James_AL_Downs
@magiclantern.bsky.social
Writer: 'Anton Walbrook' (2020) 'Joseph Pike' (2018) & 'A Carnal Medium' (2012), photohistorian, archivist of Middle East collections at Exeter University, runs the Digital Archive of the Middle East (https://dame.exeter.ac.uk/), collector & bibliophile
Popped into Dorchester to see 'The Images of Harry Burton.' Although I missed @christinajriggs.bsky.social' original exhibition in Oxford in 2018, I'd only seen these images in books or online, so it was a great opportunity to view these duotone 8" x 6" prints produced from the Met's negatives
December 7, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Popped into Dorchester to see 'The Images of Harry Burton.' Although I missed @christinajriggs.bsky.social' original exhibition in Oxford in 2018, I'd only seen these images in books or online, so it was a great opportunity to view these duotone 8" x 6" prints produced from the Met's negatives
Something old and something new - I've got Kurdish homework to do for Monday but am getting distracted by yesterday's post and relying on homemade espresso martini to keep me focused
December 6, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Something old and something new - I've got Kurdish homework to do for Monday but am getting distracted by yesterday's post and relying on homemade espresso martini to keep me focused
Having been fascinated, thought & spoken about these topics for years in an amateurish way, I'm glad at last to have picked up my own copy of @stephenniem.bsky.social's very fine volume which I'm looking forward to reading tonight
December 4, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Having been fascinated, thought & spoken about these topics for years in an amateurish way, I'm glad at last to have picked up my own copy of @stephenniem.bsky.social's very fine volume which I'm looking forward to reading tonight
There's not much left of Dunkeswell Abbey (f.1201 as a daughter house of Forde) bar a few wall fragments, and these old fishponds which I drove past the other day
December 3, 2025 at 1:44 PM
There's not much left of Dunkeswell Abbey (f.1201 as a daughter house of Forde) bar a few wall fragments, and these old fishponds which I drove past the other day
Slemani by night
December 2, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Slemani by night
In the tenth installment of a long-running series on photography/photographers in the movies, I did a double-bill comparison of 'Under Fire' and 'Salvador'
December 1, 2025 at 9:17 AM
In the tenth installment of a long-running series on photography/photographers in the movies, I did a double-bill comparison of 'Under Fire' and 'Salvador'
Already seen a kingfisher on the River Culm this morning
November 30, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Already seen a kingfisher on the River Culm this morning
I photographed these tiles in the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo
November 29, 2025 at 9:31 AM
I photographed these tiles in the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo
I spent a decade living in a monastic community that began on the Isle of Dogs & by coincidence I visited Canary Wharf a few weeks before entering the monastery and spent years reflecting on the relationship between our origins and the Docklands portrayed in 'The Long Good Friday'
November 27, 2025 at 10:47 PM
I spent a decade living in a monastic community that began on the Isle of Dogs & by coincidence I visited Canary Wharf a few weeks before entering the monastery and spent years reflecting on the relationship between our origins and the Docklands portrayed in 'The Long Good Friday'
New blogpost on an interesting photograph album from the Pamir Boundary Commission of 1895, now digitised and available on DAME (the Digital Archive of the Middle East), documenting negotiations about border demarcation in Afghanistan
specialcollections.exeter.ac.uk/2025/11/21/t...
specialcollections.exeter.ac.uk/2025/11/21/t...
November 26, 2025 at 1:12 PM
New blogpost on an interesting photograph album from the Pamir Boundary Commission of 1895, now digitised and available on DAME (the Digital Archive of the Middle East), documenting negotiations about border demarcation in Afghanistan
specialcollections.exeter.ac.uk/2025/11/21/t...
specialcollections.exeter.ac.uk/2025/11/21/t...
Last week I was reading the late Roy Mottahedeh's 'The Mantle of the Prophet' and was struck by what he wrote (in 1984) about the staggering rate of Tehran's growth
www.iranintl.com/en/202511209...
www.iranintl.com/en/202511209...
November 26, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Last week I was reading the late Roy Mottahedeh's 'The Mantle of the Prophet' and was struck by what he wrote (in 1984) about the staggering rate of Tehran's growth
www.iranintl.com/en/202511209...
www.iranintl.com/en/202511209...
This carte-de-visite of one of my Fraser ancestors has always intrigued me
November 23, 2025 at 10:09 AM
This carte-de-visite of one of my Fraser ancestors has always intrigued me
Thank you. I recently reviewed this book and really wanted to write about how it would have been even better with some of your crow cyanotypes
November 23, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Thank you. I recently reviewed this book and really wanted to write about how it would have been even better with some of your crow cyanotypes
Poltimore
Kentmere Pan 400
Kentmere Pan 400
November 23, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Poltimore
Kentmere Pan 400
Kentmere Pan 400
Looking forward very much to reading this: 'The Indigenous Right of Reply to #Archives : Working towards Indigenous Sovereignty, Healing, and Justice in Archival Practice
November 20, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Looking forward very much to reading this: 'The Indigenous Right of Reply to #Archives : Working towards Indigenous Sovereignty, Healing, and Justice in Archival Practice
On the road to Jasana
November 16, 2025 at 4:56 PM
On the road to Jasana
My beetle collection
November 9, 2025 at 9:48 PM
My beetle collection
Enjoying a Pear Drop Royale (especially the crystallised ginger) while a lady sings Ella Fitzgerald's 'Let's do It' in the background - although the effect is somewhat ruined by the fact that while she croons, all I can hear in my head is Victoria Wood's 'Let's Do It: the Ballad of Barry and Freda'
November 8, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Enjoying a Pear Drop Royale (especially the crystallised ginger) while a lady sings Ella Fitzgerald's 'Let's do It' in the background - although the effect is somewhat ruined by the fact that while she croons, all I can hear in my head is Victoria Wood's 'Let's Do It: the Ballad of Barry and Freda'
Misty morning walk
November 8, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Misty morning walk
A year ago today I was exploring the ruins of Hatra, or al-Ḥaḍra - a vast three acre site that I had all to myself, and which contains some of the most fascinating archaeological structures I've ever seen
November 6, 2025 at 6:42 PM
A year ago today I was exploring the ruins of Hatra, or al-Ḥaḍra - a vast three acre site that I had all to myself, and which contains some of the most fascinating archaeological structures I've ever seen
A book that looks good enough to eat! Settling down to devour this brilliant new work by @annygaul.bsky.social
November 4, 2025 at 1:58 PM
A book that looks good enough to eat! Settling down to devour this brilliant new work by @annygaul.bsky.social
Grand opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza today. I may visit one day but am glad to have been to the old 'Museum of Egyptian Antiquities' in Cairo before they began transferring material.
www.archdaily.com/1035595/the-...
www.archdaily.com/1035595/the-...
November 1, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Grand opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza today. I may visit one day but am glad to have been to the old 'Museum of Egyptian Antiquities' in Cairo before they began transferring material.
www.archdaily.com/1035595/the-...
www.archdaily.com/1035595/the-...
First November walk
November 1, 2025 at 8:44 AM
First November walk
Encountered in the woods today
October 26, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Encountered in the woods today
You can have a pint of Merry Monk here, which is veru appropriate on many levels
October 25, 2025 at 6:55 PM
You can have a pint of Merry Monk here, which is veru appropriate on many levels