Tons of Folks, AKA Folkestone

Had a lovely start to the weekend yesterday, up nice and early at 07:00 having a lovely morning coffee and editing photos, giving the website a minor refresh adding some new products to the store.

My daughter - having surpassed my expectations in approach and preparation to her GCSE’s - is starting her summer holiday, with a camping trip to wales, with her friends.

We decided to jump in the car and head over to Folkestone, for a dad / daughter day, photowalk, shoppping and some seafood at in the harbour.

Folkestone is a little gem of a spot and somewhere, with its charming harbor and vibrant streets, is the perfect destination for a day trip.

Both my kids are audiophiles, where my sons tastes are as broad I as have known, but my daughter possibly takes the edge, with her lust for live performance and festivals. I was given a sample of Declan McKenna and ‘Brazil’. This is a protest song, regarding the awarding of the 2014 World Cup to Brazil.

Ok granted, a fine tune.

Not only does my daughter and I share a (very) similar music taste and political stance, I considered my counter, the lure of Billy Bragg was to obvious, so I countered with Flag Day, the 1985 debut of The Housemartins. I loved this band was I was younger, never thought the bass player - Norman Cook - would go far?

Folkestone's harbor buzzed with activity. We opted for a seafood lunch, savoring fresh fish and chips while watching bobbing boats and colorful lifebuoys. Refueled and ready to explore, we ventured into the heart of the town.

Folkestone is a haven for independent shops. We browsed unique boutiques, stopping to admire everything from handcrafted jewelry to vintage clothing. My daughter, a budding fashionista, found a one-of-a-kind dress that she absolutely loved.

By the end of the day, we were both happy and exhausted and our arms laden with shopping bags. Folkestone's delightful blend of seaside charm, fresh flavors, and quirky shops makes it a perfect destination for a memorable Dad / daughter outing.

Turning full circle?

Capturing the Everyday: Rediscovering Street Photography on my Commute with the Google Pixel 8 Pro

11/01/2023

Today’s blog post is eery. its a little over 13 years ago, with a simple iPhone 4 smartphone in my hand, that I started to document my daily commute to London. The primary objective was to avoid the mundane and avoid the negativity of the other commuters ‘getting my day off to a bad start’.

By 2012, I then started a theme of covering the 2012 London olympics, it was at this time that I received an unsolicited email from Nokia, asking me to use their then new Nokia Pureview 808 smartphone, to post to my twitter account.

One thing led to another, and it ultimately led to me +1 being given hospitality tickets by Nokia, to cover the V Festival with the Nokia Pureview, in the summer of 2012. This was the event where The Stone Roses headlined.

This video is my blogpost at the time, uploaded to my tumblr account, reviewing the smartphone:

Today, I find myself turning full circle, if you will. I now use full frame digital cameras and a selection of film cameras, to take images to sell on my website and Etsy Store. However, now that the pandemic is a distant memory, and I have to be back in the office 2 days a week, I’m back to the ‘bump and grind’ of a weekly commute.

I’ve been an android user for 10 years now, and have normally elected for a budget to mid range smartphone, which is generally coupled with a crap (read substandard) camera. After much debate and consideration, I decided to upgrade my phone to …………

………… the incredibly powerful Google Pixel 8 Pro smartphone, equipped with a camera that rivals many prosumer DSLRs. It's time to rediscover the artistic adventure that first sparked my love for photography and capture the essence of my surroundings in ways I couldn't have imagined back then.

A Journey Through Time

Commuting to work can be monotonous, but I've always been fascinated by the stories the streets can tell. From the bustling crowds to the unexpected moments of beauty and serendipity, street photography allows me to capture the essence of the world outside my window. With the Google Pixel 8 Pro's advanced camera capabilities, I'm sure I will be rekindling my passion again for the mundanely perculiar.

