Archives for September 2013

On Legacy and Street Photography

One day we are all going to die–whether we like it or not.

I have been thinking a lot about death lately– which I know might not necessarily be healthy for a 25-year-old, but still feel that it is something important to consider.

Regarding death, I often think about the legacy I am going to leave behind. How will people remember me? Did I use all my abilities to the fullest? Did I help contribute to society? Will people remember me after I die? How will people remember me after I die? Will I have finished my life’s “task” (whatever it may be?)

6 Lessons Eugene Atget Has Taught Me About Street Photography

Eugene Atget has always been sort of an enigma to me. When I started to delve into the history of street photography, a lot of people credited him to being one of the “fathers of street photography.” But when I first looked at his work, I was a bit confused. Most of his photos didn’t have any people in them. His photos were mostly of the architecture of Paris: doorways, arches, door handles, street facades, and the streets themselves.

I always thought that street photography had to include people in it. But Atget was talked about thoroughly in “Bystander: A History of Street Photography” by acclaimed photo historian Colin Westerbeck and by the great Joel Meyerowitz.

Westerbeck further explains the relevance of Eugene Atget by writing the following:

“While stop action images of people are bound to figure prominently in many collection of street photographs, this book also contains many pictures in which there are no people at all. The most salient examples are to be found in the works of Eugene atget. Yet even he was, through implication and inference, trying to show us life onthestreets. Suggesting presence in these midst of absence, he was attempting to reveal the character of the street as it inherited in the setting itself. Like every other practitioner of this genre, he wandered the streets with his camera, looking for what would they be called photo opportunities. More important, he’d was also like every other street photographer in his readiness to respond to errant details, chance juxtapositions, odd non sequiturs, peculiarities of scale, the quirkiness of life on the streets.”

Did Atget even consider himself a street photographer? Certainly not. In no records of him did he ever call himself a street photographer (the term was coined centuries after he even took photos). Not only that, but Atget saw himself as a “collector of documents” rather than being an artistic photographer.

103 Things I’ve Learned About Street Photography

This article was originally posted on Digital Photography School.

Over the years, I have learned a lot of lessons about street photography. Below is a compilation of some quotes, thoughts, and philosophies which have influenced me and my street photography. None of my ideas are original – some are based on personal experiences and others are based on ideas I heard from books, lectures, and on the internet. And of course, this is not a definitive list of what you “have to do” in street photography – rather it is some of my personal thoughts:

On Jealousy and Street Photography

The other night before I went to sleep, I was reading a book on my iPad and then wanted to post an inspirational quote onto Facebook. So I logged into Facebook, shared the quote– and suddenly got sucked into the news feed. I started scrolling through the activity of all my friends– and started to feel pretty down. It seemed that all the other photographers I follow online are doing things much more exciting than me: they are traveling to places I have always wanted to, are doing big exhibitions, publishing photography books of their own, and doing interviews for big-shot media companies.

As I kept scrolling through my news feed and clicking around– I started to feel sick in my stomach. What am I doing here sitting on my ass here in Berkeley– and not achieving as much as these other people? After all, I work hard in my photography, in my blog, making connections, and all that jazz.

I then caught myself: I was being jealous. Jealous of the success of other photographers– and not being satisfied with what I had.

“My First Love is Street Photography”: Interview with Book Publisher Hüseyin Yılmaz from Istanbul

Eric’s Note: This is a transcript of an interview I did with Huseyin Yilmaz, an avid photographer and photo book publisher from Istanbul. Huseyin runs Espas, the premier bookstore in Istanbul. In this interview he shares his passion for street photography, his garbage collector project, his experiences in Gezi park, and the importance of photo books.

14 Lessons Elliott Erwitt Has Taught Me About Street Photography

USA. New York. 2000. © Elliott Erwitt / Magnum Photos

If you are not familiar with the work of Elliott Erwitt, you have definitely seen many of Elliott Erwitt’s iconic work all around the globe. As one of the original Magnum members and former president, he has one of the longest spanning photography careers- spanning over 50 years.

What I most appreciate about Elliott Erwitt is his wry sense of humor when looking at the world– as well as his straightforward and nonsensical philosophies about photography. When sharing his thoughts and advice, I think he is one of the most practical and helpful- especially based on his decades of experience.

