Tall Ships - Noticeboard of Dishonesty


Documentary Fiction Photography

It's found up along cobbled visions of forgotten towns in times disputed by all who lived them. In places caught by Pentax and Olympus children will forever play on empty streets near to crumbled demolished homes. Tall ships still hang over brick wall in this broken vision, with the ships, made by small people whose dreams daily smashed, mirror the horrors of this passing time. Close by, crisp tied officials arrive but soon leave. As they always have and always will. Visitors making quick decisions over local pie and ignored cake. 

Today windowless empty youth painted buildings scatter to wind and sudden downpour as in large open working spaces; in tired, dormant feral communities; few people gather each morning for early shift. Labour here is now too vague, mechanical and undisputed. Tiredness is instant and contagious. Jokes are few, clumsy and dulled by lack of echo. Uniforms, worn in shame, are cheap and ill fitting as they signify nothing but cowardice and lack of respect.

Steve Coel

The Mercy Path



Documentary Fiction Photography

Once you bypass the last starched lightning tree you enter a hillside world of midnight stream and border wire music. Here, across shilling debris and early shadow, blisters of high mist compose movement from iron and broken bone.
Steve Coel


Down the Front



Documentary Fiction Photography

With their stick on smiles all owl eye brown, girls look down on avenues of car metal gutter full with wish and dream.
In these mean times, ripped boyfriends in their hastily bought clothes, shadow money recently hustled from grey figures in badly lit parks. 
This is their place, not yours. It is a space ruptured of romance, empty of mirth, hope, future.
The Right Shadows (2025)
Steve Coel


Whistled Anger



Documentary Fiction Photography

Whistled Anger

Here -

Where...hawthorn tree spaces catch song and memory...

Where...whistled anger cuts through motored gateway..

Where...subtle fingers repeat last nights drunken movement..

Where...painted side street paths splash oiled drug wish on to sullen booted youth..

Where...anonymous blind construction hides skyline humour..

is the place language comes to die.
Steve Coel