Lucie and Beatle in London

Wednesday, December 5, 2012


T H R E E  weeks ago I photographed this shoot with these two beautiful Londoners- Lucy and Beatle. They are the sibling/sibling-in-law of one of my very dear friends, Deborah, who lives in Clapham, London. The afternoon following my arrival from Dublin, Debs and I met up with Lucy and Beatle at their flat for a very tasty, veggie-saturated lunch. It was so delicious! After much conversation of creativity, life, music, traveling, and the significance of friendships, I asked to photograph them. They agreed, obviously. And thanks to Hector Maclean, who both co-styled the shoot and designed the shirt and suit coat that Beatle wears in this series, we were able to partner together to create a spontaneous shoot in a quaint Clapham garden; that is, Debs' magical backyard. 

The time that I spent in London was truly unique. Different from my stay in Dublin, definitely. And distinct from my travels in Paris as well, which, is where I currently sit, lacking even a small thought to step outside, as some serious rain pours down about every three to five minutes. (It is as if the Parisian skies have been holding in their feelings for far too long and have some catching up to do.)


In London, it seemed like everything around me was moving so fast. The people. The tube. The buses. The taxis. Even the birds seemed like they were in a rush the majority of the time. Yet somehow, even with my natural tendency to go with the flow of things and get caught moving in unison with the ritualistic pace of others, I found an ability to separate myself. I sat on benches, on curbs, thought about the simple things in quaint cafes and quiet restaurants, and witnessed schools of people pedal, ride, and drive through the streets, like schools of swimmers, except with stoplights; one, behind the other, behind the other... moving only as fast as the one just in front of themselves. It was clear to me that London is a world of its own. A city in constant motion. Always growing up. Always transitioning. Always adapting. And, although I have never before encountered a place like this, I think I can honestly say that in the ways of change, refinement, evolution, and ambition... I, too, currently find myself in a state much like this city. And, to add another and, I hope that these two parts- the one involving growth, and the one of real rest and evaluation- are always awake and conscious, continuously mixing and balancing each other out for a greater balance of life that is both peaceable and life-giving. I think balance, in all and overall, is worthwhile. So, I have decided I am going to keep looking for it.




Be sure to check out my blog for more work, and more adventures to come.



Michael Newsted
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Culture Keeper

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