Who'd have thought it...?

Some time ago, I happened to write on this blog:  "It's interesting, isn't it, how we all 'see' different things?  Take any two photographers and put them in the same place at the same time and, the chances are, each will interpret the scene quite differently.  I think that's half the fun of blogging, to see what others see through different eyes from our own."  My dear blog-friend, Alan Burnett, who lives not so far from here, responded promptly in the comments: "OK here is a challenge for you. Let us pick, at random, some village which is within a given radius of Saltaire/ Brighouse: both make our way there independently and record what it says photographically to us. We co-ordinate the subsequent post and test out your theory."  Well, I couldn't resist that, could I? - so we agreed to carry out the experiment, visiting a village called Thornton (on the edge of the city of Bradford) which is more or less equidistant between us.

Many moons passed... and a premature baby in my family and various commitments for Alan meant that it has taken us some while to achieve the assignment.... but, finally, we have.  Over the next few days I will post some photos of what caught my eye.  (All were taken on February 19th).  Alan has agreed to do the same on his blog - go to NEWS FROM NOWHERE to see his side of the bargain. We visited separately and neither of us knows yet how the other approached the challenge.  It must be stressed that it's not a competition, more of an experiment.  I am looking forward to seeing the results and, indeed, to testing out my theory.

For starters, the above photo (self -portrait!) was taken in a tiny little park that does its best to be the centre of a village that really rather lacks a focal point.  It suggests that Thornton is perhaps rather a surprising place - and, in many ways, I would agree.  See what you think....