(Copyright: two cute dogs)
So for this week, the assignment is “View Point”! This was chosen by the winner of last weeks challenge Anna Delany. Upload your best 1 view point shot captured between now and this Friday to Eric’s Facebook fan page. We will choose the best shots and feature them on the blog!
Now GO GO GO!
(Above image reads, “Somebody is watching you”. (From my Korea: The Presentation of Self series)
I recently read a book titled, “Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity” – which was written by an author named Hugh MacLeod. The story goes that MacLeod was struggling and frustrated as a young copyrighter in NYC, and while living at the YMCA, started doodling on the back of business cards while sitting at a bar in mini-comics. His popularity lead to his popular blog, gapingvoid.com – and built a reputation for snarky yet insightful humor about society.
He gives a ton of great advice in the book (I highly recommend everyone who is interested in creativity or need some inspiration to read it). One of the things that he says that really hit me in the chest was, “Validation is for parking”.
(Above Image Copyrighted By Anna Delany)
Charlie Atkinson: Hi guys, I hope everyone is having a good weekend, we decided that the photo above by Anna Delany has won the fourth week of the assignment series, so huge congratulations to her!
We both really liked her image, as well as the runners up images below! I really liked Anna Delanys as I love the composition and the fact she manage to get the top right leg in the frame, this is my “cherry on top”. Next weeks assignment chosen by Anna Delany will be uploaded on Tuesday! (more…)
(Above image: my Leica MP and CSLR Glide Strap)
In my 6 years of shooting street photography, I have experimented with lots of different straps. I tried neck straps, wrist straps, hand straps, and even no straps.
Finding an ideal camera strap for street photography is very difficult. You need a strap that is discrete, comfortable, yet looks good.
I was really excited when I first came upon the CSLR Glide Strap on the internet (I first heard about it through Kickstarter for their C-Loop). Their revolutionary idea at the time was why not take your camera strap off your neck (where it gets itchy and sticky) and put it over your shoulder instead? This way it could disperse more weight more evenly around your body.
Not only that, they advertised a “gliding” mechanism that would allow you to quickly draw your camera (just like a gun-slinger out of a cowboy movie).
(Above image from Capitolio.  © Christopher Anderon / Magnum Photos)
One of the mottos that I have is “Buy Books, Not Gear“. Why? While buying gear is important in photography, the best “bang-for-the-buck” way to improve your photography is to buy lots of photography books to improve your photographic vision and insight. Many of us (including myself) can get sucked into “gear-porn” and worry too much about the equipment, rather than gaining inspiration and creating art.
For this week, I wanted to review “Capitolio” by Magnum photographer Christopher Anderson.
I picked up my copy of Capitolio via the iPad in the iTunes bookstore after being recommended by my buddy Bill Reeves. The word “Capitolio” refers to the domed building that houses a government. For example in Washington D.C., the Capitolio is set on top of Capitol Hill. For this book, Christopher Anderson set out to Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela.
Published a bunch of videos to YouTube this week! Here is a weekly roundup of all of them in-case you missed any!
Had the chance to review the ThinkTank Retrospective 7, a fantastic bag for you street shooters using an iPad or a 11” Macbook Air (has a little slot in the bag!) Also my younger sister Anna guest stars in this video!
Read more to see all of the videos!
I’m really excited to announce that I will be teaching a 3-day (6/29-7/1) street photography workshop in Downtown LA at the Hatakeyama Gallery. I will be teaching this street photography workshop alongside my close friend and colleague Rinzi Ruiz. Rinzi has a phenomenal eye for light, shadows, and excels at shooting in black and white for his street work. He has also taught alongside me for several workshops and has had great feedback from prior students.
This is the last street photography workshop I will be teaching in Los Angeles until middle of next year (I’m moving to Michigan at the end of August), so make sure to attend before you miss your chance!
This will be an intensive 3 day workshop focusing on developing and executing short and long term photography projects. Â While the course is open to photographers of any ability, we suggest that intermediate photographers looking to advance to the next level would benefit most from this course.
(Above image by John Goldsmith)
Eric’s Note: I recently had the pleasure of interviewing John Goldsmith, a street photographer based out of Vancouver. He is part of the strange.rs collective, and has also recently released a book, “Drop Out of Art School“. Goldsmith is one of the most prolific and valuable members in the street photography community and is always on the breaking edge of innovation.
I had the chance to ask him a few questions about his history in street photography, his work, and some of his future aspirations. If you want to gain lots of insight from his way of working, read on.
