One of the articles I read a while ago (and recently re-read) was the “Top 5 Regrets of the Dying.” To sum up, a nurse who took care of the elderly and dying kept a record of her patients’ top regrets in life.
The top regrets of the elderly were:
I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
I wish that I had let myself be happier.
I think we can apply this same mentality to street photography to prevent regrets in our life.
Josef Koudelka, one of the greatest living photographers in history, gave a rare interview at Look 3 in Charlottesville recently. You can see a full transcript of the interview here, but I wanted to share some specific insights which I got from the interview below.
When I was in Philly to pick up my Ford Fiesta for the Fiestamovement campaign, I met up with Chris Urie, a street photographer and journalist based in Philly. We took a stroll around one of the major parks there (forget what it was called) and we started to chat with some of the people we met in the park.
One character I was fascinated with was named Eric Rivera. When I first spotted him, he was chilling on a park bench, enjoying the beautiful weather, while puffing on a nice cuban cigar — donning his Knicks hat with crocodile leather on the bill, and some pretty fly looking sunglasses.
I approached him and commented that I liked his outfit–and we just started to chat. As part of my “America” street photography project, I had my GoPro with me and asked to interview him–so I could learn more about his personal story. What he shared surprised me.
I think one of the most difficult aspects of photography is the editing process (choosing your best images). Garry Winogrand famously said, “Sometimes photographers mistake emotion for what makes a great street photograph.”
Winogrand famously shot like a madman (shooting several rolls a day for his lifetime), but had the discipline to not even process his photos for a year after he shot them. Why did he do this? In order to forget the memory of having taken those shots– so he could be more critical and objective when it came to choosing his best images.
It is always easier to judge and critique other people’s photographs. Therefore one of the benefits of forgetting some of the shots you took is that you can look at your own photos not like that of your own– but that of a stranger.
The story: When in New York, I stayed with my good friend Spencer (childhood friend) in Queens. Another of my good childhood friends (Aditiya) mentioned that before I left New York, I had to check out Kane’s diner— a 24-hour diner which they frequently visited.
I didn’t expect to go there– but one of the days when I was walking to the subway, I spotted it. I stepped in, checked the Yelp reviews, and saw that their Steak and Eggs were quite popular. I ordered some.
I also started talking with the waiter–who was extremely friendly. We connected well, and he gave me the best steak & eggs I have ever had (at a reasonable price).
I then remembered my new Ricoh GRD V in my bag, and my GoPro that I brought to do some POV videos during my travels. I thought it was the perfect opportunity for me to ask him to take some photos.
A fun and uplifting book I recently read was “The Tao of Pooh.” To sum up the book, the author explains the philosophy of Taosim through (believe it not) Winnie the Pooh. Yeah, I know it sounds ridiculous, but the author does a superb job sewing the two concepts together– in a language relatable and easy-to-understand for the viewer. Having grown up on Winnie the Pooh, I can certainly say that it brought the concepts of Taosim to life for me.
Similarly to Zen Buddhism, Taoism is a philosophy which was first introduced by Lao Tse in a book called: “Tao Tse Ching.” The philosophy of Taoism advocates staying calm and happy in all circumstances, no matter how difficult or arduous the outside world can be.
So what is the difference between Buddhism and Taosim?
Buddhism sees the outside world in a much more negative light– describing “the bitter wind of everyday existence.”
Taoism sees the world as “…not full of traps, but valuable lessons.” Therefore through Taoism we should appreciate, learn from, and work with whatever happens in everyday life.
A great analogy explained is the analogy of tasting vinegar. Many different people often taste vinegar, and complain of how sour it is and groan. However the Taoist would taste the vinegar and regardless of the taste, still smile. The takeaway idea is that we should turn negatives into positives, regardless of the situation.
There are lots of insights I’ve gained through Taosim and especially “The Tao of Pooh” that I can relate back to street photography. Also note I am not an expert on Taosim, so please correct any mistakes I make in the comments below.
Eric’s Note: This article is written by Neil Ta, my manager and good friend who recently attended a Magnum Photos workshop in Toronto. The project he worked on for the week was “Meat Locker.” Below is his write-up of the experience and the lessons he’s personally learned. You can see upcoming Magnum workshops and events here.
Neil: I recently had the opportunity to attend a Magnum Photos workshop in Toronto as part of the Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival, which is one of the largest of its kind in the world. For the last six years, Contact has invited members of Magnum to run workshops focusing on photojournalism, documentary storytelling, and street photography.
This year’s line-up of instructors included Magnum Associate Moises Saman and Magnum Nominee Zoe Strauss. Moises is most well-known for the work he’s done in Afghanistan and Iraq and his focus more recently has been in documenting the Arab Spring. Zoe’s extensive work is more regionally focused in the community where she was born and raised – Philadelphia.
I ultimately chose to go with Moises over Zoe because I felt his work was a lot different than my own and I hoped he’d be there to guide me through a more photojournalistic project over the week.
