Archives for July 2012

10 Tips For Traveling and Shooting Street Photography

(Above photo from my “Dark Skies Over Tokyo” series)

“The grass is greener on your side”

When I started street photography, I resented the fact that I lived in Los Angeles. To me it was a boring, tired city that I lived in- and I wanted to go somewhere more exotic. I wanted to go to Paris, Tokyo, and New York – where the “real action” was for street photography.

I have been to all of those places and while they are fantastic for shooting street photography, sometimes the grass is greener on your own side. However if you are still interested in some tips for traveling and shooting street photography, read on!

“Walkers With the Dawn”: The Epidemic of Residential Fires in the Metro Detroit Area by Brian Day

Eric’s Note: I am pleased to share the work of Brian Day, a street photographer based in Detroit, Michigan. I have had the great honor of meeting Brian several times – and he is an incredibly down-to-earth and honest guy. Not only that, but he is passionate about storytelling both the beauty and the struggles of the people in Detroit.

Brian Day: I was born and raised in Detroit, and currently live and work in the metro area. I have been shooting in and around Detroit for about 3.5 years, and tend to focus on black and white photography across a number of genres, including land/cityscape, conceptual, photojournalism and candid/street photography. Like many photographers, I’m working on a number of unfinished series, one of which is titled “Walkers With the Dawn”, centered around the epidemic of residential fires in the Metro Detroit area. [Read more…] about “Walkers With the Dawn”: The Epidemic of Residential Fires in the Metro Detroit Area by Brian Day

Weekly Assignment #6: Emotion

HCB — “Copyright: Henri Cartier Bresson / Magnum”

Sorry for not having the weekly assignments up regularly, it will be back to usual every Tuesday! Please submit you images to Erics Facebook fan page here.

So for this week the theme is “Emotion”, see how you can capture emotion on the street during everyday life! Make sure you submit your best image by Friday for a shot at being featured as the cover image for Erics Facebook page, as well as being featured on the blog next week!

How Studying Contact Sheets Can Make You a Better Street Photographer

(Two shots Henri Cartier-Bresson shot of the same scene. SPAIN. 1933. Andalucia. Seville. © The Estate of Henri Cartier-Bresson / Magnum Photos)

One of the biggest misconceptions I know runs rampart in street photography is the “myth of the decisive moment”. What do I mean when I talk about “the decisive moment” simply being a myth?

Well of course there generally is a “decisive moment” when you hit the shutter – to capture that exact moment you desire in a photograph.

However one of the common misunderstandings that plagued many street photographers (including myself) was that the decisive moment simply being one shot. After studying many contact sheets from Magnum Contact Sheets book, I was able to gain a new level of insight to read the mind of a street photographer.

Curious? Read on.

Best Student Photos: Paris Street Photography Workshop

Marco Gutierrez. Click to see on Facebook.

Jerome Treize. Click to see on Facebook.

I just finished my Introduction to Street Photography workshop in Paris, France and had a phenomenal time. Special thanks to Neil and Cindy for helping me coordinate the workshop, as well as Ludovic Maillard for being my co-teacher. I have to say that this was an incredibly memorable workshop – from the divine light in Paris, to the red wine during our feedback & critique session, as well as the great vibe & energy from all of the students and participants. I definitely hope to come back again soon – and thank the ghost of Henri Cartier-Bresson for blessing us with some phenomenal weather!

Congratulations to Marco Gutierrez for winning the first prize in the workshop for the best shots, and to Jerome Treize for wining the runner-up prize!

See all of the student Paris Street Photography Workshop Photos on Facebook >>

Layers, Light, and Color in Seoul: Interview with Street Photographer Arthur Quejadas II

I have always been a fan of Arthur Quejadas II, seeing several of his images in the Hardcore Street Photography Group on Flickr. After interviewing Trevor Marczylo I had a chance to interview Arthur as well. Check out the interview and see how Arthur creates layers and depth in his images – and chases the light like Alex Webb.

Color Street Photographs in Seoul by Arthur

Follow Arthur

If you enjoy Arthur’s work, make sure to add him as a contact on Flickr!

Interview on Expert Photography

I recently got interviewed for Expert Photography which is run by Josh Dunlop. In the interview we discuss how I got started in street photography, how I would describe my style, as well as advice for aspiring street photographers. Check out the interview below if you have the chance!

Interview with Street Photographer Eric Kim on Expert Photography >>

Interview with Street Photographer Trevor Marczylo in Seoul, Korea

A few days ago I attended David Kim’s Film Photography Workshop in Seoul and was finally able to meet up Trevor Marczylo in person! I have featured Trevor’s work on the blog before, and he has also written articles on Why Street Photographers Should Print in the Darkroom, How to File Out Your Negative Holder, as well as his thoughts on What Makes a Great Street Photograph.

Trevor moved out to Korea around 6 months ago from Winnipeg, Canada and has been shooting quite a bit of color work (compared to his black and white work in Canada).

Take a moment to check out my interview in the video above, and scroll down to see his new color work in Korea!

