A Day in London

I love photography projects.  I have started hundreds but finished very few.  I have written about why I like photography projects as a way to delve into a particular aspect of the photo narrative.  But I have never openly admitted my almost universal failure at these.  So here I am, ending 2023 a bit less burdened by my guilt. 

The one project that I keep turning to that keeps working is the idea behind "one day in...." the place changed depending where I. am living or where I am traveling to.  But the great thing about these projects is that they are finished in a single day.

One such project was done in London.  I keep going back to the work I created over these eight hours and I  keep finding new things to like about it.  So now that I am about to start a new study in Small Town Texas, I thought I would dig back through these photographs and explore London again...while sitting in Houston.

This is a shot that I love. I took several cameras with me that day, and here I am shooting with a Digital Leica.  I put on a wide angle lens and captured this image.  In post, I made it square and did a B&W conversion.  I love everything about it as it makes the subject small compared to the black. The wonders of an industrial super power can be made to look small.

Here was my trip home after a full day of taking pictures.  I loved the reflection of this woman daydreaming as she sees the city of London go by. The color rendition of this camera is mind boggling good.  I need to shoot more with it but the sensor needs a good cleaning...

Not all street photography must be in B&W.  Here I could not help but love the colors from the bright to the muted. A simple scene, but one so difficult to capture in a photograph. The trouble with life is that it does not photograph well....

There is the book called "Look Up" or something similar about a couple of photographers who go around the city shooting what is up.  Most people focus on their feet and never look to the heavens and appreciate what is there...not metaphorically but just looking up and seeing the buildings.  I was contemplating that as I  toured London that day.  Here at St Paul Cathedral I looked up and found this wonderful convergence. Lines, art, strength and textures all combining in the deeply tonal scene.  

One of my last shots of the day.  I would turn around shortly after this picture was taken and walk to Waterloo station and grab a train home. I arrived around 08:00 am and lefts after 5:00 pm.  It was full day of shooting and it seemed right to end it with a frivolous photograph.  This one, where the man is making bubbles in front of the backdrop of the city of London seems right.