Candid Street Photos: Las Fallas Festival in Valencia – Fuji X100

I have just returned from my latest March annual city break with a couple of friends.

It's a simple brief: beers, some live football, decent food and some (limited) street photography.

Our first two breaks took us to Italy (Naples last year and the inaugural trip to Milan, the prior year).

After not too much debate, we decided (after a little help from AI), that Valencia ticked all the boxes.

It was a truly memorable trip that produced some 300 odd images on my (trusty old) Fuji X100 and Google Pixel Pro 8 smartphone.

This first blog post is a selection of ‘street candids’ and ‘hands’ which stood out to me.

Valencia, the vibrant Mediterranean gem on Spain's eastern coast, bursts with life, especially during the iconic Las Fallas festival in March. This festival was just starting, as we ended our break, but we did see some of the action. This was captured through these candid street photos, the city reveals its soul: a blend of timeless tradition, chaotic energy, and endlessly varied characters who make every corner feel alive.

Wandering the historic streets and bustling plazas, you encounter couples like this elderly pair strolling hand in hand through a crowded thoroughfare lined with grand Belle Époque buildings. Their linked hands speak volumes—quiet affection amid the festival frenzy, a reminder that Valencia cherishes multigenerational bonds. Nearby, locals and visitors alike pause to snap photos or simply soak in the scene, while a man thoughtfully strokes his mustache, adding to the tapestry of everyday gestures that ground the spectacle.

The rhythm of the city comes alive through its music. Street musicians and marching bands fill the air with brass and drums, as seen in these close-ups of hands striking a traditional snare drum or blowing into gleaming trumpets and trombones. Fingers grip drumsticks with precision, palms press valves, and the collective beat pulses through narrow alleys—pure Valencian passion in motion.

Art flourishes everywhere, from street performers to impromptu creators. One photo captures a bearded artist in a dapper suit perched on a stool, brush in hand, palette loaded with vibrant colors, painting en plein air against a graffiti-splashed wall. His focused grip on the brush echoes the deliberate hands elsewhere—pointing at maps, gesturing in animated conversation, or cradling instruments. Hands tell stories here: an older man with a cane leans in to explain something with emphatic finger-pointing in a tight medieval alley, while a woman in a coat clutches a city map, tracing routes with a gloved finger amid outdoor café tables.

The festival's heart shines in the parades and gatherings. Banners and embroidered flags wave from "fallas" commissions—neighborhood groups proudly carrying their standards through packed streets. Children, teens, and adults in traditional attire mingle, some waving enthusiastically or throwing hands in the air in joyful celebration. Street art peeks out too, like a striking mural of an angelic figure with closed eyes and red dress framed by a blue barred window, watched over by a robed participant.

Food remains a constant draw—glass cases brim with golden paellas, steaming rice dishes, and colorful tapas in bustling spots, a finger pointing eagerly at favorites. Even quieter moments stand out: a bundled figure standing pensively with arms crossed on a pedestrian boulevard, or skateboarders gliding past trendy meeting points advertising cheap cañas and pintxos.

What ties it all together are the varied characters—from silver-haired couples holding hands through decades, to energetic youth high-fiving in narrow "carrer" lanes, musicians whose hands coax magic from metal and skin, artists whose fingers birth color, and festival-goers whose gestures wave, point, clap, and connect. Valencia during Fallas isn't just a city; it's a living mosaic where every hand tells a story of community, creativity, and unbridled joy.

If you've ever walked these streets, you know: the real magic lies not just in the fire and ninots, but in the human details—the clasped hands, the rhythmic beats, the pointing fingers guiding friends through the chaos—that make Valencia unforgettable.

Until next time, keep snapping

Barbican Estate on Leica M10

A short video of the Barbican Estate, shot on my Leica M10 with the exceptional TTartisan 28mm F5.6.

Barbican Brutal: Concrete Dreams in the Heart of the City

If my previous post on the soaring vertical drama of Trellick Tower and the sinuous, wave-like flow of the Alexandra & Ainsworth Estate captured West London's brutalist spirit, then this one takes us straight into the City for the sequel: the Barbican Estate.

