London at night through the pictures of Holly-Marie Cato

In 1959, Leica introduced the first Summilux, the fastest lens the German company had ever developed. It was a game-changer. Capturing more light and an incredible amount of details, it revolutionised low-light photography, allowing photographers to shoot in darker environments with unprecedented clarity. Leica became synonymous with capturing moments in any lighting condition, particularly at night, through lightweight and compact cameras that excelled in all environments and conditions.

The new Xiaomi 14T smartphone series follows this tradition, featuring a camera module co-engineered with Leica. To celebrate its launch, Leica and Xiaomi partnered launching the “Night Heroes” project, a global initiative that sees Leica photographers invited to capture the essence of urban life after dark in cities like Vienna, Paris, and London .

Holly-Marie Cato, a Leica photographer born and raised in London, chose her home city as the subject of her “Night Heroes” project. Known for her documentary work with a strong focus on human subjects, Cato presented her photographs at Fotografiska, the Herzog & de Meuron-designed museum built on the site of the former Tacheles art centre in Berlin. Cato shared the stage with fellow photographers Fabien Ecochard (Paris) and Tabea Martin (Vienna) during a Xiaomi Master Class supported by Leica.

“Night is the time when human stories unfold,” Xiaomi explained stepping on Fotografiska’s stage to introduce the “Night Heroes” initiative, aimed at capturing “those who live, work, and thrive at night” using the new Xiaomi 14T Pro smartphone.

"Championing the heroes" is a recurring theme in Cato’s work, she revealed in an exclusive interview with Domus. Coming from an architectural background, she says that this foundation is still present in her photography, which is ultimately about "documenting how people occupy space."

Night-time photography, Cato explains to Domus, is an act of exploration and boundary-pushing. However, despite the potential risks, she’s never encountered trouble with her subjects. “Maybe it’s because I don’t look like a typical street photographer,” she reflected. “Because I’m Black, and I’ve got blonde hair,” she said, referring to her distinctive dreadlocks tied at the top of her head. 

Holly-Marie Cato

Cato has a rare gift that is invaluable for a documentary photographer: a natural ability to connect with people. Within minutes of speaking with her, you feel like you’ve known her forever. It’s a special something in her smile, her gaze, and the way she moves around you. She’s deeply empathetic. She explains how much she’s committed to having a positive impact on everyone she meets. “My images should always be uplifting, showing people at their best,” she explains. She often treats her subjects as if they were family and makes it a habit to gift printed photos to those she photographs.

Cato’s approach to street photography is both methodical and intuitive. She often starts by photographing from a distance to capture an entire scene, before moving closer to her subjects. Her “Night Heroes” project features a range of individuals who embody the city’s nocturnal spirit. From restaurant workers and Tube staff to actors resting after an overnight theatre performance, her subjects reflect the diverse fabric of London’s night-time culture. One striking image features a tuktuk driver whose face is partly reflected in the vehicle’s glittered mirror, with a distinctive London red bus in the background. Another powerful photograph depicts a woman working on an ambulance, taking a cigarette break – one of the series' most evocative images. “Even when I’m doing street photography, I always see it as a documentary project,” Cato explains. She values the interaction her photography enables with her subjects.

While Cato believes each viewer brings their own interpretation to a photograph, her storytelling unveils a whole universe hidden behind the pictures, adding depth and context, elevating the narrative. “Some great friends have encouraged me to write,” she confided, adding that the “art of writing as a photographer is important.” She references Nothing Personal, the 1964 collaboration between writer James Baldwin and photographer Richard Avedon, as a perfect example of images and text intermingling..

The photographic tool Cato used for this project was not a traditional camera, but the Xiaomi 14T Pro smartphone. “Using a smartphone is an advantage because it lets you get closer. It’s less intimidating and puts people at ease,” she saiys. explaing that there’s a “democratic element” to using a mobile phone for photography, and that's welcomed by people on the streets. Despite the limited light conditions she had to work with, Cato praises the Xiaomi 14T Pro’s performance, even at high ISO levels, noting the remarkable detail, texture, and dynamic range in her images. “In Berlin, I didn’t even bring my camera – just the smartphone.”

Holly-Marie Cato

For Cato, using a smartphone offered a fresh perspective and an opportunity to rediscover her city. “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life,” she says quoting Samuel Johnson and smiling. She's quite sure that London could never be borig for her. This project felt like a homecoming, thus revealing a city slightly different from the one she remembered – and not just because “the vibes at night feel different.” 

Among all the images from the “Night Heroes” series, some hold special significance, like those shot at Billingsgate Fish Market in East London’s Poplar district. The market is a key part of East End life, providing seafood to the entire city and beyond. Established in 1698, it is the UK’s largest inland fish market, but its days in this location are numbered, with plans to relocate due to the booming real estate market in nearby Canary Wharf. “That picture might be a memory of something soon to disappear,” Cato said., referring in particular to the market workers she portrayed, stressing how much the place has been relevant to the local community though the decades. “If this project hadn’t happened, I might never have thought about Billingsgate.”

All the pictures featured in the article were shot by Holly-Marie Cato for “Nght Heroes”, a project promoted by Xiaomi and Leica.