Month: March 2013

  • “Mall Series”: Documenting the Daily Life of People at a Mall in 1984 by Stephen DiRado

    “Mall Series”: Documenting the Daily Life of People at a Mall in 1984 by Stephen DiRado

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    Eric’s Note: Stephen DiRado is based in Worcester, MA. and has been exhibiting his photographs since 1983. He is a Photography Senior Lecturer in the Studio Arts Program in the Visual and Performing Arts Department at Clark University. Stephen has also recently received the prestigious Guggenheim fellowship to continue his photographic projects. In addition, he has finished his film “Summer Spent,” a personal documentary about recording beach goers on the island of Martha’s Vineyard on a large-format camera.

    The emergence of the shopping mall during the later part of last century was like heaven opening many doors for a healthy middle-class to venture.  As a subject it was under the radar of artists, accept for possibly George Romero’s cult film Dawn of the Dead in the late 70s, where zombies roamed about in a suburban mall in Pennsylvania. Shopper’s World, in Framingham, Massachusetts was located just miles from where I grew up. My parents loved shopping there, but I was emotionally terrorized with all of its multilevel ramps, dead end corridors, multiplex cinemas and endless parking lots.

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  • 10 Lessons Lee Friedlander Has Taught Me About Street Photography

    10 Lessons Lee Friedlander Has Taught Me About Street Photography

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    The Little Screens © Lee Friedlander

    In my opinion, Lee Friedlander is one of the most under-appreciated (or simply unknown) street photographers when it comes to the internet/social-media sphere. Of course Friedlander is one of the pillars of photography and is known to every student who has gone to photography school. However when I started photography, I had no idea who he was or never even heard of him.

    When I first looked at his photographs of the stark urban landscapes, I didn’t really “get” them. However over time, I have began to appreciate his vision and genius when it came to capturing what he first called in 1964, “The American social landscape.”

    If you aren’t familiar with Friedlander or simply want to learn more about his work and philosophy – read on.

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  • 10 Lessons Josef Koudelka Has Taught Me About Street Photography

    10 Lessons Josef Koudelka Has Taught Me About Street Photography

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    FRANCE. 1987 © Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos

    Don’t miss out on the re-print of Koudelka’s book: “Exiles“!

    To me, Josef Koudelka is one of the most brilliant photographers out there and a true master of black and white. Not only does his work carry a strong sense of composition, form, and geometry but they also carry an emotional impact. His photos are raw, gritty, and show both the hope and melancholy of life.

    I was first introduced to Koudelka’s work by my good mate, Bellamy Hunt around two years ago. I was staying with Bellamy for a week in Tokyo, and I was rummaging through some his photo books. I asked him what his favorite book was, and Bellamy said: “Exiles” without even a second thought.

    I pored through the book, and was amazed by the brilliance of the photographs. When I went back to the states, I did more research on him, and started to become more and more enamored by his work.

    I hope this article can be a good introduction to the work and life of Josef Koudelka. He is notorious for not talking much about his work, but he has done several interviews in the past which give an insightful look into his creative process and how he photographs in the streets.

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  • 5 Lessons Daido Moriyama Has Taught Me About Street Photography

    5 Lessons Daido Moriyama Has Taught Me About Street Photography

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    © Daido Moriyama

    I remember the first time I stumbled upon Daido Moriyama’s work via word-of-mouth by a friend. I remembered how my friend told me how he was a genius, and how incredible his black and white work was.

    When I first looked at Daido’s work, I simply didn’t “get it.” His shots looked like a bunch of random and unintentional snapshots. The majority of Daido’s photos weren’t very interesting to me and seemed to be quite boring.

    However over time, Daido’s work has grown on me. I still don’t think he is the best street photographer in the world, but I love his unique vision in photography (similarly to William Klein, he went against the grain of tradition in photography). Not only that, but Daido inspires me for his curiosity in life and only sees photography as a way to document how amazing the world truly is.

    I know you guys must be sick of my list posts by now, but I prefer to write in that manner as it is easier to organize my thoughts. So with no further adieu, here are some lessons that Daido Moriyama has taught me about street photography.