Few places embody London's post-war architectural ambition quite like the Barbican. Designed by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon and built between the mid-1960s and early 1980s on a 40-acre bomb-site flattened during the Blitz, this Grade II-listed complex isn't just a housing estate—it's a self-contained "city within a city." Three dramatic 40+ storey towers (Cromwell, Shakespeare, and Lauderdale), cascading low-rise terraces, elevated "streets in the sky" walkways, sunken lakes, private gardens, and the world-renowned Barbican Centre arts venue all fused into one monumental, multi-level labyrinth of bush-hammered concrete.

Brutalism here feels less austere and more utopian: raw béton brut textures meet thoughtful landscaping, sculptural forms, and a deliberate separation of pedestrians from traffic. It's divisive—some see fortress-like severity, others see bold optimism—but for street and architectural photography, it's endlessly compelling. The geometry is sharp, the scale immense, yet human moments (a dog walk, a laundry basket, a quiet bench) constantly soften the edges.

The Nerdy Bit: These black-and-white images, shot on a drizzly winter day, strip away colour distractions to emphasize form, texture, light, and shadow. The TTartisan 28mm F5.6 lens and my Leica M10. renders the concrete with incredible depth—every hammer mark, every puddle reflection pops. Processed lightly in Lightroom for contrast and grain, the series aims to let the architecture speak while highlighting how people inhabit it daily. This lens is magnificent, no horrible digital cliinical sharpness. for <£300.

The Barbican isn't just concrete—it's a bold experiment in high-density living that still feels radical. Love it or loathe it, photographing here is addictive. If Alexandra & Ainsworth was West London's poetic brutalism, the Barbican is the City's dense, layered epic.

Thanks for reading. Drop a comment if you've wandered these walkways yourself—what's your favourite brutalist spot in London?

Modern Masters 2: Eduardo Ortiz – The Nomadic Color Poet of the Streets

In the vibrant, chaotic symphony of contemporary street photography, few voices resonate with the quiet confidence and cinematic depth of Eduardo Ortiz. A Chilean-born wanderer, Ortiz transforms everyday urban moments into visual poetry—layered, color-drenched compositions that feel both spontaneous and meticulously orchestrated. His work doesn't just capture the streets; it breathes life into them, inviting viewers to linger in the beauty of the ordinary. For our "Modern Masters" series, we dive into the world of this influential photographer whose rise from multi-talented nomad to global workshop leader exemplifies the power of passion, persistence, and an unerring eye for light and color.

From Valparaíso's Shores to the World's Alleys: His History and Rise to Fame

Eduardo Ortiz was born in 1990 in Los Angeles, Chile, a small coastal city that belies his expansive artistic spirit. He spent his early years in nearby San Antonio before moving to the bohemian port city of Valparaíso, where his artistic roots truly took hold. There, he studied classical guitar, immersing himself in music and the vibrant cultural scene that drew artists from across Chile.

For years, Ortiz juggled life as a music teacher and professional cook, roles that honed his sensitivity to rhythm, texture, and human connection—qualities that would later define his photography. His nomadic journey began in earnest around 2016, as he traversed South America, Europe, and Asia, building a culinary portfolio while chasing new horizons. Photography entered the picture gradually; he started sharing travel snapshots with friends back home, fell in love with the medium, and by 2018 was hooked, studying composition, light, and the "rules" of the craft.

The COVID-19 pandemic proved a pivotal "big break" moment, albeit an unconventional one. While working as a cook in Sweden, he lost his job and visa sponsorship. With borders closing, he flew to Istanbul—one of the few places open for tourism at the time. What began as a temporary refuge blossomed into a profound love for the city and a full commitment to street photography. This period of upheaval fueled his obsession, turning travel into a creative imperative. Today, at just 35, Ortiz is a sought-after workshop instructor, Pro member of The Raw Society, and a fixture in street photography circles, with features in LensCulture, The Independent Photographer, and beyond. His "end of career"? Far from it—he's still very much in his prime, teaching worldwide and pushing boundaries as a perpetual nomad.

