Every year during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, preachers make their way to the city centre to spread their message of hell and damnation. This image from 2003 captures a fleeting moment of tension on the bustle of the Royal Mile.

The image is anchored by the preacher’s placard bearing a stark message: SEX before marriage equals HELL after death. The preacher is speaking to a young man who appears to be wearing a makeshift sign, or maybe a lanyard, around his neck. Presumably he’s someone directly involved with the Fringe – most likely a performer. Someone who, to put it more bluntly, is unlikely to agree with the preacher’s message. All around them, life continues. People ignore the interaction, or glance quickly as they pass – hoping to see what’s happening without being drawn into the narrative.

Adding to the claustrophobia, the scene is presented in harsh black and white, and tightly cropped. We can see enough of the surrounding streets to understand the context, and anyone who has visited Edinburgh during the Fringe will quickly quickly recognize the location. But this isn’t in any sense a portrait of Edinburgh. It’s a documentary image depicting the other voices striving to be heard amongst the hubbub of performance, celebration, and fun.

Today, street preachers are still to be found on the Royal Mile. Still ignored by most passers-by. But sometimes their voices break through the noise.