Eric’s Note: I am pleased to share the work of Krishnendu Saha, a street photographer based in Kolkata. Krishnendu is part of That’s Life, an Indian Street Photographer Collective. He is a student and teacher of Mathematics, but has been honing his photography skills for the last few years as a way to tell the “untold stories” from his hometown. Keep reading to get a better insight about his philosophy and background in street photography!
Krishnendu: To me, street photography is a game that can never be played twice in the same way. A game that is played by me against the world, a game that I control. I decide when to start, when to finish, or when to have a tea break.
It’s a way how I react to the surroundings I am placed into at that time.
Not only that, it allows me to build relationships with different people whom I didn’t know earlier! When I go through my old archives and see the photographs, all those slices of life just start flashing on my mind. I can feel the connection with those persons present in my photographs, with those places.
Heading back to the states from Tokyo today, so I made this video to give you guys all an update and what to look forward to! Thanks so much for your continued support, it means so much to me :)
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.Â
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.
One of the guys I have been spending the most time with here in Tokyo is Mike Nguyen, a street photographer based in Tokyo. What I love about his work is that he is a very versatile photographer – combining landscapes, portraits, and street shots into his distinctive style. His photos are a visual diary of Tokyo and his life’s experiences – allowing him to “…hang onto what continually vanishes” and to “capture the minute splinter of reality that is a fleeting moment” (from his bio).
Watch the interview I did with him above, and see more of his images below.
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!Â
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 teacherâ€, 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.
About a week ago I met up with my buddy Mijonju, a great photographer (who also has a great YouTube channel about film cameras). I visited him at the Impossible Project Space in Tokyo, and he gave me a tour of the store, taught me more about the Impossible Project, and his own interests in film and current projects.
Photograph by Paul Thompson. Click to see more of the Introduction to Street Photography Student Photos
I was very impressed with all of the student work with my last two workshops with Bellamy Hunt in Tokyo. For the Introduction to Street Photography Workshop, students focused on overcoming their fear in street photography, better understanding what to look for in a street photograph, and also improving their composition. For the Intermediate/Advanced Street Photography Workshops, students stepped outside of their comfort zone to find their own style and voice by focusing on a weekend project.
I hope you enjoy the images from all of the students!
Photograph by Steve Richards. Click to see all of the student photos from the Intermediate/Advanced Street Photography Workshop
As a note, there is also only 3 days left for the early-bird discount for my Calcutta Week-Long Introduction to Design/Composition Workshop with Adam Marelli (12/10-12/14). Don’t miss your chance to fully immerse yourself in the streets of India, break out of your creative rut, and have an unforgettable experience!
In this interview I had the chance to chat with Bellamy Hunt, aka Japan Camera Hunter. We chatted about how he started photography, his inspirations, and why he does what he does.
Keep reading to see more of Bellamy’s street photography below!
Having fun with my mate Bellamy Hunt (Japan Camera Hunter) in Tokyo. Hope you enjoy the video where we talk about the philosophy of shooting film, film cameras, and his favorite film recommendations!
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. Â I share my personal experiences and also make practical suggestions in the end how to overcome an addictions to “favorites” and “likes”. (more…)
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!
Currently in Michigan, and getting ready to head to Tokyo. Before I left, I wanted to make this video to share a little of what’s in my bag, what I am preparing for the trip, some of my reflections about shooting street photography on film the last 10 months, what you have to look forward in the blog, and much more! Thanks for the kind words and support – talk more soon :)
The past weekend I had the great pleasure of catching up with Brian Day, a street photographer based in Detroit. I first met Brian Day through a reference by my manager, Neil Ta – and ever since I met Brian (like Neil) I have had a serious bro crush on him.
Not only is he a very talented photographer that explores many genres, but he is also incredibly humble.
Check out the interview I did with him above in which we talk about his early influences in photography, how it is to shoot street photography in detroit, and advice that he gives other street photographers starting off or trying to find their own unique voice in street photography.
I have done several features including Brian, including his “Walkers With the Dawn” series you can see here.
To see my past video interview with him (as well as his images) read on!
While the PDF download is free, I highly recommend everyone to order a print copy, which is only $15.75. I’ve ordered the last two issues, and not only is the print quality excellent, but the double-spreads look fantastic on paper (not on the computer). Nothing beats kicking back after a long day after work on the couch reading Radiate, or even reading it on your commute. Also the print copies are at-cost, so know that you are getting the lowest possible price.