Weegee is certainly one of the most infamous street photographers in history. Although he never called himself a street photographer (he worked as a press/news photographer) his obsession with capturing people was unparalleled. With no formal photographic training, he covered some of the most gruesome murders (and shots of everyday life) around New York City from the 1930’s to the 1940’s. Armed with a portable police-band shortwave radio, he was always on the beat for new stories to cover– and he even had a complete darkroom in the trunk of his car. This allowed him to get his photos to the newspapers as quickly as possible.
Weegee is also famous for the use of his 4×5 Speed Graphic large-format press camera and flash– which added even more drama to his gritty black and white photos. He was certainly one of the forefathers of shooting street photography with a flash (back when they used flashbulbs). He generally shot his camera preset at f/16 at 1/200 of a second, with flashbulbs and a set focus distance of ten feet (and didn’t always know what kind of photos he got until he processed them).
Many street photographers are under the false impression that shooting with artificial light in street photography is just a recent phenomenon. It started as early as 1887, in which the journalist Jacob Riis started using flash power to document destitute people on the streets. Certainly Weegee has had a strong influence on shooting flash in the streets to photographers such as Diane Arbus, William Klein, and Bruce Gilden.
If you want to learn more about the philosophy behind Weegee’s work read on.
Oculi is presenting a unique book making opportunity during the Reportage Festival in Sydney.
As a part of the 2013 Reportage Documentary Photography Festival and in partnership with BLURB books, Australia’s photographic collective OCULI presents HOME, an interactive exhibition where viewers are able to curate and sequence their own custom book from the Oculi Collective’s imagery.
The exhibition opening is May 22nd at 6pm and will run until June 10th at the Cleland Bond in The Rocks (Ground Level, 33 Playfair St.) in Sydney, Australia.
(All photographs in this article provided by Rinzi Ruiz)
My good friend Nicholas Susatyo recently recommended a book to me: “Zen in the Art of Archery.” In-fact, it was the book that Henri Cartier-Bresson said had the deepest influence in his photography. I have been meaning to read it for a while, so on my flight to Philly I decided to give it a go.
The book is written by Eugen Herrigel, a German philosophy teacher who went to Japan for several years and learned the art of archery (while teaching philosophy at a Japanese university). He heard about the art of archery, and was fascinated with the zen philosophy which was embedded in the art.
I am very excited to share that Issue 4 of Radiate Magazine is available! If you love street photography I highly recommend getting a printed copy (nothing beats reading it on a Sunday morning with a warm cup of coffee). I just ordered my hard copy, and the printing and binding is superb.
W. Eugene Smith is one of the legends of photography. Although he was notorious for being maniacal, emotionally distant, and unreasonable– he channeled those energies into being one of the best photographers history has ever seen. I consider his approach to be very similar to that of Steve Jobs.
I hope that this article can help you get a better understanding of W. Eugene Smith, his work, and his philosophies of photography– to take your own work to new heights.
One of my favorite photography projects of all-time is “The Americans” by Robert Frank. I have always had a dream of working on a similar project–to take my car and travel across America–documenting the people and places that I encounter.
I am excited to share that this dream has come true (or at least the means). Ford contacted me about a few months ago letting me know about their new “Fiesta Movement” campaign in which 100 “agents” are given a new pre-production 2014 Ford Fiesta with 8 months of gas and insurance covered. The catch? We are given fun video assignments once a month to complete (that somehow have to incorporate the Fiesta).
In today’s age, we are always obsessed with the concept of “more“. We falsely believe that we need more stuff, more money, more more cameras, more lenses, more megapixels—more, more, more.
In one of my favorite books “Antifragile” (I mention this book in a prior post on the “barbell theory”), the author Nassim Taleb advocates that the secret of health, wisdom, and happiness can be obtained through less, not more. Taleb calls this approach “via negativa” that we should focus on subtraction, not addition in life.
For example, nobody really knows what makes us happy. However, we know what makes us unhappy and miserable. Therefore the key to happiness may not so much be the “pursuit of happiness”– but the “avoidance of unhappiness.” I think the same applies to happiness in street photography — focusing on less, not more.
I have always been drawn to people, especially those who I find are interesting “characters.” I tend to gravitate towards people who have interesting facial expressions, to those with outstanding outfits, or accessories.
Although the majority of the street photography I do is done candidly, I have been drawn towards doing more posed street portraits of people I find interesting. Why? I find it gives me more time to interact with them, learn more about their lives, and also to take more photos of them (with their cooperation).
So once I get my subjects’ attention– how do I direct them and what is some of the psychology that goes behind it? I will share some candid thoughts (pun intended) about my process in terms of directing my subjects when taking portraits of them.
See how you can incorporate the barbell theory to improve your street photography, like these guys pumping iron and getting stronger. Photo by Guy Le Querrec, FRANCE 1979. Copyright: Magnum Photos
One of the most influential books that read in my life is “Antifragile” by Nassim Taleb. The book is part philosophy, and part a practical guide on how to live a virtuous life.
