Photography Blogs
This is one of the few photos I genuinely love and have come to appreciate deeply. Part of the reason is that I had no idea it was being taken—it was a candid moment, unposed and unexpected. I only discovered its existence about a decade later, through a chance encounter with my former secondary school teacher. During our brief conversation, he handed me this photo, so many years after it was first captured.
Thank you for this treasured memory, sir!
Nighthawks When I first saw the Nighthawks painting a few days ago, I was taken aback by how Edward Hoppe managed to capture a sense of silence. This painting raises so many questions. What are these people doing so late into the night, do they know each other (e.g couples/friends or even strangers) etc. The painting captures a feeling of loneliness and isolation that matches Hopper’s description of it as “literally an illustration of loneliness.” Edward Hoppe, American, 1882–1967
Plant Hunter. I discovered this plant shop by accident opposite the Genesis cinema, nestled among all the restaurants and off-licenses. It’s so refreshing to see a different type of business on this road.
When we entered the Plantonium, we were greeted by a young lady who was passionate about the plant! She cheerfully answered all our questions.
The Plantonium has a wide selection of potted plants for most inner-city plant hunters and the price was reasonable. I plan to buy a Bonsai tree on my next visit.
That’s me. There it was—a younger version of me, framed by the warmth of a Bangladesh summer, barely recognizable but unmistakably familiar. I had forgotten about this picture entirely, lost in the passage of years until a family friend from Spain sent it to me. That friend had kept it safe all these years, like a quiet guardian of forgotten memories. Looking at it, I could almost hear the faint hum of a bustling bazaar, feel the weight of the humid air, and sense the joy in my family as we posed together. Time has a way of eroding memories until they’re faint and fragmented, but this image—tattered as it was—brought a bit of it back, like an old song you hadn’t heard in ages.
Sadly, the tropical climate of Bangladesh had left its mark, and the photograph bore signs of decay, with its colors nearly gone and details blurred. But the faintness of the image only made me more determined to bring it back to life, to hold onto a piece of that fleeting past.
This is my first attempt at restoring a photograph. The first left image is fading without restoration!
Mass Communication. Feeling nostalgic seeing one of these phone poles. Once these poles were used to carry voice calls. Today it is used as vital infrastructure for the digital age, making it possible for millions of people to work from home during the lockdown. I suspect these will soon get replaced like the red phone box. Maybe it should get a listed status?
Asset stripping. Stores are closing all over the country due to online shopping accelerated by Covid-19 lockdown. Thurrock, Essex, Saturday 2nd January 2021.
My plan for the blog section is to share an original picture taken by myself each day or at least once a week.
Under the normal circumstance, this would not present a challenge given that living in the outskirts of London offers ample opportunities to capture the multiplicity of life and culture on my doorstep. At the time of writing this post, 6th January 2021 @21: 47, we have entered the third national lockdown due to Covid-19. This is likely to hinder my ambition to bring a new image each day – since I ‘m working from home now and only venturing out to do essential shopping or going out for occasional daily exercise.
However, I remain resolved to find subject matter worth capturing for sharing with you on this site. I also look forward to your comments and feedback.