The UK’s biggest photography exhibition The Portrait of Britain includes several winners from the borough including an allotment holder and a jerk chicken trader
A young Hackney couple, and an allotment holder in Springfield Park, are among the winning images for this year’s Portrait of Britain award.
Other images that made the 200-strong shortlist include a jerk chicken trader near Hackney Central Station.
That list was narrowed down to 100 winners, who will feature on digital advertising hoardings around the country including railway stations, airports shopping malls and high streets throughout September.
The full 200 will also be published in a book published by Hoxton Press in October.
Jason Dimmock’s black and white image of rapper and Top Boy actor Ashley Walters was also among the winners.
Paolina Stadler said of her winning picture of young couple Xenia and Jenssy: “They reminded me of being in love for the first time. Your first love moves you in a way that can never be replicated I was so touched and excited for them that when I was taking the pictures Jenssy said ‘you’re like my mum at Christmas.’”
Sarah Burton grabbed her affecting portrait ‘Otis and son’ after passing his jerk chicken stall Rainbow Cookout on her daily commute.
And Lloyd Wright won with his image of allotment-holder Ben on his Hackney plot.
“Upon poking my lens through the fence I was invited in to this council run allotment. This could almost be deep in the countryside but it was taken in a park surrounded by concrete.”
Another East London winner was Conor O’Leary’s portrait of ‘Mr Carter’ interior designer and owner of the 40 Winks boutique hotel in Bethnal Green.
Run by British Journal of Photography in partnership with hoardings firm JCDecaux, the Portrait of Britain is the nation’s biggest photography exhibition and celebrates the rich tapestry of people who make up modern Britain.
From ballerinas and Black Lives Matter protestors to carers and karate teams — lifeboat crew to bell-ringers and brides — the 2020 winners explore what it means to be British at a pivotal time in our history.
For more information visit portraitofbritain.uk
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