One of the central concepts of the book is the “barbell theory.” What is the barbell theory you ask? Well, it is the concept that whenever it comes to things in life– we should approach two extremes (and avoid the boring middle). It is a concept that I have applied to many fields of my life, including street photography. I hope this article can shed a new way on how you see the world, and how you can apply this to your own personal work.
So many choices, so little time. Dotwell Camera in Hong Kong
For the last year and a half or so, I have been shooting my personal street photography on exclusively film. After shooting digital for around 7 years or so, it has been a great experience so far and I have learned a ton.
When I first wanted to start shooting street photography I had a lot of fears. What if the photos don’t turn out? What settings should I use? What film is ideal? Where do I get my film processed? Or should I process it myself? What camera should I use? What chemicals do I need? The list goes on.
I am certainly not an expert when it comes to shooting film, but I wanted to write this article as a primer for those of you who want to get your feet wet (but may not know where to start). I will use my personal experiences and opinions– but of course, feel free to experiment. And if you see any mistakes in this article, please correct me in the comments below and I will revise it.
The master William Klein surrounded by students and fans, wanting to learn more about his work. Photograph by Guy Le Querrec. Copyright: Magnum Photos
I recently finished a book titled: “Mastery” by Robert Greene. The book is one of those inspirational books which outlines the stories of many famous masters and how they gained mastery. Although the book was a bit cheesy at times, I still found it to be an uplifting read, filled with interesting anecdotes that definitely gives you a huge kick in the ass to go out and to “discover your life task.”
I want to share some of the lessons I’ve learned from the book– and how one can plan to use some of the author’s advice to gain mastery in street photography. Certainly following these steps won’t necessarily cause you to gain mastery, but I certainly think it is a great blueprint.
Eric’s Note: This article was first published on the CSLR blog, but I am reposting it here in-case you didn’t have the chance to read it yet!
I first got introduced to photography when I was 18 years old. At my high school graduation ceremony, my mom gave me a little Canon Powershot point-and-shoot. I never considered photography before in my life, but I was amazed by the power I now held in my hands.
I had the power to capture life around me — to photograph those fleeting moments and make them eternal through my camera.
Last November I shot a campaign for Samsung’s NX20 camera using a video camera strapped to my head to record the footage of me shooting street portraits in Chicago with permission. It was a project that was intensive: I shot for 2 days straight from 5am-noon on little sleep.
The thing I loved most about the project is that although I certainly didn’t take photos that made it into my portfolio — it forced me to step outside of my comfort zone and interact with lots of people on the streets in a short period of time. The fact that the video was being played live in Amsterdam while I was shooting did give me healthy pressure which ended up being a great learning experience.
Mike: The street photography blogosphere has been buzzing lately with discussions about ethics. A recent review published by the San Francisco Chronicle started much of the fire. Jorg Colberg posted his own rant. Street photographers responded on their own blogs and online forums. The debate settled into two general camps and shots were fired between the two. Some argued that we should be more sensitive in how we approach people, others ranted that because the law protects us (at least in the United States), we can do as we like. There’s a bit more going on here and at stake. Street photographers, the art world, and the public at large must remember why photography in the public space is protected expression in many countries.
I was sitting at home with my girlfriend Cindy, and I suddenly got a call from my cousin overseas. After two bouts of heart attacks while he was in the hospital, he passed away suddenly. My mom then called me and told me that I had to immediately get on the next plane to Korea to attend my grandfather’s funeral (which was on Sunday).
It was Friday night, and Cindy was fortunately able to help me book a plane that left the next morning. I quickly tossed some clothes into a gym bag, packed my camera and laptop, slept, then left to the airport.
After a 18-hour flight to Busan, I arrived Saturday night in cold and rainy weather. I took a taxi straight to the church where my entire family from all around the globe was getting prepared for the funeral.
Christian: I have now completed 30 weeks of my 1 year, 1 camera, 1 lens, 1 film project., so a bit more than halftime. I have to say it has been tougher than I thought it would be. On the other side though it has been a very rewarding experience so far. I would like to share my experience of what I have struggled with as well as what I feel I have learnt so far.
Eric’s Note: This article is by Josh White, a street photographer based in Toronto. I first met Josh in Korea about two years ago, where we taught a workshop together for Leica Camera Korea. Josh is also going to be a co-instructor in my upcoming workshop in Toronto. You can register intent here.
Josh: When Eric asked me to contribute to his blog with my thoughts on mobile photography, I had just seen the article “Mall Series,” by Stephen DiRado. The idea of shooting in a shopping mall was something I hadn’t thought much of. It’s an interesting place though, the mall.
It also coincides well with mobile photography and something I have been going through.
Since coming back to Toronto from Seoul nearly a year and a half ago I have struggled to find the inspiration I had during my four plus years in Korea. In Korea, every moment I stepped out of my apartment I felt inspired. I walked the streets at night channeling Daido Moriyama’s “stray dog.” I shot the same areas all the time and never once felt bored or uninspired.
As street photographers, the gear we use is very important. It shows our identity, how much money we have in our bank accounts, and how serious we are about our street photography.
