All this free time has got me thinking. Thinking more than doing actually. I would usually kill for this amount of time off and now I have it, I feel lost at sea. I don’t have the small windows of free time in the day before or after work. Before the virus hit I could manage what free time I have that day and decide what to do in that time. I have 30 minutes free? Write a quick blog post. An hour? Cook. Now I have all day and I am crippled by indecision.
I should let you know about my work situation before anything. I work in a luxury residential building and as I have to be present at work for fire checks and security in general, I am still required to go to work. I have been provided a letter by my company to show the police if they ask why I am outside. It is classed as essential/key work as someone needs to be in at all times. I work with a team of about 15 or so, however due to the outbreak we have put a skeleton rota out and limited the amount of people working at any one time. So I worked four shifts in a row, and now I am off for nine days. This will be the case for the foreseeable future.
I feel fortunate, I don’t mind working as it keeps me from constant isolation. I am not getting transport to work so human interaction is minimal. I probably walk past three or four people on my way to my shift, even before the lockdown. Most of the residents have either went back to their home country for a few months or are self isolating, so I have minimal contact at work with people. I have gloves and masks if I choose to use them.
Everyday is seeming more like a Sunday. In and out of work. The photos I took in January and February couldn’t be further from what the areas must look like now. Busy tourist areas are just a memory now.
After sitting down and (finally) deciding on my activity for today, I tried to get a little more savvy on Lightroom from Adobe. For those that don’t know, Lightroom is a piece of software that allows you to enhance your images. Change the lighting, shadows, colours etc. You can also set your preferences to keep a certain theme for photos, making sure a collection of photos has the same lighting and colour schemes, great for platforms such as Instagram. It keeps a portfolio consistent and gives your photos an identity. I am still working on that identity.
I really like the above photo, I saw a girl directly in front of me and centered her right in the middle of the shot. Piccadilly Circus provides the backdrop with a street performer in between. Street performers will be feeling a little lost right now I am sure. As will everyone in the shot. I really want to visit Piccadilly Circus during lockdown though, it is London’s little version of Times Square and a place known for bright lights and constant activity. The complete opposite of what it is now.
If I had to choose a place to visit during a lockdown, it would probably be Times Square. It would be so eerie to walk the abandoned streets, car horns replaced with quiet bird song. My footsteps being the only human intervention in an area known for being full of life. The huge advertisement boards flashing without anyone to gaze up at them. I have always loved abandoned places purely because they had a history which is a complete contrast to what they have become.
If you had to choose, where would you like to visit in a post-apocalyptic style scenario? Knowing you would be the only one there to take it all in. I would love to know.
Speak to you all soon,
Sam
Due to the Coronavirus outbreak I am somewhat limited as to what I can do in London, but I aim to post as much as I can during this time. I promise to have some great posts coming your way once this is all over as I continue to explore London.
Stay home, stay safe and happy blogging!
Sam
Connect with me
Click here for my social media > Instagram Facebook Twitter
Want to reach out to other bloggers and find new blogs? Introduce yourself here!
One Chance to See the World 