Mod Weekender

Celebrating Two Decades of Style: The Brighton Mod Weekender 2025

This post is a little delayed, as I wanted to wait until I received my developed film negs from the photo lab.

The August Bank Holiday weekend in Brighton has always been special, but this year it was truly historic. The Brighton Mod Weekender, the annual pilgrimage for Mods from across the globe, celebrated its 20th anniversary from August 21st to 24th, and the city was buzzing with more style, music, and scooter pride than ever before.

Its a blend of old timers reminising of the past and generational newcomers. All parading around as proud as peacocks.

This is four-day festival that pays homage to modernist and sixties-inspired culture. The evenings are typically a non-stop party, with venues like the Komedia hosting all-night club events where the legendary NUTs DJ Team spun Northern Soul, R&B, and garage to a packed dancefloor. The live music lineup was a celebration in itself, featuring iconic acts and rising stars, proving the scene is as vibrant today as it was in the past.

But the heart and soul of the Brighton Mod Weekender, and the thing that makes it so iconic, is the daytime spectacle. All weekend long, Madeira Drive transformed into a breathtaking open-air scooter show. Hundreds of gleaming Vespas and Lambrettas, adorned with countless mirrors and Union Jack flags, lined the seafront. This is where the community truly comes together.

Every mod, whether they've traveled from across the UK or from continental Europe, parks their beloved scooter with pride, polishing chrome and showing off their bespoke customizations. The area around The Volks Bar becomes a central hub, a meeting point for old friends and new acquaintances. The atmosphere is electric, with onlookers and enthusiasts alike admiring the incredible machines and soaking in the cool, timeless vibe. It's a living, breathing exhibition, a tribute to the passion and dedication that defines the Mod scene.

The Sunday scooter rideout was the cherry on top, as the convoy of scooters snaked its way along the coast, a modern-day echo of the legendary scenes from Quadrophenia. This year's event was a powerful reminder of how a subculture can endure and evolve, blending its rich heritage with an inclusive, forward-thinking spirit. If you were there, you'll know it was an unforgettable celebration. If you missed it, start planning for next year, because the Brighton Mod Weekender is an experience you won't want to miss.

Until next time, keep Modding.

Brighton Pride 2025

A short video of my photowalk at Brighton Pride 2025 on Saturday 2nd August 2025.

Taken on my Leica M10.

<del>U Should Not be doing that<del>, Oh yes you should.

I haven’t been been out for quite some time, have been a bit busy at work and it’s nice to just chill and relax in the house, now that the builders have all left. But today I decided to pop out into town to shoot some film.

Classic indecision, meant that I was packed up like a Sherpa going up Mount Everest, carrying the Pentax 67, FujicaGS645s and the delightful Minolta X500.

Happenstance delivered today where I stumbled across a Transgender March. As I wasn’t too tired, I was quite active getting some street portraits, approaching folk. But the photo used at the top of this blog post. The person on the left. Thought I may have been a Daily Mail photographer.

FFS.

I did have a chuckle to myself and think: 1) I’m a 53-year-old dad of two, I think I need to modernise some of my wardrobe, 2) am I near the autumn of the street photography journey that I’m on? I don’t fancy much being pointed out as a right wing broadsheet tabloid photographer, as the hair turns a bit more grey?

But in all fairness, the person on the left of that first photograph was quite disturbed. They were photographed at a previous March (they didn’t tell me if it was London or Brighton) and they did indeed turn upon the Daily Mail website. I did offer to not take the photograph but the pair of them and I’m sure their mum were actually really sweet and they allowed me to take it. I think it’s a lovely photograph, which captures the loving bond between two siblings.

Brighton, a city long celebrated for its vibrant and diverse LGBTQ+ community, once again lived up to its reputation today, July 19, 2025, as thousands gathered for a powerful and deeply significant Transgender March. The air was thick with a mix of defiance, solidarity, and joy as trans individuals, their allies, friends, and family poured into the streets, demanding recognition, respect, and fundamental rights. I can’t help but feel really proud of the youth coming through a very politically attuned, whether it’s the transgender match today or the free Palestine collective I witnessed at the KneeCap Supporting act at Finsbury Park for Fontaines DC (check out my previous blog post).

