Lost images of The Beatles by Lord Christopher Thynne are on show
The Beatles made the transition from rock stars to movie stars in 1964 with the release of their first film A Hard Day’s Night. Both a critical and box office success, the low-budget film was produced in just 16 weeks.
Nearly six decades later, previously unseen photographs of the Fab Four on set of their movie debut are going on display in London. Taken by photographer Lord Christopher Thynne (1934 – 2017) over two days in spring 1964, these pictures spent years as undeveloped negatives until recently. The collection of images not only show John Lennon, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Ringo Starr and George Harrison filming, but also their quieter moments in between takes. Filming was a break from the group from the ‘Beatlemania’ they had just experienced on their first tour of the USA.
Thynne’s photographs will go on display at the Shapero Modern gallery from 9 December 2021 for just five weeks. These unearthed images will also be available for sale for £400-£650 for a limited period.
The Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) 2020 exhibition is going on display at Coal Drops Yard
(© Paul Samsome/www.tpoty.com)
Thanks to the ongoing pandemic, cases of wanderlust are certainly strong amongst many of us as we continue to live and work in smaller environments. If you’re one of those gagging to put your passport to use again, why not treat yourself to some inspirational travel imagery in the meanwhile? On show in London this spring will be the winning images from the international Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) Awards 2020.
A free exhibition in Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross will display 160 photographs from 12 May – 10 June 2021. The exhibition will be open 24 hours a day and easy to enjoy in the safety of the open-air. The collection will showcase a huge range of subjects, from landscapes to people, from architecture to the natural world, taken by both professional and amateur photographers. The COVID-19 pandemic hugely impacted the 2020 awards, with any entries taken by stranded travellers spending longer at their destination than planned, or by those closer to home as their travel was restricted.
After checking out the stunning imagery, visitors can vote for their favourite photographs online, with the additional chance to be entered into a prize draw, with a one-day private photography lesson from TPOTY founder Chris Coe among the prizes. Meanwhile, the TPOTY team will be hosting a series of Fujifilm-supported tutored photography walks around Coal Drops Yard and the King’s Cross/Regents Canal area during the latter period of the exhibition, when the pandemic restrictions allow.
Find out what’s on in London in June 2021 here.
Blondie © Gerard McNamara
It’s only rock ‘n’ roll, but we like it! Coming to Carnaby this month is a new exhibition of some of music’s most iconic stars. Photography legend Gerard McNamara will be displaying some of his classic music images. Among the artists featured in the exhibition are Kate Bush, Blondie, Clash, The Police and The Pretenders. The showcase will celebrate the 40th anniversary of McNamara’s photography career and contribution to music.
For 10 days, a free exhibition will be hosted in the Newburgh Quarter on behalf of The Museum of Soho. Rarely seen and previously unseen images from McNamara’s archives will be on show at 3 Newburgh Street from 12 – 21 April 2019. On show will be McNamara’s first ever published photograph, of Kate Buss on her Tour Of Life concert in 1979, which appeared in Smash Hits magazine.
Other artists captured on McNamara’s Olympus OM-1 camera include Adam & The Ants, Gary Numan, The Selecter, Iggy Pop, U2, and Toyah. The photographer’s work has appeared in a host of books and publications, including Mojo, The Face, NME and Record Mirror.
Meanwhile, on Record Store Day on 13 April (3pm onwards), visitors to the exhibition will be invited to enjoy performances from Parisian jazz singer Florence Joelle, rising singer/songwriter Emily Capell and ska and reggae favourite Nick Welsh aka King Hammond.
Dec 14
This gallery contains 13 photos.
If Christmas didn’t take place in December, it would be a pretty dull month. Although we’re adjusting to the change in temperature and the dark nights, the festive season means the city is transformed into an extravaganza of neon, glitter and lights. I always love checking out the capital’s Christmas lights. When I was a […]
Michael Caine in Alfie in 1966
© Paramount Pictures/Getty Images
Coming to Carnaby this month is a new exhibition to celebrate the launch of Sir Michael Caine’s film My Generation. The London legend narrates and stars in a documentary telling his journey through the Swinging Sixties and the people he met along the way.
To mark the release of the film, an exclusive exhibition will be showcasing photography, prints and previously unseen archive footage from the decade. The exhibition has been curated by Zelda Cheatle, who has collaborated with some of the era’s biggest photographers, such as Terry O’Neill, Brian Duffy and Barry Lategan. Many icons from the film are featured, including Twiggy, Roger Daltrey and The Who, Marianne Faithfull, Vidal Sassoon, Jean Shrimpton, Lulu, Paul McCartney and The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, David Bailey, Sandie Shaw and Mary Quant. Some of the pieces on show will be Lewis Morley’s infamous portrait of Christine Keeler and the first professional shot of Twiggy.
During the exhibition, there will be two Q&A sessions, hosted by Edith Bowman. My Generation’s director David Batty will be in conversation on Monday 12 March (6pm-7pm), while photographer Terry O’Neill will be recalling his amazing career on Monday 9 March (12.30pm-1.30pm). Tickets are free and available via a ballot on the Carnaby London website.
Meanwhile, a special screening of My Generation will be broadcast live via satellite from the BFI Southbank to UK and Irish cinemas on Wednesday 14 March. Celebrating Sir Michael’s 85th birthday, the screening will be followed by a Q&A with the birthday boy himself. Limited tickets are available via the MyGenerationMovie.co.uk website.