Major Influences: A Tapestry of Light, Cinema, and Masters

Ortiz draws from a rich well of inspirations that blend photography's greats with the worlds of painting and film. Key photographic influences include Henri Cartier-Bresson (for structure and the decisive moment), Ernst Haas and Alex Webb (for masterful color), Fan Ho and Saul Leiter (for poetic urban abstraction), Robert Frank, Fred Herzog, and more. In painting, he looks to Impressionists like Claude Monet and Joaquín Sorolla for their luminous handling of light and motion. Cinema—films like Fargo and Lawrence of Arabia—teaches him how composition isolates emotion and tells stories through space and pause.

These influences converge in Ortiz's work: a deep reverence for light as the ultimate storyteller, combined with a cinematic eye that elevates the mundane.

His Style: Cinematic Layers, Color as Language

Ortiz's photography is defined by its vibrant yet balanced color palette, intricate layering, and a calm precision that belies the chaos of the streets. He began in black and white—favoring it for texture, form, and surrealism, as in his Pamukkale series—but transitioned to color around his India work, viewing it as a new "language" to guide the eye and evoke mood. He studies color theory (complementary, analogous, triadic schemes) like a painter, using it to serve the narrative rather than overwhelm. His images feel cinematic: balanced, dynamic, and immersive.

He works scenes patiently—from background to foreground—waiting for elements to align, often breaking "rules" like the rule of thirds for diagonals that inject energy. The result? Photos that pulse with life, where every detail contributes to the whole.

A standout comment on Ortiz's ability to fill the corners of the frame: He excels at this like few others. His compositions are never sparse or accidental; he masterfully populates the edges with meaningful elements—shadows, colors, figures—that add depth, rhythm, and narrative without clutter. This "full-frame" approach creates a sense of completeness and immersion, turning two-dimensional images into living, breathing scenes that reward close inspection. It's a hallmark of his confidence and compositional intelligence.

Famous Photos and Signature Works

Ortiz's portfolio brims with iconic moments:

• Pamukkale series (Turkey): Surreal black-and-white landscapes of the "cotton castle" thermal pools, evoking dreamlike wonder.

• India transition works: Vibrant market scenes and street life that document his shift to color.

• La Boca, Buenos Aires: Layered playground shots in the colorful neighborhood, showcasing his patient scene-building.

• Istanbul and La Paz ("Chukiyawu"): Magical realism in black and white, with dramatic flash and compressed layers highlighting cultural syncretism.

View his full portfolio and latest work here: eortizdelacruz.com and on Instagram @eortizfoto.

Equipment: Fujifilm Simplicity and What He Avoids

Ortiz is a devoted Fujifilm shooter, prizing their compact size, intuitive dials, and film-like rendering for discreet street work. His go-to setup includes:

• Cameras: X-Pro2 (mainstay), X-E3, X-E2.

• Lenses: 18mm (28mm equiv.), 23mm f/1.4, 35mm (50mm equiv.), and 90mm (135mm equiv.)—with 28mm equiv. as his favorite for its versatility.

He favors maximum depth of field for sharpness across the frame, softer aesthetics, and in-camera black-and-white simulations when shooting mono. Tools like the SunTracker app help him chase optimal light. He occasionally uses flash for drama in black-and-white work.

What doesn't he like? Rigid genre "boxes"—he embraces photography broadly, without pigeonholing. He avoids over-saturation, cluttered frames, and heavy post-processing, preferring decisions made in the moment. DSLRs feel too intrusive; he wants gear that disappears so the scene takes center stage.

Famous Quotes

Ortiz's words capture his philosophy beautifully:

• "I photograph to feel part of the world, to frame life around me."

