Learning more

As you've probably guessed I've been enjoying the freedom to wander Bristol on foot and just take pictures of whatever catches me eye. It has been a real education to see the city and neighbourhoods I grew up in with a different eye. One of the challenges I set myself was to take more street photographs. To prove that I could do this in England as well as Greece. For some reason, partly personal, partly cultural I feel more inhibited about pointing a camera at complete strangers here.







There are major differences in the way people way react to the camera. In Bristol people shy away from it, avert their face, change the direction in which they are walking. On the other hand in Thessaloniki, people mostly ignore it or give me a curious stare and then wander off. On the other hand most of the people in both countries say "yes" when I ask if I can take their picture, something I never would have expected.


I came aross the work of the photographer, Don McCullin, which as been a real revelation. As well as doing amazing work as a combat photographer what really struck me was his images from Britain as a documentary photography which are, if anything even more powerful.




As a result I have been trying to copy from his approach and visual style. Different times, different techniques but still there is so much that I can learn from this.

Click here to listen and read an interview with McCullin.