About

I have lived all my life in London, but have never had much of an interest in photographing it, until now. I have photographed pretty much everywhere else in the world, but not my own back yard. For the last decade I have been mostly based in the studio and recently decided to break out and go back to my old love of getting lost with my cameras down old windy streets. As a child I greatly absorbed myself in the stories of Charles Dickens, Jack the Ripper, Sweeney Todd and then later, Peter Ackroyd, relishing the cruel, unforgiving yet invigorating and exciting nature of London.

The more images I have taken with this project, the more interest I have taken in my massive community. Like a stage in front of me I will put my camera down and let the drama unfold its own story until the climatic and decisive click of the shutter, bringing about its conclusion: the gossiping on Columbia road: the screams of laughter of adults and kids alike running through the fountain at South Bank; people rushing about their day; a woman pausing to bask in the sun; once loved but now neglected spaces; the gawping faces of the public watching street performers. Like an overbearing parent, this great city is like a breathing, living organism that can be both nurturer and destroyer. What I have tried to convey in my images is that struggle of identity and uniqueness for a Londoner, and the forging of any kind of community that can be grabbed within their rushed and tiring existence.

It is so easy to see why life in London can be disenchanting. There’s no time to stop. There’s too much to do. I hope my images inspire people to walk more slowly and actually look at the streets they are walking down and to maybe one day take the long way round or go down that odd looking windy road.

Compassionately yours,

Stephanie Wolff

contact: wolff.stephanie[at]gmail.com

www.stephaniewolff.co.uk