Peter Moore | 14 September 2018

Click! Derren Brown on the magic of street photography

Did you know that famous illusionist Derren Brown is also a highly respected street photographer? Here he shares his favourite pictures, and explains why street photography gets him so excited

5 mins
Boys running along a beach in Zanzibar (Derren Brown)

Boys running along a beach in Zanzibar (Derren Brown)

“One keeps an eye out for a particularly serendipitous arrangement of people and environment, and learns ways of securing one’s shot unobtrusively.”
Washing for prayer, Istanbul (Derren Brown)

Washing for prayer, Istanbul (Derren Brown)

“Street photographers learn techniques to avoid being noticed, or give the impression that they are photographing something else.”
Watching the sea in Zanzibar (Derren Brown)

Watching the sea in Zanzibar (Derren Brown)

Panda and portaloos, Eastbourne, UK (Derren Brown)

Panda and portaloos, Eastbourne, UK (Derren Brown)

“Classical street photography … tends to relish the relationships between the subjects pictured and their environments; the geometry of life, the persistent mathematics of the universe.”
Motorcyclist grooming in his wing mirror, Athens (Derren Brown)

Motorcyclist grooming in his wing mirror, Athens (Derren Brown)

“When I am out with my camera with a view to taking pictures, I am deeply interested in other people. I let myself be guided by them.”
Family in St Mark's Square, Venice, Italy (Derren Brown)

Family in St Mark's Square, Venice, Italy (Derren Brown)

Baptism at Southend-on-Sea, UK (Derren Brown)

Baptism at Southend-on-Sea, UK (Derren Brown)

“For me, the art (of street photography) is one of psychological invisibility, a concept with which most magicians are very familiar.”

Meet The People With Love features a selection of Derren’s photography work from public spaces around the world. Published by Bantam Press, you can order your copy online now.

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Main image: Derren and his trusty Leica (Christopher Andreou)

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