The unwritten rules of Street Art photography: through the lens of Jules Césure
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Street art may live in public, but photographing it comes with its own code of respect. And few people embody that code more naturally than Brussels‑based photographer and videographer Jules Césure.
Since his first collaboration with Belgian artist Oli‑B back in 2018, Jules has become one of the most trusted documentarians in the Belgian street art scene. His work with artists like Dulk, Hell’o, ROA, Vhils, Cornelia Baltes, and many others has shaped a practice rooted not in gear or spectacle, but in curiosity, humility, and respect,the very foundations of ethical street art photography.
Today, as the official videographer for The Crystal Ship, All About Things, and Wallin’, and after exhibiting alongside legends like Martha Cooper at Loading, Street Art in the Digital Age in Paris, Jules’ approach offers a perfect entry point into the unwritten rules that guide this craft.
Because street art photography is more than capturing walls, as shared in our previous post on the unwritten rules of Street Art photography.
The unwritten rules of Street Art photography.
Street art photography is more than capturing walls. It is documentation, preservation, storytelling, and sometimes even cultural archaeology. Every mural, stencil, throw-up, paste-up, or tag exists within a larger urban ecosystem, and photographing it comes with its own code of conduct.
It is documentation, preservation, storytelling, and sometimes even cultural archaeology. A portrait of Jules Césure deserves to breathe, to move, and to feel like one of his own frames, quietly observant, deeply human, and grounded in the messy, beautiful reality of artistic creation.
Jules Césure: capturing the human pulse of Street Art
Brussels‑based photographer and videographer Jules Césure has built a reputation for seeing what others overlook, the hesitation before a brushstroke, the exhaustion behind a mural, the quiet rituals that shape an artist’s day. Since 2018, when Belgian artist Oli‑B invited him to create a teaser for a solo show, Jules has been documenting the world of contemporary and urban art with a sensitivity that feels increasingly rare in the age of fast content.
What began as a single collaboration quickly grew into a calling. His curiosity for artists’ processes and his instinct for storytelling led him to work with major names such as Dulk, Nina Minnebo, Cornelia Baltes, Momo, Hell’o, ROA, Vhils, Hellen Bur, Yessiow, and many others. His lens has also become a trusted presence in galleries like C.O.A Montréal, Rodolphe Janssen, La Patinoire Royale Bach, Macadam, and Mazel.
But titles and client lists only tell part of the story. What truly defines Jules’ work is his philosophy: authenticity over perfection, presence over performance, and human connection over technical obsession.
A documentarian who starts with curiosity, not gear
Jules is the first to admit he’s not a gear‑driven photographer. His camera is often paint‑stained, his lenses old, his setup minimal. What drives him is not the pursuit of technical purity but the desire to understand how artists think, move, doubt, and create.
As he puts it in the interview:
“I’m not a gearhead chasing the technically perfect shot. What excites me is learning how artists work or what they’re trying to achieve.”
This curiosity shapes everything, from the way he enters a studio (quietly, often without a camera in hand) to the way he blends into the background on a mural site. His goal is simple: let the artist forget he’s there, so the work can speak honestly.
Building trust, one moment at a time
Working with artists means navigating wildly different personalities. Some are open and playful, others reserved or camera‑shy. Jules adapts to each rhythm, each social battery, each working style.
He knows his presence can be a distraction, so he moves with intention, sometimes stepping in close, sometimes disappearing entirely. The balance develops naturally, through conversation, observation, and patience.
His respect for artists is mirrored in the way they trust him. Over the years, many have come to know his work before meeting him, confident that he will deliver images that are both faithful and surprising, frames that reveal details even the artist may have missed.
The Crystal Ship, Wallin’, and the art of controlled chaos
As the official videographer and photographer for The Crystal Ship, All About Things, and Wallin’, Jules documents some of Belgium’s most ambitious street art projects. Festival work is intense: dozens of murals, shifting schedules, unpredictable weather, and artists with wildly different needs.
