Accountant by day, Lee Jeffries roams the streets to photograph faces that are a glimpse into a lifetime. We asked him a few questions, and you can follow his work on flickr.
In what kinds of situations were most of these photographs taken?
My
involvement with the homeless started after an encounter with a young
girl in London. She was huddled under a sleeping bag in a doorway in
Leicester Square and took offense as I stole a photo from a distance. I
was tempted to turn around and leave but something prompted me to go
talk to her instead. Her story broke my heart, and changed the way I
perceived the homeless. Most of my images are of people I have met on
the street, whether in the UK, Europe or the US. The situations
presented themselves, and I’ve made an effort to get
to know each of the subjects before asking their permission to take
their portrait.
What else do you do besides photography?
I’m an accountant by profession. Photography is my means of expression. It embodies my beliefs and my compassion. I consider myself lucky at not having to earn a living from it as it allows me free reign to try and help others, and not the selfish needs of a client. I also have a passion for sports — a knee injury put an end to a potential career in football, but not to the love of what sport continues to represent to me, both physically and spiritually.
What does beauty mean to you?
Beauty by definition is made up of the qualities that give pleasure to the senses.
