Category: W11

Old geezers, blokes & gents this week. Our neighbourhood is now mostly overrun with tourists so its getting harder to spot the old characters that have always lived in this area. But they are still there and I am sure they must be thinking…what the hell happened to this place? I think that and I’ve only been here since the 90s and I’m considerably younger. (I don’t know what constitutes considerably but I’m going with it)

I’ve tried to take photos of the tourists but they all look the same to me. Walking down Portobello these days is like sailing through a sea of puffer jackets…head to toe in uniqlo. I’m not dissing them it just doesn’t get the creative juices flowing. And then I see a craggy old characterful dude, his entire existence etched in every line in his face and that’s what I want to shoot. (not like kill obvs, that would be murder, I know they’re old but shame on you)

I’ve always been drawn towards characterful faces as anyone who follows this blog will know. I just find symmetrical beauty quite dull. I’m watching Boardwalk Empire at the mo (I know, late to the party) and I just marvel at Steve Buscemi’s face. It’s spectacular. Anyway I digress…

One day I will be one of these old characterful guys shuffling down the street, but the spirit of me will still be encased within the worn exterior. And that will be so for every one of these men this week so we should not judge by external facades. Who knows who might be living inside? Actually that’s sounds quite ominous. It wasn’t meant to be. I don’t mean like an alien or anything. I’m not saying they’re lizard people. Ok, I’m done..

p.s forgot it was good friday but hope you all have a splendid long weekend…

I’m on fashion detail this week..I don’t really have any interest in the world of fashion but I am fascinated by people’s individual fashion choices. We sub-consciously zoom in these micro style decisions and formulate an opinion on the person who made them. What are they trying to say? What kind of person wears that? Do you think I could find it in a medium? I am sure that looking at this zoomed in perspectives this week you have unconsciously tried to fill in the blanks and work out what the rest of them looks like. We can’t hep ourselves. Our brains need the full picture. But I’m afraid I can’t (or won’t) provide. You will just have to live with the mystery and your imagination.

I am also showing you these close-ups as clues to where I have been taking photographs. Can you guess where? It shouldn’t be too hard to work out but If anyone sends me the correct answer I will give them a year’s free subscription to my blog. Cant’ say fairer than that. All will be revealed next week.

All photos this week taken within a 1000feet of my home (yes my world is expanding). I never thought I would ever be able to live in a smaller place after living in London. It just seemed impossible to me. I was addicted to the hustle and bustle. I loved living in an anonymous ant colony, vast and sprawling, where everyday could take you to a part of the city you had never seen even though you were born and bred in it and spent most of your adult life there too. Not only was it huge but it was also densely populated and containing representatives of pretty much every single country, culture and continent on Earth which meant it felt like you were always travelling even though you never went anywhere. And it was relentlessly stimulating. An incessant stream of activity that stopped for no-one and I just loved the buzz that came with it.

And yet for the last year or so I have barely left my neighbourhood.And much of that time was spent within a single block or two of where I lived. A tiny bubble within this huge metropolis. And yet as I saw nothing beyond the confines of my postcode and it has been the equivalent of living in a tiny village. This has meant that I got to know a lot more of my neighbours which again made my life more resemble being in a small place where everybody knows each other.

It has given me a glimpse into a quieter existence, a more chilled paced of life. And it hasn’t been all bad. And even though I’ve been ill I’ve rather enjoyed it. But even still, I’m not sure I could live in a little spot in middle of nowhere because even though I have existed happily within a tiny area it is still inhabited by a huge range of varying ethnicities and a host of wonderful characters. It also has a vast array of tourists from other countries visiting. And that is what makes it interesting. It has been a very long time since I lived in a monoculture and I think I would now find that too weird after so many decades in this melting pot.

So maybe my current life is the best of both worlds. Although I am itching to get back on the tube. I know it sounds odd but I really miss it. Not rush hour obvs. I’m sure that’s still relatively hellish but I just loved disappearing underground and re-emerging in a totally different part of London. I know all you tube travellers are going..what the fuck is he on? Is he mad? And yes maybe I’ve forgotten what it’s like and have rose-tinted spex on but still..I can dream can’t I?

You like to hit, I like to be hit..BFF!

This guy picked an area with very little footfall when Portobello rd is only a few minutes walk away but I think he was a lil shy and maybe not quite confident enough in his skills to face the main thoroughfare..bless him. And I would be lying if I said he was an amazing bongo player but fair play to him for being out there at all..

I know people are fastidious about their cars but laying carpet for a parking spot? A little excessive dontcha think?