The Power of the Google Pixel 8 Pro Camera

The Google Pixel 8 Pro boasts a powerful 16-megapixel camera with an f/1.8 aperture and advanced computational photography features. This combination will enable me to capture stunning images in even the most challenging lighting conditions, perfect for the ever-changing environment of my daily commute, as we enter winter, here in the UK. The phone's Night Sight mode, for instance, will allow me to capture the essence of the city streets after hours, embracing the captivating play of lights and shadows. Whether it's a dimly lit street corner or a colorful neon sign contrasted against the darkness, the Google Pixel 8 Pro should have me covered.

A Full Circle Journey

As I find myself once again immersed in the world of street photography during my daily commute, armed with the Google Pixel 8 Pro smartphone, I can't help but feel a sense of nostalgia and gratitude. It's a testament to how far technology has come, enabling us to capture extraordinary moments with a device that fits in our pocket.
With the Google Pixel 8 Pro's exceptional camera capabilities, I've turned full circle and rediscovered the joy of street photography on the go. As I continue to explore the dynamic world outside my window, I'm excited to see where this journey takes me and the stories I'll be able to preserve through the lens of my smartphone.

Until next time, keep snapping.

Brighton Mod Weekender

The Brighton Mod Weekender is an iconic event that has left an indelible mark on British subculture. With its roots firmly planted in the 1960s, this weekend-long celebration of music, fashion, and scooters has become a timeless tradition. In this blog post, we'll take a journey through the history of the Brighton Mod Weekender, tracing its origins, its cultural significance, and its enduring appeal.

I have magical memories of mods and mod culture, when I was a lad growing up in 1980s midlands. A Vespa PX125, was my dream machine.

This was compounded further after watching Quadrophenia.

The Birth of the Mods

To understand the Brighton Mod Weekender, we must first delve into the world of the Mods. Emerging in the early 1960s in the United Kingdom, Mods were a youth subculture known for their sharp fashion sense, love of American R&B and soul music, and a passion for Vespa and Lambretta scooters. They represented a break from the austerity of post-war Britain, embracing a new sense of style and individuality.

The First Brighton Mod Weekender

The Brighton Mod Weekender has its origins in the mid-1960s when young Mods from London started heading to the coastal town of Brighton for weekend getaways. These trips were fueled by a desire to escape the urban grind and soak up the sun, sea, and good music. The iconic seafront location and the promise of excitement drew Mods to Brighton in droves.

The 1964 Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend marked the first official Brighton Mod Weekender. Thousands of Mods descended upon the town, creating a spectacle with their stylish attire and rows of gleaming scooters. It was during this weekend that the clashes between Mods and their rival subculture, the Rockers, gained national attention and became known as the "Battle of Brighton."

The Cultural Significance

The Brighton Mod Weekender soon became a symbol of youth rebellion, individuality, and a rejection of the status quo. Mods embraced modernity, with their immaculate suits, parkas, and music preferences that celebrated rhythm and blues. The event showcased a sense of community and belonging, where like-minded individuals came together to celebrate their unique identity.

Music played a central role in the Brighton Mod Weekender. DJ sets and live performances featured soul, R&B, ska, and jazz – genres that still define the Mod scene today. Iconic artists like The Who, The Small Faces, and The Kinks were embraced by Mods, their music becoming anthems for the movement.

The Revival and Evolution

While the initial Brighton Mod Weekenders of the 1960s waned as the decade came to a close, the spirit of the Mods endured. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a Mod revival swept through the UK, inspired by the original movement. This resurgence brought a new generation of Mods to Brighton, reigniting the tradition.

Over the years, the Brighton Mod Weekender has evolved. It now welcomes not only those who were part of the original movement but also younger generations who appreciate the timeless style and music. The event has expanded to include vintage markets, scooter rallies, and art exhibitions, all celebrating the Mod ethos.

Until next time, keep snapping.

BPS and what will be.

The kids and I decided on our usual half term pilgrimage to London this past October.

A couple of photographic exhibitions took our fancy, namely the excellent Chris Kilip retrospective at The Photographer's Gallery and also the Bill Brandt inside the mirror at Tate Britain.

