Tag: notting hill

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MYLDN 1961 – Notting Hill Carnival? In July?

ok, so you might be wondering why the hell have I been looking at pictures of the Notting Hill Carnival in July? It’s a good question. It is not because I have a time machine and zipped four weeks into the future so I could document an event ahead of time so it fitted in better with my schedule..but holy shit, how amazing would that be? No, the truth is slightly more basic. These shots were actually taken in 2022 but I took a major dive right after which lasted for about a year and a half (yes, that’s a big dive) and so I was never able to go thru the shots and share them. Until now. I looked at them recently and it seemed such a shame to not at least get some of em out in the world so here they are. The way I see it is, if you capture a wonderful moment, but then no-one sees that moment, was there any point in capturing it in the first place? I would argue possibly not.

That was the Sunday

The modern way is to get photos out as soon as is humanely possible following an event. If it takes you more than a week or so to get them out you might as well not bother. Everyone has already moved on. Most documentation in this era is shared in real time, in situ, almost instantaneously. Laters is just too late. I don’t take photographs on my phone so this is not option is not available to me but even if it was I wouldn’t do it. Why would I waste time sharing my experience with other humans who aren’t even present when I could instead be fully present? Yes I am still looking down a lens but I am in totally in the moment. It makes sense to me to process and post photos in your down time but younger generations would undoubtedly not agree.

mebbbe not the best place to take baby out for a stroll
That was the Monday

I couldn’t attend last year’s Carnival because I still wasn’t in a good way but since then have been climbing the mountain of recovery (not quite at top yet but I can see the summit) and have my sights firmly set on Carnival 24. It felt weird to miss a year and so will be glad to be back in the thick of this magnificent event and returning to my usual position to document the Disya Jeneration sound system and its crowd in all its glory, which I have been doing since 2007. But as I will be taking my usual summer sabbatical and not posting in August you might have to wait a little while to see the photos. But is that such a terrible thing? Does immediacy always win? I think photography takes a while to distill, like a good wine (not that i know shit about wine). It needs time to ferment and needs distance from the present before it’s full impact can be felt.

So I wish you all a lovely rest of summer and I will be back in September…

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MYLDN 1958

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MYLDN 1947 – The Blue door

Now if you aren’t familiar with the film Notting Hill you may not be aware the blue door and are wondering why are all these people getting their picture taken in front of it and why am I taking pictures of them taking pictures of themselves? These are good questions and ones I have often asked myself during this ongoing photographic project which has spanned a decade or more.

The blue door is basically where Hugh Grant lived in the movie and since then it has become a major photo opp for tourists visiting the area. But not just a few, like a shit ton. It is very rare to go past the door, especially in peak summer season, and not see someone getting their picture taken in front of it. I am actually staggered by how many people want to do this. I really can’t get my head around the fact that this film is still that popular.

Richard Curtis said he wrote the film as a love letter to the area he lived in but by making it the title he kinda ruined it because after it came out this neighbourhood was propelled onto the international map and suddenly rents went through the roof and a lot of people who had lived here contentedly until then were then forced out. I was living in a shared 3bed house with garden 500m from Portobello and paying £85 a week in rent at the time (I know it seems almost impossible by today’s insane prices and was booted out almost immediately after film’s release so they could sell it.

Curtis also then sold his property for 1.5 million squid and then fucked off somewhere else. Doesn’t sound like the actions of a man in love with the area does it? I mean don’t get me wrong the gentrification of this area would always have happened but it accelerated it with a turbo boost transforming it virtually overnight.

So understandably there was some local animosity and resentment towards the movie and the he tourist traffic it generated. The blue door was even graffitied over a few years back, undoubtedly by a disgruntled local who clearly wanted to tarnish the film location and those that flocked to it . This incident even made the news (daily mail obvs) and headline read “Notting Hill fans fuming at shocking condition of door” (musta been a low news week)

I actually thought the “tourists suck” graf scrawled on the pillar pretty funny as the tourists have to get their picture taken next to it, although some attempt to cover it up, clearly not wishing to suck.

I mean I get why locals are fed up with the tourist trade as it has ramped up prices across the board and ushered in a relentless amount of coffee shops, ice cream parlours and 90% of all establishments and market stalls now cater towards the tourists. I mean, its not been all bad for the area, it has brought in a gi-normous amount of business but its character and inhabitants, the two things that made it what it was, have been somewhat squeezed out.

And so back to the blue door..these are just a few of the photos I have taken over the years..I’ve pretty much got enough to fill a book..is is a book anyone wants is a different question. Why am I so drawn to it? I guess there is something about the endless repetition with slight variation that gravitates me towards it..I think there is also something about the glee on the faces of the fans..its like they feel one step closer to the film they revere and adore…and I guess the way the movie made them feel is present in their faces and that is worth capturing. And it probably also gives them a thrill to think Hollywood stars had stood exactly where they had. The essence of Julia Robert’s clearly still lingers.