I share some things I personally have learned from him in the article below.

“Access”: 5 Tips When Working on Photography Projects

Eric’s Note: This article is by Josh White, a street photographer based in Korea. You can also see my interview with him here.

Josh: One of the hardest things to do in the documentary style of photography is to work on a project. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which is just deciding on a theme or subject. Of course, that is just the start! In this post, I’ll talk about my philosophy on the subject of photographic projects and how you might start one for yourself.

Download Your Free Issue of “The Street Collective Vol. 1”

The folks at PhotoWhoa has recently put together their first issue of “The Street Collective: Volume 1“. Below is a description of the magazine from the editors there:

We collected the insights of these photographers to help you. Photographers like World Press Photo award winning Laura Pannack, LPV magazine founder and street photographer advocate Bryan Formhals, critically adored Kazuo Sumida, and PDN noted up-and-comer Delphine Diaw Diallo.

In all, we’ve collected 10 different photographers that will teach their own perspective about documenting real life. You’ll learn to how to work with natural light with Odd Future’s own Julian Berman. Find out how to communicate through cityscapes and ordinary moments with Satoki Nagata. And discover how to turn your street portraits into works of art with Lee Jefferies.

The magazine looks superb, with some great and talented street photographers on it. Make sure to download your copy for free here.

Review of the Leica D-Lux 6 for Street Photography

About two months ago (before I was going to embark on my Michigan to LA road trip), Chris Moore and Shirley DeSilva from the marketing division of Leica lent me a Leica D-Lux 6 to test out on the streets (thanks guys!).

I have always been a huge fan of compact cameras– for their weight, size, and easily portability. I think at the end of the day, I prefer having smaller cameras for street photography– as I generally end up carrying them with me everywhere I go (whereas my bigger cameras of the past tended to stay home and collect dust).

So how is the Leica D-Lux 6 for street photography? Read on to see my thoughts.

Observe Collective Interview #2: Chris Farling

Eric’s Note: OBSERVE is a new international photography collective focused primarily on the practice of candid street photography. I have sent questionnaires to all 14 of the members, and will feature their responses and images on the blog for the next upcoming weeks.

Chris Farling: To me, street photography has more in common with other improvisational arts than it does with other types of photography. As such, it is as much about enjoying the process and working at it as it is about the final results, with near-misses sometimes being more interesting than their more polished counterparts. Ultimately, I see street photography—despite its occasional rude manners—as an honest way of actively living in the world.

“Conquer Your Fear of Shooting in The Streets”: Downtown Los Angeles 3-day Introduction to Street Photography Workshop featuring Rinzi Ruiz and Dana Barsuhn (11/1-11/3)

Have you ever walked on the streets and saw a moment that you wanted to capture, but you were too scared to take the photograph? Do you want to become more confident shooting in the streets and learn how to better interact with your subjects? Do you want to meet other street photographers that are as equally passionate about street photography or interested in learning like you?

I am excited to announce I will be teaching my popular “Introduction to Street Photography Workshop” in Downtown Los Angeles (11/1-11/3) with talented LA street photographers Rinzi Ruiz and Dana Barsuhn.

In this action packed 3-day weekend workshop, you will learn the fundamentals of street photography, how to create visually compelling images, how to conquer your fear of shooting street photography, as well as tips & tricks how to capture “the decisive moment.”

If you are a beginner or intermediate street photographer and you want to take your work to new heights and meet other passionate street photographers, check out more info about the workshop below!

10 Lessons Andre Kertesz Has Taught Me About Street Photography

All photos copyrighted by the estate of Andre Kertesz. Also many thanks to Michael Meinhardt for helping me edit this text.

Andre Kertesz is one of the greatest photographers who ever lived. He photographed extensively for over 70 years, which also makes him one of the most prolific photographers. Not only did he help pioneer the genre of street photography, he also had a strong impact on an entire generation of photographers – even including the great Henri Cartier-Bresson.

When asked about Kertesz, Henri Cartier-Bresson showed his reverence by saying: “We all owe something to Kertesz.” and even “Whatever we have done, Kertesz did first.”

