Exploring East London - Poplar to Stratford
First photo walk of 2026, exploring Shoreditch, Poplar and along Bow Creek in surprisingly sunny weather. From an empty, light-filled coffee shop to Balfron Tower and Three Mills, it was a nice day of exploring East London.
On 4th January 2026, we headed out for our first photo walk of the year. Early January in London usually means grey skies and rain, but somehow we were gifted clear blue skies and proper sunshine. The kind of winter light that feels rare.
We started around Shoreditch, easing into the morning with no real agenda. At one point we passed an empty coffee shop. The sun was pouring through the front windows, creating clean highlights and deep shadows across the interior. It was a great little scene to start the day with.
Normally on a Sunday we’d drift towards Columbia Road Flower Market, but this time we decided to change direction and head east towards Poplar instead.
Poplar felt quite compared to Shoreditch. After wandering somewhat aimlessly, we made our way to Balfron Tower. Its concrete geometry stood stark against the bright sky with that unmistakable brutalist presence. In strong sunlight, the building felt almost sculptural.
From there we followed Bow Creek. The canal was easily one of the highlights of the day. We stayed there longer than expected, experimenting with framing and watching how the light kept changing.
Eventually we reached Three Mills Green and Three Mills Island. The mix of industrial history, open green space, and waterways made it feel slightly removed from the city.
We wrapped up the walk at Stratford Station. A solid start to 2026!
Cheers - Jan
@jan.onfilm
