Insightful Encounters - Street Portrait Project - Christian Lawrence Photography - Isle of Wight Landscape Photography Prints

Encounters – Street Portrait Project

My street portrait photography project, Encounters, is all about capturing documentary-style, black-and-white portraits of the people I meet during my travels. The aim is to highlight the everyday moments and personalities of those I encounter, offering a simple but meaningful glimpse into their lives. The choice to shoot in black and white helps to emphasize the expressions and details of each person, creating a more focused and timeless look to the portraits.

With Encounters, I enjoy creating brief but memorable connections with people, capturing their unique character in the moment. The project is less about formal, posed portraits and more about spontaneous interactions. Each photograph reflects the diversity of the places I visit and the interesting individuals I meet along the way. Through these portraits, I hope to share the stories of the people I encounter in an authentic, natural way.

Try Street Portrait Photography for yourself

Paul Reid’s YouTube videos were a huge inspiration for me to dive into street portrait photography. Watching how effortlessly he engaged with strangers and captured their unique expressions gave me the confidence to try it myself. However, overcoming the initial fear of confrontation was a real challenge.

Approaching someone for a photo can feel intimidating, especially when you’re unsure how they’ll react. But seeing Paul’s approach—how he connected with people, showed genuine interest, and was respectful in his process—taught me that the key is building trust in those brief moments. While it still takes courage to ask, the reward of capturing authentic portraits of strangers makes it worth pushing through that discomfort.