London is one of those cities that is difficult to pin down to a single, clear identity. Tradition and the present, social norms and individual forms of expression, orderly routines and unexpected encounters often exist side by side here. These areas of tension are the focus of the lecture “MIND THE GAP – Encounters and Street Photography in London,” to which Leica Welt invites you to Wetzlar on Friday, November 20, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.

The speaker for the evening is photographer and Leica Academy lecturer Shari Reiling. In her photographic work, she focuses on street photography, reportage, and the observation of urban spaces. For her lecture, she turns her attention to London as a place where cultural diversity is experienced not as an exception, but as an everyday reality.

Using selected photographs, Reiling takes visitors on a journey into the public life of the British capital. The focus is not on well-known landmarks or classic travel motifs, but on people, encounters, and situations that unfold in the city’s daily life. The camera becomes an instrument of observation, documenting moments that hover between closeness and distance, attention and chance.

The title “MIND THE GAP” refers not only to the well-known warning in the London Underground. It also symbolizes the numerous gaps that shape life in a big city: between origin and belonging, individuality and community, conformity and independence. Street photography provides access to these often fleeting situations and reveals how social developments are reflected in everyday life.

The lecture is aimed at both photography enthusiasts and visitors interested in urban culture, social observations, and documentary storytelling. In addition to her photographic work, Shari Reiling offers insights into her working methods, her approach to street photography, and the unique challenges of photographing in public spaces.

The event will take place at Leica Welt in Wetzlar. Admission is 10 euros.

Shari Reiling is a photographer, photo designer, and lecturer at the Leica Academy Germany. After training as a portrait and commercial photographer, she developed a distinctive photographic style that combines documentary observation with creative image composition. Her work has received numerous awards and has been featured in many exhibitions.

A particular focus of her work is street photography. While traveling through European cities such as London, Paris, and various regions of Italy, she dedicates herself to observing urban life and the stories of everyday life. Since 2019, she has been sharing her many years of experience as a lecturer at the Leica Academy Germany through workshops, seminars, and lectures, teaching both the technical aspects of photography and how to capture the decisive moment.