Stranger #2 - Eve

When my friend Katie told me she wanted to spend her second to last Saturday at Portobello Market, (one of my favourite markets in London) I decided to grab my camera and come along. While the girls gushed over teapots and jewelry I went ahead to find my next stranger. The crowded Portobello Road was full of them, a stranger’s paradise. I had nearly walked the entire street without approaching anyone; I was working myself up something ridiculous. There were so many strangers I wanted to ask but at the last minute I would chicken out. Then I saw Eve, slightly to the side of the foot traffic on his phone. I had to be brave and ask, I had nothing to lose right? Shakily I approached him and explained the project, he accepted. Relief! Turns out he is a Fashion Designer from Brazil and choose to spend his last day in London at these markets. To the side of us was this great bright blue door, perfect to photograph against and mostly out of everyone’s way. After I took his portrait and showed him the winning shot he grabbed his Iphone and took a snap of himself displayed on the LCD screen, expressing his admiration. A few moments later his colleague joined us for a quick conversation. I walked away feeling chuffed and celebrated with a delicious brownie and banana walnut slice. Yum!  

Many thanks again Eve for being the perfect stranger.

THE OUTNET.COM

This week I got to do a creative still life social media shoot for THE OUTNET.COM. Was fairly tricky to balance the lighting with the beautiful metallic Louboutin shoes plus the mirrors that were surrounding them but we got there, and it looks great. 

  

The London Stranger

I have less than a year (37 weeks, to be precise) left in London until my visa expires. With an acute sense of how time really does fly when you're having fun, I have decided to embark on a photographic project to document my stay here. The London Stranger is my tale of the city and its inhabitants. 

Growing up in a small town in New Zealand where everyone really does know everyone, I moved to London where everyone knows no one. It's that 'feeling of being anonymous in a city I've never been before' that defines London. It's that feeling that has come to define my own work.

The infamous daily commute was the starting point for The London Stranger. A tube journey is not a tube journey unless a stranger invades your personal space and you theirs. Muffling my awkward laughter into the armpit of a businessman on the District Line, I could not quite believe that people were prepared to endure this discomfort on their way to work and back again. Even though my face buried in a financier's armpit now seems perfectly normal, it remains an odd thought that you can be so close to a stranger without knowing them personally in any way.

I want to find out about these strangers I come into close contact with every day. Where are they going? Where have they come from? Monday to Friday I photograph beautiful models in equally beautiful clothes for the Net-A-Porter Group, who are comfortable in front of the camera, who know exactly how to pose and present themselves. With The London Stranger I aim to challenge my photographic practices. I want to approach the stranger on the street, and convince them to let me take their portrait. This project is as much about my people skills as it is about my photography know-how.

London Strangers, in my opinion, are truely unique, diverse individuals. Different cultures, different fashions, different backgrounds, all within one city. Here, one can express themselves as they wish because nobody cares, not really. This is what I hope to capture in these remaining 37 weeks. Londoners are after all, alone, surrounded by strangers. 

   
Stranger #1 - Lloyd

I was on my way to Putney Bridge Underground when I walked straight toward Lloyd. He wore a denim jacket accompanied with a walking stick and hat. I had to fight my nerves and prance at this opportunity, he was a stranger I wanted to get to know and photograph. Awkwardly I approached him and asked if he would like to be apart of my project, he accepted, and suggested we walk together toward the sun. I asked what he had planned for his day and he told me he was headed home to fix his piano chair. Of course he played the piano! Conversation flowed steadily while I adjusted my camera settings; I felt I had to work quickly as bystanders were starting to stare and I didn’t want Lloyd to feel uncomfortable. After a few shots I gave him my card and carried on with my day as usual. I was stoked! Thanks Lloyd for being my first stranger and for giving me the confidence to find my next.

Miles in Morocco

A few images from my recent trip to Morocco. We travelled for miles visiting Marrakech, Quarzazate, Zagora, Sahara Desert, Agadir and Essaouira. A highlight for me would have been the 4x4 Jeep Safari speeding through magnificent oases and sand dunes. Morocco was an eye opener but a truly great experience, I learnt a lot about the people, their culture and way of living. I hope this selection of photos gives you some insight into my time within this unique country.