Side Street
Paul Murray
Self-Published
English
Edited by Gustavo Minas
Hardcover
Edition of 450 – Signed
96 pages
220 × 255 mm
2025
ISBN 9781036932404
As a street photographer, Murray’s focus isn’t always on the big events or the grand statements. Instead, he is drawn to the unnoticed moments, the fleeting pauses, and the quiet transitions that unfold in plain sight. In his first photobook, Side Street, Murray explores 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 project is built from exploring 11 cities and countless hours of walking, observing, and patiently waiting for a scene to unfold. Murray is fascinated by how light and shadow articulate boundaries, drawing attention to unseen textures or the subtle shift in a person’s posture. This book aims to highlight the ephemeral nature of these street scenes, encouraging you to linger in the ambiguity, rather than seeking a definitive meaning.
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, Murray invites you to step into these moments, to discover the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary, revealed down every side street.
(Source: https://www.thelibraryproject.ie/products/side-street-paul-murray-signed)
About the Artist
Paul Murray (AKA Reflexlens) is an award-winning street photographer and co-founder of the Dublin Street Photography Festival. Based in Dublin, Ireland, he merges a background in Fine Art and graphic design to capture the fleeting, often unnoticed moments of urban life.
Known for his unique approach, Paul has been recognised with an Emerging Artist Bursary from the Arts Council of Ireland. His work has been exhibited internationally in countries including Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, India, and Mexico.
His first book, SIDE STREET, was published in November 2025.
www.reflexlens.com
(Source: https://www.reflexlens.com/about)