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  • 10 Lessons William Klein Has Taught Me About Street Photography

    10 Lessons William Klein Has Taught Me About Street Photography

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    © William Klein

    William Klein is one of my favorite street photographers of all time. I think one of the things that I love most about him is his “I don’t give a fuck” attitude about the way he approached street photography how he did things his own way. He rebelled against many of the contemporary styles of photography during his time, especially that of Henri Cartier-Bresson and other “classic” street photographers.

    In this article, I will share what I have personally learned about street photography through his work. Also in the spirit of William Klein, I will use obscenities when illustrating some points. After all, I think that is what Klein would have liked.

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  • What to Consider When Buying a New Camera for Street Photography

    What to Consider When Buying a New Camera for Street Photography

    Istanbul-1

    On my flight from Dubai back to the states I just finished an excellent book by psychologist Barry Schwartz titled: “The Paradox of Choice.” In the book, Schwartz addresses the following question in Western society: Why is it that people are getting more miserable when the amount of choices we are given goes up?

    I am sure we have all experienced this problem. Whenever we go to the grocery store and want to pick up a box of cereal, we are given hundreds of options. Whenever we go to buy a new car, there are so many different companies, models, and options to choose from. Not only that, but when it comes to buying cameras we are given so many choices in terms of what type of camera/sensor (Full-frame DSLR, ASPC-sensor, Micro 4/3rds, Compact, etc) as well as a choice of lenses.

    Schwartz gives solutions in the book in terms of how to deal with the over-abundance of choice and stress that it comes with. I have found this advice to be invaluable both in terms of my everyday life and when it comes to photography/buying equipment. I hope these tips help you, as they have very much helped me.

    For this post, I have also included some new photos from Istanbul that I shot last year. (more…)

  • 3 Stoic Techniques that Can Help You Gain Tranquility in Street Photography

    3 Stoic Techniques that Can Help You Gain Tranquility in Street Photography

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    Part of my “Suits” project. Beverly Hills, 2011

    One book that has deeply influenced me the last few months is: “A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy.” The book is a great introduction to the philosophy of Stoicism: which can be summed up as being undisturbed by negative emotions and gaining tranquility and a peace of mind.

    I have applied the philosophy of Stoicism to many parts of my personal and work life– as well to my street photography. While I am still new to the concepts of Stoicism, much of its concepts have helped me I hope this post can also help you. To illustrate the points in this article, I have included some photographs from my ongoing “Suits” project.

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  • The Random and Jazzy Color Street Photography of Todd Gross

    The Random and Jazzy Color Street Photography of Todd Gross

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    Photograph by Todd Gross

    Eric’s Note: I am not sure how I stumbled upon the work of Todd Gross, but when I first saw his images- I was hooked. Not only are his images colorful and vibrant, but they are quite surreal, wacky, and in Todd’s words– jazzy. Not only does he have a talent for spotting and photographing interesting characters, but also colorful “still life” photos on the street. Check out his fresh color work and thoughts in the feature below.

    Todd: I am a 42-year old lifelong (townie!) resident of Queens, New York and Forest Hills High School drop-out. That’s the same school the Ramones didn’t got to. Love those guys. I saw Tommy buying flowers for his Mom at a local deli… once.

    As a kid I was obsessed with collecting Mad magazines. Alfred E Neuman was my guy. I wrote and drew my own rip-off, called Nutso. Unfortunately, I lacked talent. My drawing skills were for shit. I couldn’t even make it to stick-figure level. We’re talking more like… blobs. Also, this being the early ’80s there was Atari and Intellivision to play, so I eventually grew discouraged and gave it up. But I knew I wanted to get involved with some sort of visual art at some point.

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  • Capturing the Brilliant Light of Marseille: Street Photography by Yves Vernin

    Capturing the Brilliant Light of Marseille: Street Photography by Yves Vernin

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    Eric’s Note: Yves Vernin is a street photographer based out of Marseille, France. I met Yves in Marseille last year, where he was an amazing host and showed me all around the city. I wanted to share his images of Marseille, a place that I haven’t seen much street photography from, and I love how he is able to catch the brilliant light there. Read more to see his images and his beginnings and what he looks for when in the streets.

