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InspirationPhotography

Capturing unique characters on London's streets to tell the story of the city

When it comes to street photography, London-based photographer Craig Reilly loves to not only capture unique and interesting characters as they make their way around the capital; but also frame each shot so that they paint a beautiful narrative of the city and its inhabitants.

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Via direct submission

Via direct submission

Shooting mainly in black and white, but also with an increasing slant on colour images, he uses an Olympus OM-D E-M1 with the M. Zuiko 17mm and 45mm lenses to take his shots. Speaking of his work, Reilly said: "Candid portraits feature heavily in my work, and I like to use the various London backdrops as an important factor of the whole image to tell a story. I shoot purely in 'stealth mode’ and have never asked to take someone’s photo. This is mainly because I like to see my subjects in their own moment, and try to share the mood of what I am witnessing to my viewers.

"Having a fascination with how people interact with each other and their surroundings, street photography was a natural genre for me to put my creative passion into."

Amongst his many inspirations for photography are past masters such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Richard Avedon, and René Burri, alongside today's greats – Thomas Leuthard, Matt Stuart and Marius Vieth. Reilly is keen to follow in their footsteps and has already been featured in Amateur Photographer, Olympus and Photography Week. If you love his work as much as we do, then check out more of his portfolio at www.craigreillyphotography.com.

Overhead view of a figure in dark clothing walking across a wet paved courtyard between concrete brutalist buildings in black and white
Person in dark clothing and blue beanie standing against a dark brick wall, illuminated by dramatic lighting in this moody street photograph
A solitary figure stands in a bright corridor at the top of a monumental staircase, viewed symmetrically from below in black and white
Bearded man in a bowler hat surrounded by other figures in a black and white street photograph
Man in leather jacket sitting on bench beneath Shoreditch High Street station sign in black and white photograph
Silhouetted figure standing on a curved concrete structure against a twilight sky, with a street lamp visible to the left
A solitary figure stands beneath a gnarled tree in a misty, featureless landscape rendered in monochrome tones
Older man with white hair and moustache looking at camera, with vintage camera equipment visible in soft-focus background in black and white
Black and white street portrait of a woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat and patterned jacket, with blurred London street and parked cars in the background
A lone figure in dark clothing stands on a concrete platform within a stark brutalist structure featuring angular stairs, railings and towering textured walls.
Elderly man with white beard and glasses wearing a knit hat reads a newspaper on a London street in black and white
Silhouettes of two figures cast as shadows on a brick wall in dramatic monochrome street photography
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