Brick Lane over Decades
Photography facilitates an infinite amount of experimentation. Its almost as if the art form is capable of reinventing itself every day. My experiment below explores time, colour, composition and the effects of regeneration.
Brick Lane. 1980's to the present day.
Variations on the same theme:
Brick Lane. 1980's to the present day.
Brick Lane. 1980's to the present day.
Debbie & Julie
Meeting Debbie & Julie was an unexpected filming pleasure. Subjects of our latest documentary in the East End Lives series they were a tremendous pleasure to meet. Our documentaries are always driven by the narrative that emerges from the interviews we record for each film. We interviewed Debbie & Julie twice and found (as often happens) their second interview the most expansive.
Julie & Debbie during their interview for East End Lives 3. British Estate, London 2010
Often people tend to be more relaxed during a second interview; this was the case with Debbie and Julie who I met for the first time during the second interview. Once they were relaxed a warm dialogue erupted between them as they spoke enthusiastically of their childhoods and forming the ‘Mint Juleps’ band. After a while it was as if we were listening in to an intimate conversation between friends. People in our East End documentaries always seem to surprise, engage and impress the viewer. Their personalities roll off the screen, break stereotypes, entertain and enrich our perceptions of East Londoners. Compulsive viewing!
Debbie shortly after the interview for East End Lives 3. British Estate, London 2010
Top of the Bus
One of the best ways of seeing a city is from the top of a double decker bus. These first three London photographs were taken from the number 8 and the 247 buses. Looking down from the top window a passenger may embrace a birds eye view that opens up an entirely new perspective on street life.
Man walking along the Roman Road. London 2010
The rushing man (above) increased the sedentary comfort of my upstairs position as I photographed his hurrying demeanour. Shooting from this height encouraged a new set of camera angles.
Woman walking on Bethnal Green Road. London 2010
View from the 247 bus, Cambridge Heath Road. London 2010
Passngers waiting for a bus. Liverpool 1978
Three people
After taking photographs on the street and studying them one of the questions I often ask myself is what, if any, is the relationship between the people in the photograph? If the photograph is old I might also speculate about how relationships have changed.
Three people off Brick Lane. London 1988
I’ve often been intrigued by the way body language, captured in a moment in time, can convey many signals. For these photographs I’ve come to the conclusion that two of the people featured in each image know each other and the ‘third person’ is an outsider. Despite the ‘outsider’ status for a second all the subjects are joined in a harmious street composition in a way that serves to strengthen what they have in common as human beings.
Three people on Whitechapel Road. London 2009
December Bikes in Marrakech
Cyclist & motorcyclist. Marrakech, Morocco 2005
Cyclist. Marrakech, Morocco 2005
Cyclist with passenger. Marrakech, Morocco 2005
