Gent Werregarenstraat (graffitistraatje)

A living canvas in the heart of Gent

The Werregarenstraat is perhaps the most colorful alley in Belgium. This narrow street, just off the Veldstraat in the center of Gent, has been officially designated as a graffiti zone. That means any artist can legally put their work up here without asking permission. The result: the walls are never the same twice. What you photographed last week will already be covered by a new layer the week after.

For street photography, that is a gift. You can come here ten times and make ten completely different sets of images. The alley is narrow, as little as two meters wide in places, so the walls on both sides close in around you. That creates a confined, intense feeling in the frame.

Light and composition

Overcast weather works better here than full sunshine. Direct sun throws hard shadows across the murals and pulls detail out of the colors. An even sky gives flat light and lets the tones come into their own. The alley runs roughly west to east, so in the morning and evening you get low side light that brings out texture in the spray work.

Experiment with focal lengths. With a wide angle, 24mm or 28mm, you take in the alley as a whole, including the people walking through it. With a slightly longer focal length, around 50mm or 85mm, you isolate a single piece or a face for a portrait. People stopping here to take photographs are nothing out of the ordinary, so interaction with visitors is simply part of the scene.

Practical

The Werregarenstraat is freely accessible at all times, day and night. There is no entrance fee and no permit required to photograph. Parking in the center of Gent takes effort and money. The easiest way to arrive is by tram or bicycle. The alley is within walking distance of Sint-Baafsplein and the Korenmarkt.

At busy times, weekend and summer afternoons, the alley fills with tourists. That can actually make for interesting street photos, but if you want to capture the walls without the crowds, come early on a weekday morning. The graffiti alley never truly sleeps, but before seven in the morning you will have it almost entirely to yourself.

Sources and further reading

• Visit Gent
• Stad Gent
• Wikipedia: Werregarenstraat