• "While travelling I felt the need of sharing what I was seeing on my trips with my people back in Chile. Little by little I fell in love with the art of photography... Now it is the sort of photography that best suits my way to see and approach the world."

• "I want people to remember that there is beauty everywhere."

• On color: "It’s easy to make colour look nice, but it’s harder to make colour serve to tell your story."

Endorsements from Peers

Ortiz's collaborative spirit shines through his partnerships. He's co-led workshops with luminaries like Andreas Kamoutsis and Mark Fearnley, and worked with artists Matt Hall and Gareth Danks. Peers praise his confidence, layering mastery, and generous teaching—evident in videos where fellow photographers shadow him and emerge inspired. As a Pro at The Raw Society and frequent feature in outlets like Frames Magazine, his work earns quiet acclaim from the street photography community for its authenticity and depth.

Photo Books and Zines

While Ortiz is more prolific in projects and workshops than traditional tomes, his standout publication is:

• Understanding Colour (self-published zine, available via his site): His debut, chronicling the shift from black and white to color through India images, complete with accessible color theory breakdowns. A must-read for aspiring color shooters.

He hints at more zines and long-term projects on his Substack and shop—keep an eye out.

YouTube Gems: Watch Ortiz in Action

Immerse yourself in his process:

• A Day of Street Photography With Eduardo Ortiz – Follow him through Istanbul's layers and confidence.

• An Honest Conversation with Street Photographer Eduardo Ortiz – Deep dive into his journey and philosophy.

• How Eduardo Ortiz Gets Colour Right in Street Photography – Color masterclass.

• His channel @eortizfoto for gear talks, POV walks, and more.

Eduardo Ortiz reminds us that street photography is less about gear or rules and more about presence, curiosity, and the courage to frame the world as you see it. In an era of fleeting scrolls, his work stands as a masterclass in slowing down to truly see. If you're inspired, grab your camera, hit the streets—and remember: beauty is everywhere.

What are your thoughts on Ortiz? Drop a comment below, and stay tuned for the next Modern Masters installment.

Until next time, keep snapping

Hello old friend

It feels good to have a camera strap around my neck again.

This past weekend, I took to the streets of London for a long-overdue photowalk, with my Nikon F80 film camera and some trusted Kodak 5222 Double XX cinefilm. There is something uniquely grounding about the city’s pace when you’re viewing it through a viewfinder—the way the light hits the brickwork in Soho or the hurried energy of shoppers carrying Waitrose bags.

These frames mark a bit of a personal milestone: this is the first time I’ve shot and developed film since September 2025.

The London Photowalk

Returning to film after a few months away always feels like re-learning a language. You remember the mechanics, but the "poetry" takes a moment to click back into place.

Walking through Carnaby Street and past the iconic storefronts of Soho, I wanted to capture the mundane yet beautiful moments of London life:

• The Contrast: The stark white of a "Thank You" storefront against the narrow, dark alleys.

• The Commute: A classic black cab waiting in the grey London light.

• The Routine: People grabbing coffee at WatchHouse or checking their phones in those quiet pockets between busy streets.

Back in the Darkroom

Developing these shots myself this weekend was the perfect way to close the loop. There’s a specific kind of anticipation that comes with pulling a wet roll of film out of the tank—especially when you haven't seen that chemical magic in months.

The grain, the shadows, and the inherent "imperfection" of these black-and-white shots captured the weekend exactly how it felt: raw, busy, and authentically London.

"Photography is an itch that won't go away. No matter how much you film, you always want more." – Bert Hardy

It’s good to be back. I’ve missed the wait, the tactile nature of the process, and the way film forces me to slow down and actually see the city.

Which of these shots is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!

Would you like me to help you draft a social media caption for one of these specific photos to help promote the post?

Until next time, keep snapping.

Camera Santa

Camera Santa was very kind to me this year, I was lucky to get a 28mm M mount lens for my Leica cameras.