Huge thanks to my buddy Brian Sparks who put together this stylish video recap of my street photography workshop at Fotografiska, the Swedish museum of photography. Brian taught at the workshop alongside me, and I crashed at his pad for a week as well! Not only did he feed me well with food, but he gave me tons of great resources about photography books, history, and inspiration.
Check out my interview with him on the blog here.
(Above Image Copyrighted By Henri Cartier-Bresson / Magnum)
So for this week, the assignment is legs! This was chosen by the winner of last weeks challenge Giovanni Savino. Upload your best 1 legs shot captured between now and this Friday to Eric’s Facebook fan page. We will choose the best shots and feature them on the blog!
Now GO GO GO!
(Above Image Copyrighted By Steve McCurry / Magnum Photos)
Charlie Atkinson: So for this weeks post I thought I would share my favorite quotes from some of my favorite photographers as well as a few others that can be applied to photography as well! They are also not in any particular order, this post is by me as well (not Eric!) as I think there was some confusion on the last gear post I did :). Enjoy!
Eric’s Note: I am excited to announce that I will be teaching a 5-day workshop in Venice/Verona with NYC street photographer Adam Marelli. Adam Marelli has a keen eye for design, composition, and capturing “the decisive moment”. He holds a degree in Sculpture and Photography from New York University and studied at the Barnstone Studios. If you are serious about your street photography, and wanting to take it to the next level – check out this unique workshop opportunity!Â
Come explore the sun drenched side streets of Venice & Verona in a truly unique photography workshop. We will retrace the footsteps of the “Grand Tour†which was the foundation for any serious artist in the last three hundred years. During these formative trips painters like John Singer Sargent mastered Design, Composition, and Light to transform everyday street scenes into masterful works of Art.
You and your camera will be led on a guided exploration to learn “How to See like a Master Artist.†Many of the design principles were reserved for serious artists and are never taught in photography programs. But in this special (5) day workshop (Sept 17-22), you will learn the secrets of Classical Design that pioneers like Henrì Cartier-Bresson inherited from drawing, to revolutionize the world of Photography.
(“Light bulb” by Lesley Ann Ercolano)Â
Recently Complex put out a list titled “The 50 Greatest Street Photographers Right Now” which has caused quite the stir. Although I was happy to see my name on the list, I was a bit embarrassed to see my name there as half of the people included weren’t even what I would consider street photographers.
I chatted with a few people online, and thought it may be a good idea to make a list of 50 street photographers people should follow on Flickr – who may not be as well known. However after crunching away at this for around 5 hours, I only have enough mental energy for 25. Some of the names you may recognize, and others you may not. Regardless check out the fresh talent in the street photography community on Flickr!
(Above Image Copyrighted By Giovanni Savino)
Hi guys, I hope everyone is having a good weekend, after talking to Eric we decided that the photo above by Giovanni Savino has won the third week of the assignment series, so huge congratulations to him!
We both really liked his image, as well as the runners up images bellow! I really liked Giovanni Savinos as I straight away saw the visual pun that he intended to capture as well as the mans facial expression sitting next to the guy on the bus. Next weeks assignment chosen by Giovanni Savinos will be uploaded on Tuesday!
Eric’s Note: Chun Tong Chung is a street photographer, part of the Mobile Photo Group, currently living and working in Berlin, but from Amsterdam. When I visited Amsterdam, the stars aligned and we were able to meet up (and I even crashed for a night at his pad!) He is able to capture beautiful fleeting moments of the everyday with his mobile device (iPhone 3GS) and focuses less on the technology, and more on the shooting. Check out the interview I was able to do with him above, and check out his images below.
When I was hanging out with my buddy Brian Sparks in Stockholm, he gave me the idea of having a “weekly roundup” of content, videos, etc that you might have missed. I thought it was a fantastic idea, so here it is!
When I was in Berlin, had a chance to interview with the team over at EyeEm! Check out my spotlight on the EyeEm Blog.
5 Street Photography tips I mentioned in the video:Â
Eric’s Note: Had a chance to interview my boy Mehdi Bouqua, a street photographer based out of Los Angeles. We met first via the internet, when I came upon his Raw Street Portraits series. We realized that we both lived in Los Angeles, met up, and had a blast hanging out and shooting together. His interest in art first stemmed from street photography and street art, and now he pursues his love of photography through the streets and its surroundings. Did I mention the crazy guy can speak four languages? French, English, Arabic and Spanish? Check out the interview above and some of his images below.
(Image from “Office”. © Lars Tunbjork)
I recently came upon the work of Lars Tunbjörk from my buddy Mattias Leppäniemi, a Swedish documentary photographer. What I love about his style is that he is able to effectively combine the energy and grit of street photography, yet make a statement about society through the rigor of the documentary approach.
