A controversial photographer who takes mugshots on the streets of strangers with unusual faces says he is depicting a true image of real people.

Bruce Gilden, 68, is drawn to people who are often ignored because of their appearance and chooses his subjects because they are ‘visually interesting.’

The photographer is based in New York but for his latest book of photographs, Face, he visited West Bromwich, in the Midlands and Romford, in Essex, to capture portraits, as well as in America.

A close up image of a woman called just Debbie, from Romford in Essex

A woman in the middle of her beauty treatment has her photograph is taken in West Bromwich, in the Midlands
He chooses his subjects from the street but he is particular about who he chooses.

Bruce said speaking to Mail Online: ‘I make their day. Some of the people in my photos are alone in the world. They don’t have anyone else to speak to and they’re often ignored.

‘One lady in England with one tooth in her mouth, I showed her the shot and she said “I’m beautiful.”

‘She did try really hard to make her lipstick nice.’

Bruce is unflinching in his depiction with harsh lighting and the frame cropped close to the subject’s face.

The photographs have no retouching done after the picture has been taken.

He gets permission from all of his participants in the book first before shooting them.