He describes it as “a constant act of adjustment,” where logistics, storytelling, and respect for the artist’s flow must coexist. Days often end not with rest, but with hours of editing, hundreds of images distilled into a visual archive that will outlive the murals themselves.
Yet the exhaustion is balanced by camaraderie. Sharing hotels, elevators, jokes, and late‑night conversations helps him understand the people behind the paint, which in turn shapes the way he photographs them.
Authenticity in the age of algorithms
Jules is acutely aware of how digital platforms have reshaped street art photography. Instagram brings visibility and opportunities, most of his requests now arrive through DMs, but it also encourages speed, fragmentation, and algorithm‑friendly content.
He longs for more space for contemplation, for images that breathe.
His commitment to authenticity is unwavering.
“I need those imperfections: mistakes, bad framing, paint dripping on walls… Authenticity is in the real friction of the process.”
In a world increasingly filled with AI‑generated imagery, his work insists on the irreplaceable value of being physically present, of stepping into a bucket of paint because you were too focused on the moment.
Preserving what might disappear tomorrow
Street art is temporary by nature. Weather, city policies, vandalism, or simple time can erase a mural overnight. Jules approaches this ephemerality with humility. His responsibility, as he sees it, is not to immortalize the work but to translate the artist’s intention as honestly as possible.
If his images help a piece live on after it’s gone, that’s a bonus. But the priority is always the artist’s vision.
From the street to the white cube
While Jules thrives in the spontaneity of outdoor work, he also documents exhibitions for galleries. The shift is dramatic: controlled lighting, repeated shots, strict constraints. It’s not his favorite environment, but he embraces the discipline it demands, especially when he genuinely loves the artist’s work.
A small scene with a big heart
Belgium’s street art community is tight‑knit, resourceful, and driven by a “make it work” mentality. Jules’ career grew organically through word of mouth, artists recommending him to other artists, opportunities spreading through friendships and shared enthusiasm.
It’s a scene where passion outweighs budgets, and where good contacts are passed along like gifts.
Looking ahead: slower portraits, deeper stories
Despite everything he has already accomplished, including being featured in Loading, Street Art in the Digital Age at the Grand Palais Immersif in Paris alongside legends like Martha Cooper, Doug Gillen, and Zane Meyer, Jules insists that “the best is yet to come.”
He dreams of spending more time in artists’ studios, creating longer, slower portraits that explore not just their work but their personalities. Not social‑media‑friendly snippets, but deeper, more intimate stories.
And given the trajectory of his work so far, it’s hard not to believe him.
A personal note: meeting Jules
I’ve had the chance to meet Jules Cesure in person during several editions of The Crystal Ship, and those encounters always inspired me. Sharing stories and drone tips, Jules always shares.
What struck me first wasn’t his camera, it was his presence. Calm, observant, never rushing, never forcing a moment and always friendly. While others chased angles or tried to get the “perfect shot,” Jules moved with a kind of quiet intention, almost disappearing into the rhythm of the festival. You could walk past him three times before realizing he was already working, already seeing the image long before lifting the camera. I remember crossing paths several times in one day.
Watching him interact with artists made something click:
this craft isn’t about capturing walls, it’s about honoring the people who create them.
He never interrupts. He never inserts himself into the process. He waits, listens, adapts. And when he does step forward, it’s with a sensitivity that makes artists trust him instantly. That trust is rare, and you can feel it in his images, the honesty, the imperfections, the human pulse behind every mural.
Seeing Jules work up close made the unwritten rules of street art photography feel less like guidelines and more like a shared ethos. Respect the artist. Respect the city. Respect the culture. Document, don’t dominate. Preserve, don’t perform.
And maybe that’s why his work resonates so deeply.
Because Jules doesn’t just photograph street art, he protects the stories behind it. Exactly one of the reasons why we have this feature recognizing great street art photographers like Jules
I've been following his work for ages, he is such a talented photographer! And yes, "human" is the right word for how he works 😊
Spot on topic. Respecting the original artist's work while adding your own photographic perspective is a delicate balance, so it's great to see a dedicated piece diving into these unwritten rules. Great feature choice with Jules Césure!
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