In his project “Office” he captured perfectly the monotony, chaos, and sense of alienation that offices give the modern-day office worker. Having worked in an office myself, it is fascinating to see this strange social world as an outsider.
(Above Image Copyrighted By:Â Jeroen Helmink)
Jeroen Helmink is a Dutch documentary / street photographer. After a corporate career of 15 years, his love for photography led him to a new way of living. It was only two years ago he decided to dedicate all of his time to photography and explore the streets as a full time photographer.
I started off my photographic career with a my a Nikon D60 two years ago. I loved it and loathed it and wished that I had something that had video mode, so I looked into entry level DSLRs and thought the Nikon D3100 sounded like a pretty good shout. After about two months of using it I felt like I didn’t look professional enough, and people wouldn’t take me seriously enough unless I had a camera to match my ability.
(Above Image Copyrighted By Elliott Erwitt / Magnum Photos)
So for this week, the assignment is “One Liners”. This was chosen by the winner of last weeks challenge Hao Jiang. Upload your best 1 “One Liners” shot captured between now and this Friday to Eric’s Facebook fan page. We will choose the best shots and feature them on the blog!
Now GO GO GO!
(Pablo Picasso’s original quote: “Bad artists copy, good artists steal”)
When I first started street photography, I remember doing a ton of google searching on street photography. Of course, the first street photographs I saw were street photography from Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, Andre Kertesz, and the work of the greats. I also remember seeing a lot of street photography from the guys at in-public, being especially drawn to the work of Matt Stuart, David Gibson, and Jesse Marlow.
I was quite drawn to capturing â€decisive momentsâ€, humorous juxtapositions, and surrealistic images. That was all I was exposed to, and all I knew. I thought that was the only way to shoot street photography, and devoted myself to shooting that style.
I am currently staying with my buddy Brian Sparks in Stockholm, and was fortunate enough to also have him as a co-instructor at my 4-day street photography workshop at Fotografiska. In the above video, I interview him at his home (and also get some sweet book recommendations). Check out his work below, and his book/video recommendations!
Below are some of the photo books mentioned in the video interview.
Here are some movies that all street photographers (and photographers) should watch. Thanks to Brian for putting together this list.
Which of Brian’s shots are your favorite? Show him some love in the comments below!Â
(Above image:Â Mimika D Kirgios from her project “Manhood”)
Just finished my Introduction to Street Photography Workshop in Stockholm at Fotografiska, part of the Stockholm Photography Week. The workshop was four days long, and the students had an opportunity to work on a short-term project. Below are the images from their projects (sorry, some of the photographs aren’t sequenced correctly). However wanted to share the images to share their work!
Also check out my upcoming street photography workshops in Hong Kong, Venice/Verona, New York, and Mumbai, India!
(more…)
(Above Image Copyrighted by Musee Albert Kahn)
Albert Khan was a french banker and one of the richest men in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. He set out on an ambitious project to document the people of the world, for the people of the world. He ended up with a collection of roughly 72,000 color autochromes taken from 1908 – 1931. Because they are wet plates they were extremely hard to reproduce and share the work in its true beauty.
Check out the bookhere. There are also a couple of parts of the documentary by the BBC floating around YouTube which are definitely worth a watch.
Thanks to Rich Bowen for telling me about this, it blew my mind as some of these people in the photos where born in the 19th century!
I was shooting with my good friend Mattias Leppaniemi, and he is currently working on a project on the elderly in Stockholm. He took a nice photo of this 88-year old Swedish lady, and had a really sweet story to tell. She told him that him taking a photo of her really made her day – and after he showed her the image she said, “Wow- your camera has really great film, that’s why the photo looks so good!” Watch the video above, it will really warm your heart and remind us why we go out shooting on the streets :)
Make sure to follow Mattias on Twitter and Flickr.
Got a touching story to share? Leave it in the comments below!Â
Eric’s Note: I met street photographer Justin Wilkes when I was in Sydney – and had followed him on Twitter for a while. I had a closer look at some of his work, and was quite impressed by the diversity of his work and the pure energy and rawness of them. Check out some of his work below!Â
Justin:Â Here’s a bit of history of myself:
Justin Wilkes, 23 years old. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia. Graduated from ANU (Australian National University) in 2010 with majors in Sociology and Political Science.
I don’t like calling myself a street photographer. It seems a bit limiting. A victim of the ‘democratic snapshot aesthetic’ I never know what will or wont get my attention next. The camera lets me explore the unknown for the sake of seeing what it looks like in a photo. A silent observer in the organised chaos of life; sometimes a figment of something deeper emerges out of this chaos and that is where I try to be.
