My Next Book: Fading Ads of London

After the success of my first non-fiction book: True Love is Like the Loch Ness Monster, I decided that for my next project I wanted a different challenge. As many of you know I am very interested in the history and architecture of cities and in December I was commissioned by The History Press to create a book on Fading Ads of London. The book will primarily serve as a photographic tour of London’s ghost signs but will also offer insight into the history of the brands and the signage itself. 

As suggested by the photograph taken in Leeds above, fading adverts and signs can be found all over the UK, in fact they can be found all over the world. I have previously posted some of my own findings on this blog to offer a flavour of the intricate design and typographical precision that once went into hand-painted brick signs. London is extremely rich in these old signs, so not every single example will be included. Instead I’ll be selecting the most striking exhibits for inclusion, steering readers to the most visually and historically poignant signs.

One of the most exciting elements of this project is that a lot of my own photography will be published in the book – approximately 150 shots –  which is a new avenue for me in print. I will be working on this book for the majority of 2013 and it is likely to be available mid-2014. Wish me luck.