Intersections

A portrait of London through the people.
The Source, Source Studios (formely Stratford Circus), Theatre Square, Stratford, London, E15 1BX

London’s population is 9.32 million and, like an enormous ant’s nest, is constantly on the move, working, playing, socialising, criss-crossing on complex journeys by foot, bike, road and train.

As Londoners we both share our city and live our different lives. We come together in shared spaces and retreat to private spaces. We co-exist and connect at many different levels but how much do we know and understand about each other?

‘Intersections’ is about documenting London through portraits and conversations of the people. I spent 50 years as a photojournalist, documenting the world for magazines and wanted to change my working practice, to slow down and look at my own city with fresh eyes.

The last couple of years I have been traveling around the city with a large camera and tripod, approaching strangers and asking about their lives. We end up with a sort of negotiated settlement; the subject can pause, reflect on my request, and together we create an image and I ask them about their lives. Each subject receives an photograph with the opportunity to continue our conversation. This is a slow ritual in a public space and becomes a special experience for us all.

The photographs are all taken in black & white with a shallow depth of field. The subject and their stories are paramount and the location present, but muted. These images are about the subject’s liminal space without the distraction of London’s strident colours.

My eventual goal is a book that echoes the richness and diversity of London lives.

I have been working over the last 2 years and have about 500 images. My initial idea of photograph all of London is doomed to failure… London is so large and multi-layered that I could never actually “finish” the project but it’s really a document for a future generation.