(Above image by Charlie Atkinson)
Eric’s Note: I am excited to announce that moving forward, every Tuesday will be “Charlie Atkinson Tuesdays”. Charlie will help the community by write inspirational articles every Tuesday. Please give him a round of applause as this is his first post!Â
Charlie: On Eric’s last night staying with me in the Netherlands, we found ourselves eating sushi and drinking beer having a discussion about how important it is to always try to go out and shoot as much as possible. This is often difficult, as I have a full-time job as a fashion/product photographer- and I feel tired and uninspired after work. This discussion lead me to mention this quote I heard a while back, which says, “The eye is like a muscle, you have to keep it fit“.
For this blog post I will talk about 3 quick and easy tips to keep you inspired and shooting street photography!
(Copyright: Alex Webb / Magnum Photos)
So for this week, the assignment is “Silhouettesâ€. This was chosen by the winner of last weeks challenge Steven Xue. Upload your best 1 silhouettes shot captured between now and this Friday to Eric’s Facebook fan page.
(Copyright: David Hurn/Magnum Photos/Magnum Photos)
I recently finished reading a book “On Being A Photographer” which is an amazing instructional book for aspiring photographers. The book was written by Bill Jay, in collaboration with Magnum photographer David Hurn. The book covers many different things, such as how to select a subject, how to work on a photography project, as well as how to edit and select your best images.
This article is going to be aimed at the top things I learned from reading the book. Now read on and see what you can learn from David Hurn and Bill Jay!
Hi guys, I hope everyone is having a good weekend, after talking to Eric we decided that the photo above by Steven Xue has won the first week, huge congratulations to him! We both really liked the runners up images bellow as well! I think these are really good examples of cliches as there often captured and uploaded for thousands of likes, but only end up getting a couple as there’s so many others like them! (more…)
Just got a mint (used) Leica MP from Bellamy in the mail and have been using it the last 3 weeks. I was using my Leica M6 for the last several months, but the M6 I had gave me some funky issues (my shutter would get stuck at around 22 shots – and it broke on 3 different occasions while traveling). Now I’m using the MP as my main camera, and the M6 as my backup camera while traveling.
The video above is my review of both cameras. In performance they are identical, although the MP has superior interior mechanics and is more reliable. There are also some cosmetic differences.
Interested in buying a film Leica rangefinder? If you haven’t tried it out yet, I’d recommend getting a Leica M6 and a 35mm Voightlander f/1.4 lens. It is a solid combination, and the best “bang for the buck” out there. I have tons of friends who have the combination and love it. Have the cash and want a more reliable and durable camera film rangefinder that will last you a lifetime? Then get the Leica MP and a Leica lens.
In the end, remember that it is always a better investment to buy books, not gear when trying to become a better photographer. But if you shoot with a DSLR and might want to try shooting film, want something more compact and discrete, getting a film Leica may be a good idea to try something new
If you are interested in purchasing a second-hand Leica or Lens, hit up my boy Bellamy Hunt (Japan Camera Hunter)Â or email him at hunts.of.tokyo@gmail.com
Any more questions about the Leica M6 vs Leica MP? Leave a comment below!Â
Jacob Aue Sobol, Magnum Photographer embarked on a journey from Moscow to Bejing using the new Leica M Monochrom camera with the new 50mm f2 summicron. The images he captured show really raw emotion, and makes the viewer think about the story behind the images. The Leica blog is currently having an on going series documenting his journey. Check out the links bellow to stay updated on his series.
To stay tuned for future episodes click here.
An introduction to using Hasselblad Medium Format Cameras by Jeroen Helmink, Dutch street photographer. Check out Jeroen’s work on his website or on Flickr!
Also if you are interested in getting a Hasselblad, email Jeroen at jeroen.helmink@gmail.com
Got any questions about Hasselblads or shooting medium-format film? Leave a comment below!Â
We still have a few spots left for my Advanced Street Photography Workshop in Hong Kong, June 23-24th with Gary Tyson from F8 Photography. The course will be focused on finding your unique street photography voice and style, embark on a project for the weekend, and publish a book out of it by the end via Blurb.
Check out more info here: Advanced Street Photography Workshop in Hong Kong
NYC-based street photographer Markus Hartel just put out a new trailer to his upcoming documentary. Make sure to watch the video above!