The former being a very modest £8 and the latter being free admission. Highly recommended.

Top on my list was having sight of the recently opened Battersea Power Station developemrnt.

I have always been mesmerised by this structure, since seeing the Pink Floyd Animals album cover when I was a little boy.

Back in 2012 - when I started to take my photography a little more seriously,or more than the impromptu family photos - I stumbled across Battersea Power Station, whilst walking around the side and back streets of central London.

I had my much missed and underrated Fuji X100 setup, allowing me to take street photos and long exposures. Light & nimble.

I took the below photo, which (at the time) I was indifferent about. It happens to be my best seller on my Etsy store.

Here are some stats about this magnificent structure.

• From the 1930s to 1980s, Battersea Power Station was a working Power Station. At its peak, it was producing a fifth of London’s power, supplying electricity to some of London’s most recognisable landmarks, such as the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace

• 1929 - Works begin on site. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, one of the most prominent architects of the day, who was responsible for Britain’s red telephone boxes, joins the project. Original proposals were for the chimneys to be square rather than circular.

• 1935 - The first stage of the Power Station, Battersea A, is completed. The top of the western pair of chimneys are 101m from the ground. The chimneys themselves are 50m each, while the wash towers they sit on are 51m.

• 1940 - RAF pilots use the plumes of white vapour from the chimneys to guide them home in the mist. The Luftwaffe also used the plumes for navigation, which explains why the Power Station avoided extensive bombing.

• 1944 - Battersea B, the second stage of the Power Station, starts to generate electricity. The station goes on to pioneer a gas washing process to reduce sulphur emissions, with excess generated heat ducted under the Thames in a district heating scheme for 1,600 homes in Pimlico.

• 1955 - The fourth chimney, and second stage of the Power Station is complete, with the Power Station at peak capacity. The space within the main Boiler House is so vast that it would be possible to fit St. Pauls Cathedral within the space.

• 1964 - On 20 April, an electrical failure at Battersea Power Station caused power failures throughout London, including at the BBC Television centre, which was due to launch BBC Two that night. The launch was delayed to 11am the following day.

• 1977 - An inflatable pink pig floating between the two southern chimneys appears on the front cover of Pink Floyd’s album, Animals. The inflatable pig was tethered to one of the southern chimneys but lost its moorings and rose to the flight path of Heathrow Airport. Police helicopters tracked its course until it finally landed off the coast of Kent.

Album artwork, Animals, 1977. Design by Roger Waters. Graphics by Nick Mason. Production and art direction by Storm Thorgerson / Aubrey Powell at Hipgnosis.

• 1980 - The Power Station is awarded Grade II listed status. Awarded by Historic England, listed buildings mark and celebrate the building’s special architectural and historic interest. They’re also brought under the consideration of the planning system, so they can be protected for future generations.

• 1983 - The Power Station closes and ceases to generate electricity. It goes on to be purchased in 1987 by Battersea Leisure (theme park scheme) and again in 1993 by Parkview.

• 2007 - The Power Station is upgraded to Grade II* listed status. Less than 6% of listed buildings fall into this category as particularly important buildings of more than special interest.

• 2012 - The Power Station is purchased by the current shareholders, SP Setia, Sime Darby Property and the Employers Provident Fund, bringing an end to decades of disuse. Works begin the following year to redevelop the 42-acre site surrounding the Power Station to create a new community of homes, shops, cafes, restaurants, cultural venues and open space for London.

  Above taken from: https://batterseapowerstation.co.uk/

The most mind boggling stat is that: About 6 million bricks were used in the construction of the original building. Different makes were used throughout including Accrington engineering bricks, which were also used in the Empire State Building.

Architecture studio Wilkinson Eyre has unveiled the redeveloped Battersea Power Station in London ahead of its opening next week, almost 40 years after the building was decommissioned.

The former power station, which now contains over 100 shops, 46,000 square metres of office space for technology brand Apple and 254 apartments is set to officially open to the public on 14 October.