The bigger the lens you shoot with street photography, the better. I personally recommend the Sigma 200-500mm lens for street photography. Why? Let me explain in this article below with these 500 copyrighted tips below!
I first heard about William Eggleston through my good friend and talented street photographer Charlie Kirk about a year and a half ago. He mentioned that he just purchased a copy of “Chromes” by William Eggleston– and that it was one of his favorite photographic books. I asked Charlie what the book was, and he mentioned it was a 3-set book published by Steidl (I would argue the best publisher in the world) with some of the loveliest color photographs that, printed in the book, look more like fine art prints than just reproductions.
I was very excited to hear this, as I was getting more and more interested in color. I searched it instantly on Amazon, and was taken back that it cost ~300 USD. I have never spent more than 100 USD on a photo book, and the thought of spending so much was quite daunting.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. …
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.
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.
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.
Today I turn 25 years old. The last year has been one hell of an adventure. This year, I have been on the road at least 2-3 weeks out of every month – and I have been to 18 cities internationally, in 15 different countries.
Everyday when I wake up, it still feels surreal that I am pursuing my passsion — street photography for a living. When I got laid off my job nearly two years ago, I was scared, nervous, and uncertain about the future. I had credit card debt to pay off, oustanding student loans, and of course bills and rent to pay on top of all of it.
Fortunately with your endless encouragement I have been able to fully concentrate my efforts on street photography and not get distracted by anything else.
I have so many people to thank who helped me go this far. There is no way any of this would be possible without those giving me a place to stay during my travels and acting as warm hosts, to those attending my workshops, and especially to you — my dear reader for supporting this blog.
One of the problems I have is reflecting on the past. I am very present-oriented (which is a good thing in many regards), but I often forget to dwell on my rich past experiences. That and looking toward the future.
Here are some lessons I have learned about street photography and life in 2012:
I recently conducted a video interview with Satoki Nagata, a talented street photographer based in Chicago about his photography and approach.
One of the questions I asked Satoki was regarding his Cabrini–Green Housing, a documentary he did with people in the Cabrini–Green area of Chicago (known to be a dangerous area full of gang-activity with low-income housing). Satoki was drawn to the area, and he was able to take some incredible portraits of the people in the community. My biggest question for him was: “How did you conquer your fear of photographing strangers you didn’t know, especially in a dangerous area?”
His answer was that he photographed a month shooting at his Leica’s minimum focusing distance: .7 meters (2.3 feet).
Eric’s Note: Last year, I was a judge and featured photographer of YOU ARE HERE, an innovative street photography event/exhibition in Los Angeles run by the Think Tank Gallery. The concept of the project last year was that 35 photographers had 10 days to shoot in a one-square-block street in Downtown LA’s fashion district. The best 3 photos from each photographer was featured in the gallery. Needless to say, the event was a huge hit.
To see a recap of YOU ARE HERE, you can watch the video here.
I am now excited to announce YOU ARE HERE II, a sequel to last year’s event- with a controversial twist. To find out more about the event, read on.
Chrome Industries is launching the Streets of Chrome – A photo contest to find the world’s next great street photographer in conjunction with the drop of its new Niko Camera Bags.
Chrome is calling for entries from street photographers everywhere for its Streets of Chrome photo contest, which runs January 22–February 14, 2013. Finalists will be chosen by Chrome’s panel of expert judges and the winner will be determined by open voting on www.streetsofchrome.com February 7th-14th. Photo submissions will be judged based on creativity, originality, and ability to capture the essence of the streets.
The judge panel includes legends Rickey Powell, Tod Seelie and Ken Goto and the grand prize will be a Fujifilm X-Pro1 compact-system camera, a Fujifilm X-Pro1 35mm F/1.4 lens, and a Chrome Niko Camera Backpack.
“The Americans” by Robert Frank is one of the most influential photo books published of all-time. It has inspired countless numbers of photographers across all genres, especially appealing to documentary and street photographers. I know the book has had a profound impact on my photography and how I approach projects.
While I am not an expert on Robert Frank or “The Americans”, I will share what I personally have learned from his work. For your reference, I used Steidl’s “Looking In: Robert Frank’s The Americans” as a primary resource for this article. The article is incredibly long, and I encourage you to read it not all in one sitting, but in different phases.
I would also highly recommend saving this article and reading it on Instapaper or Pocket. These services allow you to save the article to read later on your phone, iPad, computer, etc.
I am excited to share that my good friend and fellow street photographer Satoki Nagata is featuring some of his street photography in Chicago, December 15th (Saturday). He will show a collection of his street photography and documentary work. More information about the exhibition below:
“The camera captures the moment of the fraction of a second and I found that successful images show the multi-dimensional relationships of the world through symbolic and abstract forms. I found these forms in my photography. By searching for the elements that represent reality I see around me, I can capture them through photographic media. I see the light and shadow produced by flash is the pure form of reality of people living in the city. Inside the bright light line, the significance of existence of the person appears. The image is abstract and surrealistic but also full of life and personality.”
