Back in March 2001, I set out with my flatmate — a trusty Yashica T3 — to photograph the little corner of East London I’d called home since 1999. My two-year work visa was coming to an end, and I was about to head back to Melbourne, so it felt like the right time to capture the places and streets that had become such a big part of my life.
I started my East End days in an ex-council flat on Old Montague Street, just off Brick Lane. I was lucky enough to land a job at Metro Imaging in Clerkenwell — an absolute dream for a young photographer. Every day I’d walk from Brick Lane through Shoreditch and up Old Street to work. Back then, you could count the number of bars in Shoreditch on one hand, but there was this raw creative energy everywhere — it felt like something was just beginning to happen.
On weekends, I’d lose hours wandering Spitalfields Market. It was chaotic and alive — a mix of artists, locals, and characters selling all sorts of treasures in the maze of stalls.
Brick Lane has always held a special place in my heart. It’s changed a lot since those days — some of the old charm has faded — but it’s still one of my favourite places to people-watch, take in the ever-evolving street art, and eat incredible food.
This series is my love letter to that time and place — East London at the turn of the century, full of grit, colour, and character.