The £9bn development project has studio flats starting at £865,000 and the penthouse flat £8.0m.

Until next time, keep snapping.

Half term

Well that was a much needed half term break, which got a bit lively on Friday with Storm Eunice hitting the British Isles.

The year thus far at work has been breakneck, so having the past week off, has been a much needed downing of work tools (laptop and mobile) and a lifting of play tools (cameras).

No grand plans, as these are due in April with (fingers very crossed), a European city break with the kids.

But the kids and I popped up to London for a day trip, the kids love the big smoke. They are also avid exhibition / culture vultures, which is lovely.

We went to see the America in Crisis exhibition, at the Saatchi Gallery. £5 general admission, is very reasonably priced for 3 exhibition rooms, with images ranging from the 1960’s civil rights movement, to the storming of Capitol Hill in 2021 and much in between. I can't recommend it enough.

The effects of Eunice resulted in another exhibition being cancelled at the 11th hour, which was a little disapponting. Our walk around our usual haunts (Soho, Wardour Street, Covent Garden, Seven Dials), was hindered by the high winds and cold, but we were about to have a limited meander, which resulted in a couple of keepers.

Next up was the highlight of the day, the kids first gig at Brixton Academy, seeing The Kooks. This was one for my daughter, shes obsessed with them ATM. Its something very sacred and special sharing a mutual like for music, I had a great time sharing this experience with them. I will definately be arrangng more soirees into live music this year, as an antidote to the pandemic. We also have the Red Hot Chili Peppers in London in June 2022, who are hopefully being supported by Thundercat.

Also camera wise, the past week saw me give the medium and large format cameras a workout.

I know it's clichéd that film slows you down and it's more about the entire process, rather than firing off images, but it really is.

Finally, I had a couple of queries from two of my followers on Instagram, one asking for some tips to get into film and the other querying my process on pushing fomapan 400 to 1600.

The former was quite revealing, I dug out an email I had sent to someone else a couple of years ago. I was genuinely shocked how prices of cameras, film and assorted paraphernalia have increased, we are a sacred group film photographers.

The latter was a lovely exchange with a pro photographer, when we shared our workflows, whilst wildly different, the output had the same goal / objective.

THats me for another month, until next time, keep snapping.

Demo season is upon us.

Popped into town this past weekend for a photowalk and decompress from a hectic start to the year. It was also an opprtune time to get into the mood for a chill February 2022 half term with the kids.

Stumbled across two small demo’s, one being an anti vaccination and freedom demo at the Peace Monument at Hove Beach, and the second rather low-key Boycott Puma (sports brand) outside Sports Direct in Brighton, as part of an Israeli Apartheid demo.

Firstly, apologies to the lady at the peace monument in Hove, who corrected me, when I said it was an anti vaxxers demo. It was more than that as a diverse section of society were voicing their views. NHS staff, Granny's, Mums.

These are the first 8 photos.

The last 2 photos were a 'Boycott Puma' demo outside Sports Direct, which was part of an Israeli Apartheid demo.

Both were sedate in nature, but a voice nonetheless. Its also great that demo season is upon is, as Brighton has a active population across all generations, eager to voice their peaceful and democratic right to demonstatrate.

Until next time, keep snapping.

#killthebill #therighttopeacefuldemo #brighton #streetphotography.

Shoot what you know……..

Street photography for me is mainly about creating luck.

What I mean by that is, know your camera (into muscle memory), the settings, the lens range and with knowing your surroundings (quirky people activity or light), you generally get a good shot.

I think the golfer - Gary Player - said this best, when he uttered ‘The more I practice, the luckier I get’. Aka the photo gods deliver from time to time.

This is one of the reasons why I pound the streets in Brighton so often, revisiting the same scene, time and time again. This has led to me exploring different angles and perspectives, such as window reflections through COVID-19 retail shops:

When I have been studying the theory of street photography, I discovered that Joshua K Jackson called this the curiosity gap. Watch this excellent video on Sean Tucker’s channel, when he outlines this theory. It's intriguing.