(Above image: 1st Place Winner in the Workshop by Stephane H. Click to see all the photos from the workshop)
Had a very memorable time at the Amsterdam Introduction to Street Photography Workshop with Thomas Leuthard. We had a great group of participants who came from all around the place (Germany, Argentina, Italy, and more…) who really stepped outside their comfort zone to learn how to approach strangers while capturing ‘the decisive moment!’
You can see all the student photographs from the Amsterdam Workshop here.
(Above image: 2nd Prize Runner-up, Jonathan Van Wunnik. Click to see all photos from the workshop)
Eric’s Note: I met Tiffany Jones when I was in London on the judging panel for the London Street Photography Competition. Not only is she a great judge and curator, but a great street photographer. Check out her project: “A Royal Picnic” below!Â
Tiffany: A year has passed now since the Royal Wedding took place in London. It was a really exciting time to be photographing in the city as there was a jolly air of celebration which is somewhat unusual! People pulled out all the stops to dress up and make the day a memorable occasion. I started out early morning shooting random single images in Trafalgar Square and along the Mall where crowds were taking up optimal viewing positions along the procession route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, where the wedding was.
(Above Photo :Â Alfred Eisenstaedt)
Eric’s Note: I am excited to announce that my good mate Charlie Atkinson will be helping out on the blog (remember the cheater on Digital Rev TV?). Anyways, he is now a reformed man and his heart is really into street photography! Considering that I’m always on the road and traveling – I haven’t been able to keep up with the weekly assignments as well as other features for the community. Please invite him warmly – and keep posted with cool new features he has planned up his sleeve for you guys!
Charlie: First of all I would like to give a huge thank you to Eric for giving me the opportunity to be lucky enough to be part of his sick blog!
So having spoken to Eric over a couple of beers and kebabs we got talking about some good ideas to get the community more involved. One of the ideas is to have more consistent weekly street photography assignments. So for this week, the assignment is “Cliches”. This could be an interesting first assignment as everyone always tries to avoid cliches. Upload your best 1 cliche shot captured between now and this Thursday (NO CHEATING ;) ) to Eric’s Facebook fan page. We will choose the best shots and feature them on the blog on Friday.
Now GO GO GO!
Eric’s Note: This article is written by Misho Baranovic, Melbourne-based street photographer and one of the co-founding members of the Mobile Photo Group.Â
Misho: It’s been over a year since I last posted my ten tips for shooting street photography with an iPhone. Over this time we have seen massive improvements in the quality of the camera and big changes in how images are shared, particularly through the growth of Instagram.
So, here is an updated list of tips for shooting street with an iPhone. These tips are aimed at iPhone 3GS, 4 and 4S users. (Some functions mentioned will not work with the iPhone 3.)
Made a fun video shooting street photography with the new iPad with my buddy Adam Rahim while in Sydney, Australia.
The camera application I used in the video was ProCamera.
(Above image by Roger Boon)
Recently on my Facebook Fan page, I the community the question: “How do you stay motivated after missing ‘The Decisive Moment’”?. I am sharing some of my favorite responses below!
How do you stay motivated after missing the decisive moment? Share your tip in the comments below!Â
Eric’s Note: I had the chance to interview Ying Tang, a street photographer photographer from Shanghai, China who currently works freelance in Cologne, Germany. She studied photography at both the New York Insitute of Photography and the School of Photography of C.C.S.F. and has her work featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, and The International Herald Tribune in China. Keep reading to check out this interview to find out how she got started in street photography, and what she looks for when shooting in the streets!Â
Just had an amazing time at my Introduction to Street Photography Workshop in Berlin! If you haven’t seen it yet, you can check out the best photographs taken from the workshop. Also below are some fun videos we made from the workshop!
Make sure to check out my upcoming street photography workshops!
6/23-6/24: Hong Kong – Advanced – Info – with F8 Photography - NEW!
9/1-9/2: New York City – Info TBA - Register now (to reserve your spot) – with Adam Marelli
9/17-9/21: Venice/Verona – All levels – Info TBA – with Adam Marelli - Info - NEW!
10/13-10/20: 7 Day Street Photography California Coastal Cruise (Catalina Island, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, San Diego, and Ensenada, Mexico.) – Info – NEW!
12/9-12/15: Calcutta, India – Week-long Immersion Course – Info – (with Adam Marelli) – NEW!
1/11-1/13: Manila, Philippines – Intro – (email Jeff Merceder at jeffren@titaniumsportz.comfor more info)
1/18-1/20: Manila, Philippines – Intermediate/Advanced – (email Jeff Merceder at jeffren@titaniumsportz.com for more info)
Just uploaded the best street photographs from my Introduction to Street Photography Workshop participants in Berlin! See all of the photographs here on Facebook.
