Mini-shoot in Abney Park, London

Abney Park in Stoke Newington is one of my favourite places to drift around, with or without a camera. One of London’s original Magnificent Seven cemeteries, it dates back to a time when the existing graveyards could no longer accommodate the rate of cadavers being produced, leading to the creation of seven large burial grounds at what was then the edge of town. Each has its own character thanks to the original need to compete for custom commercially, and Abney Park is my personal favourite because it forever appears to be on the cusp of surrender to nature.

Black and white photo of a girl standing on a tree covered avenue lined with lots of small tombstones

When my good buddy Ellie Bee mentioned the chance of a photoshoot while on a visit from the US I immediately thought of Abney Park because of its unique vibe and easy accessibility; we had plenty of time to try out various things and generally catch up. It was also a great opportunity to break out the D800E again after too long on the shelf. All of these were taken with the 50mm at ISO 1600 between F1.4 and F1.8, and while the E-M5 Mk II with 45mm F1.8 was along for the ride it really struggled in the poor light. Thankfully my subject had no such difficulty – thanks for a great day out!