Artist Focus | Tom Wilkins – Street Photography with Kindness at its Heart

If you’ve ever been stopped in Cardiff by a smiling man with a camera and walked away feeling just a little bit taller, chances are you’ve met Tom Wilkins. He isn’t just taking photos – he’s on a mission to show people how special they are, one stranger at a time.

Tom is a street portrait photographer who heads out every day, approaching people at random and asking if he can take their picture. But here’s the twist – it’s not about glamour, perfection or who fits into some made-up “cool” category. Tom explains it best: “It is not a beauty contest… it is based on the little things that someone has done to give themselves a boost – whether that is tattoos, piercings, hair colour or clothes style – everyone is cool and everyone deserves to be told that they are cool.”

Cardiff as a Playground for Photography

Based in Cardiff, Tom describes the city as his creative playground. The mix of people and styles means he never knows who he’ll meet next. “No two days of shooting are ever the same,” he says. And that’s exactly what keeps his work so fresh and addictive to watch online.

Every interaction is recorded through his Meta glasses – so his growing social media audience gets to experience the full journey, from the approach to the compliment to that moment the stranger lights up. It’s wholesome, uplifting and oddly addictive viewing. As Tom says: “If compliment giving was more normalised, imagine how great the world would be.”

From Social Anxiety to Social Confidence

What makes Tom’s story even more inspiring is where he started. Back in April, he picked up his wife’s old camera (which had been gathering dust for over a decade) and decided to face his biggest fear: talking to strangers.

“Before I started doing this, the thought of going up and speaking to a stranger would have left me shaking,” Tom admits. He’s lived with social anxiety for years – but by pushing himself, he found not only a new creative passion but also a way to grow in confidence. “Now, I don’t even think about it before approaching a complete stranger,” he says.

And people online love it. Within weeks his videos went viral, and he suddenly had a huge following to keep up with. That brought its own pressures – learning photography, editing and social media all at once – but the positive messages from the people he photographs make it worth it. “These messages give me the motivation to continue pounding the pavements to get these snaps and to continue raising people up.”

Taking the Project on the Road

While Cardiff is home, Tom’s not staying still. Recently he’s been travelling to other cities – Bristol, Swansea, Birmingham, Worcester and beyond – to continue his project. His next big dream? Taking the concept abroad. “My next goal is to visit cities outside of the UK,” he says. “But I need to start monetising first, as that will cost a fair bit of money.”

Given how quickly his work has resonated, don’t be surprised if you see Tom snapping portraits across Europe before long.

Why People Connect with Tom’s Work

At its core, Tom’s work is about reminding us of something simple: everyday people are amazing. His portraits aren’t staged fashion shoots or glossy magazine covers – they’re real, unfiltered moments of human expression.

And his mission is bigger than just photography. “I hope that people watch my content and realise the power that they hold to brighten someone’s day,” he says. And judging by the smiles on his subjects’ faces, it’s working.

Where to Find Tom

You can follow Tom’s journey and see his portraits on Instagram @tomwilkinsphotography and TikTok @tomwilkinsphotography. He’s also featured in a short documentary by Camera Centre UK, which you can watch on YouTube.

Tom’s Advice: Just Start

Tom has one piece of advice for anyone who wants to create: “Just start. Don’t worry about what you don’t know as you will pick that up as you go. My first couple of photos were absolutely terrible… but guess what, they were better than the non-existent photos from before I started.”

From picking up a dusty camera to building a movement rooted in kindness, Tom proves you don’t need to be perfect to begin. You just need to take that first step. So next time you’re walking through Cardiff and a friendly photographer tells you you’re cool – say yes. You might just end up with a portrait (and a compliment) that makes your whole week

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