Time Travel in Derry

Sometimes when I see teenagers hanging around in Derry, it feels as if I have travelled back to 1994, and have come face to face with my old friends.

The clothes, the mannerisms, and the general atmosphere are very similar. Not sure whether that is because style has come full circle since I was a teenager, or because for this particular subculture it never changed.

I think one thing that contributes to the similarity, is that Derry reminds me in some ways of Providence, where I grew up. And specifically of Providence in the first half of the 1990s, before it was scrubbed clean and renovated within an inch of its life.

Seeing this photo I had to do a double-take, because it looks like the girl on the left is smoking - but it’s only the way she is holding her hand, combined with the hoodie cord dangling in the background.

Unlike these kids, my friends and I weren’t skaters. We more more into riding our bikes. And hanging out by the railroad tracks.

But we did also have a band.

Some of these photos were taken by me {Leica CL + Summicron-C 40mm lens}, and some were taken by Gary {Leica M9 + Summarit 35mm lens} - I have not bothered labeling which are whose, and as an interesting experiment wonder whether I will notice/ remember when I look at these again a few days from now.

A Thank You to everyone in the photos for letting us take these snaps!