Eric’s Note: I am pleased to share the work of Luca Napoli, a street photographer based in Milan. In this post are some photographs from Luca’s projects: [Commuters], [Taranto Vecchia], [Living the Provinces], and [My Milan]. Keep reading to hear more about Luca’s projects, his history, and further insights!
Luca:Â I was born in Taranto, South Italy, on 1972. I got electronic engineering degrees in Ferrara and then moved to Milan, where I currently work. I live in a small town close to Milan.
Self-taught, I was probably influenced by my father in 80s who always involved me during sessions of street photography in the old city of Taranto, my hometown.
(Pictured above: Leica M9-P Hermes Edition. Only $50,000)
We are always told that money doesn’t make us happy. Although I like the saying, it isn’t entirely true. Scientific studies do show that money buys us happiness- but only to a certain extent. For example, if you literally make only $10 a month, of course you will be miserable. However making $10,000 a month compared to $5,000 a month won’t make much of a difference. According to some study I read, money can only buy you happiness to the point that you make $70,000 a year. After that, it doens’t make much of a difference.
Money can make us happier in street photography. You also don’t have to be rich to reap these rewards. Curious on how money can buy you more happiness? Keep reading to find out.
I am currently in Berlin, and about to head out to Amsterdam tomorrow to teach a street photography workshop with Thomas Leuthard. A week afterwards, I will be teaching a 4-day street photography workshop for the Stockholm Photography Week with Fotografiska (the Swedish Photography Museum).
I always try to travel light- and typically carry just my messenger bag and my North Face Recon Backpack. Considering I blog while traveling, I carry more stuff in my messenger bag than I’d like. But to me, it is still relatively light (still trying to find ways to cut down). For those of you streettogs who travel a lot- hopefully my bag shot can help give you some insight on what I just packed for my trip!
Check out more cool bag shots at Japan Camera Hunter.
Any questions about packing to travel for street photography? If so, leave your questions in the comments below!Â
Just made a quick video about my travels and the May 10th event in Berlin!
Also make sure to check out the GoPro footage below of the event!
Magnum photographer Jacob Au Sobol recently took an epic trip across the Trans-Siberian Railway, shooting Moscow, Ulan Batar, and Beijing using the new Leica M-Monochrom camera. Read my impressions about the new camera here.
Read Jacob’s personal story of the epic journey here on the Leica blog.
I recently had the chance to shoot with the new Leica M-Monochrom camera at the Leica May 10th event in Berlin, and was quite impressed. The High-ISO is amazing but the camera is quite expensive.
Curious if the camera is worth the hype? Keep reading to find out more – and see the amazing b/w images taken of the trans-siberian railroad by Magnum Photographer Jacob Au Sobol.
Eric’s Note: For this post, I am honored to feature the words and photographs of Jack Hubbell and his experiences in South Korea as a G.I. I thank Jack very much for sharing these personal stories that tell much about himself and the experiences of those in Korea.Â
From what I have heard,
the aim is to follow the tracks
and not cross them.
Crossing achieves nothing.
Simply scars the velvet landscape, and
corrupts both soil and soul.
No, if your objective
is to reach the end,
it is best to sink down
deep into the tracks
and ride the rails
to your final destination.
Eric’s Note: I am pleased to share the work of Christos Kapatos, street photographer from Athens who utilizes strong color and sometimes a flash in his street photography.Â
Christos: I have been into photography since 2011. I had never been involved earlier and that came purely out of luck as I just bought a camera for a week’s vacation trip to Paris. It was love at first sight. I am never leaving home without my camera anymore and I constantly and solely work on photography. I had a successful carrier as a salesman on international cargo transport and I decided to give it up and stick with photography. I came across some good Greek street photographers on Flickr and i intensively studied their style and technique.
Now, I walk the streets of Athens, this so much “exhausted” city and capture moments and feelings. There is some grotesque feel to my photos as friends say but i can character study people that way. It’s hard to survive in the Greek crisis environment but the tension in the streets is so inspiring.
(Above image: “Carlton” by Misho Baranovic)
When I was in Melbourne, I met up with street photographer and co-founder of the Mobile Photo Group (MPG), Misho Baranovic. For those of you who may not know Misho or the MPG, they essentially shoot street and documentary photography with mobile devices and share their work online through a number of platforms, including Instagram.
Being an Android user myself, I never understood the hype of Instagram. To me it seemed just like another camera app where people would take photographs of flowers, sunsets, or lattes and add tons of crazy processing (lomo or vintage film anybody?). I essentially thought it was a platform only for Justin Bieber lovers or hipsters with too much time on their hands.
