Free Magazine Review – By Skill And Hard Work #7

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A quarterly magazine promoting the delights of Blackburn, Lancashire that often gets distributed in Manchester bars and cafes. The articles are fascinating in the Autumn 2015 edition. How To Be A Philanthropist is about a Blackburn exhibition of the work of wealthy capitalists who gave something back to the masses, in the form of libraries, museums and schools. One wealthy collector, Arthur C Bowder, bequeathed his collection of different species of 2,500 stuffed beetles to Bolton museum for study. Gypsy Carrot are interviewed on How To Throw a Party as they organize grand scale masquerades and put much emphasise on dressing up, and looking the part. My photo here is me in one of my fancy dress outfits. (mime artist). How To Unleash Your Wild Side looks at wild swimming clubs, champions of open air river, lake and ocean swimming. Their advice here is pretty standard; check the water first, never swim alone, etc. There’s a nicely illustrated feature on photography featuring students from Blackburn Colleges studying the art. Tips include using filters, waiting for the right moment (one landscape photographer gets to locations pre-dawn to await sunrise), and most of the interviewees agree on taking the same shots from a variety of angles rather than just one. The closing article has no Blackburn connection and it is about going to the Edinburgh Fringe where over 3,000 shows compete for your attention. The feature advises taking in short free or cheap events as well as a few big headline acts. Arthur Chappell