Welcome to Louis Berk photography

WHITECHAPEL IN COLOUR (2009-2013)

Submitted by Louis Berk on Fri, 05/15/2020 - 09:55
The third part of my travels through a small planet with a film camera
 

Walking across Altab Ali Park (January 2010, Leica M7, Fuji 400H)
 
In the last two blog posts I have shown the result of my travels through the ‘small planet’ of Whitechapel with film cameras. The ‘small planet’ is a reference to the semi-autobiographical novel by Emanuel Litvinoff (1915-2011), the author and a famous son of Whitechapel, who wrote so eloquently of his life there. 
 
In this article I conclude my travels with film cameras with colour film photography from the central area of Whitehapel.

SPITALFIELDS IN COLOUR FILM (2011-13)

Submitted by Louis Berk on Tue, 05/05/2020 - 14:27

Wandering the back streets of Spitalfields with 120 colour roll film

Dog Legs of the East End #42: Sclater Street and the junction of Brick Lane (April 2011, Hasseblad SWC, Kodak Portra 160NC)
 
A lot of photography of the East End is in monochrome which captures the strong character of the people and places. I, on the other hand, have always seen the bold and often garish colours in the urban landscape.

WHITECHAPEL IN BLACK AND WHITE (2009)

Submitted by Louis Berk on Sun, 04/19/2020 - 17:00

Film photography in the footsteps of Don McCullin

The photographs in this blog post are all from a period in 2009 when I made a foray into the back streets of Whitechapel, Spitalfields and Bethnal Green armed with a film camera. The inspiration for this process was reading the veteran photographer Don McCullin’s autobiography, ‘Unreasonable Behaviour’.

The entrance to Altab Ali Park (October 2009) with the distinctive bell tower of the German Church in the distance, which appears in several McCullin photographs of the area. 

THE SYNAGOGUE AND THE MOSQUE AS NEIGHBOURS

Submitted by Louis Berk on Sun, 04/12/2020 - 16:55

The Great Synagogue and the East London Mosque in Fieldgate Street, Whitechapel

The Synagogue and Mosque Dome in 2009. As the mosque exapanded over the next few years this view disappeared.

This is a story based on my photography about two different religious communities that co-existed for more than 60 years in Whitechapel. Both have seen dramatic changes in the size of their communities and the impact on their places of worship.

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Empire House: A Preservation Success

Submitted by Louis Berk on Mon, 11/04/2019 - 17:14

The renovated frontage of Empire House, August 2019

2019 in Whitechapel has been a disappointing year as far as the preservation of its heritage buildings. In March the fight to preserve the former Georgian public house, known locally as Tadman’s Corner, on Jubilee Street and Stepney Way was lost and the building demolished.  Work has begun on boarding up the former London Hospital Outpatients Building on Turner Street and it has been sold off with demolition impending. There is much angst about plans to alter the use and remodel the Bell Foundry. Many other smaller battles are being joined across the district in an attempt to stop the wrecking ball and the spread of bland ‘spreadsheet’ designed buildings.

It is therefore very satisfying to relate the story of a preservation success: Empire House, on New Road.

Pancras Square, Kings Cross

Submitted by Louis Berk on Sat, 03/02/2019 - 18:21

Entrance to Pancras Square (click for full size)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entrance to Pancras Square (click for full size)

As I entered the new Pancras Square built on the site of the once teeming freight hub of Kings Cross/St Pancras the light channelled into the view had a dense and highlighted quality which would have been normal in this area 50 years ago.

Louis Berk Photography Tours of Whitechapel and Spitalfields

Photography Tours of Whitechapel and Spitalfields

Interested in photographing Whitechapel but don’t know where to start? I'm now beginning my second year of successfully providing walking photographic tours of Whitechapel for photographic clubs, schools and Facebook groups.

Join Louis Berk for guided tours aimed at giving photographers a perspective on the rich photographic opportunities in and around Whitechapel and Spitalfields. Suitable for all ages and interests and backed up up by Louis Berk's knowledge of the geography and history of the area. 

Tours begin at the convenient transport link of Liverpool Street station and complete in Whitechapel close to tube and bus links. Tours can be arranged to suit dates and times.

Specialist tours which finish at the unique 'Whitechapel Oasis' in the old Jewish Cemetery of Brady Street are available for dates on a Sunday.

My tours are ideal for:

  • Group tours: ideal for camera clubs and Facebook groups
  • Specialist tours for schools, concentrating on spritual, moral, social and cultural development can also be arranged, drawing on Louis's experience as a secondary school teacher.
  • Private tours for individuals.

​Contact Louis Berk for a discussion of your requirements

 

Haworth and Bronté Country Gallery

Submitted by Louis Berk on Sat, 09/01/2018 - 12:35

The path to Top Withens, Stanbury Moor, West Yorkshire

In early August I spent several days in Haworth, home of the Bronté family and located close to the beautiful West Yorshire moors. I've now created a gallery of the photographs I took on this trip which can be viewed here.

Sunsets, Horses and Beach Huts

Submitted by Louis Berk on Wed, 08/01/2018 - 16:03

The East Winner is a sandbank off the coast of Hayling Island, in Hampshire - England, and at low tide it extends for a mile into the Solent - a stretch of water separating the South Coast from the Isle of Wight. When the low tide coincides with sunset a magical stretch of land appears for a short time and attracts walkers and horse riders. Visit my new gallery of photographs taken during my visit to the East Winner in July 2018.

"Walkers, Riders and a Ferry To France"
 

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