I caught up with one of my personal favourite street photographers, Olivier Lei, for a chat about his processes, the best advice he has for new photographers and why sports plays a part in his inspiration.
Hi Olivier! Thanks for joining me in my first In Focus interview. Photography, and the interpretation of it, varies from person to person. I'm wondering, if you were to describe your style of work to someone yet to discover it, how would you describe it?
Hi Cal ! Firstly thank you for having me. My work is a study of color, contrast, atmosphere, and emotion, an exploration of the beauty found in the unnoticed. I’m not drawn to action or grand drama, instead, I seek the quiet poetry of everyday life. A solitary figure lost in thought, the way colours dissolve in the rain. I want my images to feel like fragments of a dream, evocative, and quietly real in the same time.
Fragments of a dream is such a wonderful way to describe your work, and feels extremely accurate. Scenes and moments you capture often feel like it's something you're seeing from the corner of your eye - you're there but only just, like it's a passing moment. For that reason they give an ethereal, dreamlike quality - which comes across beautifully and timeless. Like you'll never see that moment again. How long has it taken you to create such a style?
I picked up a camera a few years ago, approximately 3 years ago without really knowing what I was looking for. At first, it was just an object, something I bought for a trip and barely used. Then, during COVID, when travel wasn’t an option, I started wandering my own streets. That’s when I discovered street photography. It was accessible, honest, and it changed everything for me. Since then, my approach has constantly evolved, but my obsession is still there.
You've achieved quite the following in that time, and built a reputation for your work. If you could give three pieces of advice to someone just starting out, what would they be?
- Shoot as much as possible – The best way to improve is through practice. The more you shoot, the more you refine your eye, understand light, and develop your own style.
- Don’t obsess over gear – A great photo comes from vision, not equipment. Some of my favourite shots were taken with my old iPhone 11.
- Study and trust your instincts – Look at photography books, study the masters, and draw inspiration from different styles. But in the end, trust your gut, your unique perspective is what makes your work stand out.
Olivier is well known for capturing fleeting moments of beauty in the world.
You have a very unique and recognisible flair when it comes to your compositions, with a particular talent for capturing the details in everyday life to tell a story. Has your approach and style changed over time and if so, how?
Thank you for your kind words Cal. My style shifts all the time, depending on where I am and what I’m feeling. In the beginning for example I didn’t connect with the 28mm lens, but when I found myself in Morocco, it became my favorite. There’s something about how it captured that place, a way I didn’t expect.
I’ve always loved capturing the beauty of a scene, the atmosphere of a moment, but lately, I’ve realized that those images feel incomplete. They’re missing a story, an emotion, something that makes them feel real. My images are a reflection of myself, constantly shifting, always seeking something more. I’m always evolving, trying to find that deeper connection in my work.
I believe evolving helps us keep things fresh and drives us to learn new things. What would you say is the greatest lesson you've learned so far?
The greatest lesson I’ve learned in my street photography journey is that patience truly is the key. It’s in those quiet, still moments when you allow time to unfold naturally that the most remarkable scenes appear. I’ve also discovered that beauty often hides in the ordinary. The everyday holds its own magic, waiting to be seen, if you’re patient enough to notice it.
If the everyday holds its magic, where would you say have been your favourite places to capture that everyday magic? And do you have somewhere on your bucket list?
New York and Morocco are definitely my favorites so far. New York, with its raw energy and endless layers of stories, always feels alive, every street corner offering something new. Morocco, on the other hand, pulls you in with its rich colors, textures, and a sense of timelessness that lingers in the air. Both places have left an imprint on my work, each in their own way.
As for my bucket list, Lebanon is at the top. My lovely girlfriend is from there, and I want to explore more of its beauty, its landscapes, its culture, its heart. After that, I dream of capturing the essence of India, China, or Russia, countries where history, tradition, and modern life blend in fascinating ways, each offering a world of stories I can’t wait to tell.
New York is certain a photographer's playground - and your work in Morrocco has inspired me to want to visit there. It looks so beautiful and interesting. Where would you say you find the most inspiration for your work?
I find inspiration in so many things, just few examples : painting, music, manga, even sports. Paintings teach me about color and composition, how a single brushstroke can change everything. Music sets a mood, helps me feel a scene before I even lift my camera. Manga, with its dynamic panels and powerful storytelling, influences how I frame my shots and capture emotion in a single moment. And sports? It’s all about movement, anticipation, those split-second moments that can’t be repeated. I think inspiration is everywhere if you stay open to it. The key is to take it all in and let it shape the way you see the world.
What fantastic places to find inspiration - I had never thought sports would be on the list, but I see the logic. There is a sense of needing reactivity and agility to capture scenes and stories that can be over in seconds. As mentioned above, you've gathered some success in your relatively short time doing street photography. What would you say has been your biggest achievement so far?
I don’t really know. The awards and recognitions that I got are nice, but honestly they don’t change anything about my vision or my work, maybe what means the most to me are the messages I get from people saying my work has made them feel something. When someone tells me they saw the world differently after looking at my photos, that’s the real achievement.
You've recently begun offering workshops in your hometown of Barcelona. What can people expect if they book a spot?
My workshops aren’t about learning techniques, they’re more about learning to see. I want people to slow down, to notice the details others pass by, and to feel more connected to the world around them. Together, we’ll walk through the streets, exploring my favorite and secret places at the best times for the light. I’ll share my approach to street photography, how I watch, wait, and capture the everyday life. But more than anything, I want to help each person find their own way of seeing. I’m not here to impose my vision. My role is to guide, to encourage, and to help people trust their instincts and discover their unique perspective.
For those who join the full-day workshop, there’s also a dedicated session where I’ll show my editing process, how I bring my images to life. And above all, the workshops should feel like a shared journey, an easy, pressure-free moment to explore, to create, and to see the world a little bit differently. Because in the end, photography isn’t about following someone else’s path, it’s about finding your own.
It sounds like a great experience, Olivier! I think we have time for one bonus question, and it's a clichéd one! You're stuck on a desert island: what photo book are you taking with you?
If I had to choose just one photo book to take to a desert island, I’d probably go with something a little unexpected, something like “How to Survive on an Island”. It might not be the most artistic choice, but in that situation, it would probably be the most useful. There's something strangely poetic about it, though. The idea of using that book as a guide to navigate both survival and solitude feels fitting. In a way, it’s like photography, learning to adapt, observe, and find beauty even in the most challenging of places.
Perhaps ashamedly, I haven't heard of it, but it sounds like a wise choice. Thanks for your time, Olivier, and your considered and thoughtful answers.
Thank you for the interview, Cal!
