If you’ve been to The Image Flow recently and taken a peek behind our main gallery wall, you have seen the four photographs above. This is an intriguing series of street photography by Steve Besselman. They have adorned the wall since October, residing behind the desk of our production manager, Nathan.
We are often asked about Steve’s pictures: “How did the artist do that?” and “Are they multiple exposures?”
In Steve’s words, “A lot of my shots are full or partial reflections. Everything is a single image, not combined or layered with other images.”
A simple walk down the streets of San Francisco becomes a complex and interesting cityscape through Steve’s eyes. Reflections interplay with shadows to simultaneously reveal and conceal. Dramatic layered compositions emerge. Within a single frame, room interiors, building facades, and sidewalk inhabitants are brought into conversation, frozen in time.
Steve intends this series to highlight how inhabitants navigate through urban systems. “In any city, you consciously or unconsciously traverse interwoven paths and layered systems, from crosswalks to bus stops to business advertising to ever-present vehicles and pedestrians.”
About three years ago, we met Steve when he began printing his photos at The Image Flow. We admired the precision and care he puts into each image. We invited Steve to continue his street photography series through one of our workshops, The Photo Challenge. Over the years, Steve has been a disciplined and insightful student and we have had the pleasure of challenging him to continue developing his work.
Steve says workshops are “a great way to take your creative impulses and develop them into an engaged direction. The Image Flow has a talented, warm community of instructors, mentors, photographers, and students. Being able to surround yourself with creative people and participate in conversations and critiques is a fantastic way to deepen your skills and explore your own path.”
Over the years, Steve has participated in our themed Photography of the Month Competition. We are proud to showcase his work in our past two annual Photo of the Month Exhibitions. In 2025, his photograph received an Honorable Mention in April’s theme “Urban Landscape.”
In closing, Steve shares, “If you want your photography to show your eye, your point of view, and a personal style, I believe that The Image Flow instructors and staff are great partners in working with you to capture and print your best shots.”
Come by The Image Flow during our open hours to see his prints in person.
To see more of Steve’s work, follow his Instagram: @sbesselman780
Feeling inspired to make photographs of your own? Check out our current photography workshops to sharpen your technical skills and explore new subjects.