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  • Adventures in Mumbai, Thoughts of the New Fujifilm X100s, Leica M & More

    Adventures in Mumbai, Thoughts of the New Fujifilm X100s, Leica M & More

    It has been a while since I did a travel update video, so I just put one together to keep you guys in the loop. Also some written notes are below. Click more to read more about my adventures in Mumbai, thoughts on the new Fujifilm X100s and the Leica M, and more!

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  • For Street Photographers On-The-Go: Review of the Chrome Niko Camera Sling and Camera Pack

    If you are a street photographer on-the-go looking for some new camera bags for street photography (small or large) check out my above video reviews on the new Chrome Niko Camera Sling and Chrome Niko Camera Pack.

    The Chrome Niko Camera Sling is a small bag designed for street photographers with small DSLR’s, Micro 4/3rds cameras, or rangefinders. I love how it is small, waterproof, and forces you to carry only the bare minimum when you are out on the streets. The Chrome Niko Camera Pack is much larger, for traveling street photographers who may also do professional gigs on the side.

    For more images of the bags, read more. Special thanks to Chrome for providing these bags for review.

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  • The Stunning Vibrancy and Forms of India: The Diverse Street Photography of Swarat Ghosh

    The Stunning Vibrancy and Forms of India: The Diverse Street Photography of Swarat Ghosh

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    Eric’s Note: I recently met Swarat Ghosh in my Intermediate/Advanced worskhop in Mumbai. When we were doing portfolio reviews, I was quite blown away with his work — especially considering that he has only been shooting street for a little over a year. He is based in Hyderabad, and is one of the most fervent and hard-working street photographers I have met. His work definitely shows it.

    Swarat: I am a Visual Designer by profession, working in a reputed IT company in Hyderabad. Mostly been influenced by my parents and sister who have always encouraged me to do the best in my life.Later, my hidden talent in photography was discovered when my wife gifted me a DSLR camera Nikon d3000 with 35mm prime lens in Oct, 2010. Since then, I am nurturing the passion for photography.

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  • 7 Valuable Insights You Can Learn About Street Photography From this Garry Winogrand Interview

    7 Valuable Insights You Can Learn About Street Photography From this Garry Winogrand Interview

    Garry Winogrand is one of my favorite street photographers of all-time. Sure, he hated the term “street photographer” and didn’t call himself one — but his contagious energy, love of the streets, and powerful imagery is what draws a lot of street photographers to him.

    In the video above produced by Michael Engler, Winogrand shoots the streets of LA and shares some of his philosophies when it comes to street photography. Watch the video above or read a transcript that I put together below and some of my thoughts on what we as street photographers can learn from him.

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  • Interview with Matt Stuart on Street Photography, Ethics, and the Future of Photography

    Interview with Matt Stuart on Street Photography, Ethics, and the Future of Photography

    Eric’s Note: When I started street photography, one of the photographers whose work always amazed me was that of Matt Stuart. He is part of the international street photography In-Public, and has caught some of the most incredible images I have ever seen. I was always curious about how he was able to capture his moments. In the video interview with Miniclick, he talks about his thoughts on street photography, commissions, ethics, his interest, and the future of photography. 

    For your convenience I have also written together a transcript of the interview below, so read more to get all the goodies. Photographs courtesy of Matt Stuart.

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  • The History of Street Photography

    The History of Street Photography

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    There are very few books written on the history of street photography. However, the best book that I know: “Bystander: A History of Photography” is superb. The book was co-authored by photography curator and historian Colin Westerbeck and the legendary street photographer Joel Meyerowitz. The two collaborated for many years on the book, with Westerbeck doing most of the writing and Meyerowitz giving guidance and helping edit images for the book.

    I picked up my copy a few years ago, and was amazed to see how in-depth and expansive it was on the history of street photography. I used it as a reference for an online course I taught on street photography at UC Riverside Extension in 2011, and learned many insights from the book.

    I wanted to write this article to share some of my personal insights which I learned from the book and the history of street photography. I hope you enjoy it. Also if you see any typos, grammatical errors, or unclear points- please leave a comment below.

    Considering this is a long article (31 pages long), I consider you to either save it to Pocket or to Instapaper and read it in bits and chunks. You can also download a .doc file of it, or a PDF of the article. 

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