For a guide to what else is on in London in March, click here.
Glitterbox x Jealous Gallery launches on 13 February
Glitterbox is a huge name in clubbing culture, famous for their flamboyant and hedonistic parties in Ibiza, London and beyond. With a high glamour and inclusive vision, Glitterbox are renowned for bringing the spirit of disco to the 21st century. To mark their fifth year as they gear up for the next season in the Balearics, Glitterbox are celebrating with an exhibition of fabulous moments, music and people.
The Glitterbox experience of DJs, performers, dancers and clubbers have been captured in iconic artwork and photography over the years. Acclaimed artist and ‘Blitz Kid’ Mark Wardel will be showcasing his original work, with limited, signed prints available to purchase. Meanwhile, Glitterbox’s resident photographer Gavin Mills will be revealing never-seen-before images from five years of decadent revelry. The exhibition will also feature archive flyers, posters and graphic prints, as well as new artwork for the 2018 season.
The exhibition will span one week at the contemporary gallery, print publisher and printing studio Jealous in Shoreditch. There will also be special gallery events during the exhibition.
For a guide to what else is on in February, click here.
One of my photographs on the London Landscape Photography Course
© Memoirs Of A Metro Girl 2017
I’ve long had an interest in photography and have been feeling pressure to take quality images for my blog since I started it five years ago. Of course, circumstances – such as bad restaurant lighting or a grey, cloudy day – can hamper a photograph from reaching its potential. After years of half-heartedly considering doing a photography course, I recently came across Obby – a community marketplace offering classes and workshops.
Although I initially was looking for a photography course, I found my appetite whet for others classes by the huge selection. As well as photography, there are also workshops in arts, crafts, drinks and tastings, food, health and beauty. There was a range of photography classes available, however I decided on the London Landscape Photography Workshop, which was most relevant to me as a blogger. Booking was super easy, I scrolled through the available dates and booked with a credit card. I liked that my class was confirmed straightaway and it wasn’t a voucher that I’d have to use with a second party, like other experience websites.
A much derided building, the ‘Walkie Talkie’, actually looks pretty cool from the right angle
© Memoirs Of A Metro Girl 2017
The workshop itself was a seven-hour class with Steve Hedges Photography. Our small group of five (including myself) met Steve at Liverpool Street station armed with our cameras and tripods at 9am on a Friday. The first part of the workshop was sat around a laptop going through the basic rules to follow when photographing landscapes and seeing examples of the powerful differences that depth and angle can make. I am currently between cameras so had borrowed one which I wasn’t so familiar with, but by the end of the class knew the settings so well I was able to teach the camera’s owner how to use it!
During the workshop, we stopped to photograph the Leadenhall Building, the Lloyds Building, the ‘Walkie Talkie’, Tower Bridge, Millennium Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral. The class was a mix of learning practical camera skills, but also developing our ‘eye’ for a great shot. We were taught about aperture, shutter speed, exposure, filters, ISO numbers, among other features of the camera. With the class so small, our instructor had enough time to give us individual feedback as we photographed each building. While there was a lot to take in, we were given frequent opportunity to really let what we were learning sink in and be put to practice. Although the weather weren’t on our side – it was a grey, cloudy day with occasional light rain – I’m happy with what I photographed throughout the day. There’s a selection of images I was really pleased with (such as the two I have published here), and some I wasn’t so enamoured with. However, that’s the whole process of photography, it’s all about the right light, conditions and angle coming together to create the perfect shot. There was so much things to think about afterwards. the most challenging one I think will be patience, it takes time to get the right photograph. While I would never consider myself a good photographer, I completed the workshop feeling more knowledgeable and confident with my skills going forward. Steve was a great instructor – patient, encouraging and full of experience. I thoroughly recommend the workshop and whole Obby booking experience. Now what am I going to learn next..?
Trafalgar Square at dusk on a February evening
I haven’t done a ‘Photo Friday’ post for a long time but took this photo with my camera phone this week and wanted to share it. While I’m not a fan of the cold weather, the cooler temperatures do often make for clearer skies. I visited the National Gallery after work earlier this week and was distracted by the stunning light in the sky as I left the building. As the sun went down, the lights gradually started to come on as the city starts to twinkle. I see this as a quintessential London scene, with people meandering around the square, buses and taxis whizzing past and the monuments such as the Houses of Parliament and Nelson’s Column standing tall against the sky.
Just posting a rare photo post to the blog following a lovely summer sky in London last night. After spending Saturday outside in the park with friends, we were a bit disappointed by the frequent cloud cover throughout the day. Of course, clouds and sunshine usually means for gorgeous sunsets so we were rewarded later on. Here’s a view from Tower Bridge looking east down the River Thames featuring silhouettes of various London landmarks, such as the BT Tower, St Paul’s Cathedral and Cannon Street station.
Summer sky: A view looking east down the River Thames from Tower Bridge on 1 August 2015
Street art has been gaining a newfound respect in recent years thanks to the likes of Banksy and Stik. However, of course there is another kind of ‘street art’… as in someone on the street creating art. While crossing Hungerford Bridge today, I spotted an artist painting the London Eye and the South Bank. I rarely see artists creating work outside these days so it was a pleasant surprise to see a painter in action. Hope he was pleased with the finished article…
A painter on Hungerford Bridge studying the London Eye
Memoirs Of A Metro Girl 