Shoreditch: What drunk people eat in London's sin city

Published on December 21, 2017

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London’s Shoreditch is a hotly debated and fiercely gentrified neighbourhood. What was once an industrial wasteland with bomb craters left over from WWII decorating Hoxton Square has quickly transformed into an unaffordable hub for creatives and party-goers. So what better place to go and photograph what drunk people eat than these shambolic streets at 2 in the morning?

I napped from 10 pm to 2 am, jumped on my Peugeot bike and cycled from Fish Island to Shoreditch along Regents Canal in London. Shoreditch is one of the busier areas in East London with a rich concentration of clubs, pubs and bars. When I do street photography, I usually ask people to pose for me. However I assumed that drunk people wouldn’t want dirty picture of them eating. So I first tried sniper pics. Not easy, but very challenging because of the tricky constraints: moving subjects and very bright lights in the night. I was a bit afraid of the possible aggressive reaction of partygoers. In the end, I was invisible for them. They didn't even pay attention to me. And when some of did, it was always friendly but inconsistent drunk conversation. I was looking for a typical British fish and chips place, but I didn't find one. So I picked a well-known kebab stand and a famous bagel shop. Various comments from customers on these venues go from "hell on Earth", "past party paradise" to "temple of shit food" and "wonderful place at 4 am." It's a fascinating experience to go out in a party zone as an observer. On one hand, I realised that the city is full of lost souls... why are all these people making themselves so miserable? But on the other hand, we've all been there. And it's always going to be a good time.