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Sun, 12 May 2013 15:01:55 +0100

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Sun, 22 Apr 2012 15:56:13 +0100

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Sun, 22 Apr 2012 15:49:31 +0100

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Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:24:55 +0100

Bit more street photography

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:00:05 +0100

Bit more street photography

Lunchtime street photography

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:10:52 +0100

Lunchtime street photography

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Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:08:28 +0100

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Sun, 15 Apr 2012 16:28:57 +0100

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Sat, 14 Apr 2012 14:51:16 +0100

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Sat, 18 Feb 2012 11:12:11 +0000

I think a photo idea is forming…

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:15:23 +0000

I think a photo idea is forming…

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Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:16:46 +0000

sianalex: London Buildings Taken by me with a Holga 120N Find...

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:06:12 +0000

sianalex:

London Buildings

Taken by me with a Holga 120N

Find me on Lomography - ‘Ivygold’

http://www.lomography.com/homes/ivygold

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Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:07:33 +0000

rookiemag: If Only Tonight We Could Sleep Staying up all night...

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:46:29 +0000

rookiemag:

If Only Tonight We Could Sleep

Staying up all night is fun…unless it’s against your will. Here, some remedies for insomnia.

fractionmagazine: untitled by Jon Duenas on Flickr.

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:29:24 +0000

fractionmagazine:

untitled by Jon Duenas on Flickr.

Fear and Photography in London

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:28:02 +0000

Sulking around Soho on a weekend afternoon a couple of growling, yapping dogs caught my attention. They were straining at their leads, darting towards anyone that crossed their sight. On the other end of the lead, long talons curled around the leather and the wrinkled hand was adorned in silver. The woman was far scarier than the dogs, but her head was turned as she talked to a friend. Quietly, I crouched on the ground, a foot or so out of the dogs’ reach. They snapped and snarled at me, ignoring the camera as I gently placed it on the ground for a rat’s eye photograph. Carefully, I turned the aperture wheel, adjusted the shutter speed and took the picture.

“Are you taking pictures of my dog?” she demanded.

“Umm…yeah, I am.” I said. Still on the ground with the camera pointed at the dogs, I didn’t think lying would do me any good.

“Ah, do you want me to turn them a bit so you can get a better picture?”

Street photography is one of my favourite forms of photography, but people are wary of having a camera pointed at them and while most just give you a funny look and walk away I’ve heard plenty of stories of people getting violent, snatching cameras and demanding photos are deleted. And that’s where the fear stems from. You want a slice of life served up on film or in pixels, they assume something sinister.

Honestly, the worst I could do is take a bad picture. If that happens I’m not going to want to share it with anyone. If I’m taking a picture of you, there’s something interesting there, take it as a compliment and ignore me. And it’s not easier said than done. Until recently I had hennaed ginger hair and it glowed. It glowed so much dogs barked at me when I wandered through Hampstead Heath of an afternoon. The owner of one was a photographer, who asked for a photo. Ok, so this could have been intimidating, but there were people everywhere and he was with his kids. He took a picture, thanked me and moved on.

But it’s hugely popular at the moment, each shot providing insight into the daily lives of people around us and people since passed or changed. Moments that have dissapated. But, for me at least, the scariness can be off-putting. I’m not a naturally confident person and I’m very conscious of being polite, so the suspicious looks, uncomfortable fidgeting and occasional people getting up and away from me can be enough to make me tuck away the camera (a Marilyn Monroe lookalike did the last one very obviously on a London bus, think I’ve still got some pictures on a roll somewhere though). Of course, when I do put it away, I immediately see some great photo opportunities, that disappear in the time it takes to press the shutter, had the camera been in my hands.

Equipment makes a difference. My little analogue cameras rarely catch people’s attention or I get overlooked as a tourist, so as long as I keep my distance, people aren’t that bothered. But better pictures usually require me to get closer if I’m using analogue, which does draw attention. With my DSLR at least I can hide and zoom. But then you’ve got a whacking lump of kit positioned in front of your face and it’s pointing right at someone. Some guy on the train once accused me of taking photos of him, the sound of my DSLR caught his attention and he felt the lens was pointed at him. I was actually using the doors to his side as a frame for people on the platform, but after he accused me I had to get off at the next stop to avoid the glares across the carriage.

My Lubitel has proven to be the most inconspicuous camera so far. People tend to be too curious about why I’m staring down into a black plactic box to realise that it’s pointed at them and I’m taking their picture, but I still just can’t get close enough.

Then there’s composition. Quick hip shots do not allow for consideration of the golden ratio, leading lines etc. You can crop and adjust afterwards, but you need something there in the first place.

There’s one way around it, ask. So you won’t catch people acting naturally, unaware of the camera, but if they’ve agreed to have their photo taken they’re not going to be snatching it off you afterwards. It’s also easier to do than I had expected. I went on a Meetup where we were given half an hour to get pictures of ten strangers and we had to ask everyone before we took their picture. I was back in 15 minutes with ten pictures and only one person said no. Admittedly, the men struggled a bit more, but they still had plenty of pictures.

I think I’m in a dark blue mood, post photoshop everything...

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:55:56 +0000

I think I’m in a dark blue mood, post photoshop everything seems to emerge dark blue.

Triplets

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:31:05 +0000

Triplets

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Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:46:29 +0000

A Day at the Fair

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Bit more street photography

Lunchtime street photography

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I think a photo idea is forming…

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sianalex: London Buildings Taken by me with a Holga 120N Find...

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rookiemag: If Only Tonight We Could Sleep Staying up all night...

If Only Tonight We Could Sleep

fractionmagazine: untitled by Jon Duenas on Flickr.

Fear and Photography in London

I think I’m in a dark blue mood, post photoshop everything...

Triplets

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