Brief Encounter
I greatly enjoy street photography. I have spent some time this summer reflecting on why it is a genre of photography I have always found intriguing and to which I find myself increasingly drawn - even as I continue to pursue my work on the coast and in the landscape.
Part of the answer may lie in this image, made close to London’s famous Brick Lane on a very warm Sunday afternoon in August.
Like many photographers, I was drawn to the many street artists busily adding to the myriad of murals that adorn this unique corner of London and amplify its sense of edge and otherness. After a little time making images of the remarkably talented works that adorn the walls and railway bridge to the east of Brick Lane, I found myself on a narrower path that runs below the embankment of the bridge.
Instead of my usual approach of quiet observation and discreet picture making, on this occasion I decided to get out of my comfort zone and ask this artist whether I could take her photograph. She was happy for me to do so and this in turn led to a brief conversation about our respective street endeavours - and for me in particular to understand the pleasure of the sheer ephemera of making wall art; an ever rolling flow of new work that is constantly painted over so that further creativity can flow.
Over recent months, I have found myself increasingly engaging with strangers on the street. My small, unthreatening camera seems to send a message that I am serious about my work and I can be trusted not to abuse the kindness of strangers. By not trying to disguise what I am about, I have found new connections and even respect for what I am trying to achieve.
I know that some fellow street photographers may question the very idea of engaging with their subjects, most likely arguing that street photography is more or less defined by its observational nature and absence of interaction. Other photographers set out deliberately to provoke a response - to demand eye contact. I find this approach is invariably too assertive for the images I am seeking to make - the story I am trying to tell.
However, as this image of a happy street artist enjoyably immersed in her work shows, I increasingly find that a few words, a smile and some admiration for whatever attracted me to them in the first place, almost always pay dividends. This example may not be a true ‘street photograph’. It may not be amongst my best either technically or as a piece of art, but I am confident that it captures the pleasure of a brief encounter, shared enjoyment of ‘the street’ and tells a story of passion, joy and creativity amidst this summer’s heat and searing light.