Camera club monthly assignment: Photographing the recession

Two women enter Margate Discount Store. A low shutter-speed captures a sense of their movement Photograph: Alicia Canter for the Guardian

Boarded-up shops in the arcade at Arlington Square Photograph: Alicia Canter

Dave's Hamburger Bar is one of the arcade's few surviving shops Photograph: Alicia Canter for the Guardian

A close-up of Calum (right), the owner's stepson, and Ian, a regular customer at Dave's. Try to talk to people in the town you visit – they might be able to give you some insight into the situation there
Photograph: Alicia Canter

The joke shop is one of the arcade's last few shops. In this shot you can see open and closed premises side by side
Photograph: Alicia Canter

Tamburlaine Robb-John's family have run the joke shop for 40 years. Look for reflections like the one in the window
Photograph: Alicia Canter

A wide-angle lens and the blue sky adds drama to this photograph
Photograph: Alicia Canter

A wider shot shows the town in the background
Photograph: Alicia Canter

Some repeat pattern in a straight shot of the bay windows
Photograph: Alicia Canter

More repeat pattern in a close-up, with a sticker in the bottom-left to add interest
Photograph: Alicia Canter

The richer colours of the doors and frames complement the metal window-shields
Photograph: Alicia Canter

A lock on the door of this abandoned pub. Details like this can make for great shots
Photograph: Alicia Canter

Dreamland is an amusement park first opened in 1920. It was once a popular attraction but its fortunes, like the town's, have suffered. The sky offers negative space against which to balance the dark scaffolding
Photograph: Alicia Canter

Supergift, a closed shop on Margate's seafront. This picture is split into near-thirds, making it look layered
Photograph: Alicia Canter

The view through the muggy windows of an old amusement arcade. Only five machines remain inside
Photograph: Alicia Canter

A closed-down arcade on the seafront allows for some repeat pattern and the use of the doors to create a vanishing point Photograph: Alicia Canter

A charity shop remains closed through the winter
Photograph: Alicia Canter