this is a great place to stop for a break like so many locals do but if you’re a photographer there’s plenty of gravestones and overgrown foliage to photograph.

Developing and Scanning Services

Although options are limited in Liverpool, Manchester has two great options, Come Through Lab and Advanced Photo. Both labs offer developing and scanning for a variety of film stocks with Advanced Photo offering 1 hour development and Come Through Lab offering the option to drop off your film at the lab or remote mail order service for those unable to travel.

Come Through Lab Website

Address: 84 Silk Street, Manchester M4 6BJ

Opening Times: Monday–Friday: 9am–5pm; Saturday: 11.30am–3pm

Advanced Photo Instagram Page

Opening Times: Monday–Friday: 9.30am–5.30pm; Saturday: 10am–5pm

Address: Unit 10 St Ann’s Arcade St Ann’s Square M2 7HN

Photography Courses and Workshops

Little Vintage Photography

Little Vintage Photography offers a variety of film photography based workshops and courses. The owner Rachel takes you through every step of the process from shooting with a film camera, developing a roll of 35mm black and white film and printing in the darkroom. They also offer other workshops as well as darkroom hiring and memberships. They also host The Baltic Photo Club meet-ups in the Baltic Triangle.

Website

Opening Times: Subject to workshop booking

Address: Baltic Creative Campus, 49 Jamaica Street, Liverpool, L1 0AH

Neon Light Photography

The owner of Neon Light Photography started doing workshops as he wanted to help those struggling with their mental health following the 2019 pandemic to get out and use their cameras as an excuse to explore. The workshops he offers are for everyone, whether you’re a beginner or an expert are also available in Hilbre Island or Chester.

Website

Text and images by Daniel Frost