Londonist Behind The Lens: Arijana Gurdon

Lindsey
By Lindsey Last edited 131 months ago
Londonist Behind The Lens: Arijana Gurdon

A series celebrating the talent of our friends in the Londonist Flickr pool. This week, ari_55 on a passion for iPhoneography and getting those candid shots.

Pedestrian
Pedestrian
Poise
Poise
Pink Pavement
Pink Pavement
Street Strangers
Street Strangers
I'm Leaving
I'm Leaving
Londoner
Londoner
Light up London
Light up London
Streetsleepwalker
Streetsleepwalker
Ten Past Five
Ten Past Five
Support
Support
Vauxhall Deconstructed
Vauxhall Deconstructed
hurdle.jpeg

"I'll start with a cliche (because it's true) and say that I've always liked photography. I have owned a few point-and-shoot cameras but it wasn't until I started taking photos with my iPhone a  couple of years ago that I discovered I had a real passion for it - most of all, for the so called iPhoneography. I'd just had a baby at the time and I was taking long daily walks by the Thames and I would always snap a photo or two (or ten) along the way. I would then take advantage of those quiet periods at home (i.e. baby sleeping) to play around with various iPhone photography applications to edit my photos and upload them to Instagram (@ari55). It has since become my favourite hobby. Even though iPhoneography - or mobile photography - is still in its infancy, it's great to be a part of this medium's maturing process, and watch it gradually get recognised as a valid branch of photography.

These days I commute by bus and take lots of photos while in motion. I am not  restricted to a particular style but in London, street photography screams out at you and I love it. Lately I've become a little braver and have been getting closer to my 'subjects' which has resulted in a series of candid photographs. Taking a candid photograph is pretty much a split second decision. When I'm out and about I tend to have 'my finger on the trigger' ready for 'that shot' of an unsuspecting passer by. I look for a particular face, an expression or a pose. Even the way a person is dressed can catch my eye. It's a bit sneaky but thrilling at the same time. Especially when I manage to capture what I envisaged (because, to be honest, a LOT of the shots don't come out well). When editing a candid photograph I am inclined to isolate the 'subject' and blur out the background so that they become the absolute focus of the shot.

My editing process keeps changing partly because I crave a different look in my photos after a while and partly because of new challenges being created by releases of new editing Apps. At the moment I am quite into adding graphics to my photos.

So far I've had couple of my photos displayed at the Iconic London 2012 exhibition last December as well as at the Showcase Cities event in September. The Time Out London Blog and Volume Magazine have also featured my photos."

All photos by Arijana Gurdon. Check out more of her work on Flickr.

Browse the Londonist Behind the Lens archives for more fab London photographers.


Last Updated 13 April 2013