LouisBerk.com photography

Entrance to Pancras Square (click for full size)

As I entered the new Pancras Square built on the site of the once teeming freight hub of Kings Cross/St Pancras the light channelled into the view had a dense and highlighted quality which would have been normal in this area 50 years ago.

The variety of doors in Whitechapel and their wide time span first became evident to me while perusing the 25,000+ photographs I had taken in the area since 2004. Subconsciously I had been drawn to taking portraits of the door on the buildings I encountered. An idea formed in my mind to use these doors as a means of relating the history of the area.

Read on to find out more about what inspired me to create this new book.

The path to Top Withens, Stanbury Moor, West Yorkshire

In early August I spent several days in Haworth, home of the Bronté family and located close to the beautiful West Yorshire moors. I've now created a gallery of the photographs I took on this trip which can be viewed here.

Even though the LCD screens on the back of digital cameras have improved enormously, it is not always apparent what you have captured until you get a chance to process your photos and view them on a computer display. In this case I discovered that this Red Kite was checking me out as it spiralled lazily on the thermals above my head, taken in the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside. You can click on the photo to see it larger.

In recent years I've started to take bird photography a lot more seriously and in mid-June I upgrade my Panasonic m43rds system by acquiring the GH5. Panasonic make a deservedly big noise about the video capabilities of the camera but I purchased it purely for stills and wildlife. In July I put it to the test during a break on the south coast of England photographing swallows. 

The BBC News has featured my latest book at their website. The article has a number of photographs from the book and some great information about the meaning of each photograph. I feel really privileged to have had my work exhibited on the BBC News website. 

Londonist has put up an article reviewing my latest book at their website and included some of my favourite photographs.

Read the article here.

As you can see from the home page I have announced the publication of my new book of photography, "East End Jewish Cemeteries: Brady Street and Alderney Road". The book is the result of a 5-year photographic study where I was granted exclusive access to two of the oldest Jewish Cemeteries in the UK, from the 17th and 18th centuries and both now returning to nature. These tranquil and intimate areas are a contradiction to the urban environment of the East End and are hidden from view. Now, this book opens them up and allows the reader to see natural oases in the heart of Whitechapel.

When I am not tramping the streets of London looking for photographic opportunities I like to relax by doing some bird photography. Although I would hardly call myself a 'twitcher' I have become a little more knowledgeable about bird life and identification. This is the first year we have had a pair nesting in our bird box in the back garden. In this case a pair of Great Tits. I photographed this one returning to the box with a nice juicy caterpillar for his mate. She may already be incubating some eggs!