Portrait of the Street by Kevin Hendrik

Martin Smith — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 20:34:57 +0000

A couple of months ago, Kevin Hendrik asked me to write the foreword for his new photobook, Portrait of the Street. I was delighted to say yes. I was also a little nervous, because I’m not a great writer.

Kevin sent me a digital proof of the book. It contains photographs of everyday objects, taken while out on walks with a mobile phone. It struck me that you don’t need a fancy camera. You just need to be present and notice your surroundings.

I asked Kevin when he needed the foreword. He asked if three weeks was enough time. As usual, I put off the writing for nearly all of those three weeks before I started. Once I started, it was easier than I expected and the words flowed.

I hope Kevin liked what I wrote. It made it into the book, so it can’t have been too bad.

I received my copy from Kevin this morning. It is a lovely little book: 96 pages, 16 x 16cm square. BookVault published it, and it is beautifully printed on good quality paper. It felt great to see my words in print at the beginning of the book.

The book has 5 sections: The Wheel, Card, Nothing to Photograph, Ghosts in the City and Crossings. Each covers a slightly different subject, but the theme is the same. These are things we all see in our day-to-day lives, on the way to work or on the school run. You just have to notice them.

My favourite is probably The Wheel. It is a series of images of the same yellow wheel, taken over 2 years during Kevin’s walks to work. They show the semi-permanence of discarded objects.

You can buy the book for £20 from The Great British Bookshop using the link below.

Description from the website:

In ‘Portrait of the Street’, photographer Kevin Hendrik presents a unique perspective on street photography, capturing the soul of city life in both black-and-white and colour images. With an introduction by the author himself, this book offers a collection of moments that have been captured during his walks throughout the years, whether on his commute to work or strolls with others. Hendrik’s approach to street scenes is influenced by his background as a portrait photographer, aiming to capture each subject from its best angle and creating a portrait of the city streets itself. This book serves as a testament to the connection between photography and walking in Hendrik’s practice, making it an essential addition to any photo book collection.

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Portrait of the Street by Kevin Hendrik

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