The 28mm focal length is often called the "goldilocks" of street photography. It’s wide enough to capture the energy of a city street but tight enough to feel personal. Recently, I took my Leica M10 paired with the tiny TTArtisan 28mm f/5.6 for a spin through the heart of London to see how this modern "tribute" lens handles the grit and glamour of the capital.

I’ll be honest: 28mm is my absolute favorite focal length. I have loved this aspect since I bought the Ricoh GRII (second hand) a couple of years ago. Its also generally the focal length of smartphones, which was origins of my interest in street photography (whilst on my commute into the office, back in the day). Whilst I really enjoy both the 35mm and 50mm, there is a specific immersion you get with a 28mm that makes the viewer feel like they are standing right next to you on the pavement.

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

Before diving into the photos, it’s worth noting that the 28mm has a legendary pedigree. Some of the most influential street photographers in history chose this perspective to document the world:

• Garry Winogrand: The master of the 28mm. He used its wide field of view to pack his frames with "organized chaos," often tilting the camera to create a sense of frantic energy.

• William Klein: Known for his raw, "in-your-face" style, Klein loved the 28mm because it forced him to get physically close to his subjects, creating a sense of intimacy that a longer lens just can't replicate.

• Daido Moriyama: For his gritty, high-contrast snapshots of Tokyo, Moriyama famously utilized the fixed 28mm lens of the Ricoh GR series to capture the "are-bure-boke" (rough, blurred, and out-of-focus) aesthetic.

The Walk: From Embankment to the West End

The TTArtisan 28mm f/5.6 is a "pancake" lens, making the M10 incredibly pocketable and discrete. Because the maximum aperture is a modest f/5.6, this lens is designed for zone focusing. It’s kind of counterintuitive to have a F2 28mm lens, when the basis of the lens is to shoot wide and deep. I set my aperture to f/8, my focus to between 2 / 3 meters, and let the depth of field do the work.

1. Embankment & Southbank

I started at Embankment. Looking down from the walkways, the 28mm allowed me to capture the geometry of the station entrance and the flow of commuters. The high-angle shots showcased how the lens handles architecture and human movement simultaneously.

Crossing over to the BFI Riverfront, the "CINEMA" sign provided a classic London backdrop. The wide angle excels here; it lets you frame a large subject like a building while still catching the candid expressions of people walking past.

2. The Grit of Soho and Chinatown

Street photography isn't always about the landmarks. Sometimes, it’s about a pile of trash bags on a busy corner or the narrow, bin-lined alleys behind Leicester Square. The 28mm is perfect for these tight spaces.

In Chinatown, I caught a great moment of the chefs taking a break outside "Hungry Panda." The lens is so small that they hardly noticed me, allowing for a truly candid slice-of-life shot.

4. Details and Characters

A jaunt upto London also warrants a stroll along Oxfrod Street and the like to photograph the shoppers. As I moved toward the National Portrait Gallery, I spotted a man in a heavy coat and earmuffs. The 28mm creates a unique "environmental portrait" where the subject is clear, but their surroundings—the ornate metal fences and London stone—tell the rest of the story.

Final Thoughts on the TTArtisan 28mm

For a fraction of the cost of the Leica Summaron, this lens delivers a lot of character. It’s sharp in the center, has a lovely vintage-style vignette, and the "clicky" aperture ring is a joy to use. Shooting digital, you are blessed with ‘fixing’ and fall off to the ourside of the frame in LRC.

Using a 28mm forces you to be a participant, not just an observer. You can’t hide in the shadows with a telephoto; you have to be in the thick of it, just like Winogrand.

Until next time, keep snapping.

Past Masters 2 - Martin Parr: The Anthropologist of the Everyday

This blog-post is uploaded with a heavy heart, following the untimely passing of Martin Parr in December 2025.

This is the second instalment of our Past Masters series, we delve into the saturated, often uncomfortable, and undeniably witty world of Martin Parr. If there was one photographer who defined the "British look" of the late 20th century, it was Parr—a man who turned the mundane into the magnificent and the grotesque into the high-art gallery.

