The desire for analogue

One of my best friends, Julia, is an extraordinary photographer. She mainly operates on analogue (though she's also recently upped her Instagram game - check her out here) and after seeing zillions of her great photos I felt inspired enough to buy an analogue camera myself. I picked one up from Brooklyn Flea - a Japanese little thing from the 60's, heavy as a ton of bricks, but fairly cheap (I think) at $80. I finished my first roll of films within a couple of days, and this is part of the result.

And so what are my thoughts? Well, I'm not sure I'll be an as dedicated amateur photographer as Julia. I admire her in that she always makes the effort to bring her camera with her wherever she goes, but I just think it's a bit too heavy, and it's also slightly awkward to operate on analogue. Which in turn leads to a pretty interesting conversation as far as contemporary amateur photography goes, I think.

The iPhone 6s ad campaign "Shot on iPhone 6s" is quite frankly brilliant, and consists of user generated content only (it also won the category of best outdoor campaign in Cannes last year). It goes to show how everyone's a photographer these days, and it's fairly easy to take fairly good photos with little to no effort. The integration of mobile cameras into our everyday lives has meant that it's become natural for us to take photos of our food, our friends, ourselves, and everything in-between. It takes mere seconds to capture something visually appealing, and we do it so often that it's become near reflex-like.

That's not the case with analogue. There is nothing natural or instinctive about operating on an analogue camera. It takes at least a good 40 seconds to get a decent shot, and even then you're not sure whether you've achieved what you aimed for. And since it takes so long to get the light, focus and distance right, it's pretty tricky to capture moments of spontaneity. It makes things awkward.

Shot on iPhone 5s, versus shot on analogue

For someone who's used to snapping away on their iPhone, taking more or less great photos, it's slightly frustrating. It also highlights the different purposes of photography, and how everyday photography on an iPhone - at least in my case - has become a natural way to document everyday life, whereas using a film camera has a different meaning and purpose altogether.

You don't turn to analogue because of the desire for instant results. And you certainly don't turn to analogue because you want to capture life in the moment and as it happens. You turn to analogue because photography is a skill you want to learn how to master. And you want the colours no iPhone in the world can give you.

There are similarities as well, of course. Some photos will turn out pretty shit (see below), just like they do on an iPhone. It's a bit more annoying perhaps, since you've had to pay to see your shit photos, but that's ok - it's part of the journey. Or at least that's what Julia's telling me.

The anticipation of developing a roll of film made me feel like a child on Christmas morning. I think I'll probably continue to take photos with my little Japanese camera every now and again, and it's quite likely something I'll continue to write about. As for high quality low quality photography, however, I'll probably keep referring you to Julia's work.

#SMWNYC

The actual reason why I went to NYC wasn't as much lobster rolls or Julia as it was work. I went to Social Media Week to get heaps of inspiration and a little bit of insight as to how other companies reason around their social strategies - both companies whose main presence is on social (like Buzzfeed), and ones which haven't typically had a social presence but is getting around to it, with great results (like Burger King).

A lot of people use the word "hate" in relation to conferences. I'm not one of them. It might be because I haven't been to enough conferences to be bored, or that I'm easily entertained, or just that I love what I do (or perhaps a combination of all three). I'm pretty specific in the stuff I target at these sort of events, and I try to go to all the stuff I'm interested in, as opposed to all the things that are available. And it makes sense. I'm not very interested in how to self-publish a book (as of yet, anyway), but I'm very interested indeed in what Facebook's Head of Marketing has got to say about the future of marketing.

I'm also particularly interested in what the likes of NY Times are doing on Snapchat, which is pretty representative of how social media is changing media consumption for younger generations at large. What keeps coming out time and time again is how the notion that young people aren't interested in news is a gross misunderstanding. Instead, the youngest generation isn't happy with just being talked to or talked at, they want to participate in the conversation. They engage in conversation with news channels on different social media, have incredibly high standards, and will dismiss channels and outlets they don't feel they can connect to. It puts a higher pressure on storytellers (whether they're marketeers or journalists) to create content that is as appealing as it is important. Like the CEO of Refinery29 said - "one of our most important responsibilities is to keep the right balance between content about the Kardashians and Syrian refugees". Quite.

The way young people (by young I mean people aged 10-18) use social media - in a way that's pretty different from even my generation - is fascinating. Since Instagram introduced account switching, teenagers have started to keep two accounts - one they call Finsta and one they call Rinsta. Finsta means Fake Instagram and is an open account where they'll upload the typical pretty, edited Instagram-esque photo we're used to seeing on Instagram. Rinsta (Real Instagram) on the other hand, is a closed account only one's inner circle is invited to, and here you'll get to see the unedited reality - a bit like Snapchat. Apparently these are the latest Instagram trends, and I think it's pretty fascinating that it's even been possible to distinguish these trends since it's been less than three weeks since Instagram released the account switching feature. Things move quickly in the kids world. In any way, it reiterates the obsession with Snapchat and the importance for brands to show real content to the younger generations - content they consider real, worthy, and possible to connect to.