Had a chance to interview Rinzi Ruiz, a phenomenal black & white street photographer based in Los Angeles (and one of the alumni of my LA street photography workshop!). I chat with him about his inspirations in street photography, how he finds the light, and advice he has for aspiring street photographers. We also geek out over his new Fujifilm X-Pro 1- and see how it likes it compared to his old Fujifilm X-100.
Which of Rinzi’s shots are your favorite? And if you have any questions for him, leave them below!Â
(Above image by Mike Keevers)
The street photography assignment for this week on my Facebook fan page was “Hands“. I always stress the importance of capturing hands in street photography – because so much of our non-verbal communication comes from our hands. In this post are some of my favorites that were uploaded from the Facebook community.
Next week’s theme is going to be: “Food” – inspired by Gaston Trussi, one the attendees in my past street photography workshop in Sydney. I think that what makes “food” a great theme is that without it – we would literally be dead. It also brings friends, families, and acquaintances together – and has strong roots to the society we live in.
How to enter: Next week, go out and shoot what you perceive to be “Food” – and upload your best (1) shot to my Facebook fan page by Thursday midnight. Why Facebook? It makes it easier to organize the entries and sort through them!
Keep reading to see the other great examples of hands from the community, as well as timeless shots from the masters!
On April 5th, 2011 South African photographer Anton Hammerl went missing after coming under fire from Gaddafi loyalists near the oil port of Brega in Libya. The three journalists with him, Clare Gillis, James Foley and Manu Brabo were captured and detained for 44 days.
For 44 days Anton’s family was told repeatedly by the Libyan regime that Anton was alive and well. The truth is he was left to die in the desert.
Anton is survived by his three children – 11 year-old Aurora, 8 year-old Neo, and 1 year-old baby Hiro – and his wife Penny Sukhraj.
The “Friends of Anton” initiative was formed to raise money for the family of Anton. Photographers who have donated prints to the cause include: Â website which has the latest details about the auction: 6.30pm at Christies New York on Wednesday 15 May.
Check out the “Friends of Anton” site to see how you can help support this noble cause!
Had a quick chat with my buddy Dana Barsuhn, a fellow street photographer from Los Angeles and former attendee of my Intermediate Los Angeles Street Photography Workshop. For those of you geeks who are curious, he shoots B/W Tri-X film on his Leica M4, with a 35mm Zeiss Lens. Also featured in the video is his new toy, the Contax T3 he just picked up for snapshots.
Dana was introduced to street photography from his friend (host of the podcast The Candid Frame), Ibarionex Perello. Also for inspiraitonal images, check out Stanko Abadzic (one of Dana’s huge influences).
You can see the rest of Dana’s work in his “Los Angeles” album on his website.
Dana also put together a book of his street images from 2011 as a personal diary. All the images in the book were shot with his Leica M4 rangefinder 35mm film camera, captured in and around the Los Angeles area,  developed in his kitchen sink and scanned to his computer computer!
Feel free to download the PDF book and share it on your computer or iPad!
Link to pdf: FRAMED 2011 – Dana Barsuhn
For more info on book or images feel free to contact Dana.
Dana will also be showing some of his street photography at the “2Edgy Gallery” in Downtown LA. Make sure to come if you are in the area!
Which of Dana’s images really speak out to you? Show him some love in the comments below!Â
This video was recorded a while back by the Filipino Street Photographers group. Thanks again to Rinzi Ruiz and Jeff Mercader for interviewing me and all the love for my Filipino brothers and sisters back in the Philippines! Watch the video large here.
I will also be hosting a street photography workshop in Manila, Jan 11-13th (Introductory workshop) and Jan 18-20th (Intermediate/Advanced) in 2013. If you would like more information or register, please email Jeff Mercader at jeffren@titaniumsportz.com
“I believe that, more than ever before, photography is about a community and a culture, rather than the camera.” – Oliver Lang
I had the chance to interview Oliver Lang, one of the founding members of the Mobile Photo Group. Oliver shoots street photography in the sun-drenched streets of Sydney with his iPhone, using the Pro Camera application and capturing phenomenal light and moments in his images. He makes it a point to shoot every single day and even post-processes his images in the iPhone with the Snapseed application.
Make sure to follow him on Twitter @oggsie, on Flickr, and follow him on Instagram @oggsie.
Make sure to also check out the Mobile Photo Group Blog, where they talk about street photography, mobile devices, Instagram, and much more. You can also see all of the Mobile Photo Group Photographers here.
