Portfolio: Lee Jeffries

Lee Jeffries is an English photographer who takes incredible black and white portraits of homeless people. His understanding of depth and light equals the emotion we feel looking at these faces marked by the passage of time and sufferings.

All about photo asked him a few questions:

How long have you been a photographer?
About 5 years now.

Do you remember your first shot? What was it?
My first street photograph was a young girl homeless girl in London. The story is all around the net now. My first real photograph was the woman praying in Rome. That's where the artistry began.

What or who inspires you?
Emotion. People. Empathy for the suffering of others.

How could you describe your style?
My own. If it looks good to me then I'm more than happy. Much more than that though...i have to feel an image. I throw it out if I dont.

What kind of gear do you use? Camera, lens, digital, film?
Digital. Old beat up Canon 5d mark 1 

Do you spend a lot of time editing your images?
Some take 5 minutes...some take longer...much longer. Depends on my mood. If I'm particularly into an image emotionally I will linger for hours listening to classical music over all the details.

Favorite(s) photographer(s)?
James Nachtwey, Stephan Vanfleteren

Want to read more? Check out the full interview and portfolio: All about Lee Jeffries