LIMITED EDITION BOOK
The photographs in this collection invite you into a realm where the familiar becomes strange, and the undefined holds a quiet power.
Why Side Street?
As a street photographer, my focus isn’t always on the big events or the grand statements. Instead, I’m drawn to the unnoticed moments, the fleeting pauses, and the quiet transitions that unfold in plain sight. In my first photobook, Side Street, I explore these subtle, often overlooked spaces that exist all around us.
These are the in-between places: the blurred reflections in a shop window, overlooked textures bathed in a particular light, the brief instants between dawn and the full rush of the city, or just a solitary figure caught in a moment of quiet thought. They’re the spots where definitions loosen, and the usual hustle of life seems to fade, if only for a second.
The photographs in this collection aren’t about destinations or narratives with clear beginnings and ends. They’re about capturing the act of being suspended — those short, unplanned moments where time seems to slow down. Each image invites you to look closer at the familiar, to find the quiet drama in a passing shadow, a brief glance, or an unscripted interaction. You’ll see how the everyday can suddenly reveal a hidden depth.
“This book doesn’t just feature photographs of Dublin, but no one could say that with precision because, whether he’s photographing in his own city, in Porto, or in Brussels, what Paul portrays is his way of being and perceiving the world. With its scarce light and cloudy days, Dublin is not an easy city to photograph, but I get the impression that Paul almost always photographs it with the light he wished it had. Even on cloudy days, the search for the electrifying energy of colours lends an ethereal glow to his images. It’s his imaginary city, but one that doesn’t reject the concrete city either.”
GUSTAVO MINAS
This project is built from exploring 11 cities and countless hours of walking, observing, and patiently waiting for a scene to unfold. I’m fascinated by how light and shadow articulate boundaries, drawing attention to unseen textures or the subtle shift in a person’s posture. I aim to highlight the ephemeral nature of these street scenes, encouraging you to linger in the ambiguity, rather than seeking a definitive meaning.
I had the great honour to have Gustavo Minas edit this book. Having selected a long list of hundreds of photographs from my archive of thousands of photographs, Gustavo selected a collection of 63 images for the book, carefully sequencing them and ensuring the flow and pace of the book was perfect. Gustavo has also written the Foreword for the book.
Ultimately, this book is an invitation to see your surroundings with fresh eyes, no matter where you are. It suggests that the most compelling observations often occur not in grand, planned events, but in the subtle, unscripted flow of life around us. It’s about recognising that the world is full of these fleeting, beautiful transitions, and that often, true insight comes from simply being present and open to what you encounter, neither rushing forward nor looking back.
Throughout this book, I invite you to step into these moments, to discover the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary, revealed down every side street.
