Mat Dale Photography

First time I saw Shellac was at Phoenix Festival 1994. First Images I took of Shellac was at their curated ATP April 2002 - Pontins, Camber Sands. (Photos 1 to 4). Last images I took were at Brudenell Social Club 2022? (Photos 5 to 10) I saw Shellac play lots of times over the years but never really made an effort to go specifically to take photos of them as I always wanted to be totally immersed in the music and performance. It’s strange to think that was the last time i will ever be blessed by Shellac and Steve’s presence and that I was just thinking about them today and looking forward to seeing them this June at the Brudenell again. A sad day indeed.

https://historicengland.org.uk/get-involved/high-street-culture/picturing-high-streets/exhibition/

looks like I’ve got at least one of my 3 images that were shortlisted in the travelling exhibition and digital billboards displays for Picturing High Streets project. Keep a look out and let me know if you see any of them on display.

Thanks to .independentlife for publishing a little feature on my photography in this season’s edition.

Keith outside Armley Heel Bar. Leeds November 2022. I was surprised and glad that I managed to get something fairly usable from this neg after noticing the amount of holes in the bellows and dropping the film holder just before loading it in camera. It’s not perfect but it’ll do for now whilst I get to grips with this new format.

Mr P. Dare 2 DIY. Armley Town Street, Leeds. November 2022. Picturing High Streets

Mehdi, owner of Wall St. Ho**ah. Sh**ha Retailer and Wholesaler. Town Street, Armley. November 2022. Picturing High Streets project.

Skeltons of Armley. Town Street. Armley. Leeds. October 2022. This is my very first set of photos taken with my new (to me) MPP Micro Technical large format 5x4 camera for the Picturing High Streets project. These are only photos of the negatives on a light box by an iPhone and converted in photoshop so please excuse the quality for now until I can get a pro scan of them done. #picturinghighstreets #highstreeteats #photoworks #highstreetheroes #5x4 #largeformat #fomapan400 #mpp #blackandwhite #monochrome Developed by @takeiteasylab #5x4film #4x5film #4x5photography

Leon’s Cafe. Town Street. Armley. Leeds. October 2022. This is my very first set of photos taken with my new (to me) MPP Micro Technical large format 5x4 camera for the Picturing High Streets project. These are only photos of the negatives on a light box by an iPhone and converted in photoshop so please excuse the quality for now until I can get a pro scan of them done.

Classic English Fisheries. Town Street. Armley. Leeds. October 2022. This is my very first set of photos taken with my new (to me) MPP Micro Technical large format 5x4 camera for the Picturing High Streets project. These are only photos of the negatives on a light box by an iPhone and converted in photoshop so please excuse the quality for now until I can get a pro scan of them done.

Fran. Actor headshots. Armley, Leeds. September 2022.

https://youtu.be/bJE8ykXX7PY

Here’s a little film I made a few months ago for Friends of Armley and Gotts Park about the opening day of the new play area in Armley Park.

Armley Park Play Area Official Opening

Last Days Of Summer. “Armley Beach” Leeds, September 2021.

Just got an email from Ian Fugazi replying back to an email I sent him 7 years ago asking if I had any more images from the Halloween show for them to use for their ‘Fugazi Live’ site. Just dug out some more digitally scanned images from lost negatives of Fugazi playing in Leeds on 31st October 2002. I must have scanned them in on an old hard drive at the time and forgotten. Unfortunately not got any scans of the ones of them wearing the Halloween masks.
I remember trying to get a photo pass for this show but failed so I decided to take my newly acquired Voigtlander Bessa R with a 50mm and 35mm lens which I snook the body hidden down my pants and lenses in each sock and flashgun in my waistband as I knew if I took a bag in it would’ve been searched and camera confiscated without a pass.
It was a hard one to photograph as I had to try sneak the odd shot when the security guard looked away who was directly in front of the stage facing me on the other side of the barrier.
These shots though look like they are taken from the side of the stage/balcony. I think I must have managed to sneak around past security somehow without getting seen or caught or I possibly asked someone from the support band to let me get backstage for a bit. Can’t remember exactly.
Anyway, I managed somehow even though they aren’t technically great but I guess it’s lucky I came away with anything at all. I hope the negs turn up again one day too.

