Laura Pannack

31st December 2015

I am awful at making decisions unless on a shoot. For some reason when taking a picture I have a very one-track mind but when it comes to life decisions I often run away and suffer in limbo. Perhaps I should be less analytical and more care free, not worry so much. I mention this flaw as I’ve had a week of intense news and I’m in a pickle. Ill use this tale as a relevant vent.
Despite obliviously displaying my life on Facebook and coming across as confident I’m actually quite a private person, I relish my own space and freedom. So when asked by Fullbleed to make a film of me I was hesitant. We agreed to play train roulette to get some respite but I expected the magic of the adventure to be lost. However, loaded up with a beast of a camera Charlie greeted me at the station with an excited grin. He was warm and we instantly reeled off stories and found common connections.

We unravelled the tangled London streets to finally reveal Fenchurch St station (I swear it’s a labyrinth every time). A few attempts at ticket roulette later, we found ourselves aboard a train to Essex. Our limit was under £100 and despite batting my eyelids Charlie refused to hit Scotland.

The interview began as we departed and I suggested we leap off spontaneously (providing me an escape to any tricky interrogations). Having a camera in my face constantly was horrid but Charlie’s banter kept me distracted. At one stop a group of sugar fuelled teens climbed on and almost wet themselves with excitement at the site of Charlie’s camera…that was an amusing 3 minutes.

At a station near Tilbury and I spotted a few signs of unusual suburban life, in particular a lovely chap waiting for a train eating his lunch. His attire seeped 80’s and his hair gel was definitely purchased from Woolworths. He looked like he had a story and I impulsively felt there may be other locals like him.

“Lets get off here?” I said as the beeping of the doors began.

In one foul swoop all of my processions and the remains of our Sushi were cradled in my arms as I leapt off and marched to the station bench to reshuffle. We laughed at the sudden shift in environment.

As I sat clumsily loading my film, Charlie was keen to see how our journey would unravel as he stated:”You lead”.

Walking through the derelict high street my first joy was engulfing the brilliant shops. Computer repair shops proudly displayed awards stickers of 1990’s achievement, a sweaty chippy with archaic machinery and a nail parlour stuffed with teenage girls released for the Christmas holidays.

I wandered for a while. Strolling into a large park we were greeted loudly with the chants of: “Nice tits love!” I was impressed they could deliver a compliment at such a distance.

Rounding a corner Charlie confessed he was worried I may not take any pictures today. I said I might not. Did he need me to?

The couple caught my eye but didn’t quite seduce me.

We double backed, Charlie wanted me to, I could tell. I reluctantly agreed.

Carl & Ella .

Were they going out?

Dive-bomb question

They were cute, and kindly posed with patience. I often don’t instruct people and this couple needed no guidance. It’s the small details that intrigued me. The ribbon on Ella’s hand, the similarity in their hairstyles and where Carl would whisk Ella off to next… OAO x