There will be music by Gjeme Markaj, complimentary drinks, appetizers, and good times. I won’t be able to make it, but if you are in Chicago definitely check it out!
Street Photos by Satoki Nagata
You can see my past interview with him on the Leica blog here.
Christmas is around the corner and Dodge & Burn is feeling generous. They know that many of you streettogss are rangefinder users, so they’re giving away four of their awesome t-shirts featuring vintage rangefinder cameras. The Rangefinder Classic, Street Shooter, Fast Shooter and V-Squared tees are up for grabs! If you’re a fan of Leica, the Canon 7 mounted with the legendary 50mm f0.95 or the rare Voigtlander Vitessa, you’re going to want one of these t-shirts!
A quick update for the Samsung Camera NL NX20 campaign here in Chicago in the video above! Unfortunately I was mistaken and there is no live feed available on Facebook, only visitors to the Amsterdam Beurs van Berlag exhibition. If you are in Amsterdam, make sure to check out the exhibition event on Faebook here.
Keep reading to see the shots that I got from today!
I am excited to share that starting today (Thursday 11/29-Friday 11/30) I will be doing a live-streaming street photography exhibition with the Samsung NX20. The concept is that every 2 hours I will be emailing (via the NX20) my best photos to a gallery space in the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam every 2 hours alongside 4 other street photographers. Edit: footage of the video and shots will be available later!
If anyone is available in Amsterdam to check out the exhibition, see all the details on Facebook here.
Confused or want to learn more? See the video above or keep reading below!
(Above: Photograph from my on-going “Suits” Project. The Netherlands, 2012)
When I was in Korea earlier this year, my friend and fellow street photographer David Kim shared a TED talk with me titled: “How great leaders inspire action.” David holds a leadership position at his job, and he told me that this talk changed the way how he lead others and how he leads his own life. Needless to say, I was fascinated by the talk and after watching it – it changed my life.
Eric’s Note: I am pleased to feature this article by Colin Corneau, a Brandon, Manitoba based photojournalist and street photographer. A few months ago he organized a charity photography auction, and wanted to write this article to share his experiences. Also check out his past article on this blog on why he shoots street photography solo here.
Colin: We all know the pleasure of creating a photograph that we really like, and the pleasure of one that other people like, too. But it’s not often that a photograph can reach the level of making a difference to other people – occasionally, a photojournalist will produce an image that inspires others to positive action or someone will make a photograph that alters how we all think about something.
Those photographs are few and far between though, and a lot is left up to chance. But there is a way that you can help your photographs hit that higher level – an auction whose proceeds go towards a charity.
The team at Custom SLR (one of my awesome sponsors) is starting a kickstarter campaign for their new “ProDot” – a tactile shutter release button for cameras. When they first told me about it, I thought it would be a great solution for street photographers out there using DSLR’s to get more tactile response when shooting on the streets.
I know many street photographers who use a similar button for their Leica’s and Fuji cameras, which they feel makes it easier to hit the shutter button.
If you are a DSLR user and interested in the ProDot, it will be only $15 USD to receive a version in Black, Red, and Clear. In addition, you will also gain contributor status and be listed on the CustomSLR website. Shipping to the states is free, $3 USD shipping anywhere outside the states. Also they are currently thinking about making a screw-in version, so if you are interested in that please leave a comment below.
To see the promo video and more images of the ProDot, read on!
Erics’ Note: This guest blog post is by Christian Nilson, a street photographer based in Zurich. For this article he shares his experience (so far) of the 1 year, 1 camera, 1 lens project. You can also see his last article he wrote on the benefits of shooting a TLR for street photography here. Hope you enjoy the post!
Christian: 3 down 9 to go!
Eric asked me if I could write something about the “project” that I’m currently working on. 1 year, 1 camera, 1 lens, 1 type of film or “Leica as a teacher”, this project is known under different names, the first I read about it was on The Online Photographer blog. It caused a bit of controversy there since it mentions that you have to use a Leica rangefinder and many comments were left saying that this is elitist etc. In my 3 months experience I don’t see using a Leica rangefinder as a necessity, I think it is important that you use a film camera and a simple one at that. With simple I mean, no automatic, aperture priority or shutter priority setting. To get the most out of this you need to shoot fully manual.
Photograph by Master Sgt. Mark Olsen/U.S. Air Force
The last few weeks I was in Michigan, and heard about the disaster from Hurricane Sandy. I was quite ignorant of how severe the situation was, thinking that it was just “another storm” going through the states.
I was horribly wrong.
I contacted a few friends and family there and the damage and after-math is far beyond what I initially thought. Here is a message I got from my friend Jae after reaching out to him:
Jae: Thank you again for reaching out to me after Hurricane Sandy. Things are getting more and more difficult in the NJ, NY area, but I count my blessings that my family is safe and that we have not gotten flooded from the storm.
There are many who have lost their lives, their home, and hope from this storm. In New York, town like Breezy Point, Staten Island, and Rockaways look like a war zone with many homes either burned down to the ground or completely flooded.
