DELHI DAILY AND OTHER NEWS...

Here's a little sneak peek of some of the other stuff I've been up to. For those that don't have an iPhone you can keep track of all my recent Instagram snaps on my tumblr http://eyecandyblog.tumblr.com/ They may not be the greatest of shots but I like them as they allow me to show family and friends back home a glimpse of what I'm seeing day to day. For example... India has this love affair with hand-drawn type. I've seen some truly beautiful work since I've been here, so keep a lookout for a post purely based on that. I have however been having major issues with Airtel sim card so thinking of swapping over to Vodafone. Hoping it all sorts itself out soon so I can resume taking pics.



Another little thing I've been thinking about is shooting a serie of portraits of these kids at this learning centre the church runs. For these kids this is the only schooling they receive, so naturally there's no class photo day with the joy of getting their very own individual photo. Thought it would be awesome to print out one for each of them as a sort of farewell gift. They're honestly some of the most endearing kids I've ever met. Love the camera too... sometimes a little too much :)




Lastly I'm hoping to shoot a series of feral dogs in Delhi. Hundreds roam the city and in spite of frequent mange and a guaranteed lack of vaccinations I'm drawn to them.

MATTEO AND MATTIA IN KUZART LANE

So as promised some news from Delhi. So far it's been an amazing, tasty, smelly and frankly flippin' hot two weeks. It's taken some time to adjust but I wouldn't change it for anything. One of the best things about Delhi is there's always a steady stream of surprises.





Case in point was browsing the lanes of Hauz Khas Village. For a westerner walking lanes lined with boutique stores and bakeries is one thing, but to round the corner and see a 3 storey mural is another. The artists responsible were out for a Street Arts Festival and were commissioned by the owners, of soon to be opened gallery Kuzart Lane, to paint the wall backing the block in which the gallery was located. Pushing their return date out by a few days the two gladly accepted. One of the interesting things I learned about the two is that neither of them are from art school backgrounds. Matteo aka Raw Tella studied architecture but never completed the course and Mattia Lullini studied Philology ( the study of language in written historical sources ). Both now work doing this sort of stuff full-time though Matteo also started a urban regeneration project Urbe. They were both completely friendly guys and more than willing to answer any questions. It's always great meeting talented people that have time for other. See more of Mattia's work in the clip and here and see what Matteo get's up to here. Thanks to Baba for putting this idea in motion.

DEPT. OF COFFEE AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

Hello/Namaste! Mates of mine and blog followers will know that I'm currently living in New Delhi, India. However, I had the awesome privilege however of spending two weeks in London before arriving in the sauna that is Delhi in April. Rumour has it it's going to get warmer too. I don't know if that's possible. Most days are between 38 and 40 degrees Celsius. Huge change from London's low teens, but having an amazing time nonetheless. Anyway there's nowhere enough space on this wee blog to cover everything so here's on of my favourite discoveries.

My mate Ty asked to meet at this place he raved about called the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs. A few minutes walk from the Chancery Lane Tube this spot had me from the get-go. Simple pared down decor, super coffee and friendly staff. Chris a partner in the business even let me/the tourist charge his iPhone after the battery died with all my mapping. In the words of the other partner Tim :

The Department of Coffee and Social Affairs is also part of a larger group namely The Coffeesmiths Collective. Read more about the brand and what they're up to at http://www.coffeesmithscollective.co.uk/

Video by Miles Langley on Vimeo. Delhi and India related posts to follow soon. Peace.

MISTER TRICKETT

I've had the privilege of working for some great people over the years. The greatest part is that I've always had a great rapport with my bosses. I'm not talking amicable formalities. I'm talking being able to sit down and really chat and talk about anything really from religion to politics. Currently I work for possibly one of the most endlessly entertaining and inspiring individuals I've met, yet alone worked for. Nev's a man of big ideas and dreams. What sets him apart is that he could easily rest on his laurels, considering how hard he's worked and how much he's achieved, but I think he'd rather undergo a frontal lobotomy. His mind, motivation and disposition wouldn't allow it. He may not give away too much but you pick up certain things as you do when you spend a fair amount of time working for someone. Nev's always got a little something up his sleeve or this out-there idea he's keen to bring to life. It's been a huge privilege to observe this process and drive over the past year and a bit.

Above are the first four pages from his lookbook. Mister Trickett launches at Mr. Price in June. For now go check out his menswear blog.

WALKING UMGENI ROAD

So as those that pop in from time to time will know. I'm leaving soon. Couple more days of work left and way too much to do before I leave. Am I nervous? A little. I'm far more excited though. Part of what I'm hoping to give more energy to is my photography, particularly once I've settled in Delhi. So with that in mind I started a little project. The aim was to spend less time indoors and more time walking the streets of a city I thought I was familiar with . I'm hoping to see it from a new perspective. I don't want to just "see things"... I want to notice and observe every detail from a scrawl on a wall to lettering on a shop window. I know some people regard iPhoneography and more specifically Instagram as a poor version of the real thing and I value their opinions, but if using my iPhone makes me stop and observe with greater detail the beauty of my hometown then I think it's a step in the right direction. Above are a few things that caught my eye so far. Apologies for those that may have seen these already.

DELHI BELOVED - AND SO IT BEGINS

Years ago I set off on a journey. It seems like a lifetime ago. I had no frame of reference. No preconceptions. No clue to be honest. Looking back it's pretty crazy how much of an effect just a few days in foreign city would have on me. It's changed everything. I still remember the lights from those celebrating Eid strewn across rooftops as we flew into a bustling midnight Mumbai, destined for Delhi. That was 2006. Then again in 2008. Now six years on and I'm moving to city that has caught me totally off guard, but has never left my mind. So for those keen on keeping up to date on what I'm up to, please pop in and say hello or leave a comment. I leave South Africa on 20 March and after two weeks in London I will arrive in Delhi. I hope to find time to blog in all of the settling in. I'll be walking the streets, taking photos and volunteering with a few initiatives that I've been eye-ing out... plus exploring this amazing country... first stop Varanasi perhaps. I'm not too sure yet whether I'll be starting a new blog or what, but when the times comes I'll keep you all posted. So here's to taking risks and being scared. Hope to keep in touch with those I've neglected recently in all the prep and busy work vibes. Above are a few snaps from my last trip.