Another famous photographer, Brassai, beautifully captured what made Kertesz so great as a photographer:

“André Kertész has two qualities that are essential for a great photographer: an insatiable curiosity about the world, about people, and about life, and a precise sense of form.” – Brassai

Every street photographer with a desire to learn more about the masters needs to know about Kertesz. I have personally gained a great deal of inspiration from him and will share some insights I have gained from him:

Small is Beautiful: Review of the ONA Bowery Bag

Christine from ONA was generous enough to give me the Bowery Bag to test out and review during some of my travels the last few months. I put it through the rounds, and find it to be an ideal situation for street photographers who want a smaller bag to hold their Fuji, Leica, Micro 4/3rds, Compact, or small DSLR. Check out my review above!

Streettogs Critique Group Feedback #1

I just gave some members in the Streettogs Critique Group some feedback and made this screencast – thanks to Michael Meinhardt for organizing the images together! I hope to do more of these in the future!

If you want to get some more critique and feedback, join the group and the rule is: for every photo you post to the group, you must leave at least 3 critiques to the photos before yours (at least 4 sentences long). Looking forward to having you!

What Do You Have To Say and How Would You Say It?

Eric’s Note: This guest article is by Dan K, a British Camera collector and photography enthusiast based in Hong Kong.

Many of the great photographers whose wisdom we like to quote are successful because they have an innate artistic sensibility. For the rest of us, it is harder to grasp what makes a compelling photo.

I recently attended the gallery of one of Hong Kong’s most famous photographers. Michael Wolf made a name for himself creating images of high visual impact with a subtly dark twist of voyeurism. His own work is compelling, yet his longest wall is filled with countless rows of historical illustrations of Le Petit Journal. These lithographs portrayed the events of the day, in a highly dramatised style.

Interview with Todd Breslow: Developer for the free “Develop!” iPhone App

Eric’s Note: I am excited to share this interview with Todd Breslow, a street photographer and the developer of the free “Develop!” iPhone App — which helps you process your own black and white film. He loves street photography with his Leica M3 and working in analog, and lives in Philadelphia with his spouse, two sons, and two cats. When not developing film he can be found tending to his beehives or taking a bike ride. Todd works in the Automotive industry.

Check out my interview with him on how/why he made the application for the community!

“Discover Your Unique Voice in Street Photography”: San Francisco 3-day Intermediate/Advanced Street Photography Workshop (10/25-10/27)

STUCK IN A CREATIVE RUT AND LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION TO TAKE YOUR STREET PHOTOGRAPHY TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO?

Do you feel that when you look at your street photographs, you have a hard time defining your style? Do you dream of creating unique and eye-popping images that stand out from the crowd? Do you want to find that signature style that you can put your stamp on and be proud to share with the world?

If so, I am excited to invite you to my upcoming 3-day Intermediate/Advanced Street Photography Workshop in San Francisco October 25-27th.

This unique workshop will give you the opportunity to hone your street photography voice, vision, and style while giving you the skills, knowledge, and confidence to take your street photography to the next level.

Street Photography is What Keeps Me Sane: Jerry Pena from New York

Eric’s note: Earlier this year in NYC I bumped into Jerry Pena, a street photographer living in upstate NY. Funny story, he took a street photograph of me, and then I ran after him (not to beat him up) but to just chat. We shot a bit together, chatted about street photography, and I saw some of his color film work – and loved his refreshing style and aesthetic. See more of his color street photos below.

Jerry: My name is Jerry Pena and I’m a 27 year old construction worker living in upstate NY. I have a lot of time off in between jobs and street photography is what keeps me sane. I have always noticed the strange characters and interesting moments that happen on the streets of NYC and always wondered how I could captured them.

Removing Myself from My Own Photos: What I Learned While Editing and Sequencing My “Harmonious China” Project

Eric: This is a guest article by Neil Ta, my homie and babysitter. In this article he shares his new project, “Harmonious China” and his thoughts about the editing process.

Neil: My good friend and International Street Photographer, Eric Kim, first introduced me to the idea of letting photos marinate. The concept is really simple. When we take photos, there is an emotional attachment or bond that reminds us how amazing we felt when we took the image. Photographers who select and post their photos immediately are often times at a disadvantage because they let their emotions at the time of taking the photograph get in the way of their better judgement. To combat this, Eric has recommended to photographers to let their images marinate. As time passes and we revisit our images, we lose that emotional bond that had initially formed and we’re better able to objectively look at our images without biases.