In New Jersey, towns from Belmar south to Spring Lake suffered similar fate from this storm. For the rest of us with our homes in tact, we are getting by with no electricity and heating for 6 days now. The most serious problem now is the shortage of gasoline for our cars and generators. The average wait at limited gas stations is 3-6 hours and the line stretch for 1-3 miles all around the clock.
Folks are getting more and more desperate with news of looting and fights breaking out throughout these regions. My friend even had his generator stolen in the middle of night!
People affected by the power outages from Hurricane Sandy wait in a 2hr line at a gas station to purchase fuel for generators in Madison Park, New Jersey, on October 31, 2012. (Reuters/Lucas Jackson)
Disasters like this can feel so far away and foreign. Fortunately my close friends and family have been safe, but many others have lost their homes, personal possessions, and even their lives.
As photographers we privileged. Although many of us still struggle to make ends meet at the end of the month, we generally spend quite a bit of money on cameras, lenses, and accessories. I can safely say that donating $20 won’t hurt our bank account.
Men dispose of shopping carts full of food damaged by Hurricane Sandy at the Fairway supermarket in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn in New York, on October 31, 2012. The food was contaminated by flood waters that rose to approximately four feet in the store during the storm. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
I feel as a community we should band together, and help our fellow men, women, and families in this great time of need. I know that this blog is read all around the world, and I want to use this platform as a way to mobilize help and aid to those suffering now. You never know when you will be in a time of need, so treat others how you would like to be in the same situation and open up your hearts.
There are many wonderful and hard-working organizations providing relief to the victims of Hurricane Sandy. I think The American Red Cross will be the best organization to donate to, as it will equally disperse disaster relief to those in New York and New Jersey.
The remains of homes and businesses burned down during Hurricane Sandy in the Rockaway neighborhood of Queens, still smoldering on October 31, 2012. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
I urge you to donate at least $20 to this cause. That is about the price of 4 Starbucks coffees, or the price of two lunches. For that small sum of money, we can provide blankets to those who are cold, food to those who are starving, and a dry place for people who have lost their homes to spend the night.
(A photograph from my ongoing “Suits” project. London 2011)
This is an essay I wrote addressing our obsession with “favorites” and “likes” on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, 500px, Google+, photo blogs, and so on. If you have ever felt that you were photographing more for affirmation from others than yourself, give the essay a read. I share my personal experiences and also make practical suggestions in the end how to overcome an addictions to “favorites” and “likes”. …
The ThinkTank Gallery in Downtown LA is the home to many street photographers in LA. Last year, I was one of the curators for “YOU ARE HERE” – a street photography exhibition in which photographers spent a week photographing the fashion district. It was a great success, and you can see the video of the event in the link below.
I was at the ThinkTank gallery when it first got started, when it was nothing but an abandoned warehouse with no running water, electricity, and rubbish all over the place. Now if you go there, it is a vibrant and bustling home for photographers, artists, and members of the community to showcase their work and art. If you watch the video at the top, you can see how cool the place really is.
If you want to support the love of street photography (they are in the middle of planning YOU ARE HERE 2), and art in Los Angeles, donate to this cause. Not only will you help them open their doors officially, but you will also get some great goodies (including some of my photos, prints of other work, and more!
Donate Today!
Donate and support this noble cause by using the link below!
Eric’s Note: Brian Day, fellow street photographer from Detroit, just passed along this information regarding a unique opportunity to meet Alec Soth, Magnum Photographer. More information about the event below:
Brian: Just thought I’d pass this along for those of you within reach of the Detroit area. The Detroit Film Theater is a nice space. An exhibition of Soth’s work will also be in the Detroit area (Cranbrook Academy) beginning November 16.
Eric’s Note: This guest blog post is by Christian Nilson, a street photographer based in Zurich. Christian attended my Introduction to Street Photography Workshop in Berlin this year, and upon meeting Juliane Eirich (one of my guest lecturers) and seeing her work, he decided to experimenting using a square-format TLR. In his article below he shares his experiences and challenges.
Christian: After having met Juliane Eirich at Eric’s workshop in Berlin, in May this year, I was intrigued with her photography and the square format. She uses a medium format TLR, which is both a format and a type of camera that I have never used. The first thing I did after my return from Berlin was to check the auction sites for a used Ricohflex and I was soon successful. A couple of days later I had it in my hand. Full working condition. I popped a roll of film in it and went out shooting. It took a bit of getting used to the different way of shooting and composing.
(All photographs copyrighted by the Estate of Diane Arbus)
Diane Arbus is a photographer that has a very profound impact on me. When I first saw her photograph of the “grenade kid” — it hit me in the chest and has burned itself in my mind ever since. Upon studying more of Diane Arbus’ work — I found her photographs to be very applicable to my interest in shooting street photography of strangers- mostly as a mode of portraiture.
There is a wealth of knowledge on Diane Arbus (several memoirs, books, and even movies have been made on her), and I cannot say I am an expert on her work. However here is some golden knowledge I have found from one her books published by Aperture that I found incredibly insightful that I wanted to share with you.
