Roger Mayne Screaming Child Southam Street London Photography Print

There is a piercing, guttural sound that echoes through the grain of this mid-century street scene, even within its silent black and white composition. A young girl stands in the foreground, face contorted in a primal scream, while the background hums with children playing against the Victorian architecture of North Kensington.

About documentary photography

Documentary photography records real life and history as it happens. The best street photographs rely on timing, light and a sharp eye for human gesture. Street photography rewards patience: the best moments are often fleeting and unrepeatable.

Styling this documentary photograph

Its black-and-white palette makes this documentary photograph easy to build a room around. Its wide format suits the space above a desk in a home office: 20×30″ or 24×36″ for impact, 12×18″ for a smaller wall. In black and white, this documentary photograph works with any colour scheme; a slim black frame with a wide white mat gives it a gallery finish. This documentary photograph also anchors a gallery wall well; surround it with smaller black-and-white pieces at even 2–3 inch gaps.

At a glance

• Type: Documentary photograph
• Style: Documentary photography, Street photography
• Colours: black-and-white
• Subject: The city
• Orientation: landscape
• Collections: Black and White Photography Prints, Documentary Photography Prints, Fine Art Photography Prints