The march, organised by Trans Pride Brighton, began at Victoria Gardens, a sea of trans flags, banners emblazoned with messages of hope and anger, and faces determined to be seen and heard. Speeches ignited the crowd before the procession moved towards the seafront, transforming the familiar Brighton lanes into a vivid river of protest and pride. It wasn't just a march; it was a visible manifestation of a community asserting its existence and demanding its rightful place in society.

This year's march felt particularly poignant given the ongoing national discourse around trans rights. Recent months have seen intensified debates, often fuelled by misinformation, and a tightening of policy that has caused significant concern within the trans community.

The echoes of the past also resonated strongly through today's march. Many participants and observers drew parallels to the infamous Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988. For 15 years, until its repeal in England and Wales in 2003 (and Scotland in 2000), Section 28 prohibited local authorities from "intentionally promoting homosexuality" or "promoting the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship."3 While not directly about trans identities, the spirit of Section 28 fostered an atmosphere of fear, silence, and discrimination, particularly in schools. It told an entire generation that their identities were "pretended" or unacceptable. Today, as trans people face renewed challenges to their identities and access to healthcare, the fear of a return to such repressive attitudes is very real. The Brighton march was a powerful reminder that history must not repeat itself.

Brighton has long been a beacon for LGBTQ+ rights, and today's Transgender March reinforced that commitment. It was a loud, clear, and unyielding message to politicians and society at large: trans rights are human rights, and the fight for full liberation will continue, no matter the political climate. The energy on the streets of Brighton today was a powerful reminder of the strength found in unity and the unwavering demand for a future where all trans people can live authentically, with dignity, safety, and respect.

The LGBTQ+ Flags cast a little colour on what was mainly a very overcast day spoiling for a thunderstorm, which thankfully didn’t surface.

Black-and-white film isn’t the right choice of film to shoot a transgender March, I should’ve brought some colour film, but I think it’s a nice contrast.

Until next time, keep snapping (and marching).

Housekeeping, its a good thing.

I’m sat here putting the finishing touches to the website update, with a little more time on my hands, whilst we are in this post Xmas / New Year lockdown.

Since my reacquiantance into film, I have added sections relating to Street 35mm & 120, and People 35mm & 120.

Whilst this makes the website a little more lumpy in navigation, I have noticed my shooting style differs greatly between the 3 genres.

Whilst I still carry my digital camera on my walks, I using it more for video, as this is something that I want to develop in 2021, short videos for instagram reels and stories.

Here’s a selection of film and digital images I have taken in 2021:

I mentioned in a previous blog post that the film community is alive and fully supportive, I had a lovely exchange with someone on Instagram, who read my recent blogpost on film photography and wanted to scratch their film itch.

I sent over an email, with some links to camera reviews, resources and blog posts that I have found invaluable. Film is alive and well.

until next time, keep snapping.

A selection of the images within this article are available for sale on the Website or Etsy Store, if you would like to enquire about something else, please click the email icon at the foot of this page.

Take it to the streets………..

……………….. a saying people often use to encourage protest.

Last Saturday, whilst I was passing through Brighton, I came across a protest about #BLM (Black Lives Matter).

This was the 3rd protest that has happened locally, since the savage murder of George Floyd.

It’s not only the amount, but also the diversity of the protesters that seems to grow each time.

My kids and I also participated in the original march in June 2020.

Comparing to protests in London or America, the Brighton march seems almost sedate in comparison, but the message is clear, Its truly endearing to have and see the presence of youth and hear their voices.

While I was there I met many people including two of they guys who helped organise the protest (along with many others).

I was utterly mesmerised by their compassion and dedication to keep the momentum moving as a passive movement.

There has not been much coverage of this significant shift in this human rights movement, I am loathed to say this, but I think it largely hinges on the outcome of the American Presidential Campaign, which is due to be concluded on November 2020.

#BLM No Justice, No Peace.

A selection of the images within this article are available for sale on the Website or Etsy Store, if you would like to enquire about something else, please click the email icon at the foot of this page.