Street photographs by Polly Braden that shed light on modern life in London’s Square Mile

A self-contained kingdom, it's so important it has its own Lord Mayor and police force; its history is rich and complex, with repercussions that are all too real today. Together with mini-essays written by world-renowned historian David Kynaston, these ethereal photographs of people captured amongst imposing architecture begin to decode one of the most cryptic and influential parts of the capital.

"The modern City has become a self-perpetuating, absurdly over-rewarded island, too much cut off from the rest of Britain. But it would be a shame, even a tragedy if it were ever to lose completely its own very particular specialness," writes David Kynaston in the book's introduction.

Polly Braden is a British documentary photographer whose work examines the relationship between people and the environment in which they find themselves. This is her fifth photography book. Her Square Mile series was shot between 2007-2018.

London’s Square Mile by Polly Braden with text by David Kynaston is published by Hoxton Mini Press. To find out more about Polly Braden, visit pollybraden.com.