Close To Home

Is a series of photographs in response to my life under lockdown. As a way of alleviating my restlessness from being confined to home all day, I would venture out on my neighbourhood walks just after dusk when the streets were deserted and eerily quiet. Initially, I stuck quite close to home, but over time I increased the distance I covered on my meandering strolls around north London. The solitude I found wandering the streets was an almost meditative experience of simply observing as I walked. It gave me the chance to explore my local surroundings more intently and notice things I had overlooked for years. What a revelation, streets so familiar during the day were completely transformed after dark. I discovered an alluring beauty photographing under streetlights casting their individual hues and creating an air of mystery that I wanted to capture. Artificial light at night is much more controlled, and you can almost see more clearly because the light focuses your attention on a certain feature or colour. It also illuminates a scene in much the same way you would light a still life or a stage set. There are an infinite number of interesting pictures to be made on our doorstep, if we are willing to search for them. Looking ahead I hope to continue this project through capturing the quiet beauty of my neighbourhood at night, which often goes unnoticed.