Support this great initiative by Stu (he dedicates a ton of work on this for no profit) by sharing this with your friends and fellow street photographers! Also show Stu and the rest of the guys who are featured some love by leaving a comment below.
I am excited that for this week’s winner for the “Sensuality/Seuxality” theme chosen by last week’s winner Timothy Cadman is Josefiel Rivera!
Definition of Sensuality (by the Merriam-Webster dictionary): The relating to or consisting in the gratification of the senses or the indulgence of appetite.
The reason I enjoyed Josefiel Rivera’s image the most because it has a great combination of surrealism as well as a social statement when it comes to sexuality. Below are some my thoughts of what I find fascinating about the image:
Eric’s Note: I am happy to share the work of Matt Obrey, a street photographer based in the UK. He is part of the new revisedMEDIA collective, and I love his use of light, simplicity, and black & white + color for his work. In the streets where chaos reigns supreme, he is able to find those simple and sublime moments to find some order in this world of ours. Read more about him below and check out his images!
Matt: I’m a 37 year old self employed wall and floor tiler and have been shooting the streets now for around 2 years. I work with a Fuji X100 as my main camera and occasionally use my Pentax ME Super. I work in both black and white and also in colour. Im proud to be part of revisedMEDIA, a collective of photographers from around the globe.
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: Brian Soko is a street photographer based in Chicago, Illinois. I was first introduced to Brian’s work by Jason Martini, another street photographer based in Chicago. Brian is a native of Chicago, and has been shooting there for many years- and has experienced the changes and evolution of the city. Armed with his camera, his work is straight and honest — showing a great deal of diversity of subjects in his photos, most of which are quite dark and grim. However he shows a great deal of compassion and humanity for his subjects– and remains very humble about his work. I am pleased to share this interview with him.
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.Â
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.
The Week-Long Introduction to Composition/Design Workshop in Venice/Verona with Adam Marelli was a huge blast. Not only did we have the opportunity to explore the beauty, architecture, and history of Venice/Verona – but we also were able to enjoy the great foods, wines, and sights there. The support and energy from all of the workshop participants was incredible, and needless to say that everyone’s photography improved throughout the entire week together.
The workshop was also a special opportunity for me, because it was the first week-long workshop I ever did. I loved it because it gave me more time to get to know everyone more personally on a 1:1 basis, as we did wake together, eat breakfast together, have countless espressos & spritzs’ during the day, shoot together, review together, and dine together. It was a very unique experience that I will never forget.
Eric’s Note: I am excited to share this feature with Sean Lotman, a film street photographer currently based out of Kyoto. His colors are phenomenal, have great richness, and soul. He will also be teaching alongside myself, Bellamy Hunt, and Junku Nishimura in our upcoming Kyoto Introduction to Film Street Photography Workshop (11/16-11/18). See his thoughts on photography and his inspiration images below.
(All photographs in this article copyrighted by Jason Eskenazi)
Eric’s Note: I am pleased to share this interview that two cute dogs did with Jason Eskenazi on his stunning book, “Wonderland: A Fairytale of the Soviet Monolith“. The book is a journey through the former Soviet Union that took Eskenazi 10 years to complete. The original interview was conducted by two cute dogs with Jason Eskenazi in a bar in Istanbul, and I transcribed the audio to make this text-based interview.
In the interview two cute dogs talks with Jason about his background, what got him interested in starting the project, as well as practical advice about how he put the book together, sequenced it, and how to see more of the frame. Curious? Read on.
(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- Â 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.
After traveling for the last several months, I really enjoyed the last two weeks relaxing and recuperating in East Lansing, my new home in Michigan with Cindy. It has helped me work on some writing that I have been meaning to do (on Magnum Contact Sheets and Bruce Davidson) and catch up on some work. I still have a lot of work to do, but wanted to make this video recapping some of my thoughts about traveling, the importance of friends & family, and the privilege it is to stay at home with your loved ones.
I’m heading to LA today for an interesting project I’m not able to talk about at the moment, but will keep you guys all updated in the next few weeks.
Thanks again for all of your endless support and words of encouragement, it keeps me going! Also if anyone wants to meet up in LA this week, let me know!
(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. Â
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.
