The 8 Best Street Photographers in London

Are you searching for the most talented London street photographers for a future project? Then you’ve come to the right place since that’s exactly what we at Peerspace have for you today! We love London street photography and hope that whether you enjoy your photography indoors or out, you’ll consider Peerspace as your creative venue go-to. We’re the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals, with hundreds of one-of-a-kind spaces available in London alone.

The streets of a city are prime photography material: harried businessmen, strutting fashionistas, lost tourists, coffee spills, giggling children, preoccupied lovers, and sour commuters. That unadulterated life is a jackpot for the dedicated street photographer, and London is one of the most vibrant European cities for snapping the shutter! From luxury shopping to smoke breaks, there’s something interesting happening on every corner in the city. And these London street photographers take every opportunity to catch it all on camera.

1. Gary Lashmar of Lashmar Creative

Known as “the street thief” on Instagram, Gary Lashmar’s quick shutter-finger catches him amazing on-the-fly pictures around London. Focusing on the gritty, real, urban streets, his photos are high contrast and low in saturation. We especially love his unapologetic, high-grain film photography, which focuses on smiles, grimaces, and every emotion in between.

“I take images that are real,” says Gary on his website, “Images with a heartbeat. I want you to be like, ‘wtf let’s print these right now’”. Gary also shoots weddings, portrait sessions, and family photos as a profession, all of which carry that same creative genius that we see in his street photography.

2. Pasquale Carlucci of The Urbanteller

If you’re into architecture, Pasquale Carlucci is the photographer for you. He’s based out of London yet travels the globe looking for interesting buildings. In fact, Pasquale hunts for attention-grabbing doorways, quaint shop facades, walls of creeping ivy, and weather-beaten lodgings. We especially love the rich colors and creative framing tailored to match each building.

Plus, Pasquale doesn’t keep his workflow as a trade secret, offering Lightroom presets for sale on his website. This allows other architecture enthusiasts to improve the quality of their own photos. From wide-angle street shots to close-up details, Pasquale’s stunning portfolio easily makes him one of London’s best street photographers.

3. Mauro Cocilio

London street photographer Mauro Cocilio notices people and he sees them when others don’t. This may mean a young homeless woman clutching everything she owns in a canvas bag or a man balancing a precarious set of wooden blocks at the market. “I am fascinated with the unguarded moment,” he says on his website, and is this not the very essence of street photography?

Mauro was born in Sardinia, studied in Rome, and now lives in London, where he snaps pictures in the park, on the streets, through windows, and under street lamps. Wherever Mauro takes his camera, he sees something worth documenting, and his treasure-laden portfolio is a delight to peruse.

4. Giacomo Mason

London is a melting pot of all races and nationalities, and Italian-born Giacomo Mason also throws himself into the mix headfirst. Giacomo’s work spans over digital and traditional film, which adds a special depth to his images. The careful cropping and attention to detail speak to Giacomo’s artistic eye. We see this in the reflection of a young woman seemingly caught in the eyes of a magazine on the stand or an elderly couple framed by the dark interior of a pedestrian tunnel.

His own shadow is captured in the reflecting pool of a large puddle on the street, titled “Kingsland Road self portrait”. Images like this also give us a charming glimpse of this London street photographer’s sense of humor.

5. Gilbert Majek

Industrial blues, greys, and greens sit comfortably alongside the warm glow of streetlamps in Gilbert Majek’s photos. In fact, it’s this overall rich color palette that draws us in for a closer look. Gilbert often subverts our expectations by shifting the focus or cropping the framing of a well-known sight to make it feel new and fresh. In doing so, he takes us on a quiet adventure through the streets of London.

A man converses on his cell phone — unaware that we are watching. A woman stands at the bus, completely absorbed with her phone. Indoors, Gilbert continues the story, also documenting the impossibly graceful curve of a spiral staircase. This leaves us itching to buy a plane ticket to the UK to see it all for ourselves.

6. Emmanuel Cole

It’s easy, when we talk about street photography, to get lost in the grit and grime, the urban underbelly. In doing so, we forget about the fun moments that invariably grace the streets, as well. This is where Emmanuel Cole excels, capturing the casual smile of a passing worker or the comical expression of an elderly man caught midstory.

The subtle humor and tongue-in-cheek attitude are refreshing, which speak to a more human side of the city, full of personality, wit, and charm. Emmanuel brings us directly into London, introducing us to the inhabitants while telling their stories along the way.

7. Niall O’Leary of Millennium Images

Niall O’Leary is a moderator for the contemporary photography site Millennium Images. He also posts his own stunning street photography to his personal Instagram account. Working primarily in black and white, Niall’s images are high-contrast and all cropped as a perfect square. He plays with perspective, rarely shows faces, preferring instead to feature the person and the environment seamlessly represented as one.

We especially love Niall’s exploration of the London underground, often capturing passengers in their rawest moments, with facial expressions showing everything from joy to sorrow to exhaustion. The few color shots that make it in are strengthened by that extra detail, like the nun in her desaturated wardrobe with the red train whizzing past.

8. Abi Ismail

Abi Ismail is an Indonesian photographer based out of London, who brings us a crisp, rich, diverse portfolio. In fact, he captures everything from shifty eyes on public transport to the smile of a cabbie when he thinks no one is looking. Abi shows an innate sense of understanding when a street scene goes from unremarkable to extraordinary, capturing the smallest of interactions between strangers that are full of life.

His approach is straightforward, putting the focus of the image right in front of us, letting us prowl through the details on our own. Anyone who enjoys the vibrancy of city life will find Abi’s portfolio a treasure trove, and that ability to connect with the strangers he’s photographing is what makes him one of London’s top street photographers.

Bonus: Tarik Ahmet of Oh Brother

The work of Tarik Ahmet immediately catches the eye, thanks to his incredible use of the interplay of light and shadow. He is also one-half of the creative duo of Oh Brother, a London-based photography and videography collective. And yes, the other half of the duo is his brother! Together, they work with national brands on commercial projects, using street photography as influence and a base for all their commercial work.

This means if you’re a brand looking for an edgier, people-centric, urban approach to a campaign, these are the brothers you want to speak to. Between them, these London street photographers have more than a decade of experience in professional photography and an all-around fresh and creative take.

Peerspace + London street photographers = magic

Street photography is the ultimate medium for the serial people-watcher. While we might be fascinated by the strangers around us, it often feels rude to look. Perhaps that’s why we’re all the more intrigued by the street photography genre, which seemingly by-steps that normal social boundary to freely observe others.

No matter where you work, visit Peerspace to book hidden gem venues in London and beyond. In fact, we offer access to hundreds of spaces in the GTA. All are available to book by the hour, with spaces curated and operated by local creatives like yourself.

Street photography takes a lot of skill to be stealthy, quick, artistic, and technically astute all at once. You also need an experienced photographer to bring all these together in a single, powerful photograph. The featured creatives above boast unique styles, and their time-tested techniques give them the rank of best London street photographers.

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