As the UK struggles with Lockdown fatigue during the Covid19 crisis, couples and friends escape their homes to enjoy the warm weather and exercise. Swimmers respect the social distancing rules, cooling off in the River Lea, Hackney , London UK. So to get this shot I went out armed with my 70-200mm lens . The brief was - to get a pretty picture of people pushing boundaries of social distancing and the relaxing of lockdown rules from Sunday. I've got to be honest cycling around London parks armed with my long lens made me feel really uncomfortable! Aiming into the crowds and trying to single out groups of friends clearing meeting up. I thought anyone can make this look busy with a telephoto lens and actually no one was really breaking the rules .. it looked busy but couples and small groups were at a social distance from each other! The police came along and moved everyone on that was sunbathing and not exercising, which gave me a few pix but nothing pretty. I headed home via the canal path through Hackney marshes and happened upon a scene from, I quote, “what heaven might look like“ It felt like a dreamy escape somewhere exotic, but is actually In Hackney! The police moved the majority on who were sunbathing on the banks, but a few returned to the tranquil cool waters of the river Lea, respecting social distances from each other. I hung around just long enough to catch this couple kissing and meet my deadline !
