Pensive photos of London in the ’70s and ‘80s

Portal to the past — A new book brings together the work of Berris Conolly, whose neutral, undramatic style of photography allowed for intimate and revelatory cityscapes.

At the tender age of 10, Berris Conolly received a Halina 6×6 camera and quickly set to work, learning to make contact prints in the family kitchen at night. The delight of seeing images appear in the developer has stayed with him all these years.

“Later I went to art school, and probably fancied myself as some sort of artist, but unfortunately I wasn’t particularly good at drawing from life,” he says. “Taking a photograph seemed a good alternative to get an instant likeness, with very little effort.”

In 1966, Conolly, then 18, moved to London and began to work as an assistant to commercial photographers like John Hedgecoe, who created the photography department at the Royal College of Art. Working in a studio, Conolly picked up the basics doing “table top” product shots of watches, jewelry, electronics, and food. 

As he progressed, Conolly immersed himself in the book collection at The Photographers Gallery in London. It was there that he came across the work of German photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher, major figures in the ‘new topographics’ movement. The term ‘new topographic’ was coined by William Jenkins in 1975 to describe a group of American photographers (such as Robert Adams and Lewis Baltz) whose pictures had a similar banal aesthetic, in that they were formal, mostly black and white depictions of the urban landscape.

“I became interested in their notably neutral and undramatic styles of documentary photography,” says Conolly. “Who knows, this may have been a reaction to constantly having to make things look prettier or more desirable in the studio.”

In 1977, Conolly took to the streets to create a portrait of London that is as much about the architecture, city planning, and environment as it is about the city’s inhabitants. Collected in the new book, London 1977–1987 (Hoxton Mini Press), Conolly offers an insightful look at the city during the Thatcher years.

Avoiding visual clichés of one of the most photographed cities in the world, Conolly worked intentionally to traverse the borough of Hackney (where he lived) to carefully craft intimate and revelatory cityscapes. 

Alternating between car, bicycle, or foot, Conolly traveled along every road, marking them off on an A-to-Z street map to track his progress. When he chanced upon a location he wanted to photograph, Conolly sometimes used a 35mm camera to make what he describes as “reconnaissance notes” before returning with the Pentax 6×7 on a tripod for the shoot. 

Weather also played an important role in setting the mood of these photographs, connecting otherwise unrelated images to one another. “Generally I preferred the flat light of overcast conditions because it means you can photograph in almost any direction, and without the distraction harsh shadows which can sometimes hide important details,” Conolly explains.

Unlike the average street photographer shooting on the fly, Conolly was highly visible; his actions and intentions clear. Sometimes he asked people to pose; other times people engaged with him. In one photograph, a woman pushes a pram past a billboard for the Sunday Times Magazine bearing a portrait of Princess Diana and Prince William, inviting the public to “The Christening.” It perfectly captures the appeal of archival work, allowing us to relive a moment long gone and revel in the pleasures of the past that only exists in the pictures that were made.  

London 1977–1987 is out now on Hoxton Mini Press. 

Follow Miss Rosen on Twitter. 

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.


Ad

Latest on Huck

Crowd of silhouetted people at a nighttime event with colourful lighting and a bright spotlight on stage.
Music

Clubbing is good for your health, according to neuroscientists

We Become One — A new documentary explores the positive effects that dance music and shared musical experiences can have on the human brain.

Written by: Zahra Onsori

Indoor skate park with ramps, riders, and abstract architectural elements in blue, white, and black tones.
Sport

In England’s rural north, skateboarding is femme

Zine scene — A new project from visual artist Juliet Klottrup, ‘Skate Like a Lass’, spotlights the FLINTA+ collectives who are redefining what it means to be a skater.

Written by: Zahra Onsori

Black-and-white image of two men in suits, with the text "EVERYTHING IS COMPUTER" in large bright yellow letters overlaying the image.
Culture

Donald Trump says that “everything is computer” – does he have a point?

Huck’s March dispatch — As AI creeps increasingly into our daily lives and our attention spans are lost to social media content, newsletter columnist Emma Garland unpicks the US President’s eyebrow-raising turn of phrase at a White House car show.

Written by: Emma Garland

A group of people, likely children, sitting around a table surrounded by various comic books, magazines, and plates of food.
© Michael Jang
Culture

How the ’70s radicalised the landscape of photography

The ’70s Lens — Half a century ago, visionary photographers including Nan Goldin, Joel Meyerowitz and Larry Sultan pushed the envelope of what was possible in image-making, blurring the boundaries between high and low art. A new exhibition revisits the era.

Written by: Miss Rosen

Silhouette of person on horseback against orange sunset sky, with electricity pylon in foreground.
Culture

The inner-city riding club serving Newcastle’s youth

Stepney Western — Harry Lawson’s new experimental documentary sets up a Western film in the English North East, by focusing on a stables that also functions as a charity for disadvantaged young people.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Couple sitting on ground in book-filled environment
Culture

The British intimacy of ‘the afters’

Not Going Home — In 1998, photographer Mischa Haller travelled to nightclubs just as their doors were shutting and dancers streamed out onto the streets, capturing the country’s partying youth in the early morning haze.

Written by: Ella Glossop

Signup to our newsletter

Sign up to stay informed from the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture, with personal takes on the state of media and pop culture in your inbox every month from Emma Garland, former Digital Editor of Huck, exclusive interviews, recommendations and more.

Please wait...

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.