On the streets of Camden

Looking round Camden last week before a Show of Hands concert at Cecil Sharpe House. I hadn't been round Camden much for a number of years. There were a good mix of people , lots of tourists and shoppers round the markets, students and local people too.

I thought it would be good to go back on a Saturday or Sunday and walk around the canal too and the locks. I was pleased that there was still an alternative feel to the area, despite some developments and good to be reminded of newer places for me to take my camera.


I enjoyed the decorated shops with their oversized, shoes, figures and an airoplane on one. The abundance of tattoo parlours, goth clothes and jewellry gives a certain dangerous element to the atmosphere. Though there were also enough people on the edge to give a real dangerous element to the street too.

Olympic site and Stratford photographs

The Olympic park is still a hive of activity with only a few months before the games. I went to Pudding mill station to walk to the View Tube and take some more photos of the site.
The viewing room at the View Tube was closed for a school class. It has been closed every time I've been along the last few times. It's a shame they didn't have a smallish platform at least that was open to the public all the time.





There is an Olympic shop on the site now, which I didn't look at. I did look at the mosaic exhibition though on display outside. There are some really beautiful and inspiring pieces and well worth seeing. The mosaics are by members of the British Mosaic Association their website here
I always think art has done one of it's jobs if I feel like making something myself in response to a piece I have seen.

The Orbit Tower had grown since I was last at this site. I still think what a lost opportunity for some thing great. I love a lot of modern and contempoary art, but Tatlins Tower was much better. The tower was recreated recently at the Royal Academy.



I was taking some photos around Stratford station too for my street photography work.

Cities Street Photography exhibition at The Mill

I've just put up some of my street photos at The Mill, for an exhibition called Cities. Christian Mantio and Helen Porter are also showing work.



I've shown some more slightly humorous photographs including ones from Tate Modern, the Guildhall Pancake Races, Parliamentary Pancake Race and Walthamstow Market.



Christian is showing 10 of his New York photographs including vibrant street art, cars and city views.Helen is showing photos including some from Wood Street market.



The exhibition is open from Tuesday 6th March till the end of the month. Link to the Mill for info on directions here

Moontree Gallery and Mill on the Street exhibitions.

The exhibition at Atlantis Bookshop has come down and is up at the Moontree Gallery in Bournemouth thanks to Courtney who has taken these pictures of the show going up. Courtney is giving a talk there this evening, Merlin to Infinity at 7.30pm. LInk to the Moontree Gallery here

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I have been working on the Street photography exhibition for The Mill "Mill on the Street" The Mill has formed as a community venue and organisation from an old library in Walthamstow.



It is great to see the place up and running, with all sorts of creative classes and events taking place. I know it took a lot of hard work on behalf of the volunteers and campaigners to get the old library and it will take a lot of work and money to kep it going. I had one of my photographs there as part of the E17 Art Trail in September and am pleased to be organising the show with Maureen, Mo, arts organiser for The Mill.



The "Mill on the Street" exhibition includes work by a number of local photographers including Rachel L'Anson, Nathaniel Legall, Imraan Ismail and Fabian Ho. It opens on Tuesday 8th November till Friday 2nd December. Tuesdays to Saturdays 10am -6pm.
There is also a Street Photography workshop on Saturday 19th November 10.30-2.30pm
Bookings at The Mill. link to The Mill site here

Street Photography, project halfway through

It's halfway through the Photographers Gallery Street Photography now project.top picture is from Photographers Gallery Instruction 24. "Follow the money" Stephen Mc Laren.

I have managed to follow all but 2 sets of instructions. It is quite challenging keeping the instruction in mind and finding an image to fit the brief. This is the last image with others from the group I uploaded to Instruction #26
"If you're not sure it's a picture, shoot it anyway" - Carolyn Drake It is a picture of the Anarchists on the day of the TUC march and protests about the Government cuts.

I have been really enjoying the challange and the community of photographers that has grown up around the project. I am learning a lot about Street Photography and seeing some really great images.There have been many discussions on line, not least about what is Street Photography. There are plans for a possible exhibition which will be great if it comes off and there is a street photography festival coming to London in the summer. Link for the festival here



The photo above is from instruction 23 "There is a crack in everything - that's how the light gets in..." from 'Anthem' by Leonard Cohen - Frederic Lezmi



Here is the link to info about the project, you can join up any time and follow the instructions as and when you can each week.

Street Photography project

I have joined in with a new Street Photography project is a collaboration by The Photographers Gallery and Sophie Howarth and Stephen McLaren who have written the recent Street Photography now book.

The project started on Oct 1st and instructions are posted online each week by leading photographers to inspire participants in their image of the week. Any one can join in at any time and 1 photo can be uploaded to their Flickr group.Flickr group here
My 2 responses to the 2 weeks instructions, " If you can smell the street by looking at the photo, then it's a street photo" Bruce Gilden, and "Turn your attention to the four legged population" Ying Tang.