And just for the record I don’t loiter outside the door..I do have better things to do..these were all taken on flybys or while waiting for Mrs B to get a coffee from the starbucks on the corner…gotta every moment count and all that..

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MYLDN 1946

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MYLDN 1945

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MYLDN 1926

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MYLDN 1922 – the enigma of Sister Ruth

This week’s photographs shines a light on Sister Ruth, a local character who is a beautiful human being with a truly unique style. You will always see her pushing her trolley around stuffed with a variety of random objects. She is always up for a lil chat and she will often give you a blessing.

She told me was a missionary nun for most of her life and went to war torn & troubled countries to help those in need. She said she had seen lots of atrocities but the worst she ever saw was Grenfell. Through the positive joy she exudes you can still see the sadness trickling through which she seems to dampen down with lil swigs of Vodka.

I saw her the other day and I called her by name and she said how did I know who she was? I explained we had spoken on many occasions and she said..did I flirt with you? She then said she would pray for us and asked us what we wished for. She is getting on a bit now to say the least and old age seems to be digging its claws in but she still has a lot of fight in her. I also pray she sticks around for a while longer because she is a little ray of light and one of the last great characters in this neighbourhood. Bless you Sister Ruth..

..and that was going to be my puff piece on Sister Ruth and as I am now an investigative journalist (self-appointed) I thought I would do a search for her this morning and see if anything came up and was shocked to find a story about her across a multitude of newspaper publications in 2012 detailing a case that was brought against her for sending threatening letters to Nick Clegg and other MPs and a couple of baronesses containing a substance that looked (but wasn’t) anthrax.

Sister Ruth aka Ruth Augustus was arrested and told police: “I’m Sister Ruth, a 71-year-old disabled nun. I look like a terrorist, don’t I, working for a charity all over the world, with orphans?” Which is a fair point. And she also said “Of Mr Clegg, he lied about all the tuition fees and everything else, keeping those Tory millionaires and rats in government”. Which is also a very fair point. And she said of the police: “They opened the envelopes, and put white powder in, to frame me. I know they monitor it all.” And to be fair that does kinda sound like the sort of thing they do.

But apparently the catholic church have no record of her and she is in fact suffering from a delusional disorder. She was sentenced to 2 years community service. At first I wished I hadn’t looked her up and had preferred to preserve my version of Sister Ruth but at the same time it just makes me even more fascinated with her story. Has my opinion changed of her? Not at all, I still think she’s a beacon of joy. Will I mention it when I next see her? Probably not…but mebbe I could drop Nick Clegg into the conversation and see what happened..any suggestions on how?

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MYLDN 1918

Just photos this week..slithers of reality caught in camera and morphed into pixels

P.S sorry for late arrival, keep forgetting to press publish..

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MYLDN 1905

Back on the streets of W11…

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MYLDN 1823

Where there are coloured brick houses there are photo shoots..people (mostly females) come from far and wide for quality eye candy backdrop like these. And let’s face it, those feeds ain’t gonna feed themselves…

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Happy Whatever!

My favourite steel drum playing Santa was out again this year and was delighted as he has provided me with my xmas post for many years as sure many of you will recognise him. Even though he doesn’t ever look super happy and a little light on xmas cheer I am always very happy to see him.

Seasons greetings to you all, wishing you a merry whatever and a glorious new year…

…see you in 2023!

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MYLDN 1738

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#MYCARNiVAL22

This was probably my favourite moment of the weekend ..definitely worth a zoom in. Got a lot of shots to come but might take me a little while to go thru..plus I need to recover too..please bear with…

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#MYLDN (1705)

This week I have featured people who I have taken multiple shots of over the years. I rarely take more than one picture of someone but there are some who I have continued to capture over the years as find them particularly interesting to photograph but also because I see them regularly. After I posted shots on Monday of Christine (bless her) it made me realise that there were others who I have collections of too…

I know it all sounds a bit stalkery but I’m not following these people I promise. I just run into them a lot. And they all seem to have a story. There are many locals who I have seen over the years and never spoken to but have always wondered who they were and what they were like. But it’s difficult to bowl up to people and say, seen you around..how’s life? Wanna spill your story? It just doesn’t really happen.

I have been in this hood a long time and have pottered up and down Portobello Rd for decades so have seen a lot of the same people day in day out. As a result I am on nodding terms with tons of them, smiling terms with many, stop and chats with a handful and those I would call friends just a few.

This guy for example I have just seen around a lot and think he has a great look and seems very cool. I will call him Monsieur Moustachio..because I can. On appearance he looks French or Italian, could easily work in fashion, probably moved to London so he could be himself and loves Krautrock and tangfastics. This is obvs entirely made up and I really have no idea who he is or what his story is. I just observe and project. I imagine what people’s lives might consist of, yet know full well that my assumptions are just fiction and probably nowhere near an actual fact. Still as I often quote the great Herzog..”the truth should never get in the way of a great story”. Here’s to the mind machinations of the imagination and all that they bring.