Do you shoot street photography with an iPhone or mobile device? What do you think is the future of street photography and Instagram? Make sure to leave your thoughts below, and let us know which of Oliver’s photographs are your favorite!Â
 
(Above photograph by Jun Shen Chia from his “Tokyo” series)
Eric’s Note: This article is written my good friend, fellow street photographer, and gamer Jun Shen Chia. I met him in Singapore, and marveled at how he was able to shoot so quickly on the streets. I also found out he was a total nerd when it came to video games- and asked him to write this fun article! Enjoy it.
Jun Shen: People ask me, “Jun Shen, how do you shoot so fast on the streets?!?â€Â  I’m like a ninja, whipping out my camera, shooting it, and putting it away so quickly that my subjects don’t know what hit them. They walk away whispering to themselves, “What was that? Did he take our photo?
It’s thanks to video games, folks. Read on to find out why.
Eric’s Note: This interview was conducted by Alex Coghe, a street photographer based in Mexico City. Check out his upcoming workshops and keep in contact with him!Â
Alex: I am happy to start a series of exclusive interviews on Eric’s blog with this interview with Tom Young (yotung on Flickr) – a “journeyman” street photographer based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Keep reading more how he combines his interest in the urban environment and society in his street photography!
(Pre-war Zeiss Contax III, via Peter Hennig)
Thank you for your feedback and thoughts in my previous article titled, “Why Digital is Dead For Me In Street Photography“. The post I written has sparked a healthy amount of discussion and debate. However I would like to clarify some points which I made in the article which I feel was misinterpreted.
(Above image:Â Henri Cartier-Bresson, Naples, 1960)
Adam Marelli, a photographer based in NYC (also doing a street photography workshop with me in NYC [register intent] and Calcutta India [register intent]) recently wrote up an incredible series on composition, surrealism based on the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson. Make sure to bookmark all the pages below (they are very thorough and intense) and read them when you have some time on your hands!
(Above photo from my “Dark Skies Over Tokyo” series. Shot with my Leica M6 and Kodak Tri-XÂ film)
I never really understood the appeal of film in the digital age. After all, shooting film was expensive, cumbersome, and a pain in the ass to do compared to digital. Not only that, but with digital I had all the instant gratification I wanted. I didn’t have to wait before seeing my images- they would come to me instantly. I could post-process them all I wanted- to give my images that certain ‘look’ that I desired.
For this post I will share how I first got introduced to film street photography, the pros of shooting street photography with film, and how you can get started shooting street photography with film as well. Keep reading to learn more!
Title of Exhibition: “Don’t Just Tell Them, Show Them (Part 3)”
Fantastic show of In-Public and Oculi member Jesse Marlow at the Anna Pappas Gallery in Melbourne.
His exhibition will be open until May 26th, 2012 in Melbourne at the Anna Pappas Gallery.
Recently when I taught my street photography workshop in Hong Kong I had the great pleasure of having Jonathan van Smit as a guest speaker. Jonathan is a street photographer originally from New Zealand, and has shot the raw streets of West Kowloon for nearly four years now. Check out my interview with him over at the Leica Blog.
In the interview he explains how he shoots the raw streets of West Kowloon, how he interacts with his subjects, and how he got his old Leica taken from him at knife-point.
Eric’s Note: Streettogs Gallery is an on-going feature and intiative by Manila-based street photographer A.G. De Mesa. Click here for more info.
AG: This week, let me share to you some thoughts on why having a body of work is important while showing a great work from Kip Praslowicz.
After years of studying, looking, and analyzing photographs I have to realize one thing: The body of work is the most important thing a photographer should have. However, the journey of making a body of work is not that easy. It is so consuming that at times, photographers sacrifice their personal lives in pursuit of the great work. More often than not, it results with a lot of emotional and mental stresses. Â With those reasons and a lot more, why then do we need to pursue a body of work?
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Eric’s Note: Tomasz Lazar, a very talented young street photographer recently has had the honor of being chosen by the jury of Emphas.is to present his project “Theater of Life” alongside with such great photographer as: Kadir van Lohuizen,Lynsey Addario, Christopher Morris, Paolo Pellegrin, Tomas van Houtryve, Laura El-Tantawy, Carolyn Drake or Joao Pina. Now he is trying to gather money for next part of my “Theater of Life“. With Emphas.is you can get access to the entire process of developing the project, tracking his every step from planning to research to the travel diary.
Tomasz: Theater of life is a very personal project about life – how I perceive of it. It is an exploration of surrealism in everyday life. Theatre of life is an essay that is a combination of my experiences and thoughts about what surrounds me.