Basically, the key takeaway is - want the kids to learn about Syrian refugees? Send a Snapchatting influencer to the Jungle.

New York's drizzling

I've always said I think London has an undeservedly bad rep for its weather. True, it's often grey, and the cold is damp as opposed to dry, but it rarely rains. It rains a lot more in Scandinavia than in London (nb this is completely anecdotal), and from my short NYC stint, it's safe to say New York is pretty wet too.

We don't get disappearing skyscrapes in Britain, so this is pretty exciting

I really like New York though, even if it isn't with the same passion I felt when I first visited Paris, or, indeed, London. That might be part of growing up, and being fairly well-travelled. Things seem less new now, because they are - particularly when travelling to other metropolitan cities in Western countries. I went to Budapest two years ago, and that was something else for sure (and I'd recommend everyone to go!). Anyway - New York, New York. I could see myself living here for a while, and over the past few weeks I've tinkered with the thought of perhaps moving over for a month or so. My best friend lives here, and my addiction to lobster rolls is developing rapidly.

Lobster rolls at Luke's Lobster - just take my money, will you?

I do feel like New York is more exciting than London. I know, shock horror. I'm pretty good at branching out in London (I mean I've even given it its own IG hashtag because that's how much of a millenial I am, vom vom) but last night we stumbled over a burlesque show in a tiny little venue in LES, and that's never happened once in the 8 years I've spent in London. And the night before we ended up in the most amazing Indian restaurant I've ever been to - it was covered in christmas fairly lights (love a good fairy light), and the food was cheaper than chips. It was a thoroughly bizarre and wondrous experience, and London's Brick Lane literally pales in comparison.

            "No filter needed" has never been truer.

I've been lucky to get the full NYC experience. It's been a glorious mix of work, shopping, food, drinks and cuddles with my bmfl. We've visited museums and speakeasies, swanky bars and gritty bookshops, posh boutiques and extraordinary food markets. And tomorrow evening we're going to a house party in Williamsburg, which feels like it'll be all the lols. So yeah, NYC has been very good indeed. And there's more to come - the bf and I will come back to NYC over Easter, in less than a month(!).

Ps if you need something to put a smile on your face today, read Jeremy Corbyn's OOO. It's a brilliant piece of literature (as expected).

A New York tale

I didn't exactly mean for this blog to be exclusively about travels to the US of the A, but as it happens I'm currently in NYC to a) visit Julia, b) attend Social Media Week, and c) eat my weight in lobster rolls. I've never been to New York before, but somehow it feels completely normal to be here. I had a similar experience when I was in California, and I'm pretty sure it's because of how much we're fed with American influences in popular culture.
 

Bagels at Little Skips, pretty cielings in China Town, and a celebratory brunch at Cafe Select

We're AirBnb'ing in Bushwick, a former/current working class neighbourhood in Brooklyn that is currently being gentrified beyond recognition by tech workers and hipsters alike. Not that all different from my former London hoods, Clapton. Readers of this blog is likely to know Bushwick from the Girls episode where the four girls go to a warehouse rave. Soshanna accidentally does crack and starts running around like, well, a crackhead. Remember?

So anyway - that's where we're staying. The first night we stayed with Julia's aunt and uncle in their five story house in Chelsea, Manhattan. It was an altogether different experience from Bushwick, but both come with their charms.

The biggest joy when travelling, I think, is trying out the local cuisine. And New York is great for that. So far we've had delicious Vietnamese at Omai in Chelsea (highly recommend), a greasy brunch at Le Grainne Cafe, wondrous burgers at Dumont Burger (#burgergirl), a typical NYC breakfast of bagels and coffees at Little Skips and a celebratory boozy brunch at Cafe Select. Nothing's been bad, but the kale salad at Cafe Select was particularly good, and at a bargain price, too.

My favourite bars so far - Juliette and Brooklyn Surf Bar, both in Williamsburg but wildly different. Juliette offers swanky cocktails (try the Hemingway - yum) and well-dressed hipsters, whereas the Brooklyn Surf Bar is, well, a surf bar. For $10 you get a pint of Pina Colada, and as if that wasn't enough to give a quirky feel, the entire floor is covered in sand. True story. I feel like it's Brooklyn's equivalent of London's Ridley Road Market Bar, though Ridley Road hasn't got any sand - they probably need to step up their game.

Another bar gem worth mentioning is a little grimy place called Leeves. For $16 we got two whiskey sours, one IPA and a bowl of cheese balls(!). Not sure what else one could ever ask for. Watch out for the pool players though.
 

Shenanigans in Manhattan, plant heaven at Brooklyn Flea and love stories on The High Line

Enough about food - yesterday when Julia had to work I ventured over to Brooklyn Flea to try and find myself an analogue camera. And I did! Very exciting indeed, I can't wait to develop my first roll. Other than that I didn't find Brooklyn Flea too great. It reminds me a lot of the often overpriced flea markets we have in London, which aren't flea markets as much as it's markets for handpicked vintage pieces and therefore a lot more expensive. You're better off trying carboot sales, I think.

On today's to do list: try out the camera, hit up the MoMA and get my paws on some of those lobster rolls...