What a result! Around 40 photographers joined the I Love North Shields Photography Collective in Ouseburn today, Sunday 20 September, for a morning of photography, creativity, conversation and community — with Wex Photo Video joining us and bringing along photography equipment for people to try out on the walk. And yes, even the dogs came too.
Today marked another fantastic outing for the I Love North Shields Photography Collective, as we headed beyond North Shields to explore one of Newcastle and the North East’s most distinctive creative neighbourhoods. A big thank you to our hosts David Hall, Rachel Riley, Gary Ormston and Jess Riley.
Around 40 photographers joined us.
There were familiar faces from previous ILNS photowalks, plenty of people joining us for the first time, experienced photographers, enthusiastic beginners and people who simply enjoy getting outside with a camera.
Some came with friends. Plenty came completely on their own.
And, of course, we had a few four-legged participants joining the adventure too.
Sunday morning in Ouseburn
We met at Deep North in Ouseburn at 10am, before setting off together to explore the area through our cameras.
Ouseburn is almost made for a photography walk.
Its industrial heritage sits alongside street art, independent businesses, creative spaces, historic buildings, bridges and an ever-changing urban landscape.
Then there are the people.
Put 40 photographers in exactly the same neighbourhood and everybody sees something different.
One person notices a doorway. Someone else spots a reflection. Another waits for somebody to walk into exactly the right patch of light.
Someone photographs the architecture while another person turns around and captures something completely ordinary happening behind them.
Forty photographers can walk down the same street and come home with forty completely different versions of it.
That’s the magic of photography.
Wex joins us — and brings the kit!
We were delighted to welcome Wex Photo Video along to today’s Ouseburn photowalk.
And they didn’t arrive empty-handed.
The Wex team brought along photography equipment for people on the walk to try, giving our photographers the chance to get their hands on different kit and actually use it while exploring Ouseburn.
For anyone interested in photography, that’s a completely different experience from simply looking at equipment online or in a shop.
You can put it in your hands.
Take it onto the street.
Point it at something that catches your eye.
Take a photograph.
And see how it actually feels to use.
It also meant photographers could chat about cameras, lenses, equipment and techniques while walking alongside other people who share the same interest.
That’s exactly the kind of collaboration we want to create through the I Love North Shields Photography Collective.
Not simply putting two logos next to each other.
Creating an experience.
A huge thank you to the team from Wex Photo Video for coming along, bringing equipment for our photographers to experience and becoming part of the walk.
Photography without the pressure
The I Love North Shields Photography Collective isn’t about owning the newest camera or knowing every technical term.
You don’t even need to call yourself a photographer.
If you enjoy taking photographs and looking at the world around you, you’re welcome.
Phones are welcome. Beginners are welcome. Experienced photographers are welcome. And dogs are definitely welcome.
One of the loveliest things about our walks is seeing people arrive alone.
Turning up somewhere when you don’t know anybody can feel daunting, but photography gives everybody an immediate piece of common ground.
Someone asks what you’re shooting with.
Somebody points something out.
You start walking together.
And before long you’re chatting.
That’s something we want to protect as the Photography Collective continues to grow.
Documenting everyday culture in the North East
There’s also a bigger purpose behind these walks.
We want to encourage people to document everyday life and culture across North Shields, Tyneside, Newcastle and the wider North East.
Not simply the famous landmarks and postcard views.
The ordinary things matter too.
A shopfront.
An old sign.
Someone walking their dog.
Street art that might disappear next month.
An industrial building waiting for its next chapter.
People sitting outside a café.
The clothes we wear.
The places where we meet.
The streets we walk through every day.
Photography turns those moments into a record.
Something that seems completely ordinary in 2026 could be fascinating to somebody looking at these photographs decades from now.
Together, the photographers joining our walks are gradually creating a visual record of everyday culture across our region.
From the Shields Ferry to Ouseburn
Our previous Photography Collective walk brought around 40 photographers together for a journey from North Shields across the River Tyne on the Shields Ferry to South Shields.
Photographs from that adventure were subsequently published in I Love North Shields magazine.
We’ve also created opportunities for photographers’ work to be seen through exhibitions and pop-up galleries.
Today we’ve added Ouseburn to that growing photographic story.
And there’s plenty more to come.
Were you on today’s Ouseburn photowalk?
We want to see what you captured.
Whether you photographed Ouseburn’s architecture, people, street art, industrial heritage, dogs, tiny details or something none of the rest of us noticed, send us your favourites.
We’d especially love to see what photographers created while experimenting with the equipment brought along by Wex.
Send your photographs to: photocollective@ilovenorthshields.com
Please include your name and photography or social media handle so we can credit you correctly when sharing selected photographs.
Forty photographers walked through the same neighbourhood today.
Now we want to see 40 different Ouseburns.
Come and see us again in North Shields
You don’t have to wait until our next photowalk to get together with us.
Our next I Love North Shields social takes place on:
Sunday 25 October 2026
The Loading Bay at Salt Market Social
North Shields Fish Quay
Our I Love North Shields Vintage Market runs from 10am–4pm, with two floors of vintage traders and independents alongside live music throughout the day in The Loading Bay.
Then from 4pm–7pm, we’re staying on for the I Love North Shields After Market Social.
No formal networking and no agenda.
Just music, drinks, conversation and another opportunity to meet people in person.
Come with friends or come on your own.
Photographers, creatives, traders, musicians, contributors, followers, locals and newcomers — everyone is welcome.
And yes — The Loading Bay is dog friendly too.
Find our next North East photowalks and events
More I Love North Shields Photography Collective photowalks are coming, alongside markets, socials and other events.
For upcoming dates, visit the Events section of the I Love North Shields website.
We also want the photographers joining our walks to help shape what happens next — where we go, what we photograph and what kinds of photography experiences we create.
Thank you, Ouseburn
A massive thank you to all 40 photographers who joined us today, to the Wex Photo Video team for joining the walk and bringing equipment for our photographers to try, to our Photography Collective hosts and everyone who helped make another Sunday morning such an enjoyable one.
And, naturally, a special mention to our four-legged participants.
Photography can be something you do alone.
But it doesn’t have to be.
Give people a shared interest, somewhere interesting to explore and a reason to get out of the house on a Sunday morning, and something else starts happening.
People talk.
People experiment.
People share ideas.
People make connections.
And together we’re creating a photographic record of everyday culture across our region.
40 photographers. One Sunday morning. 40 different views of Ouseburn.
We can’t wait to see yours.
SEND YOUR PHOTOS
photocollective@ilovenorthshields.com
FIND OUR NEXT EVENTS
Visit the Events section at ilovenorthshields.com
I Love North Shields Photography Collective
Rachel Riley — @rachel_riley_photography
Gary Ormston — @gpo_visuals
David Hall / Nostalgia Kid — @nostalgia_kid
Jess Riley — @jess_rileyphotos
Thank you to our Photography Collective team for helping bring people together and continuing to grow this friendly community of photographers across North Shields and the wider North East.
Wex Photo Video — @wexphotovideo
A special thank you to Wex Photo Video for joining us on the Ouseburn walk and bringing photography equipment along for participants to try while we explored the area.
Being able to get your hands on different equipment and actually take it out onto the streets made the experience even more interesting for our photographers.
Instagram: @wexphotovideo
Website: wexphotovideo.com
Photography Blog: wexphotovideo.com/blog/
Deep North — Ouseburn
Thank you to Deep North Ouseburn for being our meeting point before around 40 photographers headed out to explore the Ouseburn Valley.
Deep North
Arch 6, Stepney Bank
Ouseburn
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 2NP
Website: deepnorth.co.uk
