Street Photography Archives

Mar 15

by Nicola in Art, London, Street Photography 0 comments tags: BeanOn Photography, Fire dance, Graffiti, Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel, Waterloo

London’s Free-for-All Brick Canvas at Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel

Overhearing a couple animatedly talking about the best graffiti they’d ever seen near Waterloo, I had to find Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel for myself. Rough and ready, the tunnel sparkled with colour. Artists bending over their cans and preparing themselves for their next masterpiece. A queue of boldly dressed people patiently waited to enter The Vaults, a place that offers everything to those that dare. Once I’d immersed myself in the vibrancy of the art, people and atmosphere I headed the way I came in and noticed two teenage girls playing with hula hoops. Approaching them, I asked if they were practising for a show. “We’re going to be putting on a show, firing up our hoops. Have a butchers,” the one encouraged. With my camera perfectly poised, I eagerly awaited their fire dance… I had no idea Banksy launched Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel to fame in May 2008 with an exhibition called The Cans Festival. With a comical play on The Cannes Film Festival, Banksy invited international street artists to adorn the blanks along Leake Street tunnel with their signature art, as explained further by Leake Street Arches here.

Scalloped hammerhead shark, the canal side, Durban

Jul 23

Durban is the warmest place to be

Unequivocally, Durban is the warmest place to be – it is practically summer all year round with its sub-tropical climate and laid-back, friendly people. Most mornings (when I am home, of course), at first light, I spend at Durban’s vibrant beachfront: running along the soft, golden beach sand; cycling up to thirty kilometres along the promenade, up and down the piers, around Moses Mabhida Stadium, across the Umgeni River and back again; surfing even in winter, mostly with a spring wetsuit; and recently, my new found addiction, yoga with Lauren from SurfSup Yoga. At dawn this morning I warmed up with an hour’s run along the beach sand before enjoying a soothingly stimulating session of yoga at Snake Park Lawns, on the promenade. Exercising alongside the ocean, while watching the sun rise and sharing it with others that were clearly health conscious, was an experience to behold. A few hours later, mid afternoon, I returned to the beachfront with my camera where I experienced a completely different world compared to the world at dawn. A promenade teeming with people, from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, exultant and savouring everything the beachfront had to offer from rickshaw rides to Zulu dancing, […]

Jun 26

by Nicola in Architecture, Cities, People, Street Photography 0 comments tags: Architecture, Avenue des Champs Elysees, BeanOn Photography, Exploring, France, Paris, Rigoletto, Sunset

A Paris Fling

Welcome back, Europe! A Paris fling lasting two nights is simply not enough to explore the city’s inspiring grandeur, despite visiting twice previously many years ago. After each visit Paris becomes more appealing, I become more appreciative of its breath-taking architecture and heritage buildings, highlight after highlight – endless intrigue. Did you know that it’s free (yes, free!) entry in to the Notre-Dame Cathedral? A top tip when faced with a ceaseless queue of overheating bodies trying to penetrate the imposing cathedral. Look for a gap, nonchalantly fill the gap and pretend to be with the people in front of you, not looking over your shoulder, and mind your own business. Obviously this needs to happen as far in front of the queue as possible. And… la magie… Resistance becomes futile when Paris presents the opening night of Rigoletto at the Opera Bastille. What an exceptionally powerful performances by all, and such artistry and precision of symphony by the orchestra. Three acts later, I still yearned for more. I feel a humming session about to attack… In English, of course. ‘La donna mobile’ Rigoletto by Verdi Woman is fickle Like a feather in the wind, She changes […]

Jan 30

by Nicola in People, Street Photography 0 comments tags: BeanOn Photography, Cape Flats, Cape Town, Gugulethu, Gugulethu Township Tour, South Africa, Township Tour, Western Cape

Cape Town, Gugulethu Township Tour

Once upon a time, many many years ago, I desired experiencing life in a township. Longing to spend a weekend with my maid and her family, I had an urge to walk kilometres for water, walk to the shop and carry the supplies on my head, make a fire to cook dinner and heat water, and everything else that encompassed living in a township. What would it feel like to exist without luxury? For some reason my parents prevented me from gaining such an understanding. So, the next best thing had to be the Gugulethu township tour whilst visiting Cape Town. We chose AWOL to provide us with the Gugulethu walking township tour, known for its importance during the struggle against apartheid, because they are a non-profit organisation and proceeds are put back in to the community, given to the people who make the tour possible. The knowledgeable and interesting guide, Ncebe, met us at Mzoli’s, a traditional bring and braai true-African-style establishment, and directed us to his home. Noticeably proud, he showed us around, explaining how he’d broken tradition with his renovations by building a bathroom inside the house instead of it being out back where most […]

London’s Free-for-All Brick Canvas at Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel

Durban is the warmest place to be

A Paris Fling

Cape Town, Gugulethu Township Tour

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