I have done a lot less photo-wandering of late than I would have liked, so I have kept meaning to post a Michael Jennings London photo here, to fill that gap here. But, I’ve never quite got around to doing this. Time to correct that, with a gallery of some of his recent photos, as already shown by Michael, one at a time, on Facebook:
The same circumstances that have had me staying at home more than usual have caused Michael to be staying in London more than usual.
All of the above were photoed, I believe, with a mobile phone, during the late afternoon or evening, that being an interesting time of day for light, especially when natural light and artificial light are about even in strength. (Is that why it’s called “evening”? Could be.) This also accounts for the predominantly sepia colouring that one normally associates with nostalgia-prompting photos of times long gone.
Will there be nostalgia for Lockdown, if and when it ever ends? Probably yes, on the same principle that some people, for accidental reasons, remember WW2 with some fondness, in among all the grief and stress. Many will remember liking the peace and quiet, even as they realise that it could not be allowed to last. Michael himself has spoken to me of the cleanness of the air. Not least because it allows photoing to be better.
I live in quite a central place (as do you, but in a different direction from the very centre) and as a consequence many of my walking and cycling trips have been through the unusually empty centre of London. As you have observed, I have been taking photos of the centre of the city during these exercises and posting them to Facebook. I was wondering whether I was boring people by doing this, but one of my friends who lives in the suburbs asked that I continue doing it. She normally works in central London, but hasn’t been there since March.
Yes, Michael, keep them coming.
I also very much liked the photo of the packet of dirt that you bought.
Those are very “atmospheric” photos, especially the ones of the river; all those dramatic clouds, dark menacing skies and tops of high-rises dissolving in the mist. One thing the lockdowns made better: it used to be such difficult thing to catch a moment for a photo with no people blocking the street and architecture – and now it is always like that! profit.
But it’s getting a bit repetitious, after 6 months…I want to see people!
[Michael, you got yourself a little Pomeranian!]