From the Guardian · · 3m
Street photography through an Australian lens
Twelve photographers share their award-winning street images from cities across Australia, Japan, Bangladesh and beyond.
In brief
Twelve photographers share their award-winning street images from cities across Australia, Japan, Bangladesh and beyond. Twelve street photographers exhibit award-winning images capturing candid moments of daily life in cities worldwide. Originally reported by the Guardian.
Winner: compassion in the dark
Adam Oxley's winning image captures a late Saturday night in Shinjuku, Tokyo. A drunk person is held up by friends finding them a cab, their face hidden to show care rather than embarrassment.
“It shows compassion, the kind that comes from lived experience: one person holds you up, another finds the cab.”
Reflections in Melbourne
Daniel McCooke photographed two people resting in nearly identical positions during an afternoon walk around Melbourne CBD. Window reflections added another layer to the unusual scene.
“You really do make your own luck with street photography.”
Separated by an existential gulf
Roger Hyland captured four young people at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Flinders Street in Melbourne. Two unattached girls seemed bored while one left to do something else.
“To me it shows clearly how people occupying the same physical space can be separated by an existential gulf.”
Luxury meets construction
Ed Robertson photographed the corner of George and King streets in Sydney where a new Cartier store was under construction. A red scissor lift creates the illusion of a cage with a leopard plotting escape.
“What I love about this image is the stark contrast between the polished luxury of the brand and the raw, utilitarian reality of the street.”
Light and shadow in Bangladesh
Drew Hopper captured markets and bazaars in Bangladesh using harsh midday sun to create contrast and drama. The photographer exposed for highlights, allowing shadows to fall into deep black geometric shapes.
“For me, the photograph is as much about what is concealed in the shadows as what is revealed by the light.”
A moment in Sapporo
Luke Robinson took this photograph in Sapporo during a three-month road trip across Japan. The light, shadows and hazard signage stopped him during a walk from a government designated rest area to the metro station.
“When I'm out taking photos, I tend not to sit and wait for a scene to unfold.”
Still amid the chaos
Renata photographed a young woman in a jaunty hat during Halloween in Tokyo using a slow shutter. The passing crowds and neon lights dissolved into streaks while she remained almost perfectly still.
“For a second, time seemed to stand still around her.”
Transition in Kings Cross
Alex McClintock shot through the hoarding of a building site that used to be the Bourbon and Beefsteak nightclub in Sydney's Kings Cross. The old venue is being turned into luxury apartments.
“It captures a moment of transition in Kings Cross.”
Watermelon toss in Bandung
Shane Harrison photographed a vendor tossing a watermelon to a partially hidden worker in a market stall in Bandung, Indonesia. The photographer waited ten minutes before the men started tossing melons.
“This shot reflects how we as street photographers support each other to enter new spaces, continue when it gets difficult, and chase candid moments that won't be repeated.”
Absurdity as resistance
Ian Flanders captured a protester wearing a grotesque mask standing with arms crossed inside a line of New South Wales police officers outside Surry Hills police station in Sydney.
“Sometimes the most powerful form of resistance is absurdity.”
Birds and devotion in Istanbul
Floss Rogers photographed a woman posing for her husband in front of a mosque in Istanbul in twenty twenty-five. The photographer combined the woman with pigeons being fed in a daily ritual outside the mosque.
“It was one of those spontaneous moments when everything falls into place.”
Red sail at the Opera House
Ben Stanley Clarke captured this image on a rainy evening outside the Sydney Opera House. A woman protecting her head with plastic mirrors the iconic architecture of the sails behind her.
“The sweeping curve of the plastic bag mirrors the iconic architecture of the sails directly behind her, making her look like she has her own miniature Red Sail.”
Here's the gist
Twelve street photographers exhibit award-winning images capturing candid moments of daily life in cities worldwide.