Color Work in Korea

Follow Trevor

Which of Trevor’s new color images from Seoul are your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

How You Can Apply Sociology to Your Street Photography Projects

(One of the photographs from my new “Dark Skies Over Tokyo” project)

As a sociology student at UCLA, I have learned many insightful things through my courses that I have applied to my street photography projects. If you are struggling with finding your own voice in street photography or how to construct a project- check out my post below. I discuss my personal experiences in sociology, how I applied those concepts to my street photography projects, as well as practical advice to those who want to learn more.

I am also excited to announce my new “Dark Skies Over Tokyo” project that I shot in 2011 and just published.

Curious? Read on!

Behind The Scenes: Downtown LA Street Photography Workshop with Rinzi Ruiz and Student Photos

I am sad to say that I just had one of the last street photography workshops in Downtown LA for the near future. For those of you who don’t know, I will be moving to Michigan at the end of August to be with my girlfriend Cindy and support her with her academic career. Also have some good project ideas for shooting in Detroit as well!

Here is some of the behind-the-scenes footage of my recent street photography workshop with Rinzi Ruiz which was focused on projects. The 3-day workshop was short, but intense – and focused on making a project in Downtown LA. 3 days isn’t nearly enough time to work on a serious project, but was a strong foundation for all of the workshop attendees.

After Rinzi and I judged the workshop attendees projects, we decided that the work of Dan Manwaring was the winner- as his project was tightly edited, coherent, and told a lot about his character (he is a tough-looking guy with a soft heart). Runner-up was Darren Wong who shot a cliche topic (dogs) but did it from very unorthodox angles and created some fresh images.

Just Plain Love: A Documentary Film About The Photos and Life of Henri Cartier-Bresson

If you haven’t yet, make sure to watch this documentary on Henri Cartier-Bresson, the grandfather of street photography. The great thing about this documentary is that he reflects not only on his photography, but on his life and relationship with other artists.

The film was titled : L’amour Tout Court (“Just Plain Love”) and was directed by Raphaël O’Byrne back in 2001 when Cartier-Bresson was 92 years old.

Let us know what your favorite part of the documentary was by leaving a comment below!

What’s In My Bag? 2-Month Street Photography Journey to Korea, Paris, Marseilles, and Istanbul!

Hey streettogs – will be traveling for about 2 months to Korea, Paris, Marseilles, and Istanbul. Loaded up my bag with 100 rolls of Portra 400 (35mm), 25 rolls of Portra 400 (120 film) and my trusty Leica and new Hasselblad (thanks Jeroen) that I got for teaching a workshop in Amsterdam! I also share what else I carry with me when I am traveling for this expedition. A partial list of what I am bringing is shown below:

Bags

Cameras/Lenses/Film

Leica MP + Leica 35mm Summicron f/2 ASPH
Portra 400 35mm film (100 rolls)
Leica M6 (backup)
Leica SF 20 Flash
Hasselblad 501c + 80mm Carl Zeiss f/2.8 Lens
Portra 400 120 film (25 rolls)
Olympus EPM-1 (for workshop snapshots)
GoPro HD2 (for interviews and behind-the-scenes videos for workshops)
Custom SLR Glidestrap

Electronics

New iPad 32GB (wifi)
11” Macbook Air (maxed out)
Western Digital Passport (1TB) + Western Digital Nomad Hard Case
Bikkuri film case from Japan Camera Hunter (sold out)
Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Sorry for the audio sync issues, not sure what is the problem. Will try to sort it out next time!

Also thanks to support from my sponsor CSLR that helps me fund my travels! If you would like to support me and CSLR (a fantastic company) pick up a CSLR Glide Strap + C-Loop for your street photography. Curious? Make sure to check out my CSLR Glide Strap Review.

If you have any questions about traveling and shooting street photography, leave a comment below!

Video Interview with Richard Bram, NYC-Based Street Photographer from In-Public

When I started street photography, one of the first website I stumbled upon was In-Public. I was blown away by the work of all the street photographers there and curious to see how they captured the beauty and irony of everyday life.

One of the photographers whose work I admired was Richard Bram. I loved his classic black and white work, and was fascinated to read a feature he wrote for Street Reverb Magazine about his transition into color (something I have recently experienced as well). It was also great to see his insights and stories behind his work in “In-Sight” – a documentary on street photography and In-Public members by Nick Turpin.

The interview is very long (1 hour 30 minutes) and Richard apologies in advance for his squeaky microphone. However for anyone who wants to get incredibly insightful information about street photography I highly recommend you watch it. We talk about Richard’s background in politics and photography, his transition from b&w to color, as well as street photographers who influenced him.

Also one of the favorite parts I appreciate is when he gives advice to aspiring street photographers.

Richard Bram’s Advice for Aspiring Street Photographers

Don’t be easily satisfied
Pay less attention to people who like your work, and more attention to people who offer you harder critiques
Become visually literate. Go to the library, take a course on art history (not just photography history). Learn about what makes a composition. Figure out why you don’t like the work of others, and why you think that others like it. Go to the 779 section at the library for photo books and devour them.
Look at pictures all the time, and internalize them.
Read a lot photo books, art books, literature, politics, science.
Get to know sculptors, actors, writers – because they will give you great advice on your photography. Don’t just live in the photography ghetto.
Great photographers know a lot more than photography.

