I have been feeling a bit slack on the blogging front recently. I am trying a new tactic, whereby I write the words for my posts in my lunch breaks. I have huge amounts of photos of furniture to share and a few new ideas on the horizon too. I just need a time machine, which I really don’t think is a lot to ask! H. G. Wells was on to something in his science fiction novel The Time Machine which I think I will read as research.

In other news my Mum Ali has been documenting a sofa in Birmingham on an almost daily basis. (Thank you!!) It is not often that a piece of furniture stays abandoned for such a long time. I am looking forward to seeing the collection together and looking for changes between them. I might suggest we make a flip book out of them! Here is one of the photos I have been sent so far:

It looks like it’s going to grow into the surroundings!

My friend Jane managed to pull a blinder and find this sofa abandoned in Hollywood, US of A! I was so excited when she told me, and even more so when I saw it (if not a little jealous that I hadn’t been to Hollywood!). It looks as though it has actually been left in the road, except for a cushion strewn across the pavement. I wonder how many countries treat furniture in this way and whether it is quite a Western thing to do.

Spotting discarded furniture for myself is exciting but so is other people sending me their findings! Nicky is the latest person to send me some furniture for my collection. She told me the story of how she captured this sorry looking seating. It was raining (top marks for effort!), Nicky had her umbrella in one hand and was pretending to text in the other when she discreetly took the photo. We had a conversation about the different ways you could take a photo without looking like you were working for the fly tipping society or frankly just a bit of an oddball.

Here are some top tips:

• Use your bag to obscure your camera
• Carry an umbrella or a parasol so you are undercover
• Pretend to stretch and whilst lunging, point and shoot
• Create a diversion
• Keep your camera in your pocket and let the lens poke out the top
• If you are lucky enough to drive, wind down your window, take a photo and drive off quick smart
• Wear a distracting disguise
• Ask a willing friend to pose, but take the photo so they are out of shot
• Use your camera phone and pretend to text
• For the serious photographer, make yourself a coat with fake arms with large buttons down the front. Drill a hole in one of the buttons and position your camera lens through it. Use your free arms that are hidden inside your coat to take the photo.

Here is Phils latest find. He almost missed his train snapping these. I thoroughly appreciate the dedication, thank you!

If you spot any discarded chairs, sofa’s, seating of any kind please email me at rebeccagovehumphries@gmail.com and I shall feature them on here.

Last Saturday I got up for work for the second Saturday in a row. It wasn’t too bad, but seeing these delights made it worth it. I (slept) walked round the corner and my bleary eyes woke up with the sight of a cushion. Excellent, I thought, there might be more where that came from. Little did I know there was a sofa trail, all ready to follow. First the cushion…

Then another….

And finally the grand finale!

I was on the wrong side of the road, so I skipped round to get some close ups.

A few days later I saw the cushion had moved to a much nicer location. Sofa’s that you see on your route to work allow you to see them change in the environment. This cushion was left out in torrential rain!

I’m used to seeing furniture hanging around suburbia, but it’s a real treat to spot these in town. They look quite corporate and formal, even in the way they have been placed. I think they are probably left out by the university for council collection. Note to self: Start building muscles and looking for a job in council furniture collection. Both are unrealistic for different reasons, especially the idea that there are jobs available within local councils under this horrendous* coalition government!

*I couldn’t find a strong enough word to use.

One of my best furniture spotters, Caroline has sent me an absolute corker, a Spanish sofa and a pair of armchairs! I was so happy to see that there are similar sights to spot across the sea.

I had to capture the wind making the tassels on this sofa dance! I like the idea of making videos of the furniture. It makes them feel more sculptural and animates them. A video of an abandoned sofa in the pouring rain would be so sad but I think strangely beautiful.

Last Monday I went into work later than usual so the day before I had spotted a chair that needed further investigation. I only saw our our of the corner of my eye, so was feeling apprehensive about whether it could have been a mirage. It was such a sunny day and the chair was sighted not very far from my house. I began meandering down the road when I spied a painting on the wall. I love the colours.

Once I had photographed that, I continued on my merry way in searched on a new chair for my collection. When I saw it there wedged between the wall and bins with what looked like a hat on, I thought ‘what a character’.

Then when I finally got to work I noticed that a tatty looking office chair had been abandoned in the post room to dwell next to the reams of paper forever more.

Great morning!