For the last 13 years I tend to go where the work is ( my normal , day-to-day , pay-my-bills kind of work ) . Be it on the other side of the country or even another country. Dragging my baggage of clothes and laptop - foolishly relying on public transport to get me to my destination . I have to say I never took my camera with me because as I am stuck in some office for 8 hours -12 hours a day I am in no mood to be creative. Carrying a heavy laptop on my travels has taken its toll on my back so carrying anything else on top of that and I think my back will give up for good.
Then came the iphone … and more so the amazing apps to help with process one’s creativity ( and lighter than the camera).
For the last two months I have been working in Nottingham and for the first time I have been out in the evenings on the streets in the centre with my phone.
As we are approaching Summer and the evenings are getting lighter this has proven to be an incentive to leave the office on time….
Check out my ‘On the Streets of Nottingham’ on my instagram #onthestreetsofnottingham
For nearly a year I have been trying to get this project off the ground and I will be the first to admit that this has been an uphill struggle from the start .
What am I trying to achieve ? Why am I trying to achieve something ? How do I approach my subject ? How can I get participants to come on board with my project - especially on a topic that can be quite sensitive and personal as I know from my own experience. So many questions receiving very few answers .
I had so many ideas going through my head . But I was on the path of chaos theory hoping that in the end it will all fall into place and make sense .
But no - I still had a blank canvas ..
Until a couple of weeks ago I had a breakthrough when I went to visit my mother .
My dear mother always the willing model for my photos !
The chaos theory turned into a simple theory within 24 hours .
So this weekend I have finally managed to put my idea to paper and shortly be sending off my project proposal to potential participants .
Thanks mum !
This project was actually a failed project . I failed because of fear .Street photography feels me with fear . People see the camera before they see me .Although I need to conquer those fears its a very very slow process .
Then I discovered my iPhone - I have always dismissed my phone for taking images as they never look that great and generally I always see the phone as something to make phone calls or text and nothing more .Pretty strange considering my background is of a technical nature ( I worked in IT for the last 15 years ) but I have never been a geeky.
iPhone apps opened up a new world for me and decided to give my failed project a much needed CPR (and stealth ) .
The ‘Square Mile ’ is in primarily financial district of the London - The City of London . The first time I worked there was when I was 16 in the late 80’s where ‘greed was good ’ , yuppies in pinstripe suits shouting ‘Sell’ or profanities on their brick-style mobile phones and the ladies in huge shoulder padded suits clickety clacking in their high heels around Bishopgates during the morning rush.
I found myself working nearby again 25 years later . Armed with my mobile I put my lunch hour to good use and gave me the much needed break away from my computer screen.
The images are a mixture of colour and black& white - I haven’t quite finished the project but I am pleased with the results so far .
I feel comfortable using my phone for street photography . Especially in the City - do I really need permission to take photo of Lloyds building from a public street ?
