A series celebrating the talent of our friends over in the Londonist Flickr pool who make our site look great with their fabulous photographs. Here, they introduce themselves and share their favourite London shots.
I am a Londoner by choice. I first came to London in the 90s and fell in love with the city but it was falling out of love that made me take the plunge and move here about five years ago. I love everything that this city has to offer from shiny new office buildings through the industrial grit and the concrete of council estates to the greenery of parks and forests surrounding London. I am always looking for new photo opportunities, always wanting to discover more of the less known side of London. It was this need to know stuff that brought me to Londonist a few years ago.
As far as photography and flickr are concerned, I am an addict. I have always wanted to get into photography but film was beyond my means when I was growing up. My first point&shoot arrived in 2006 but I never moved beyond party and holiday snaps at the time. The real addiction really started in January 2008 when I began my 365 self-portrait project. Suddenly, my camera became my companion. I quickly swapped my Lumix for Canon 400D and upon completion of Year One I rewarded myself with Canon 5D. 2009 is all about photography and it is mainly London photography. I am doing 52 photowalks project, which takes me to new places in London every week and following Londonist’s idea of walking around London I decided to do the same.
I work in east London and while so many are put off by the decay and poverty of it, I am constantly attracted to it. Maybe it’s this inner need to change the world.
By Tyla Arabas
Tyla has 2 photographs in the Slow Exposure exhibition which runs until 24th May at Ray's Jazz Cafe, Foyles, Charing Cross Road. Visit her Flickrstream: Tyla'75'