Street Photography Workshop:Â Introduction to Design/Composition
Calcutta[INDIA] – December 10th-14th
Eric’s Note: I am excited to announce that I will be teaching another unique 5-day workshop in Calcutta, India with NYC  photographer and master composition teacher 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
Maciej Dakowicz is a Polish photographer, traveller, organiser of photo trips and gallerist living in London, UK. He holds a PhD in computer science, but abandoned science to focus on photography. He is one of the founders of Third Floor Gallery in Cardiff, a member of the Wideangle photo agency and the un-posed Polish street photography collective. He has worked on various photographic projects in the UK and abroad and his interests are in documentary, travel and street photography.
I am very pleased to have interviewed Maciej for his new “Cardiff After Dark“, which is published with Thames & Hudson. The book is available now from various international book retailers, including amazon.co.uk, amazon.fr, amazon.com and the Book Depository (worldwide shipping).
Read more to find out about Maciej and his new book!
(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.
To submit and for the official rules, click here.
Deadline for submission is October 21, 2012 at 5:00pm EST.
Read more to see work by Alex Webb, Rebecca Norris Webb, and Maggie Steber.
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!
WANT TO EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF SHOOTING AND DEVELOPING FILM OF THE BEAUTIFUL STREETS OF KYOTO?
Do you have a film camera just lying around collecting dust? Have you been ever curious about experiencing the magic of film of creating life in your images by processing your own negatives? Do you wish to gain a new appreciation for the craft and experience of film?
Film isn’t just another style in photography, it is a different artistic approach. This workshop in Kyoto can help challenge your photography in a unique way, and kickstart your creativity. It will re-invigorate your photography, while giving you the chance to experience the beauty of Kyoto in the fall.
I am excited to announce that I will be teaching this one-of-a-kind workshop alongside Japanese film pros Bellamy Hunt, Sean Lotman, and special guest Junku Nishimura. If you want to learn how to shoot film with some of the best film shooters in Japan you definitely don’t want to miss this workshop and unique opportunity.
Regardless of your previous experience shooting and developing film, we guarantee that you will gain a unique insight into different approaches and techniques to film photography that will help take your photography to the next level.
Thanks to Trey Ratcliff for inviting me to his Google+ Hangout talk on street photography. Unfortunately he wasn’t able to host, but Karen Hutton was generous enough to lead the discussion. I was able to join my good friend Rinzi Ruiz and Vivienne Gucwa in which we talk about street photography and the stories behind some of our work.
Thanks to Dave Veffer for helping out with the whole production!
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.:Â 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.
(All photographs in this article copyrighted by Richard “Koci” Hernandez)
Eric’s Note: I was introduced to the work of Richard “Koci” Hernandez by two of my good friends, Misho Baranovic and Oliver Lang from The Mobile Photo Group. What first struck me about Koci’s work is the depth, soul, and the mood of his beautifully-crafted black and white images. Not only that, but all of the street photography done is on his iPhone!
Richard “Koci” Hernandez is a national Emmy® award-winning video and multimedia producer who worked as a photographer at the San Jose Mercury News for 15 years. His work for the Mercury News has earned him two Pulitzer Prize nominations and was awarded a national Emmy® award for the New Approaches to Documentary category for his work on the film, Uprooted. His work has appeared in Time, Newsweek, The New York Times and international magazines, including Stern, and he has worked with lynda.com to produce a course on iPhoneography, iPhone Photography, from Shooting to Storytelling.
To read more about the man behind the camera, check out my interview with him below!
One of the most influential books I have recently is titled: “Imagine: How Creativity Worksâ€. 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!
Leica recently has released a range of new cameras at Photokina, including the Leica M, Leica M-E, Leica S3, Dlux-6, and V-lux 4.
As a street photographer, the two cameras that were interesting to me were the new Leica M and Leica M-E. Here are some of my thoughts of these new cameras as well as the Sony RX-1.
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 Overratedâ€, “Outliersâ€, 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.
Photograph by Kai Man Wong. Click to see entire interview on Leica Blog.
In-case you missed it, check out my interview with Kai Man Wong from Digital Rev TV on the Leica blog. We chat about his interest in street photography, his hectic life as a caster, and his fake british accent.
Street photography is phenomenal in NYC- it is truly the mecca here. Now heading off to Venice for my week-long workshop with Adam Marelli. Wish me a safe trip and thanks for everyone in NYC for showing me such a marvelous time :)
I am excited to share that this week’s winner for the “Motion” street photography assignment is Timothy Cadman hailing from NYC!
