This blog is about a South Bank Street Photography walk with Jimmy Cheng. The walk was organised by Amateur Photographer in conjunction with OM-System. Is there a secret recipe to good street photography? Have a read to find the answer.
(All photographs taken with the OM system-3 except where stated).
How I Got onto this South Bank Street Photography Walk
An Amateur Photographer Instagram story caught my eye. The story was advertising the chance to go on a photowalk with Jimmy Cheng. There was also an opportunity to try out the OM-System 3 camera. Immediately I sent an email to Geoff at AP magazine. His reply was that I was booked in.
Meeting the Group at Black Penny Cafe
London was warm when I ventured out of my air-conditioned hotel in Bankside. Coffee and croissant in the morning sun near the Tate Modern, then a walk over the Millennium Bridge to drop off my bags in a lock-up. A quick bus ride to Waterloo to join the street photography group at Black Penny Cafe. The hosts were so friendly and after introductions we all started chatting away.
Geoff introduced Jimmy, our photography guide, and Luke from OM-System who provided cameras for those that were interested. I had a spare SD card with me and was able to use an OM-System 3 camera with two lenses: a 14-150mm and a 7-14mm. The first part of the walk was with the 7-14mm lens, and I will comment on both lenses during the blog.
Jubilee Gardens and the Modified Social Benches
Our route began in Jubilee Gardens with the London Eye in the background. After a group photograph we walked under the Hungerford and Golden Jubilee bridges, arriving at Festival Hall. Our walking pace was leisurely, which gave us time to soak in the atmosphere and become aware of the people moving around us.
It was here that we came across the “Modified Social Benches” by Jeppe Hein, who has reimagined the humble park bench. They are designed to challenge the space and distance we keep between others. They are ideal for street photography. You can look as if you are taking pictures of the bench and then you are able to frame people around them.
The secrets to Jimmy Cheung’s Approach to Street Photography
I wanted to spend a few minutes with Jimmy observing his photography and how he finds his street scenes. The first thing I learned is patience: Jimmy will spot the location, then wait for the right person to enter the scene. Once he has that picture, he will look for variations such as colours or space. The two pictures I took whilst shadowing Jimmy echo what he was seeing and assessing for his photographs. He carefully shifts his position to get the right viewpoint whilst not moving far from his location. I was also beginning to enjoy the OM-System 3 camera. It felt good in my hands and the wide angle lens gave some nice views.
Ice Cream Vans, Skaters and Graffiti Artists
I love street vendors, and an ice cream van provides a rich stream of photography opportunities. So does the South Bank skate space. There were a few skaters plying their trade, but what was most interesting, deep in the undercroft, was a gang of graffiti artists. Dressed in their white protective suits and wearing masks, they looked intimidating. When I approached them, they were all smiles and relieved that I was not the police! The mix of colours and white suits made for great photographs.
Photography around the National Theatre
We passed under Waterloo Bridge, arriving at the dramatic brutalist architecture of the National Theatre. There is always a second-hand book sale taking place in this area. The arrangement of the books provides opportunities for geometric pictures. Fortuitously there was a person slumped on a chair reading a book in an orthodox fashion. He was distracted, making it possible to get a close view of his deep interest in the book.
Exploring the Thames Beach
The number of people on the Southbank boardwalk increased as we headed towards what is popularly known as the Thames beach. People were on the sand enjoying the sunshine. Sandra and Elaine were two Londoners enjoying the day, and we struck up a conversation. They were fun to talk to and allowed me to take a picture of them on the sand. I found a lucky cat keyring that Jimmy enjoyed photographing. Then, as photographers do, we huddled under the pier taking photographs of all the textures and shapes that could be found.
Queen’s Walk, the Oxo Tower and Switching Lenses
Our South Bank Street Photography journey was progressing slowly. The Queen’s Walk is where the passageway narrows and becomes especially busy. We stopped in at the Oxo Tower for coffee and a rest from the sun. Here I changed lenses on my OM-3 to the 14-150mm. This lens was light and easy to use. My first picture was of legs. I was fascinated by a group of young men who were similarly dressed in dark shorts and vests. They appeared to be army personnel on shore leave. Two of them had tattoos only on their right leg. The zoom on my OM-3 gave me the ability to capture the differences.
Blackfriars Bridge and the City Skyline
We were walking under Blackfriars Bridge and Bankside pier where there are street murals. Then there are opportunities to view the architecture and the city. This was a honeypot location for street photography. People were either on the beach or milling around trying to enter the Blackfriars Bridge entrance. Then there was the architecture of the bridge itself. My zoom lens captured several features around this spot. There was a great view of the skyscrapers of the City, which we used as a backdrop for street photography.
Lunch, Reflections on using the OM-3, and Thanks
Our restaurant was behind the Tate Modern was to be our final stop on our South Bank Street Photography walk. We took several pictures just before sitting down to lunch. The group was buzzing with enthusiasm and there was a chance to share photographs. Jimmy quickly showed us the pictures he had taken, and these emphasised his technique of utilising spaces and colours that are enhanced when the right person enters the scene.
Sadly, it was also time to hand back the OM-System 3 camera that I had used. The OM-3 made a lasting impression, and I will be considering buying one in due course. I will write a short piece about my thoughts on the camera, which will be overwhelmingly positive. A big thank you to Luke at OM System for the loan of the camera and lens for the walk.
Thanks must also go to Amateur Photographer for organising the day, which was a memorable experience. I learnt a lot talking to the AP team of Geoff, Jessica and Andy, so thank you for your time. Finally, thank you to Jimmy Cheng for leading the walk, sharing your thoughts on street photography and allowing us to see how you creates your pictures.
If you enjoyed this blog on South Bank Street Photography then please read my street photography visit to Canary Wharf. This area is also a great place to visit with your camera when in London.
