Another Street Portraits Book is a collection of street photographs taken mainly in North Dublin between 2020 and 2024 by Diarmuid Doran. Although shot in Dublin, it is not an Irish story, and not a traditional approach to the city, but looks at a newer Dublin.
Another Street Portraits is a beautifully crafted book by photographer Diarmuid Doran, filled with people and stories all around the Northside of Dublin and one that paints an image of the real Dublin outside of the misconception of it being some dirty, dangerous place to live in.
Diarmuid has been working on and off on perfecting this book since 2020. Every page of Another Street Portraits shares a wonderful story of the people who have been able to call Dublin home. Since the book’s release in November 2025, Diarmuid has been on a long journey of promotion, with copies now available in Dubray, The Library Project and the Photo Museum Ireland bookshop in Temple Bar, as well as selected fairs across the county, including the Tsundoku Art Book Fair.
Photography has always been a hobby for Diarmuid and when he started taking pictures in the late 90’s he never pictured himself publishing a book. He said it wasn’t until people saw him out cycling the streets of Dublin looking for inspiration that they started taking an interest in what he was doing. He joked, “They were telling me personal stories about their lives, and I didn’t know how to react. I’m just a photographer, not a counsellor.”
Shortly after, the idea came to him to focus more on the community of Dublin instead of just the streets and buildings that surround them. Living on the North-Side of Dublin, he found that he could relate to them and understand their stories in a way he wouldn’t have, had he been living somewhere else.
Diarmuid’s aim was to make people as comfortable as possible in front of the camera and to “approach them from a point of view of being open minded.” Getting permission is a big part of what he does and if ever someone told him they did not want their pictures taken or included he respected their wishes and moved onto the next person. In his view, the important thing is not to be discouraged by the negative and to always keep going forward.
Dedicating four years to the completion of the book, Diarmuid has come in contact with people from all walks of life from kids just hanging out and wanting their pictures taken to shop owners proudly sharing their stories and even people who just happened to be walking in the same direction he was.
“I kind of wanted to photograph a wide range of society and not just 50 year old men,” he explained when asked about the variety of people included in the book.
When asked about the possibility of a second book focusing on the south side, Diarmuid said that he had no intention of making it despite many people suggesting the idea to him.
“I don’t think the South-side is as interesting as the North. What sets the two parts of Dublin apart can only be described as class. When it comes to the southside, I think that people are a lot more hesitant to have their pictures taken and share their stories.”
For more information on where to acquire a copy of ‘Another Street Portraits’ and future events, visit diarmuiddoranphotographer.com
Words: Sasha Robertson
