Photographer Gary Lashmar (aka the Street Thief) is the Edge of Humanity Magazine contributor of these street portraits. From the project ‘Portraits’. To see Gary’s body of work, click on any photograph.

Artist Statement

This series of street portraits is an ongoing exploration.

I’ve never been much good at keeping my distance. My street photography as well as my work with artists, musicians and models during project work revolves around precisely that impulse—to step closer, to engage, to borrow a moment that might otherwise slip by unnoticed. These portraits represent my ongoing pursuit of something I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s a mystery to me why I do it frankly. It’s always tempting to come up with a reason but it’s that very mystery and inability to answer with meaning that keeps me intrigued.

Street photography to me is the most difficult of the photography genres to do well simply because it’s an environment charged with unpredictability. Counter intuitively, I know an element of tension is essential. I’m not seeking flawless compositions or textbook beauty; I’m drawn to what is apparently real in each moment.

On a personal level, this process is also a way to confront my own fears. The situations I most hesitate to photograph often turn out to be the most illuminating. By deliberately stepping into that discomfort, I aim to create images that resonate beyond the surface level images and to create a kind of intrigue in the viewer.

Gary Lashmar (aka the Street Thief) June 2025

A short bio

Gary is a London based photographer with a background in Graphic Design and Multi-Media.

In the past 17 years Gary has honed his photography craft by shooting across a multitude of genres including portraits, musicians, fashion, editorial and street photography.

He has created features for British Vogue, Pro Photography Magazine and the NME and has worked on campaigns for alternative brands such as Brooklyn Brewery and James Clay in the UK, Belgium and Germany.

Recent work includes photographing a recruitment campaign for the London Metropolitan Police and artistic promotional stills for the British Short Film Mudlarks, directed by Dom Gilday. This film trumped in several categories at the British Short film awards.

Other notable recent works include portraits of artists Nic Fiddian Green and Raquib Shaw, musicians Carl Barat, Max Bianco and Jay Bones; comedian Rob Beckett; and actors Mirren Mack, Naomi Preston Law, Hannah Dodd, Ellie James, Ella Rae Smith and Lewis Rainer.

Gary is the founder and facilitator of the Dare Photography Workshop that hosts seminars in London & NYC. He also has a YouTube channel and also hosts “The Dare Photography Podcast.”