Kesang Ball

Photographer Ellington Hammond talks Trippin from Paris to Tokyo, why he travels and shows us all the pictures he took along the way. When he isn't tripping across continents, the photographer is shooting campaigns for the likes of Nike, ASAP mob and Moncler.

I like to step outside of my comfort zone and what I’m used to to be exposed to new ideas and experiences. I hate routine.

How would you describe Paris to someone who's never been?

What was the best thing you ate / saw / experienced on the trip?

A man playing the guitar I couldn’t hear on a subway car across from the one I was on.

I was on tour with my friends who are artists. This was my third time. I just love the bright lights, the fast pace and how despite all that, it still feels peaceful.\

Is there anyone you met on your trip that’s made a lasting impression?

No. I’m a quiet person at heart but should talk to people more.

Leica M6, Mamiya 7ii, Contax G2 & T3, Canon 1dx, Hasselblad 503cw, and a Leica Q.

I want to shoot for publications and also write an original short film.

Submit a ‘track that makes you feel like taking trips’ for our Spotify playlist.

France

Paris

Japan

Tokyo

Paris to Tokyo, Trippin with Ellington Hammond

’s biggest party is set to take over the last weekend of August. Drawing in over a million visitors each year, 

 is second only to Rio Carnival in size – and it’s a vibe you can’t miss.

Chosen for: Preserving Culture and Driving Diversity.

Black expression, Black creativity and Black music remain at the heart of Notting Hill Carnival. The Windrush Generation, primarily from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, was drafted in from 1948 to 1971 to fill the UK’s post-war labour shortage, but the community experienced racism, xenophobia and violence after arriving. Notting Hill Carnival was created to uplift the Black community and ease racial tensions in the UK. Today, it symbolises a more contemporary London – a celebration of communities with Caribbean culture at the forefront.

The cultural event has been woven into the fabric of the capital city, and each year it amasses a larger audience than most events in the UK. Smaller cities, such as Bristol and Leeds, have their own iterations and each carnival has a distinct identity. Uniquely, Notting Hill is the only full-scale carnival in the world to feature multiple static sound systems – a feature introduced in 1973 by the then carnival organiser Leslie Palmer MBE. From legends in the game like Channel One, King Tubby's and Rampage – which holds an impressive crowd of approximately 330,000 over the two days – the energy at Notting Hill is unmatched. You can read about sound system culture and download our Notting Hill Carnival map 

Notting Hill Carnival takes place in an affluent pocket of west London where white and colourful houses adorn the wide streets. The founding stories of Mangrove Mas & Steel (one of the largest Mas Bands at the carnival) were born out of the Mangrove community, whose base used to be on All Saints Road – now home to Peoples Sound and RAPPATTACK Sound System. The community is well-known for the Mangrove Nine trial

 which uncovered the first proof of institutionalised racism within London’s Metropolitan Police. (You can watch our short documentary 

, which tells the history and heritage of Mas Band culture at Notting Hill Carnival, 

.) Today, there is still work to be done in driving diversity forwards in line-ups and creating more safe spaces for women in large crowds, something Board Director for the Notting Hill Carnival, Linett Kamala, is spearheading forward.

Each year, in the early hours of the morning, the event begins with j'ouvert and rolls through to Dirty Mas, where people are covered in chocolate and colourful paint. Then there are the Mas Bands, steel bands, calypso, Brazilian bands and, finally, the static sound systems and live stages. Globally-renowned artists – like the dancehall giant Sean Paul – perform on stage. Jerk smoke and weed clouds the air; bass mids and tops fill your ears, mixed in with the sounds of hundreds of horns and whistles. People can catch a wine or Red Stripe on every corner. Thousands of flamboyant and feathered costumes make up the parade, and there’s more skin than fabric on display, no matter if it’s rain or shine. Dancers – adorned in jewels – shimmer on the floats. Notting Hill Carnival has evolved with the times, as the arts and levels of cultural diversity have grown in the UK. It now stands as the largest street party for marginalised communities in London; a marker of cultural pride, and a symbol of resilience in the face of systemic racism.

Notting Hill Carnival returns to London, UK, on 27-28 August 2023.

United Kingdom

London

Notting Hill Carnival

Street photographer, Mister Bryce captures Popcaan's album release in Kingston, in doing so he can celebrate the drop forever.

Travel is culture and culture is wealth. The ability to travel to destinations that you’ve only seen in books or films is really empowering. It’s only when we step away from our place of comfort and explore the the other, that we can celebrate our unique differences and similarities.

What’s the best thing you’ve brought back from a trip?

Memories. I’m way too nostalgic for my own good but some of the best times I’ve had in my life have been abroad. I’m a real Londoner so you won’t really catch me going for long forest walks or at the lake but I’ve hiked mountains in Jamaica and taken motorbike rides across the Sahara desert which keeps me smiling.

The reasoning behind the trip was to organise and broadcast the celebrations for Popcaan’s album ‘Forever’ (https://open.spotify.com/album/26z5UAfInaNNgFmYD2dkge)which was also the first Boiler Room session in Jamaica. We set out to create an authentic street dance in Kingston with dancers, crews with lit aerosol spray cans and the most exciting crowd possible.

Kingston is a bustling tropical metropolis, so find a trusted local guide and go exploring the various street parties which happen on an almost daily basis from around midnight. The city is surrounded by garrisons which are basically ghettos and these are where the best street parties happen. If you’re brave enough to enter and your guide is connected get them to take you to one.

Anyone you met who left a lasting impression?

Just like Reggae before it, Dancehall has infiltrated almost every aspect of daily life in Jamaica, from slang to dress. If you like Dancehall culture and want to check out what up and coming in the city you should connect with @PROMOKINGJA (https://www.instagram.com/promokingja/). He’s my go to guy when I wanna see why pree in JA.

Most of my trips are spontaneous, so I never really know where I’ll be way in advance. But I can definitely say that it won’t be drinking cocktails in Dubai. I’m more of an explorer and have a real fascination with how the African diaspora live off the continent.

What’s a ‘track that makes you feel like taking trips’ for our Spotify playlist?