So why the long-winded introduction to my new project, Harmonious China? Taking Eric’s advice, I recently decided to look at my archive of images that I shot in China back in April 2011. I hadn’t looked at these images in a very long time and secretly I was hoping that (by some act of god) I was able to pull something out of there that I had previously missed.

When I began to review the images, so much time had passed that they were fresh to my eyes, Surprisingly, I was able to pull out a number of images that fit into a centralized idea. Because I let the images marinate for so long, there were a number of shots that I forgot I took or had no immediate recollection of where it was taken.

17 Lessons Walker Evans Has Taught Me About Street Photography

I want to write about a photographer that most art and photography students know, but not that many street photographers know (or appreciate) online.

That photographer is Walker Evans, one of the most pivotal American photographer from the 20th century. He inspired a league of influential street photographers such as Robert Frank, Lee Friedlander, Diane Arbus, and even Bruce Gilden. He is most famous for photographing the Great Depression with the FSA, his candid work of Subway riders in NYC, and his street photos and urban landscapes all around America (his most famous book being “American Photographs” which was the first photography exhibition to be held at the New York MOMA. He was also a non-dogmatic photographer who often proclaimed that the camera didn’t matter and experimented with the 35mm format of the Leica, the 2 1/4 format of the Rolleiflex, the cumbersome 8×10 large-format, and even using a Polaroid SX-90 more or less exclusively towards the end of his life.

There is a lot that I don’t know about Walker Evans, so I made it a point to learn more about him through doing research for this article. I hope that you find his work to be as inspirational as it was to me.

Before I start this article, I want to share this excerpt that Robert Frank said about Evans and his influence on his famous project, “The Americans“:

“When I first looked at Walker Evans’ photographs, I thought of something Malraux wrote: ‘To transform destiny into awareness.’ One is embarrassed to want so much for oneself. But, how else are you going to justify your failure and your effort?” – Robert Frank

Istanbul Street Photography GoPro POV Volume #5

I just uploaded the last Istanbul GoPro POV video in my series above. If you want to watch the full series, you can see all the videos on YouTube here.

Take Your Street Photography to the Next Level in San Francisco and Downtown Los Angeles!

I am excited to share that the information for my upcoming street photography workshops in San Francisco and Los Angeles are live!

The Introductory Street Photography Workshop is focused on building your courage, learning the fundamentals of composition, and techniques when shooting on the street.
The Intermediate/Advanced Street Photography Workshop is focused on honing onto your style, voice, and learning on how to work on projects.

Also as a treat, I will have Rinzi Ruiz and Dana Barsuhn as co-teachers in my upcoming workshops in LA! Make sure to sign up before all the spots fill up in these popular locations!

October 18-20th

San Francisco – Intro to Street Photography Workshop – SOLD OUT!

October 25-27th

San Francisco – Intermediate/Advanced Street Photography Workshop – Info & Register – NEW!

November 1-3rd

Los Angeles – Introduction to Street Photography Workshop – Info & Register – NOW OPEN! (featuring Rinzi Ruiz and Dana Barsuhn)

November 8-11th

Los Angeles – Intermediate/Advanced Street Photography Workshop – Info & Register – NEW! (featuring Rinzi Ruiz)

You can see my past street photography workshops.

Stay Updated With Future Workshops

Istanbul Street Photography Workshop Group Photo, 2013

On Friendship and Street Photography

The last two weeks I have spent in Istanbul with my good friend Charlie Kirk. I first met Charlie around two years ago in Paris– and since then we have shot together, had good food and drinks together, critiqued each others’ photos, taught together, and met others together.

During many of my other travels I also had the pleasure of meeting so many incredible people during my life’s journey.

I interviewed Josh White about a month or two ago– and one of the questions I asked him is why he shoots street photography. He told me that it was the friendships that he made through street photography is what mattered to him the most.

What You Feel is What You See: Interview with Josh White from Seoul

Josh White is a street photographer from Newfoundland in Canada, and has done the majority of his work in Seoul, Korea. I conducted a video interview with him when I taught my Introduction to Street Photography Workshop with him in Toronto. We caught up, chatted about his beginnings, his inspirations, working in film versus digital, why he prefers black and white, and some memories from Seoul.