Graffiti Galore: Street Photography in Shoreditch

Shoreditch is a vibrant area in the heart of London’s historic East End. Above all known for being awash with some of the world’s best graffiti and street art, there is much more to the area, from its rich multicultural heritage to its broad array of cuisines and multiple bustling markets. Together all these traits make Shoreditch and the surrounding area (including adjoining areas like Spitalfields, Bethnal Green and Whitechapel) - London’s old East end - one of my go-to spots for street photography in London.

Sclater Street

Some history

Shoreditch has changed a great deal throughout history. Located just beyond the old Roman-built city walls, it remained a mostly rural and religious suburb throughout the Middle Ages. But then it evolved into an entertainment hub in the Elizabethan era, hosting London’s very first theatre (called The Theatre, opened in 1576) and performances of plays by Shakespeare.

Thereafter, the East End absorbed several waves of immigrants over the next few centuries, beginning with Huguenots (French Protestants persecuted by King Louis XIV) in the 17th century who were expert weavers and, together with many Irish weavers and Jewish tailors fleeing pogroms in Eastern Europe, transformed the area into a textiles hub. The large Bangladeshi community, with which Brick Lane is synonymous, began to form in the early 1970s as refugees fled the bloody Bangladesh Liberation War. 

In Victorian times Shoreditch regained its reputation as a hub of theatres and entertainment venues. However, by the early 20th century it had become a poor and overcrowded industrial area which was then heavily bombed in World War II due to the proximity of the strategically important London Docks. In recent decades, the area has undergone significant gentrification, or ‘hipsterfication’, attracting many creative and tech startups and transforming into one of London’s trendiest spots in the process. 

Brick Lane

Shoreditch sights

Just south of Shoreditch proper, the top attraction is arguably Brick Lane, which extends from Whitechapel towards Bethnal Green and is among London’s most beloved streets. It’s the centre of ‘Banglatown’, or the Bangladeshi community, and famed for its countless curry houses. Although it equally abounds with street art and vintage clothes shops, and the two long-running Jewish bagel bakeries, the Brick Lane Bookshop or the Sunday market are not to be missed.

The East End’s many markets also add massively to Shoreditch’s attraction as a location for travel and street photography. Beyond the above-mentioned Brick Lane, Spitalfields Market is the original East End market, dating to 1666 (and is what initially attracted the silk-weaving Huguenot), while the hugely popular Columbia Road Flower Market presents an entire street overflowing with a kaleidoscope of colourful flora flogged each Sunday.

Bethnal Green Road

In general, Shoreditch is an excellent area for shopping. In addition to Brick Lane’s vintage stores and bric-a-brac stalls, there’s the famous Rough Trade East record shop, countless contemporary clothes boutiques and homewares stores, and Boxpark - a mall made from shipping containers housing a mix of pop-up shops and street food.

As mentioned, it’s also one of the best spots for food and drink in London, where seemingly all types of cuisine can be found, especially in the Spitalfields and Brick Lane markets, but also in stylish restaurants, chic bars and historic pubs. 

What’s more, there are a few decent museums, including the Museum of the Home, charting the history of English homes, and Dennis Severs’ House, exploring the history of Shoreditch’s Huguenot weavers. Oh, and perhaps best of all, you can take walking tours of all the amazing street art, delving deep into the stories and artists behind them. 

Redchurch Street

Back to street photography

I find anywhere like Shoreditch with an eclectic mix of cultures and communities, architecture and human activity is fantastic for street photography. But what makes Shoreditch (or the East End more accurately) really unique is the street art, which is great fun to play around with in attempting to make captivating compositions.

Also worth noting is that Shoreditch really comes alive on a Sunday, as that’s when the markets are open and fashionable, hipsterish cityfolk flock to them and the surrounding cafes and independent shops, generating a decidedly creative and cool vibe. And if the sun shines, it really is a joy to wander around with your camera from situation to situation, mixing with the mass of people and seeking to capture fleeting moments.

That said, I’ve also found some interesting scenes after dark, particularly during that magical blue hour when the sky is electric and the lights from the skyscrapers in The City, beginning just beyond Shoreditch, illuminate the background.

Sclater Street