Streets of London

Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London…

"Streets of London" is a song by Ralph McTell, who first recorded it for his 1969 album Spiral Staircase. It was not released in the United Kingdom as a single until 1974. McTell himself noted that there were 212 known recorded versions of the song. The song was re-released, on 4 December 2017, featuring McTell with Annie Lennox as a charity single for CRISIS, the Homelessness Charity.

This is a multi-part photo documentary project in London. The idea is to showcase little snippets of places I’ve visited, memories and things that stood out to me at the time.

I was born in, grew up in and worked in London long before I started to travel around the world so, to me it’s home and yes, I consider myself a Londoner.

All images shot on a Leica M10-R using 50mm and 28mm lenses.

Part 1 - Portobello Road

Portobello Road has one of the most famous street markets in the world and is home to one of the UK’s most diverse communities. It has a rich history dating back to the 19th century with millions of visitors visiting the market each year. The market stalls stretch for a mile all the way down Portobello Road and round the corner into Golborne Road. Whether you are just out for a stroll, people watching, looking for a bargain or out to grab a bite to eat, Portobello Road is a great place to spend your time exploring.

The west London site is most famous for having one of the world’s largest antique, bric-a-brac and vintage clothing markets. It's a location that attracts tourists, locals and celebrities from all walks of life. Visitors can find every type of collectable from stamps, jewellery, furniture, vintage clothing, fresh produce, delicious street food, and freshly baked goods. The street is also home to some incredibly talented musicians busking on the streets. Originally known for its excellent choice of fresh produce, some families have been selling on Portobello Road for generations.

Fiona Hawthorne was commissioned to display her art celebrating 150 years of the famous Portobello Market. Her sketches depict the characters and the atmosphere of the market and are displayed along the wall outside the Spanish school. I wanted a local character to complete the picture for this shot and didn’t have to wait long before this flamboyant chap came along.

Sign of the post-pandemic times with empty seats and people wearing masks in public. Portobello market was hit hard by the UK lock-down. Local government have invested £37M in reviving the market to it back to normal. Things are slowly starting to return.

This is the kind of bric-a-brac that Portobello Road is famous for. This iconic location and signage are well photographed.

Everywhere you look, architecture and history pointing back to a bygone era. I like the way they’ve retained the gas lamps, even if they are now fitted with LED lighting and Wi-Fi access points for the modern day era.

Portobello is as famous for it’s people as much as anything else. This chap was just minding his own business walking down the street, but gives the impression he’s not to be messed with. I’m not about to start, but I really like the picture and to me, this captures walking with confidence in London.

Portobello Market is also very famous for it’s high-fashion.

I complemented the owner of this stall for setting out an immaculate display of healthy snacks and drinks. We chatted briefly and I asked if I could take a picture, he was very happy for me to do so, but didn’t want to be in the shot.

Locals chat about dogs outside this famous landmark on the corner of Lancaster Road.

Out shopping with the kids, the oldest of whom has his own transport. It’s worth noting that it was quite warm and summery on this day.

Part 2 - Homeless in London

Being homeless anywhere in the world can’t be easy but imagine being in a place like London surrounded by big city opulence. Pick your spot well, and it’s surely rich pickings…

Middle Eastern refugees and asylum seekers have a very particular style of begging on the streets of London. It’s quite a shock to the eyes in the Western world. A silent man begs in a position of desperation and vulnerability, possibly for maximum effect in a land of opulence and riches for a few coins to buy some food. Here on the Golden Jubilee bridges it’s just another day for everyone in this picture.

Here on the other side of the embankment, a familiar scene. This time nobody fails to notice… the man’s cup is still empty.

This scene has a funny story attached. The rather ‘shouty’ Glaswegian chap was haranguing passers by and my friend stopped and said, ‘look it’s like this… not everyone has a pocket full of change, I’d gladly buy your big issue but unless you take Apple Pay, I can’t help you…’

Well, says the man… I can do Apple Pay actually, that will be £3 please. Alan, true to his word purchased a copy, I took photos and we all had a good laugh about it.

Part 3 - In the Shadows

London is a great place to explore light and dark. So many interesting places, architecture and people to photograph. All you need is a bright sunny day.

Millennium Bridge with the iconic back drop of St Pauls Cathedral is an ideal place to create great photos. Just after lunch, the sun casts long dark shadows for an interesting perspective. In this spot all you need to do is wait for the right people to walk through.

Off to the side, more dark shadows cast by the beautiful architecture of Millennium bridge. This chap caught my eye, so I waited until I had him in the right part of the frame.

I’m always up for a nice landscape and Londons rich architecture delivers. View from below Millennium bridge shows some of Londons most iconic landmarks. The shadows cast into the river Thames add nicely to the drama.

This colourful (contrasty in black and white) underground space is on the embankment close to the river. It’s a very cool Skate park with all manner of ramps, rails, steps and boxes to sharpen your skills. At night this place is alive with kids sharpening their skills.

You never know what you’ll find in the shadows, especially on 31st of October.

A backdrop like this can turn crossing the road into an epic. Especially at night.

Part 4 - On the Street

No better place for some candid street shots of people going about their daily business. Here is a small selection of shots walking about in various locations.