(Above photograph shot on the iPhone 5 by Mike Avina)
Eric’s Note: I’m sure many of you are curious about the performance of the iPhone 5’s camera for street photography. Fellow street photographer Mike Avina has spent around a week or two with the iPhone 5, and here are some of his impressions. You can see his past feature on my blog here and follow him on Flickr.
Mike: This is a review of the iPhone 5 as a street photography tool. I am picky about my gear and I am a bit of a minimalist—so I use one old film rangefinder body with a 35mm lens and one digital camera with a prime lens equivalent to 35mm. That said, I have been following the work of several mobile phone street photographers and have been impressed. When Eric asked me to do a review of the iPhone 5 I jumped at the opportunity.
(All photographs in this article are copyrighted by Bruce Davidson / Magnum Photos / Steidl)
Bruce Davidson is a photographer that I deeply look up to and admire. He first started taking pictures when he was around 10 years old, and has now shot for a span of over 60 years. He has covered many important political issues, such as the freedom riders – as well as local issues such as the impoverished state of East 100th Street in New York City, and the dilapidated subway. He is truly a “photographer’s photographer” – as he shoots, develops, and prints all of his photographs by himself and during his working career would “live like a monk”.
Davidson refuses to define himself or his photography. He doesn’t agree with the “documentary”, “journalism”, or “fine art” classification (even less with “street photographer”). However I feel that his photographs appeal to many street photographers- and there are many lessons of wisdom that he can teach all of us about street photography.
This article will cover a little bit of background history of Bruce Davidson as well as what us street photographers can learn from his photography and philosophy. Also note that this article is very in-depth and long. Brew yourself a strong cup of coffee and dive in!
(Photograph copyrighted by Alex Webb / Magnum Photos)
I am excited to share the first upcoming Miami Street Photography Festival 2012. It will be featuring some of my favorite photographers, including Alex Webb (Magnum Photos), Rebecca Norris Webb (photographer, author, poet), and Maggie Steber (National Geographic). It will be a very unique 3-day event, showcasing some of the best emerging street photography – and their goal is to promote the love of street photography through exhibits, workshops, lectures, photowalks and portfolio reviews.
The festival will be held in Miami’s internationally acclaimed Wynwood Arts District during the height of Art Basel on December 7-9, 2012. More more details about the schedule click here.
If you are interested in attending the 1-day Masterclass with Alex Webb & Rebecca Norris Web you can find more details here.
Submit your work to be featured
The main exhibit will feature photographs selected from entries submitted by participants from all over the world. We invite photographers of all levels to submit their favorite images for juried selection in the Miami Street Photography Festival.
One of the most valuable books I currently have in my library is Magnum Contact Sheets. It is a book that was put out by Thames and Hudson in the last year or so, and contains over 139 contact sheets from 69 Magnum Photographers.
For those of you who are not familiar with contact sheets, they are a direct print made from a roll or sequence of images of film. Before the days of digital, they were an invaluable tool to photographers to quickly look through and edit their work (choosing their best images).
The book is a hefty behemoth full of knowledge, insights, and philosophies of the Magnum photographers within. I know that not everyone has the ability to access the book (as it is sold-out almost everywhere across the world and it is quite expensive) so I wanted to make this post to share some of the insights I learned from the book. I hope this post will help you and your personal journey in photography!
If you are in the bay area make sure to check out Travis Jensen‘s solo exhibition in San Francisco this Thursday (10/4) at Galette 88. Travis is a street and documentary photographer, and his show will be a mix of candid street scenes, street portratirue, and other urban environmental scenes.
Unfortunately I’m in Michigan so I won’t be able to attend, but if you are in the bay area I highly recommend you to check it out!
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.
A.G.: Today’s feature is a bit different than the usual. As I said in the intro post for streettogs gallery, I would also love to see if you have a work in progress. Today is extra special because we have a photo book to analyze, dissect, and share opinions. But first, I want to share what I look for in a photo book.
One of the most influential books I have recently is titled: “Imagine: How Creativity Works”. It was a book I was recommended by my good friend and fellow street photographer Brian Sparks. It outlines studies done on creativity, creative people, and the actual science done on the subject.
Sometimes we think that creativity is something that we are born with, and cannot be taught. I think (and the book suggests) the opposite. Creativity can indeed be taught, and there is scientific studies that suggest it. I can only hope that with this post it can help you unlock some of your own creativity in photography, and make your street photographs more unique, creative, and stand out from the crowd.
The article also features some of my unpublished work from 2011. Hope you enjoy!
I believe firmly in the idea that talent is overrated, not only in street photography but other facets of life. We look at those who are successful in their fields, and we clamor how talented they are– and how they must have some innate skill or insight that nobody else was born with.
After reading many books on talent and success including “Talent is Overrated”, “Outliers”, and “Image: How Creativity Works” the findings are quite similar. Hard work and “deliberate practice” is what makes people great in their fields, rather than being born with talent. Talent isn’t an adjective to describe ourselves. Rather, talent is a verb– something we must nurture and constantly work on over the years.
