My Story

2012 – 2013: Photos

I've always loved art, but I was into my early thirties when I found my own creative voice. It all began in January 2012, when I bought my first iPhone and set up my Instagram account. From there, everything changed.

Back then, photography was something I only did on holidays or at family gatherings, but Instagram gave me a reason to start exploring the world through a lens. I quickly became captivated by architectural photography, capturing buildings and empty spaces in a way that spoke to me.

In those early days, Instagram was a haven for mobile photographers, with a tight-knit community that shared work, ideas, and even met offline for photo walks (without an influencer or reel in sight!). By the end of 2012, I’d won a national photography award, and in 2013, I completed a project to photograph all 270 London Underground stations. What began as a hobby had become an obsession.

2014 – 2015: Creative Editing

Life took a turn when my daughter was born, and soon after, my Dad became seriously ill. Photography had to take a backseat, but I still had hundreds of photos stored on my phone. In spare moments, I began editing them with various iPhone apps, experimenting with distortions, mirroring, and layering. It was during this period that the tiny silhouette figure first appeared in my work, a symbol that would come to define my style. I found a welcome escape in these edits, and without realising it, I was laying the groundwork for a new chapter in my artistic journey.

2016 – 2018: After Photography

When my Dad passed away, I lost all enthusiasm for photography and felt creatively burnt out. I tried to reignite that spark with a trip to Berlin but found myself repeating the same images I’d seen a hundred times on Instagram. I stopped shooting altogether, but eventually returned to my editing apps. Instead of working from old photos, I began creating images from scratch, blending my love of architecture with digital art—geometry, lines, symmetry, and perspective. Using the same mobile tools, I found a fresh, exciting direction, and the positive response I received encouraged me to pursue this new path.

2019 – Now: The Journey of the Tiny Figure

Stumbling across the tiny figure as a way of exploring perspective and scale, I started to get more adventurous and abstract. The idea of a little person going on a never-ending journey resonated with me and others - I started to grow my audience and find a community of creative people online. A turning point came in 2020 when my work was featured in designboom magazine, sparking international interest and leading to features in several publications. Since then, my art has been published internationally, opening the door to collaborations, commissions and features beyond the smartphone screen.

Now, making my art has become a way of life for me. It's a form of self-expression, a way to relax after a long day and it's how I connect with others. I make my work on my iPad and Android tablet, pulling patterns and forms into shape on the screen until I come up with something that satisfies me. I alternate between colour and black and white, with the figure always being the last element I add - the moment the abstract design becomes something more like a place.

Licensing and Commissions

I'm always open to commissions and talking about bringing your creative vision to life. Whether you'd like to license an existing image, collaborate on something brand new, or just want to chat about the work, I'd love to hear from you. You can find me on Instagram, or send me an email.

Art Prints

Interested in buying a print? I sell a selection of my work on East Side Studio, a London-based online gallery that ships high quality art prints all over the world. I add new prints to the collection often, but if you can't find what you're looking for, just let me know.

Michael Strevens / mike_n5

Art Prints

Now, I’m offering limited edition giclée prints of my work. Printed on museum-quality Hahnemühle Pearl paper, each print is accompanied by a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity, with only 20 editions available in each size. I’ve been blown away by how good they look, and I’m thrilled to share them with the world.

You can browse my collection, purchase prints, and sign up to my mailing list to stay updated on future releases. If you have a favourite piece you’d like to see as a limited edition, drop me a line at mike_n5@outlook.com or send me a message on Instagram.

Cheers,
Michael (mike_n5)

I used to love taking photos of empty tube tunnels. This image won me UK Mobile Photographer of the Year in 2012.

My work on the cover of Wired Italia magazine, August 2020