This is an alternative London tourist attraction, which you can find in a dank, badly-lit tunnel which snakes underneath Waterloo rail station.

The Leake Street tunnel is a place where spray paint art is permitted, and has a strong association with renowned street artist Banksy.

It’s plastered in a colourful explosion of graffiti and is living, breathing street art gallery. On the afternoon I ventured down there, several people were busy creating work with spray cans. The tunnel smarts with the tang of solvents and urine – not an environment for the delicate.

For the photographer, it’s a moody, atmospheric place with both light and shadows. You can create some vibrant abstract frames with the colours and textures that bleed off the walls, while it responds well to some HDR editing. This is quite literally the city’s underbelly.

Click first image for the full gallery experience