Street Source is a regular feature showcasing photos taken in Brighton. The idea is to share spontaneous moments around town – be it incidental street scenes, snapshots of people’s lives or images of the city as a landscape. Each month we ask a different photographer to participate.

This time we’ve gone for something a little bit different. Stee Louw is a Zimbabwean-born artist, now living in Brighton. Below is a selection of portraits he has taken over the last couple of years, capturing strangers on the streets. These intriguing photos have recently been put together into book called ‘Beauties of Brighton’ which you can buy here. We’ll leave it to Stee to explain further…

“I must have been about 16 when I first heard of a city called Brighton. I remember learning of its multi-cultured and diverse demographic, and its gay scene. This interested me as a teenager growing up in Zimbabwe as it seemed like the polar opposite of what I was used to. I knew that one day that I would have to experience life in Brighton for myself, and here I am 14 years later.”

“Named after the Alfred Crowquill painting, this first volume of Brighton Beauties is a collection of candid and posed photographs of random strangers on the streets of Brighton taken between 2015 to 2017 to celebrate the city’s vibrant diversity. I’m not sure what drives me to take a particular person’s portrait. It can be anything from a certain style that someone has; a face with a particular expression or it could even just be someone’s energy that draws me in.”

Student on London Road (2016)

Harvester pub worker having a fag break, Madeira Drive (2017)

Man waiting for his bus to arrive, St Peter’s Church (2016)

Local artist, St Peter’s Church (2016)

Man having a fag outside his local pub, The Branch, London Road (2016)

Local homeless man sat outside Bua Thai takeaway, Richmond Parade (2017)

Local graffiti artist outside what was the Ocean Rooms, Morley Street (2016)

Man perched outside Brighton University, watching the world go by (2015)

Shelter charity shop worker taking a break, St James’ Street (2015)

Drag artist stood outside what was Poison Ivy, St James’ Street (2016)

Meditation teacher, St James’ Street (2017)

A bit of peace on Queens Road (2015)

 

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