I am very interested in ideas and how they spread. Especially “viral” ideas. A while ago I came upon this study on virality that studied the most shared articles on The New York Times and the researchers had a hypothesis on what causes something to spread like a virus.
Their research suggested that the articles that got shared most applied to their “3 A” theory — awe, anger, and anxiety. Articles that evoked a strong emotional response from the readers.
Curious how you can apply this to your street photography to make more memorable images? Read on.
I am excited to announce that Burn My Eye (an international photography collective) is holding its second exhibition at the very prestigious Third Floor Gallery from September 14 to October 28. They are one of my favorite photography collectives at the moment- I love the energy, originality, and exuberance of their members’ images. Make sure to put it in your calendar and swing by the opening, which is Friday, Sept 14th!
Burn My Eye is: Zisis Kardianos, Charlie Kirk, Andrew Kochanowski, Alexandros Konstantinakis Karmis, Frédéric Le Mauff, TC Lin, JB Maher, Jason Penner, Justin Sainsbury, Jack Simon and Justin Vogel.
What makes a photograph memorable? What makes a photograph so powerful and so magical that it burns itself into our memories? Why do certain photographs withstand the history of time? Why do certain shots that are perfectly composed and framed are easily forgotten or dismissed? What makes a great photograph? How much of it is subjective vs objective? Is there a “science” behind making a memorable photograph?
These are many questions and thoughts that constantly revolve in my mind. Although there are no definite answers to any of these questions, many things I have been learning in sociology, psychology, and cognitive science have been giving me some clues.
While there is no certain “magical checklist” in what makes a certain photograph memorable, I will apply some studies to a hypothesis which could help you create more meaningful and memorable images from some thoughts from cognitive science.
I saw a message via Richard Bram on Twitter about an upcoming street photography talk in NYC at the Museum of NYC, Monday Sept 10th at 6:30pm! If you are in town, make sure to attend! The price is only $12 and I am looking forward to the informative talk! I will be there in attendance too :)
Description: Contemporary street photographers discuss their stories, what they won’t shoot, living in a world where everyone has a camera on their phone, and more.
Join us for a conversation with contemporary street photographers who will reflect on how they approach people, public spaces, and the unpredictable nature of their work. The program will be moderated by curator Sean Corcoran.
(All photographs in this article copyrighted by Anders Petersen. Photographs used with permission from Petersen)
Anders Petersen, b. 1944, is a Swedish photographer, who is best known for his intimate and documentary-based photography projects. He is best known for his project, “Café Lehmitz” in which he photographed prostitutes, transvestites, lovers, drunkards, and drug addicts from 1967-1970. The photographs are very close and personal, and incredibly humanistic and soulful.
I was honored to meet Anders when I taught my street photography workshop at Fotografiska (he taught a workshop at the same time). People I knew who met him described him as very intense and hardcore- and I was a bit nervous meeting him. However upon meeting him, he was an incredibly loving, caring, and down-to-earth-guy. He looked at my work and gave me great words of advice and inspiration.
Although Anders describes himself as a “private documentary photographer” – I love his thoughts, feelings, and philosophy that I feel many of us street photographers can learn from. If you are curious about learning more, read on!
Hey streettogs, I am excited to share that the great folks at Custom SLR (one of my site sponsors) are launching its black C-Loop and wants you and a friend to shoot in comfort and style. The Custom SLR C-Loop and Glidestrap are fantastic for street photography (as they take pressure off your neck, keep your camera always ready by your side, while keeping your hands free). You can see one of my reviews of the setup here.
The winner of this giveaway will receive the following:
Upload your (1) personal favorite street photograph you have ever taken to my Facebook Fan Page and share the following:
The story behind the shot
Why the photograph is meaningful to you
One piece of advice you would give to other street photographers
Your email address (So we can contact you if you win. It won’t be used for any marketing purposes – we promise).
Notes:
If you don’t have a Facebook, you can leave a comment below and provide a link to your favorite street photograph (and include the following points above).
If you upload more than one photograph for the entry (or don’t include all 4 points above in the caption) you will be disqualified.
#3: Share for More Chances!
If you want another entry to the contest to improve your chances of winning, you can also do the following below!
Tweet:
“Just shared my favorite street photograph with @erickimphoto for a @customslr giveaway! http://bit.ly/Oww3Sc”
*Thanks to PetaPixel for the giveaway format/idea!
More Info
Deadline to submit is Sept 6th.
This is a giveaway, and the winner will be chosen via Random.org.
Any questions about the giveaway? Leave a comment below!
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.
A.G.:There is a fine line between cinema and photography. Good cinematography and good photography shows when you have a good arrangement of elements such as light, composition, and subject. But more often than not, a cinematographer has total control of everything while the photographer shooting on the streets uses what the streets provide. So when a photographer is able to show cinematic street scenes, that is a feat of skill in itself. That is why you should check out Ms. Helen Hill’s Mis en scene.
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