Nicky Hamilton is a commercial and fine art photographer from London. In his series « Take me away », he portrayed the lonely act of waiting. An idea inspired by a scene he lived, late at night, in Westcliffe. As he came back home late, he went by a Chinese take away named Canton House. There, he saw the owner sitting behind the counter, watching the television and waiting for clients. « The dark wooden walls, soft lighting and the way the television illuminated his face seemed to emulate him sitting in his living room, this visually struck me and thoughts around a series portraying customers and the proprietor waiting in this interesting environment enticed me to make the project », he precises.
As seen previously in his series, the photographer sets his own decor. This time, it is a replica of the shop which was built as a set in his studio. « I worked closely with the owner ‘and original source of inspiration’ who loaned the shops pictures for props and also agreed to feature in the series». Before he adds: « The interior of the shop hasn’t changed since the 1970s, which I loved, especially seen in contrast to some of the customers portrayed. To help the age of the shop come across I decided to shoot the project on film which adds a beautify quality to the scenes, the grain and rendition of colors adds a very cinematic feel which I was pleased with.