When I first saw Timothy’s photograph, it instantly popped out at me. I felt the sense of anxiety, confusion, and the pulse of the city of New York City through his photograph. Also considering the fact that the man is wearing a suit and a tie adds to a feeling of oppression, as I see a suit and a tie in such a dark film noir sense as something oppressive. Not only that, but the subject’s head is in the middle of the sky, which gives his face some separation from the background, and the neon lights on the left and right side of his head frame him nicely in the center. Once again, the feeling of “motion” in this shot is very apparent with the streaks of light and shadow around the man.
Timothy is going to now choose the new assignment for assignment #9 (to be announced).
Stay updated on the blog and my Facebook fan page for more details! Let’s all give him a round of applause in the comments below!
Eric’s Note: I have known Robert M Johnson for the internet for quite a while. I was initially drawn to his work from the nostalgia that it brought me (most of his work was shot in the 1970’s). I was drawn even closer to see his visual style and sharp eye for capturing moments and people. I also love seeing the similarity between his work and that of Frank, Cartier-Bresson, and Winogrand. Read a little more about him below, and check out his images too!Â
Robert M Johnson is an American Street Photographer located in Massachusetts, USA. He is a self taught photographer immersing himself in the history and nuances of his craft. His images were all shot during the classic 1970’s period of Street Photography. He always presents his work full frame and never crops an image.
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.
Helen Levitt is one of my favorite street photographers – as I love her celebration of life through the classic shots of NYC. To me her work speaks to my heart- the small joys of everyday life through the children on the streets and people just living their everyday lives out and about in the neighborhoods of New York.
I recently visited the photography section of the MOMA, and came upon a slideshow of Helen Levitt’s Slides (in the video above). In 1959 and 1960 she received grants from the Guggenheim Foundation to shoot the streets of New York in color (her previous work was done in black and white). A crazy story is that the best of her shots were stolen from her apartment in 1970. However undeterred, she continued to shoot and her work was featured at the MOMA (in 1974). What remains is a soulful look into the city, in the vibrant medium of color which was very underutilized in that era.
Photos by Helen Levitt
Click to see more photos by Helen Levitt on American Suburb X
If you want to see more color photos by Helen Levitt (in high resolution), check out this feature on her on American Suburb X here.
Books by Helen Levitt
Click to see on Amazon
Below are some lovely books by Helen Levitt (and affordable!). Highly recommend you guys to pick up a copy via Amazon.
Helen Levitt (a great and affordable collection of her work-recently published)
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!Â
Anton Kawasaki is a member of The Mobile Photo Group and also a street photographer based in NYC. He uses the iPhone more or less exclusively for his work, and started shooting around the same time that Sion Fullana started as well. Coming from a nearly a 20-year background in the comic book industry and also being an editor, his photos of NYC are colorful, vivid, and introspective. He gets close both emotionally and physically to his subjects, and is able to capture those wonderful “decisive moments” which bring a little humanity and life into the crazy life of the big apple.
Luke Ding, the winner of last week’s weekly street photography assignment: “Surreal” has chose the theme for this week which is: “Motion”
You have until this Sunday (the 9th) @ 11:59pm (via your local time zone) to upload your best (1) street photograph that you shoot this week (no old photos allowed) to my Facebook Fan Page. I will select the entries I like the best and feature them on my blog!
In New York, I was very pleased to meet up with Sion Fullana, a journalist, film-maker, and street photographer based here. He is originally from Spain, and once coming to the city (and getting an iPhone 3G as a present from Anton Kawasaki)–he started hitting the streets and shooting. After several popular photos he published (including the kiss in Times Square–which was shot with a point-and-shoot), his visibility skyrocketed on the internet. He is also very active on Instagram, and is one of the members of The Mobile Photo Group.
Sion is an incredibly down-to-earth guy — check out the interview to find out more about his beginnings and how he discovered street photography through his mobile device!
* Apologies for the noisy background — am using an external microphone on my iPad to make the interview louder (but the ambient sound is much louder too!)
Last year when I taught my street photography workshop in Hong Kong, I finally had the chance to meet Gary Tyson in person (and teach alongside him). Gary is a very thoughtful and down-to-earth guy who shows great compassion for the subjects that he shoots. He had a beginning in military photography, and now founded his own company F8 Photography in which he shoots assignments, teaches workshops, and also does video work.