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#MYLDN (1685)

Summer is here and love is definitely in the air. Heat triggers hormones and the primary drive is initiated. If that sounds a bit too biological and sciencey I am actually an old romantic at heart. There is nothing more positive than seeing young love in blossom. It brings a sense of hope and optimism, which are in short shrift these days.

And for the record, ‘young’ love isn’t exclusive to young people and isn’t even necessarily love in the early stages of a relationship. It can still exist beyond the confines of the honeymoon phase. It will survive intact for as long as you continue to feel it unconditionally and without reserve. Time only eats it away if you let it. Keep fanning the flames and it will burn bright forever.

In all honesty I’m not sure what else there is to say about love that hasn’t already been said in a billion (not accurate calculation) poems, songs, novels and works of art, all who have attempted to explain this all encompassing feeling. Truth is, it’s really not that complicated. It’s actually very simple, possibly the simplest experience on Earth. You love someone. And they either love you or don’t love you back. That’s it. What else is there to know?

And yet we feel compelled to try and understand it so we can hopefully control it. But that is a futile and ultimately impossible endeavour. Many of the shots feature couples holding hands and it does sometimes feel like this public display of affection goes beyond just wanting to touch and be connected, they are actually gripping on to them so they don’t fly off. They want them tethered. There is also a sense of ownership attached to this innocent act, a display to any interested parties to show they are not available. I’m not personally a fan of holding hands but having said all that I try not to be cynical when I see it in others. It’s sweet really, especially when you see it with older couples.

Maybe they are all holding on with all their might because love is a bumpy ride. It’s a bucking bronco, a rollercoaster, a whirling dervish. (I actually don’t really know what one of those is, but it popped out of my brain and it sounds good. Yes I guess I could look it up but where’s the fun in that?)

What I am curious about though is not really the mechanics of love but when did it begin? Love is a construct. The concept was created at some point. Apparently around the 12th century. But who was it? Who invented love? And did they brag about it? Yeah, love, that was me. I did that. And what did couples do before then? What did they say to reassure each other they still felt it when there wasn’t a word for it? But babe, of course I still…umm…you know..no, what? You still what? Actually I don’t know either…

Did labelling it enhance the experience? Or did it allow people to hide behind the word? You can say it when you don’t necessarily mean it. Top tip: Always look in the eyes. Eyes don’t lie but mouths do. I also think the relentless overuse of the “I love you” phrase makes it lose its potency and power. You gotta hold it back. Make that shit count.

I was watching an episode of the new Star Trek series the other night (don’t judge I’m a Sci-fi nerd) and one of the characters said “Love is the only thing that makes the coldness of space bearable”. But I think the same is true here on Earth. Although there is also another saying: “Couples are so boring, everybody knows it” and that’s also difficult to argue with.

And I know I said everything had been said but it turns out that didn’t stop me from chucking in my 10 pence worth…what a surprise.

Love you. Babycakes

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#MYLDN (1683)

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#MYLDN 1662

..and so I’m back..from outer space, well, no, not really. I’ve been staring into space. Not sure that’s quite the same thing. Anyways, had been waitin till I felt A-OK to resume service but if I do that I ain’t ever gonna get rollin so like I said before, if I disappear again at least you know where I went…you can’t blame a guy for tryin..hopefully you are slightly happier to see me than this guy is…

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#MYLDN (1654)

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#MYLDN (1635)

All shots this week from Portobello Road. I know, that’s not that unusual for me as most of my shots come from there but I explain that a bit later..

What I most love about this street is the variety of people you see. You’ve still got the old school locals but you also now have the new Notting Hillbillies, and the posho Europeans who moved here, and the tourists and the Rastas and the West London fashionistas and an entire mix of cultures and communities all rubbing shoulders. There maybe a few less characters around than there used to be but it is very rare I do not spot someone on my daily walk that is not worth capturing.

As I have walked down Portobello almost every day for the last 20 years and taken squillions of shots ( yes, I know, it’s a lot) I am starting to think has anyone taken more photos along this one road for a longer period than me? Maybe I’m the Portobello photo guy?

This guy who you see with the old fashioned camera in the shot above possibly thinks that as well. In a somewhat ironic moment he actually stopped me and asked if he could take my picture. I said, sure, I just took yours.

Last year when I was ill I had to stay local so my neighbourhood became my world. I could just about get to Portobello and back and I remember thinking, well if this is it and I can’t get further than this one road, it might as well be this one.

Portobello has a vibe and an energy to it unlike any other street I know and although it’s not as busy as it used to be and the demographic of the people who frequent it has massively changed since I have been here it still has a real buzz to it, especially on Saturdays which feels like a mini festival every weekend.

Additional:

I wrote this before the Ukrainian invasion yesterday and now when I look at these shots today I just see people going about their daily lives, going shopping, going to work, hanging out, living a normal life, just as they would have been doing over there, and then in a single instant they are plunged into total chaos and horror. Their lives are now under threat and they will have to fight for their very survival. It is no different to if it happened here to us. We must see that. We must support them. We cannot abandon them to this fate.

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#MYLDN (1634)