Martin Parr was born in 1952 in Epsom, Surrey. Unlike many who stumble into the craft, Parr knew he wanted to be a documentary photographer from the age of 14. His early interest was sparked by his grandfather, George Parr, an amateur photographer who encouraged Martin’s budding eye.

The Rise to Fame & The Big Break

Parr studied photography at Manchester Polytechnic (1970–1973), where he was part of a legendary cohort including Peter Fraser and Brian Griffin. His career began in earnest with quiet, black-and-white studies of Northern England, notably in the series The Non-Conformists and Bad Weather.

However, his "big break" and subsequent rise to international notoriety came in 1986 with the publication of "The Last Resort." This series, documenting the working-class seaside resort of New Brighton, was a shock to the system. Using garish, saturated colors and a ring flash, Parr captured the "messy reality" of British leisure—crowded beaches, overflowing trash cans, and melting ice cream. It was hailed as a masterpiece by some and decried as "cruel" and "snobbish" by others.

Style and Philosophy: The "Parr-esque" Gaze

Parr’s style is defined by:

• Hyper-Reality: Using macro lenses to zoom in on textures (like half-eaten food or leathery sunburnt skin).

• Saturated Colors: He famously used Kodachrome and later ultra-saturated films to make reality look almost artificial.

• Humor as a Weapon: He used wit to critique consumerism, tourism, and national identity.

"I think the ordinary is a very under-exploited aspect of our lives because it is so familiar." — Martin Parr

Equipment: The Tools of the Trade

Parr’s gear evolved with his shift from the "quiet" observer to the "loud" social critic:

• Early Era: 35mm Leica M3 for his black-and-white work.

• The Big Shift: For The Last Resort, he moved to a medium-format Plaubel Makina 67 (a wide-angle camera) and later used a Mamiya 7.

• The Signature Pop: He is famous for using a ring flash or a side-mounted flash to create flat, shadowless, and clinical lighting that exposes every detail.

• Digital & Modern: He eventually transitioned to the Canon 5D series and even shot his later work on an iPhone.

What he didn't like: Parr famously disliked "pictures of everywhere looking beautiful." He loathed the romanticized, soft-focus view of the world, often calling sepia-toned or "pretty" travel photography a "soft version of propaganda."

Black and White vs. Colour: Which was Better?

This remains the central debate of Parr’s legacy.

• The Black and White Case: Many peers, including the legendary Don McCullin, praised Parr’s early monochrome work (like Bad Weather) for its exceptional eye and humanist celebration of community.

• The Colour Case: Most critics argue that Parr only became Parr when he switched to colour. The "acidic" palette allowed him to move from celebration to critique.

The Verdict: While his black-and-white photos show more "empathy," his color work is what changed the course of documentary photography. As Parr himself said: "My black-and-white work is more of a celebration and the color work became more of a critique of society."

Peer Endorsements & Quotes

Parr was notoriously divisive. When he applied to join Magnum Photos, Cartier-Bresson famously voted against him, calling his work "from another planet." However, he eventually became the agency’s president.

• Don McCullin: "Martin, you're an excellent black and white photographer... you transposed that eye to the world of color."

• Grayson Perry: Noted Parr's "needle-sharp eye for the material culture of our times."

"Photography is the simplest thing in the world, but it is incredibly complicated to make it really work." — Martin Parr

Essential Viewing & Reading

Top Photo Books

1. The Last Resort (1986): The definitive book on the British seaside.

2. Small World (1995): A scathing and hilarious look at global tourism.

3. The Non-Conformists (2013): His early black-and-white masterwork.

4. Common Sense (1999): An explosion of close-up consumerist detail.

Famous Photographs (Links)

• The Bored Couple, New Brighton

• The Ice Cream Girl

• Sunbathing by Digger

Multimedia

• Martin Parr on the Art of the Ordinary (BBC 1986)

• A Visual Tribute to Martin Parr (1952-2025)

• BBC iPlayer: I am Martin Parr

The End of a Career

Martin Parr passed away in December 2025, leaving behind a legacy that transformed photography from a "fine art" pursuit into a sociological tool. He established the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol to preserve the heritage of British documentary photography, ensuring that his "oblique approach" will influence generations to come.

