A TOWN is made by its people – so when all the people are gone, what’s left?
Photographer Ian Parker is using his daily exercise or shopping trips to document what Barnsley looks like with its streets suddenly absent of people.
And the results provide an eery, dystopian view of streets and supermarkets that would usually be bustling with life.
Ian, who displays his photos on his Instagram page theSaturdayBoy, said: “I’m still working and my girlfriend is at home, so when I’ve been getting home we’ve got into the habit of going for a walk and having a bit of exercise.
“We live just outside the town centre. Because it’s so quiet and empty, you do see things from a different perspective.
“It’s such an unusual time. I went down to Lidl and saw a massive queue of people, and a security guard was shouting at this guy and waving her arms around. It would’ve been a great shot, but emotions are so high and I didn’t want her to turn her anger my way.”
The 40-year-old self-taught photographer first picked up a camera at 25, and his work is usually centred on football – either on the pitch, or on the street.
“It’s a hobby, it’s my creative escape from a full-time job,” said Ian.
“I create images of subjects and events that I have a passion for. If anyone else likes the image, then that’s a bonus.
“You do start to think about composition and structure, and you can’t help but start to see things in photographs – without sounding big-headed.”