Photographer Simon Wheatley has documented a culture feared by most. The Grime scene. To those outside of it the word "grime" conjours up images of hooded youths and violence. Wheatleys work takes a more personal approach to it, showing the violence and crime but also exploring the people behind the hoods, who are generally kids who've grown up in poverty or surrounded by violence or criminal role models.
Instead of the subjects seeming intimidating, there is a sense of isolation, tension and sadness in the photos. In an article from the BBC Wheatley describes how he struggled to gain the trust of some of his subjects as they thought he was an undercover, they found it hard to believe that someone from outside of their bubble would be interested in them unless they were trying to lock them up.
The photos have been published in a book called 'Don't Call Me Urban' and is on sale at bookstores and online and is definatley worth a look.
