London has been fundamental to street photography over the years, from Don McCullin’s work in the East End to more contemporary artists such as Alan Schaller. Not only have they both inspired my own style in all aspects of photography, but their London images have also inspired me to get out and shoot in London. This constantly changing canvas is just a street photographer's playground. You can walk the same street at different times of day and in different weather conditions and encounter completely different scenes and opportunities. Even in the same conditions and at the same time of day, the people moving through it will be different, carrying out different activities, wearing different clothes, and moving at different speeds, all adding to the constant change of potential compositions and situations in which to capture a moment.
Not only does the scene change, but the camera and lens you choose to traverse these scenes with will give you different opportunities, from a wide 28mm to a short telephoto of 50mm. The ability to include or exclude distractions or components will shape the narrative of your image. This all impacts—and is impacted by—the mood in which you photograph. Do you want to step back and be more observant, or do you want to immerse yourself in the scene? Drinking that IRN BRU—or perhaps a beer—might give you the sugar rush to overcome some of the barriers to raising the camera and taking the shot. It might stimulate the mind to think faster or more creatively, keep you keen for an extra hour, or increase your patience to wait for that one person walking through a scene who happens to step exactly into the right spot for your composition. These are all considerations when dedicating time to taking photos and refining your skill. One learns their own limitations and the requirements to be in the right headspace to create.
What better place to learn than London itself, where one has every opportunity to follow whatever style of street photography one desires. The architectural landscape offers the geometry of modern design, while the older markets and alleyways provide the nostalgia one might seek. The light bounces down streets and off large glass windows, acting as funnels or diffusers, even directing light to help isolate your subject. But if one fancies a busy scene with chaos and movement, the bustling stations offer that in abundance, or one can join the many protests or marches that take place along Whitehall or in Trafalgar Square. The endless networks of tube and bus routes offer opportunities to move around and photograph the bends and curves of the lines, using artificial lighting to your advantage—seeking dark corners or isolated lights as fill light.
From day to night, the opportunities differ—from overhead sun to the glow of street lamps and shop fronts, spreading light across a scene. This almost simplifies things, as one is limited not by the endless daytime compositions but by focal points of light, where experimentation and careful exposure are needed to bring a composition to fruition and ensure the subject materialises.
This is why I love photographing in London—there is always somewhere to shoot, some way of shooting it, and the only limitation is one’s own creativity, which I have to admit does not always come easily.
For street photography, I admit, simplicity works best for me. A single fixed prime and one camera body sets the tone for the day. Changing lenses confuses me, muddles my eye, and limits the time spent hunting for a shot, as I am constantly swapping lenses to see if something “might work.” My camera, the Leica SL (Type 601), is a given. Coupled with a small M-mount lens, it isn’t too bulky or heavy but gives the perfect tactile feel as I meander along, fiddling with the aperture ring and focus tab, mulling over shots. It keeps me engaged with the controls, in tune with my settings, and focused on what I hope to shoot next.
There are many shots I haven’t taken, and I regret it now, but there are many more I am yet to take. Each time I go out, it is a constant refinement of how I like to shoot, what I like to shoot, and my mood that day, coupled with the inspiration from photos I have more recently absorbed. I learn, I shoot, and I learn a little more.