rion.nu

a collection of painted walls in east london

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:36:31 -0500

]]>I wandered away from taking photos of graffiti years ago, but sometimes in wandering neighborhoods, you collect murals and painted walls around where you live all the same. Most of these are from Shoreditch, but one is in Stoke Newington, and one is along the train tracks in Primrose Hill.

on the long road from stoke newington to hoxton

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:20:29 -0500

]]>...the long road being Stoke Newington Road, turning into Kingsland Road, on the edge of East London.

paused and reconsidered in traffic on kingsland road

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:52:15 -0500

]]>Though the Charity Print Auctions for Haiti have now closed, there are still opportunities to get great art while helping great causes. (And if you know of any besides the ones below, please leave a note in the comments.)

First up, Wall Space Seattle has organized a print auction for Doctors Without Borders for the benefit of the people in Haiti. It runs through 3 April 2010. Via Liz Kuball.

The UK-based Nova Gallery's mission is to "to use the unique power of photography to effect social and environmental change." They donate 10% of the sale price of their prints to a selected range of charities, including Amnesty International, The Princes' Trust, and PhotoVoice, who works to provide marginalised communities "with photographic training with which they can advocate, express themselves and generate income."

And with a donation of $500, an opportunity to "help young people with cancer, sponsor a lovely human being running her first marathon, get a tax deduction, and receive a free print -- possibly a 20x24" by photographer and friend Raul Gutierrez. Sponsorship details here.

from the footpath of regents canal in hackney

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:01:01 -0500

]]>Currently enjoying: Hasidic Jewish man at Coney Island by Afton Almaraz, Town Meeting, New Hampshire by Lori Duff, and Dìa de los Agelitos. Oaxaca, Mexico by Francesco Lastrucci, all featured at Verve Photo. Also looking into finding a copy of this beautifully shot book from 1978 by Magnum photographer Ian Berry: The English.

Two other photos pairs on this site: variations on london: country flora, city fauna and two in the great court of the british museum.

east london's broadway market on a saturday morning

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:04:09 -0500

]]>Some fashion-friendly locals at Broadway Market on the east side of London.

among the cold and gray of east london in january

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:36:47 -0500

]]>More black and white, inspired by the recent wet and gray London weather. -- Elsewhere: David Solomons, Andres Gonzalez, Gus Powell's Lunch Pictures, and Nick Turpin's WHY is he pointing his camera at me?

i'm a photographer, not a terrorist! mass photo gathering in london

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:09:44 -0500

]]>Trafalgar Square in central London was lit up by flash bulbs as part of the demonstration against photographers being unfairly targeted by police after taking photos. They are usually questioned under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, which allows officers to stop and search without the need for "suspicion" within designated areas in the UK.

More than 2,000 professional and amateur photographers took part in the protest organised by the group I'm a Photographer, Not a Terrorist!, many carrying placards bearing its name. -- The Guardian

More news at BBC.co.uk, and both photos and audio interviews at Kate Day's blog on Telegraph.co.uk, where she writes, "...European Court of Human Rights ruled that the stop and search powers detailed in this act breached the right to privacy. ...the European judgment reminds us that the extent to which we surrender civil liberties under anti-terror legislation is an issue that impacts us all, not just photographers."

Photos from participants popping up via Twitter searches #phnat and #mpg. And on this site, more protests.

on display and waiting for something to happen

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:04:12 -0500

]]>Sometimes I group photos -- knowing instinctively that they are connected -- but it will take me a day or two to extract why or how. And then the common thread (and set title) reveals itself while I'm doing something else. This is such a set.

Elsewhere: LayFlat.org, an independent imprint that specializes in unique, small-run and limited edition photography books and multiples, End of Labor Town: Dumping Ground of Old Men in Japan by Shiho Fukada at SocialDocumentary.net, Buy Art to Benefit Haiti at 20x200, and LENS: Prayers in the Dark: interview and photos from photographer Damon Winter in Port-au-Prince for the New York Times.

wayfarers prospect at dalston's ridley road market

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 07:59:27 -0500

]]>I'm surprised that wikipedia's entry on (the currently snowy and bitterly cold) Ridley Road Food Market isn't more comprehensive. I realize that it's not anywhere near London's more central high streets, but Hackney boasts some of London's most original and authentic sights, and this is definitely one of them. These reviews have covered it better:

This isn't a genteel market for well-heeled antiques shoppers. What they do have, packed tightly along the road, is what my father-in-law would describe as "everything from baby shit to a clap of thunder."... -- Timinator, qype.co.uk

A friend of a friend once left our flat to buy some fruit for breakfast and came back wide eyed and open mouthed having stumbled across Ridley Road Market and said of her travels, "It was just like the third world!" Poor love, she does live in Primrose Hill after all...

On top of being the best place to buy herbs, spices, fruit, veg, fabric and electronics from all over the world, the atmosphere is like carnival crossed with Eastenders. Last time I popped down with a friend to pick up some £1 nail varnish from the £1 nail varnish man and he took such a fancy to her that we got it for free... -- Katy I., yelp.co.uk

off the beaten path locales from local life in london

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 09:44:10 -0500

]]>We have now lived in London for one year today. And in that time, despite not having gotten out as much as I might have liked, I've happened upon a number of corners around town that, most likely, only locals might run into. Above, five of these places:

The Long Room at the Honourable Artillery Company: I was lucky enough to attend my first British wedding (hat included) at the historic HAC and got a rare peek at its magnificent rooms.

James Smith & Sons: Founded in 1830, this one stop umbrella and cane shop is a working bit of London history in the West End.

Zebrano Greek Street: In the heart of Soho "amateur hour" party scene, this spot is perhaps the exact opposite of the other four sights.

Freightliners Farm: One of our favorite reasons to live in London is the abundance of "city farms," small working farms in the heart of the city where you can bring your kids to see cows, horses, pigs, chickens, sheep, goats, and other animals for free.

The Circular Staircase at Heal's: Such a lovely architectural surprise hidden within this furniture and home decor store on Tottenham Court Road, Heal's is celebrating 200 years this year. A bit of history here.

And finally a few local sites that you don't have to be local for... Of course, there's Londonist and the London Photobloggers. Also check out Fresh Eyes on London, Directory of London, and East London Local. Then two theme-driven blogs that don't post often but are worth a look: The Cabbie's Capital, Love London Council Housing. And finally, perhaps my favorite, Tired of London Tired of Life is a great blog where I've been finding a lot of useful and interesting places to visit.

couples flirt in covent garden despite the rain

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 09:54:30 -0500

quiet fields of snow remain in london's clissold park

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 18:37:33 -0500

sunday people watching on brick lane in shoreditch

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:35:17 -0500

]]>Above, more shots from Shoreditch in East London. -- Worth reading today on BoingBoing: BBC photographer prevented from shooting St Paul's because he might be "al Quaeda operative". Three other, similar and stories also from BoingBoing in 2009.

shoreditch on a cold and wet november afternoon

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:17:49 -0500

]]>Or more specifically, people watching in Shoreditch on a cold and wet November afternoon. More photos in Shoreditch here and here.

the skies clear just before dusk in the city of london

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:13:21 -0500

]]>Two interesting notes within this City of London set: In the second shot, Prudent Passage, one of the countless little passageways all found across London, and the tiled doorway of Gladwell & Company in the fourth shot. Founded in 1752, Gladwell's is said to be the oldest private gallery in London.

In the archives: dusk in London five years ago, and three favorites from three different European cities in November, May, and January of 2006.