Would you like me to create a comparison table of the specific cameras and films Parr used for each of his major book projects?

Martin Parr | A Visual Tribute to the Master

This video provides a poignant retrospective of his career, contrasting his early black-and-white masterpieces with the saturated color aesthetic that became his signature.

BBC iPlayer: I am Martin Parr

Who are you, Martin Parr? Since the 1970s, Martin Parr has fearlessly held out his unique photographic mirror and given us some of the most extraordinary and unique visual clichés of modern times.

Kodak Double X in Pompey: Searching for Middle England in a Great Port City

There’s a particular energy to photographing a port city—a sense of history anchored to the sea, mixed with the transient, hard-edged reality of a place that lives by trade and naval tradition.

Having originated from a small landlocked West Midlands town, I find the allure of a port / seaside location alluring when its outside of the ‘high season’.

My latest few rolls of Kodak 5222 Double X, shot on the Nikon F80, took me to Portsmouth, a city whose identity is defined by the weight of its naval past. The classic black and white aesthetic of Double X, with its deep shadows and rich midtones, was the perfect medium to explore this contrast.

The photos capture a visual argument about what Portsmouth is today: a distinct entity shaped by maritime life, or merely a reflection of generic "Middle England."

The Weight of History and Local Commerce

Portsmouth's naval history isn't just a museum exhibit; it’s a living part of the city's commercial DNA. You see it subtly in the high street: the name of a local business like Admirals Fish & Chips, standing proudly next to an Acorn Cycles and a local bakery. This isn't the generic retail environment of an inland commuter town; it's a place where service and local trade are rooted in a community that has historically served the Navy.

Even the classic seaside fish and chips kiosk on the promenade speaks to this coastal identity, catering to both the local population and visitors drawn by the sea.

The architecture reinforces this feeling—a blend of sturdy, post-war residential blocks, modern civic centres, and a bustling central square that carries the echo of centuries of public life.

Flags, Identity, and the Political Subtext

The presence of overt national symbolism in cities like Portsmouth often invites political analysis. As observers, we look for visual evidence of strong national identity, and you can see a large Union Jack flag near the Citizens Advice building.

In a city defined by the Royal Navy, the flag functions primarily as a symbol of service, heritage, and deep-seated local pride. However, in contemporary political discourse, this kind of visible, declarative patriotism can sometimes be interpreted as a shorthand for the nationalism associated with the far-right.

My photographs, however, largely capture an ambiguous reality. They show people going about their daily lives—visiting the bike shop, queuing for fish and chips, or passing a spiritual message in the city centre. The overt displays of national pride appear less as a political statement of exclusion and more as a natural extension of an identity intrinsically linked to the history of the United Kingdom at sea.

Port City vs. Middle England

The question of whether Portsmouth reflects "Middle England" or a distinct "port city" is a matter of visual language.

"Middle England" often implies a certain suburban homogeneity, a focus on commuter rail links, and national chains. While Portsmouth does feature modern retail hoardings like the H&M re-opening and contemporary flats, these elements are always layered onto a grittier, more historically saturated urban core.  This constrast viewpoint of a city is intriguing.

The pervasive maritime influence, the blend of hard, functional architecture, the visible working-class heritage, and the cultural specificity (like the "Admirals" shop name or the seafront kiosks) all mark Portsmouth as something unique. It's a city with a stronger, less diluted sense of place.

The Double X film stock beautifully highlights this gritty authenticity—the textures of the pavement, the worn brickwork, and the earnest faces of the people. Portsmouth is clearly a Port City, possessing a unique character forged by its relationship with the water, far removed from the softer, more generalized aesthetics of inland urban life. It is a visual challenge to the idea of a uniform national character, a vibrant, complex reality captured one frame at a time.

Until next time, keep snapping.