In photography we often talk about moments. Street photography is a genre that homes in on small decisive moments through focusing on people, mundane everyday interactions, and the aesthetics of place. Whether it’s the moment someone walks into a space between shadows or capturing an evolving scene in a crowd, street is about noticing and being ready for the split second that could make the difference between just a good photo, and an extraordinary street photograph.
Dawn Eagleton is a British street photographer who seeks to unveil the beauty of everyday people through subtle expressions and mannerisms that reveal who we truly are.
Having always had an interest in visual storytelling, human behaviour and interaction, she studied Film and Communication at university, and bought a camera after the death of her parents in 2009 and 2010.
Whether you’re a fan of classic street photography, portraiture or candids, Dawn’s debut book, Through the Glass, shares a collection of unguarded street portraits taken in cities around the world. Instinctively drawn to authentic and relatable portraits, the photographs, taken between 2018 and 2025, share solitary and reflective moments, sat in cafes or on public transport. The result was a collection of images that all had one thing in common – they were taken through glass.
Real, natural and unguarded, each portrait shows a person’s character in more nuanced ways than just noticing a flamboyant outfit. Often the expressions and body language captured share a sense of space between the conscious and the unconscious. Appearing to be the fleeting moment before noticing the camera’s gaze.
Using glass as a compositional tool allowed Dawn to get close to her subjects without disturbing them and also producing opportunities to get creative with layers, light and contrast. Throughout the book we also see Dawn in the reflection of several portraits, which to me feels like a nod to the conversation and collaboration between the person photographed and the photographer. It is moments and photographs like this that we respond to by considering what each of these people are thinking and making up our own story.
Starting out in Exeter, Devon, the series evolved in cities around the UK and New York, as well as around The Netherlands, Portugal, Norway and Spain. There are 64 images across 100 minimal but beautiful pages that allow the work, and those in the photographs, speak for themselves.
Coming from a working class background, Dawn is inspired by artists such as Tracey Emin who has challenged the long standing idea that art only belongs to elite spaces or certain social classes. She told me, “This is one of the greatest things I love about photography, it is accessible to almost everybody.”
Dawn has been a Fujifilm X-Series owner since 2016. Starting with the Fujifilm X-T1 before later upgrading to the Fujifilm X-T4. Since she has worked with Fujifilm on the launch campaign for the Fujifilm X-E5, she has been using the X-E5 with the XF 33mm 1.4 R LM WR lens.
With a foreword written by Sean Tucker, Through the Glass is available to buy now from Dawn’s website or Fujifilm House of Photography, London.
Further reading:
- Photographers around the world recognised in the Sony World Photography Awards
- These absolutely stunning close-up images from nature will really blow your mind
- See the incredible travel portrait that beat over 14,500 other entries in this major competition
- These fantastic wildlife photos by this young photographer document life in our fragile ecosystems
