PHIL MAXWELL

Expressive Hands

January 12, 2013

Hands on the underground

I’ve always felt that hands are an extension of an individuals personality. The urge to photograph them has always been there. Hands are fascinating and like the face bear the marks of time. Here are some hands that have received my attention over the years.

Hands on Petticoat lane, early 1980's

I think these hands betray some anxiety. A few seconds after I took this I photographed this man from the front and his face showed the anxiety already exhibited by the grip of his hands.

Hands on Brick Lane, 2009

These hands are altogether more relaxed but emerge a little uncomfortably from the jacket. The jacket is relatively new and lacks the character of the well worn coat from Petticoat Lane.

Hands in a shop window, Brick Lane 1998

The mannequin appears to be in a daze and her hands convey no signals of life. Is she dead or alive?

Brighton pier 2002

The unplanned appearance of this hand on Brighton pier changes the composition dramatically. The ornate iron work appears to derive energy from the sudden intrusion and reflect the hands shape.

A wave with a hand, c.1982 Liverpool

Tony Benn making a point with his hand, c.1995

Hand and face from the British Museum Egyptology collection

Richard Hickox - conductor's hands, c. 1990's

Malaysian hands in Greece, 2000

Marrakech

January 11, 2013

I’ve just returned from seeing friends in that wonderful place Marrakech. Here is a taste of a magical place.

In the Kasbah, 2013

Whitechapel Station Updated

January 10, 2013

Whitechapel station is the nearest underground station to my home. Opened in 1876 it is the main gateway to the rest of the world for local residents. The station has not changed that much over the years. The entrance faces the Royal London hospital and Whitechapel market.

Early 1980’s. Who is this man waiting for?

This man was a regular feature on the streets of Whitechapel in the early 1980’s. He had the ability to sleep standing up with the aid of his crutches.

This lady is waiting for her four photos which were developed in four and a half minutes for 60p. This facility was available in the entrance in the 1980’s.

Waiting for a train 2010.

Waiting at Whitechapel Station, c.1995

Moving on the District Line, c. 1998

The Street Updated

January 9, 2013

The streets around where I live in Spitalfields have been an inspiration to me and are always full of characters who bring the place alive. Similarly streets in Bangladesh are bursting with life so here we have the East End with Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. Originally published 2 years ago I’ve added a few more images to this blog.

Brick Lane, early nineteen eighties. This lady would stand alone and talk to herself pointing in different directions as if she was recollecting life from past decades.

Brick Lane, early nineteen eighties. This gentlemen looks immaculate as he peers across Bethnal Green Rd to the other part of Brick Lane. Taking a rest, I wonder if he was imagining the changes that would transform the area in the coming decades.

Dhaka 1995. A relatively quiet street scene in Dhaka. When I visited the same street last year there were newly installed traffic lights (generally ignored by drivers), and less rickshaws. Police in Bangladesh have begun a campaign to remove unlicensed cycle rickshaws from the capital’s streets. The authorities say the long-term aim is to halve the city’s estimated 400,000 cycle rickshaws. This has led to the rickshaw drivers being harassed and bullied by the police. As the rickshaw driver in this photograph takes a well earned break, the bare footed boy walks past with his bag of newspapers. Rickshaw drivers ride all day earning less than three dollars in stifling heat and ferocious rain.

Dhaka, 1995. Outside a hairdressers the bicycle boy smiles directly into the camera. In Bangladesh people will often ask you to take their picture if they see you with a camera and are comfortable with having their photograph taken.