My Failed Career as a Street Photographer | Ewan Feek

From as early as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by photography. I was about 13 when the documentary Everybody Street came out, Cheryl Dunn’s film about New York’s legendary street photographers. I was hooked instantly. Bruce Gilden, with his bold use of flash and in-your-face approach, left a lasting impression on me.

That Christmas I asked for my first camera. I’d tell my mum I was heading into our local town for the day, but in reality I was catching the train from Uxbridge into central London, spending hours photographing strangers on the street.

Some people might think that’s a bit odd, but for me it was art. Street photography felt like a way of capturing life as it really was, raw, unfiltered, and often fleeting. Looking back, those pictures caught a side of London that has since changed dramatically.

One image that still stands out was taken on Westminster Bridge. A group were running a scam, and I managed to take a picture before anyone noticed. Moments later, one of them threatened to throw my camera into the Thames if I didn’t stop. Not bad for a 13-year-old’s first taste of documentary work.

Later, I came up with a project I called “Disposable Britain.” The idea was to shoot exclusively on disposable cameras for a year. The disposables themselves felt symbolic: at the time, London seemed full of things - ideas, efforts, even lives - that were treated as disposable. Using a throwaway camera to document this struck me as fitting.

I stuck with it for the year, but the idea never grew into the exhibition I imagined. Eventually, my street photography faded into the background.

Who knows - maybe one day I’ll pick it up again. For now, this small gallery is a glimpse into that short-lived chapter. I still have more in print if anyone is curious enough to ask.

Today, that early love of imagery and storytelling has grown into something bigger. At Feek Media Group, we now help others tell their stories through photography, video, and a range of digital marketing services. If you’d like to see what we’re working on these days, take a look at our Our Work page.

— Ewan