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Walking Down Brick Lane

April 25, 2011

The ladies walking down Brick Lane in 1986 know it as a place of dereliction but still a convenient way to get from Bethnal Green to Whitechapel. To their right all buildings have ceased operating and await demolition.

Tree ladies walk down Brick Lane

Tree ladies walk down Brick Lane, 1986

Tree ladies walk down Brick Lane

Tree ladies walk down Brick Lane, 1986

Walking down Brick Lane, 2008

Walking down Brick Lane, 2008

Similarity

April 24, 2011
A frosted log

A frosted log in Mile End Park, 2009

A motorway in the UK, 2010

A motorway in the UK, 2010

City walks in India and New York

April 23, 2011
A woman walking in Manhattan

A woman walking in Manhattan, 2005

A woman walking in Tamil Nadu

A woman walking in Tamil Nadu, 2008

A few seconds on Brick Lane

April 22, 2011

Photographed on the corner of Brick Lane and Bacon street in 1985 this market trader is taking a cigarette break and Looking across the street in the distance.

Man on a corner of Brick Lane

Man on a corner of Brick Lane, 1985

What I find fascinating about these few seconds is that the market trader appears oblivious to the people walking past and sharing his pavement space.

Man on a corner of Brick Lane, 1985

Man on a corner of Brick Lane, 1985

Man on a corner of Brick Lane

Man on a corner of Brick Lane, 1985

Man on a corner of Brick Lane, 1985

Man on a corner of Brick Lane, 1985

Strangely the moments captured suggest an intimacy between the subjects.

East End Film Festival Poster Competition

April 21, 2011

I was delighted to receive the photograph (below) from my friend the ‘Gentle Author” who publishes the distinctive and gripping daily blog Spitalfields Life.

East End Film Festival Poster, Bethnal Green Road

East End Film Festival Poster, Bethnal Green Road 2011

The branding for the East End Film Festival this year has drawn inventively from my East End photo archive thanks to a selection by the festivals artistic director Alison Poltock. Below is the original photograph from the Brick Lane of the 1980’s.

Brothers outside shop on Brick Lane

Brothers outside shop on Brick Lane, 1985

How different Brick Lane looks today. Below I have inserted the 1985 photograph into today’s Brick Lane.

Brick Lane, 1985

Brick Lane, 1985/2010 composite

Please send your photos of any East End Film festival poster sites with the 1985 Brick Lane image to me at maxwellphotouk@yahoo.co.uk. The sender of the ‘best’ image will receive a signed print of the original image and the runner up will receive two free tickets to the premiere of East End Lives 3 at the Genesis Cinema on 28 April at 8:30pm. The film was made and directed by Hazuan Hashim and myself. Hazuan will be answering questions at the Q&A following the screening. Incidentally there will be a surprise screening of a new short at the start of the programme featuring the talented singer Chris Savage King.