#thepeople in London, UK
We love how Allan Edward Hinton isn’t afraid to experiment with perspective and color as he documents his life and travels on Instagram. We also dig his thoughtful captions and creative portraits that make us feel like we’re part of his circle of friends. Join the party! Explore London (and the world) through his local lens at @chaiwalla
Place you live? London
Place your Instagrams were taken? London
Can you sum up London? A city that never sleeps, there is always something to do Monday through Sunday. It’s incredibly fast paced and busy and not an easy place to live, but the rewards and energy the city offers are unbeatable. There is a great history here and it’s filled with fantastic old architecture, however it’s such a progressive place filled with ever-growing modern scenery. Mostly, what I love about London is the people – it’s so multicultural, open-minded and fun.
What is a perfect day in London? The perfect day in Victoria Park in London starts very early in the morning on a day when the fog decides to make an appearance. It just takes the beautiful park to another atmospheric level.
If London was a person or character who would it be and why? Lady Gaga. Love her or hate her. One minutes she’s up, then she’s down. She’s liberal, colourful, positive and always pushing boundaries… and likes to drink tea from a china cup and saucer!
How long have you been using Instagram? For three years exactly.
Do you shoot with your phone or other cameras or both? So far my feed is iPhone only.
What is your editing process? I try to make the most minimal adjustments as possible. Mostly I first add a VSCO cam filter layer of somewhere between 5-30% and then I either stay within the app or make final tweaks in Snapseed. I like editing to be a quick process.
Do you create images outside of Instagram? I have started to use my Grandad’s 1983 Olympus OM20 analogue camera. I’ll post these pics on my Tumblr and on Facebook. Most of the shots with this camera are portraits so it’s nice to share personal images with friends on their own walls.
Has Instagram/phoneography affected how you shoot? 100% yes. If you take the time to view my feed from day one you will see how much I have progressed as a photographer. I owe so so so much to Instagram and its community. I’ve learned an infinite amount from it and I am still, even now, pushing myself to be better each day – in macro, portraits, travel photography and much more. I don’t like to be put into a box. I get bored too easily and I have such eclectic interests.
Can you give a couple tips to aspiring Instagram photographers? I think it’s important not to worry, enjoy photography and be brave and bold enough to take photos that you like rather than what you think will get what I call “the likes”.
Who are your three favorite Instagrammers? That is such a difficult question. I like to follow many talented photographers of different styles. However to pick three that rock my world at the moment let’s go for @katia_mi , @ovunno and @palomaparrot
Want more Instagram tips and inspiration? Check out all of our Best of Instagram features and learn from the masters.
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Name:Allan Edward Hinton
City:London
Best place to eat:
Duck and Waffle (if you are feeling fancy and want to eat up in the clouds of the Heron Tower!)
Best place to drink
Gordon’s Wine Bar (if you like it cozy)
Best outdoor activity
Picnics, Frisbee and outdoor lake swimming in Hampstead Heath
Must do:
Visit and climb St. Paul’s (for the incredible Whispering Gallery and for the views from the top)
Local tip:
On a Sunday visit the colourful and lively Columbia Flower market in Hackney