Exploring Shoreditch - A Street Art Photography Journey
Photography & copy by Thomas Milton
Shoreditch is well known for its eclectic vibes, with an always happening atmosphere, young fashionable and hip restaurants, bars, and street art — a paradise for photographers.
Published date 12 Mar 24 and Updated on 12 Oct 25)
Shoreditch, in the borough of Hackney in London, is well known for its eclectic and bohemian vibes, with an always happening atmosphere, young fashionable and hip restaurants, bars, and street arts all around. It's an edgy and forward-thinking spot that went through a period of gentrification, urban development and revitalisation. I went for a photography exploration walk aiming to capture the Shoreditch spirit through Street Art Photography. However, the period was just after Covid when London started to open up again and things around didn't look that vibrant in Shoreditch, but the Street Art was there to compensate for the after-Covid gloom.
Shoreditch Street Art Having spent my young adult life in South West London, I hardly went to the East End of London. Then after moving out of London, I am trying to explore the East End as much as I can. I heard good stories about how Shoreditch is vibrant and edgy and that I should definitely check it out.
One day back in London, I walked from Liverpool Street to Shoreditch, aiming to explore the areas around till reaching the heart of Shoreditch, and what I found was a place trying to recover from a Covid post-pandemic that hit hard this once vibrant and hip area. As work from home was still in place, but masks were not mandatory anymore, the streets were half empty. There were plenty of closed shops and bars, with graffiti and street art slowly taking over the local closed commerce, giving a sense of emptiness rather than vibrancy. It was an unexpected realisation as in my mind this was one of the most vibrant spots in London; however, one can only blame Covid for the setbacks that the community in Shoreditch had to endure.
This series covers the outdoors, the street art, the urban aesthetics, the visual transformation made through graffiti, and how even during a dark period of time this form of art kept us going when everything else was closed. I tried my best to credit all the amazing urban artists. I hope I got some names right and keep going.
“Shoreditch is a playground for any photographers passionate about exploring outdoor places without a plan, just getting lost among the amazing street art in every corner of Shoreditch.
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