What I have found of late is a little fatigue, or 'Brighton Revisited' which has generally been caused by the pandemic and the restriction of movement that we have all experienced.

Also, due to commitments with my kids, I cant really journey out too far of a weekend. However due to the upturn in the weather of late, my son and I recently ventured over to Folkestone. A place we hadn't frequented before.

Deriving from the landlocked West Midlands, for me, there is a general kitsch allure of a seaside town, it's idiosyncrasies and especially one that is emerging from the closed season of the winter, into their high season.

Whilst I hadn’t been there before, I suppose I had an opinion of the place, the stance on Brexit and the imminent impact of the motorway turning the county into a Brexit car park.

I decided on my usual kit. My trusty Fuji GS645s (I need to do a blog post on the GS645s, its a truly exceptional camera. Pin Sharp, light and nimble, its the perfect street photography medium format camera) with two rolls of Kodak Portra 400 and Berrger Pancro 400. I also took my Sony A7iii with a 35mm lens.

We headed off at 08:30 for the 1 3/4 hour drive, honestly, it was a little weird heading out on the motorway, after a year, mainly quiet, but I can report that the wacky races of the M23 motorway is as mad as ever!

The journey into Kent and Folkestone on the M20 was largely eventless, other that the self imposed 50 miles an hour speed limit, as we entered into Folkestone.

We got there at 10:30 and parked in the main Shopping Centre car park.

Next, we did a quick circuit of the town centre, to familiarise ourselves. I actually thought the town centre evidenced signs of gentrification and the shopping side (national store chains), left Brighton wanting. That said there was still instances of small town UK on show, providing plenty of charm and character.

The creative quarter was a delight, a cobbled lane with colourful shops housing the creative element of Folkestone, the light bathed the street beautifully and I was lucky to get a couple of keepers.

Next we headed down to the harbourside. The imposing Grand Burstin Hotel, is a stark contrast to the regenerated side of the port town. I can only imagine that this side of the town is packed when the restrictions of COVID-19 are not evident.

Lunch was taken in at Chummys Seafood Cafe. Prawn chilli noodles and squid. Very very good.

One more lap of the down evidenced plenty of photo opportunities and items of interest.

Folkestone is a place that I have marked as a place to revisit, for a number of reasons: street photography, the harbourside, the shops (for the kids) and also the seafood.

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.

Nifty Fifty.......? .......... go on then.

I’m frantically getting out and about before lockdown 2.0 or the weather puts a stop to it, the idea is to build a catalogue of photos to edit over the winter.

Yesterday was pretty pleasant in Brighton.  Folk out and about enjoying the last rays of summer / autumn sun.

I actually bumped into a photographer yesterday, we were both CHIMPING, gave an acknowledged nod to each other.  Having a chat for a couple of minutes, the fella was from London, and was enjoying his maiden trip to Brighton.

To change things up, I started using my 85mm, which I used as part of my ongoing COVID19 coverage here in Brighton, I just love the compressed images and the bokeh, these are ideal for environmental portraits and street in general.

I have also queried why I have not been interested with the 50mm, I think the very reasonable prices and kit lens status, had pushed me away from it, numpty!

I’ve been reading quite a few photo books since March 2020, to get some creativity ideas.  What I have enjoyed of late, is taking more street portraits and candids.

I acquired a Sony 50mm kit lens for the A7iii, as I’m keen to build on my street portraits, as well as providing a different perspective for my general street photos.

As well as the perspective being that bit closer to that of the human eye of 43mm, the compression allows you to stand a little further back from street portraits, which I’m finding is more friendly when taking candids in the street, compared to the 28mm or less in the face.

Yesterday was World Mental Health day, long may the spirit and mindset of this fella last through the winter.  

I asked to take his photo, was told sure buddy, when I asked ‘Are you doing to a Stag Do, or a Birthday Party’? he responded ‘Naaa mate, I haven’t been out for a while, so I thought I didn’t dress up’.

Good for you.

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.