Rise Rumble, Brudenell Social Club, Leeds. January 2018. (I almost never post up my event/commercial photography up here but thought I’d start posting the odd one up. Here’s one from my first job of 2018.)

A young Chinese family serving up tea at a Christmas Party hosted by charity Health For All for the Chinese Community of Leeds. Maxi’s Restaurant, Leeds. December 2017.
I almost never post up my event/commercial photography up here but thought I’d start posting the odd one or two now n then for post-erity. 🤣 Here’s one from my last job of the year.

If you've not made it to my Well Travelled exhibition yet then you've got until 26th October to check it out and also enjoy some delicious vegan food and booze.

Well Travelled

Where are you going and where have you been? Which journeys made you feel better, and which journeys might have saved your life?

Photographer Mat Dale and writer Katie Jane Hill have spent the summer on Leeds buses exploring the links between travelling and how we feel. Whether it’s using the buses to get to places for treatment or therapy, to meeting friends and travelling together, and finding a way to get out and about when all you want to do is stay indoors and hide from the world.

By sharing some of these stories we hope to show that the bus network of Leeds isn’t just a practical way to get from A to B, but can be a lifeline to connecting with the world, with healing and with other people.

Funded by Leeds Inspired and Arts Council England in partnership with First Bus Leeds and Love Arts Festival

Love Arts Festival 2017 Pop Up Exhibition

If you travel on First Buses in Leeds then have a look out for my Well Travelled project as part of the Love Arts Festival which will be displayed on about 250 buses throughout October.

Well Travelled

Where are you going and where have you been? Which journeys made you feel better, and which journeys might have saved your life?

Photographer Mat Dale and writer Katie Jane Hill have spent the summer on Leeds buses exploring the links between travelling and how we feel. The results are to be displayed at The Old red Bus Statuion as part of Love Arts Festival.

Whether it’s using the buses to get to places for treatment or therapy, to meeting friends and travelling together, and finding a way to get out and about when all you want to do is stay indoors and hide from the world. By sharing some of these stories we hope to show that the bus network of Leeds isn’t just a practical way to get from A to B, but can be a lifeline to connecting with the world, with healing and with other people.

After taking journeys with 12 people the exhibition presents 12 photographic portraits taken on the buses of Leeds, and texts drawn from conversations about wellbeing and travel during those journeys.

Opening night:
Thursday 5th October 6pm - Late

Exhibition open daily from 12pm until Thursday 26th October

Exhibition is free to enter.

In the ground floor bar at
The Old Red Bus Station
101 Vicar Lane
Leeds
LS2 7NL

For more information email [email protected]

This project was funded by Leeds Inspired in partnership with First Bus.

On the bus. Leeds August 2017

Armley Junk-tion cafe, Moortown Junk-tion cafe, All Hallows Church cafe, Pudsey Sharehouse and Anti-Supermarket

Saltburn by the sea, Staithes,

Portraits

British Summer Time. Hyde Park, Leeds 2017

MONSTER MAGNET

On the bus. Leeds June 2017

This summer researcher/writer Katie Jane Hill and I will be travelling on First buses around Leeds collecting portraits and stories about travelling on the bus and well-being.
For you keeping well might be about visiting friends and family, going to do the things that make you feel good or just getting from A to B on time, and we want to know about it. We will be making photographic portraits and writing stories to be displayed on the buses and in an exhibition as part of the Love Arts Festival, a city wide celebration of arts and mental health on October.
We are looking for people to travel with us and take part, if you are interested please phone or email.
Well Travelled is a project funded by Leeds Inspired.

I wandered lonely as a cloud
Down the M62
Manchester bound