Kiss in Prague Underground
This photograph was taken in Prague, just a day after I arrived there. At the time, I was working almost exclusively with the Leica M11-P and a 35mm lens. What interests me most in photography is human interaction. I’m rarely drawn to simple images. Instead, I’m always looking for layering and the relationship between multiple people within the same frame.
I didn’t press the shutter the moment I saw the couple kissing. I waited a few more seconds until every element aligned the way I wanted. I wanted a different gaze in the foreground to lead the viewer into the image, the couple in the second layer, the man wearing headphones in the third, and finally the reflection in the window, adding one more visual layer.
For me, photography isn’t about capturing a single spectacular moment. It’s about building multiple stories within a single frame.
The Man From Marseille
The second photograph was taken in Marseille in 2025. It’s one of my favorite images because it represents the way I approach strangers and photograph them from a very close distance.
I made this photograph with the Leica D-Lux 8 at 24mm, and it is part of my long-term project, Europe in Between.
I’m always searching for the place where street and documentary photography come together. I enjoy getting close to people, observing them, and sometimes starting a conversation after taking the photograph.
My goal is never just to make a portrait, but to create an image that says something about the person and the moment we shared.
For me, being physically close to my subjects is important. It creates a stronger connection and allows the viewer to feel present in the scene, rather than simply observing it from a distance
A Father, A Son, A Fleeting Moment
The third photograph was taken in London and is included in my book, London in Frames. It’s one of the images I feel most connected to.
The photograph shows a father carrying his son on his shoulders while trying to take a selfie together. The little boy didn’t seem very interested, and his expression made the moment even more genuine. I wanted to include Big Ben in the background to preserve not only the emotion of the scene but also the sense of place where it happened.
After I took the photograph, I walked over, tapped the father on the shoulder, and told him I had captured a beautiful moment. He looked at me for a second, then I showed him the image. His reaction was simply, “Wow.” He asked if I could send it to him because he knew it would become a wonderful memory for his son as he grew up.
That moment stayed with me. I lost my own father, and I never had memories like this with him. Perhaps that’s why this photograph means so much to me. It reminds me that photography isn’t only about creating images—it can also preserve moments that become priceless with time.
Finding a New Story in a Familiar Place
This photograph was taken in Paris, in a location that has been photographed countless times. Most photographers capture someone walking across the bridge or a person holding an umbrella. I was looking for something more.
I’ve been photographing Paris for almost fifteen years, so I know that patience is often more important than moving to a new location. On this day, I came across two people sparring on the bridge. Instead of another familiar scene, I found a unique moment that transformed a well-known place into something fresh.
I documented the scene as it unfolded, and this became the photograph I had been waiting for—a new story in one of the most photographed locations in the world. For me, that’s what street photography is about: not finding a new place, but finding a new moment.
Istanbul – When Patience Pays Off
I believe this is one of the best photographs I made in 2026. It was taken in Istanbul during one of my masterclasses.
I first noticed a man reading a newspaper and thought, “That’s an interesting starting point. Let’s see what happens around him.” Rather than taking the photograph immediately, I decided to wait for another layer to develop.
A few moments later, everything came together. A man with a distinctive moustache sat directly behind him, closely resembling the portrait on the newspaper. The person on the front page was Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, one of the most respected and influential figures in Turkish history.
I took the photograph, shared it online, and the following day it appeared on the front page of one of Turkey’s largest newspapers, alongside an article about my work.
I keep this photograph not only because of the recognition it received, but because it reminds me of the importance of patience. If you give a scene a few more seconds, everything can align in a way you could never have planned. Those are the moments I am always searching for.
Paris Protest – Between Order and Emotion
As a street and documentary photographer, I often find myself photographing protests and public demonstrations. These situations can reveal powerful human moments, and that’s what I’m always looking for.
This photograph was taken during a protest in Paris in 2025. A building had caught fire in the background, the police had sealed off the street, and then I noticed a frightened woman standing at a window while officers occupied the foreground. To me, it was the strongest visual juxtaposition I could have hoped for.
I made the photograph with the Leica SL2 and a 35mm lens—my favorite focal length for both street and documentary photography.
Only later did I discover that the woman at the window was one of Italy’s most well-known journalists. The image eventually spread widely online, but that’s not what makes it important to me.
What matters is the moment itself. Photography has the power to preserve history as it unfolds, and this frame became a memory—not only for me, but for her, and perhaps for Paris as well.
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Photography is not made to impress others. Photography is made to discover yourself. - Ovidiu Selaru
GEAR
When it comes to equipment, I work exclusively with Leica cameras. My favorites are the Leica M11-P Safari and the Leica M11-P Silver, which are the cameras I rely on for most of my work.
For lenses, I keep my setup simple. I primarily use a 35mm lens, which is my favorite focal length for both street and documentary photography. I also work with a 21mm lens when I want to include more of the environment, and occasionally a 50mm when the scene calls for a slightly tighter perspective.
About the Photographer
Ovidiu Selaru, Based between Washington, London and Bucharest
Ovidiu Selaru is a Romanian street and documentary photographer, author of London in Frames and creator of the long-term documentary project Europe in Between. After spending nearly two decades in London, where he developed his photographic vision, he now works across Europe documenting everyday life through honest, human-centred storytelling.
A winner of the British Photography Awards, his work has been exhibited internationally and featured in photography publications around the world.
His photography explores the relationship between people and the spaces they inhabit, focusing on authentic moments rather than staged scenes. Working almost exclusively on the streets, he is drawn to the quiet, often overlooked stories that reveal the complexity of contemporary life.
Alongside his personal projects, Ovidiu leads international masterclasses and workshops, encouraging photographers to develop a personal visual language, build meaningful long-term projects, and create work that goes beyond a single image.
Website: selaruovidiu.com/
Instagram: @ovidiuselaru_