Richard Bram Black & White Portfolio:

Richard Bram Color Portfolio

Watch “In-Sight” (Richard is featured photographing the streets of NYC)

Follow Richard Bram

Which of Richard’s photos touch or inspire you the most? Leave your comments, critique, and feedback in the comments below and show him some love!

Interview with Emilio Banuelos on Creating a Photo Sketchbook for Street/Documentary Photography

When I was in SF the past weekend, had the great pleasure of meeting Emilio Banuelos after an introduction from my friend Ibarionex Perello, podcaster and photographer for The Candid Frame. Emilio is a street/documentary photographer currently based in the Bay Area, and has a strong body of work from all around the US as well as Mexico. His documentary work earned him fellowships from the Poynter Institute, the Marty Forscher Fellowship for Humanistic Photography and an award from EnFoco Inc. He also currently teaches documentary photography for the Academy of Art University, and has conducted workshops for the University of California Santa Cruz-Extension and the University of Coahuila and Black Boots Ink.

Make sure to watch the video above of him showing his photo sketchbook, in which he prints out contact sheets and carries images with him all the time. He looks at them constantly, thinking of editing and paring ideas, while also jotting down notes and stories. A fantastic idea for anyone of us to do, especially in the digital age we live in.

Also below are some images from one of his projects, “Greyhound America” which I enjoyed very much!

“Greyhound America”

You can see the full project here.

Do you carry a scrapbook, visual diary, or anything of the sort for your photography? If so, share what you do in the comments below!

How to Find Zen in Street Photography

(“Whisper”. Mumbai, 2011)

When it comes to street photography, it is easy to get caught-up in the hype of new cameras, spending too much time on blogs, and not enough time out shooting. I think one of the most difficult things in street photography is to find enough time to shoot and being able to also relax when out on the streets.

I suffer lack of focus, obsession about gear, and also not enough time out shooting on the streets. It is a battle I constantly fight with myself to change. If you ever felt that you have had difficulty finding focus in street photography, hopefully this advice I will share will help you. Also included in the article is some of my unpublished work from 2011, hope you enjoy!

A Street Photography Book You Must Buy: “The Suffering of Light” by Alex Webb

Alex Webb’s recent book, “The Suffering of Light” is his seminal book encompassing his entire career shooting color street photography. During several decades he traveled across the world, primarily in Latin-American countries, using Kodachrome slide film to capture the intense color and light of the societies he visited. His images are full of life and are beautifully complex, and crosses many borders and dips into photojournalism and fine art as well.

If you love street photography and are especially drawn to color, definitely pick up a copy of “The Suffering of Light” today. It is definitely one of my top-10 favorite street photography books of all time.

Interested in learning more? Check out my blog post, “10 Things Alex Webb Can Teach You About Street Photography“.

What draws you most into Webb’s work? Share your thoughts about his work in the comments below!

An Inside Look into Ukraine, Russia, and Beyond: Street Photography by Thom Davies

(Above Image Copyrighted By Thom Davies)

Eric’s Note: I am pleased to feature the work of Thom Davies, a doctoral researcher as well street photographer. I first met him in the Flickr group “Grit & Grain” and have been following him ever since. What I find most interesting about his photography is his mix between documentary and street photography, as well as his ethnographic studies around the Chernobyl border region. Interested? Read on!

Thom: I started shooting the street a few years ago after taking a photograph of a man selling paintings in Spain. He shouted at me and I decided that I did not care. It was the first purposeful ‘street shot’ I had taken and I’ve not looked back since. I think I’m quite a sociable man, but street photography for me is something that has to be done alone. Walking through cities with no other purpose than finding the strange or the unusual within the mundane realities of everyday-life. Anyway, you’re here on Eric Kim’s blog reading this, so there’s no need for me to explain the enduring attraction of street photography. There is a tension there though, that something so seemingly anti-social and solitary can document the social.

Review of the Leica M-Monochrom for Street Photography

Eric’s Note: This review of the pre-production model of the Leica M Monochrom isn’t going to be a technical review, but rather a practical one for street photographers who may be interested in the camera.

I’ll start off my preview of the Leica M-Monochrom with a story. I was ecstatic when I got in my inbox an invitation from Leica to attend their product launch in Berlin. I heard rumors about a new Leica M10, a black/white only camera, and some other stuff about the X2, etc. I always love being able to go to these events, meet other passionate photographers, as well as the good people at Leica.

How To Give a Constructive Critique in Street Photography

(Above image copyrighted by Fred Herzog)

To become better in street photography (or anything in life), it is essential to get honest and constructive criticism. However the problem with the internet nowadays is that our attention spans are short, and the majority of the comments/feedback we get on our Facebook/Flickr streams include phrases such as, “Nice shot!”, “I love the light!”, or my personal favorite “What camera/lens do you use?”

For this article I will try to give some suggestions and guidelines on how to give a constructive critique. Giving constructive critiques to others will not only help others, but it will also help you judge your images better as well.

I also included inspirational images from Fred Herzog for this article, one of my favorite color street photographers at the moment. Hopefully his work will inspire you too!