Protest Outside the Egyptian Embassy, London. 28-29.01.11
Ahmed Yusin, Balfour Mews (opposite the Egyptian embassy), London, 29.01.11
On the 28th January I went down to photograph the protest outside the Egyptian embassy in London.
On the 29th I went down again and saw a few of of the people who I had photographed and chatted briefly with on the day before.
I learnt the name of one man. Ahmed Yusin had arrived at the Egyptian embassy at around 1200 on the 28th of January by himself and knocked on the door. He said that he had a letter to give to Mubarak. The officials told him to wait outside. Then they came back. They said that he was not allowed to give his letter to Mubarak as he was not a diplomat.
He went away and found the nearest shop that sold stationary, bought himself some cardboard, some pens, and walked back to the embassy with two handmade signs. Standing at the front of the crowd, he held them high above his head as he shouted with the rest of the protestors outside the embassy on the cold January afternoon.
I saw Mr Yusin when I came back again the next day, slumped against the side of building, on the road opposite the embassy. He was looking at the crowd that had gathered to protest outside and seemed exhausted. With a hoarse voice he said he wouldn’t stop coming to the embassy until his letter had been delivered.
He then asked me to take his picture. Here it is along with some of the others I took:
Ahmed Yusin and other protestors opposite the Egyptian embassy, Balfour Mews, London. 28.01.11
Protestor standing in front of the Egyptian embassy, South Street, London. 28.01.11
Protestors opposite the Egyptian embassy, Balfour Mews, London. 28.01.11
Protestor standing in front of the Egyptian embassy, Balfour Mews, London. 28.01.11
Protestors opposite the Egyptian embassy, Balfour Mews, London. 28.01.11
Protestor with megaphone in front of the Egyptian embassy, South Street, London. 28.01.11
Max Colson: Tales 
[…] On the 28th January I went down to photograph the protest outside the Egyptian embassy in London. On the 29th I went down again and saw a few of of the people who I had photographed and chatted briefly with on the day before. I learnt the name of one man. Ahmed Yusin had arrived at the Egypt … Read More […]
Protest Outside the Egyptian Embassy, London. 28-29.01.11 (via Max Colson: Tales) « leloveluck
February 9, 2011 at 7:37 pm
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February 9, 2011 at 8:27 pm
Max…I love the first image you have here and noticing that it is the only straight on photograph. I want to question the hard angle in the rest of the images. I personally find it a little distracting. It brings in too much graphic pollution. (hope that doesn’t sound too harsh)
It think it works best in images #3 & #5. However, overall I still find it slightly distracting. The last image is also fairly straight on, which is a nice break from all the angles.
Perhaps it is the succession of the images on top of each other and then all the angles in each picture.
Just something to think about!
Linka
February 19, 2011 at 4:58 pm
Hey Linka,
No it’s not only you who doesn’t find the angles attractive, other people have made comments too. I’m not sure whether I’m such a fan of ‘angling’ either now, in actual fact I kind of wish I’d actually gone for more close up shots instead.
And like you say, the best one from this set is the first one, which is completely straight. It doesn’t need any other kind of visual compensations!
Please feel free to drop comments like that – it’s nice when people say “I like this”, “I like that”, but it’s probably more useful if I know what doesn’t work too!
Max Colson
February 20, 2011 at 6:02 pm