In his free time he loves to travel all across Asia, and his true passion is street photography. If you want to find out more about Gary and his work, read on!
I had a phenomenal time this past weekend teaching my Introduction to Street Photography Workshop with Adam Marelli. Not only did everyone push themselves to get over their fear of shooting street photography, but they also applied the fundamentals of design & composition (taught by Adam) in creating solidly constructed images! Make sure to see the link below and comment on your favorite shots.
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.
When I was in Marseille, I had the chance to interview Damien Vignol, a Parisian street photographer (who was originally from Marseille!). I was surprised to see his images and love for street photography (considering he has been shooting street for less than a year!) He shoots mostly with his film Leicas for his street photography and has shot mostly black and white in the past – but now is focusing on shooting color slide film. Check out my interview with him above and check out his images below!
(All photographs in this post are copyrighted by John Vink / Magnum Photos)
When I was looking for photobooks to download on my iPad, I came upon “Quest For Land” by John Vink, Magnum Photographer.
His project “Quest for Land” is a comprehensive photoreportage about land issues in Cambodia over a time span of more than 10 years. He published this book via the iPad, in which he has over 700+ photographs over several projects that cover issues of land issues in Cambodia in the post Khmer Rouge era. The book also includes interactive slideshows with sound tracks, texts about the issues written by former Phnom Penh Post editor and journalist Robert Carmichael, and links to a number of reports about land issues put together by local and international Human Rights organisations.
If you are curious in learning more about “Quest For Land” and the life, work, and photography of John Vink, read on!
Have you ever walked on the streets and saw a moment that you wanted to capture, but you were too scared to take the photograph? Would you like to learn how to overcome your fear of shooting on the streets and destroy those moments of hesitation? Do you want to meet other street photographers who are equally as passionate as you?
If you are a street photographer starting off and want more courage shooting on the streets, learning what to look for when shooting on the streets, or meeting other passionate street photographers this workshop is for you. Through this dynamic and hands-on 3-day workshop myself and Bellamy Hunt (aka Japan Camera Hunter) will cover some of the following topics:
How to conquer your fear of shooting street photography
How to become invisible and shoot without anybody noticing you
How to react to people who get offended by street photography
How to never miss “The Decisive Moment“
The best technical settings to use on your camera in street photography
How to create memorable and timeless images
The secret of creating beautiful black and white photographs
The best way to tell a story through your street photography
How to develop a razor-sharp eye when shooting on the streets
The fundamentals of critique & feedback in street photography
I am excited and also sad to announce that as of today morning I am moving from my hometown of the last 6 years (Los Angeles) to Michigan to support my beautiful girlfriend Cindy and her Ph.D. studies (Vietnamese Colonial History) at Michigan State. I have had an incredible last 6 years in Los Angeles, and the people I have met and connected with have truly helped me grow not only as a photographer, but as a fellow human being.
I am leaving behind lots of great friends in LA- but I will be back as often as I can! However in all honesty, I will probably miss everyone in LA more than they miss me (as they now have a phenomenal street photography community to support one another).
I am also very excited for my new life in Michigan, and especially excited to do more collaborations with my good friends and fellow street photographers in Detroit such as Brian Day and Andy Kochanowski. I look forward in doing more positive photography projects (part street and part documentary) about the people of Detroit– and their incredible positive energy &Â openness.
I think this move to Michigan will be another pivotal point in my life (and street photography career) and I wanted to thank you (yeah you) for your never-ending love and support through your comments, Facebook messages, Tweets, emails, and words of encouragement! I could never do anything without you, and owe you my life!
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!
I am excited to announce the winner for the “Surreal” weekly assignment is Luke Ding from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
The reason I love his photograph is the strange and ghostly feeling that it evokes. It looks like a person sitting at a bus stop, but the body seems to melt into the background, and strangely enough the head is quite dark. The patterns in the middle of the frame look like knives (or ninja stars) going into the body of the ghostly apparition. The high contrast black and white and grittiness adds to the surreal feeling for me as well.
The first runner-up is Longwen Chen, who was also also featured for the Week #6 “Emotion” assignment. When I first look at the image, it looks like a cascade of black water falling back on the man standing in the center of the frame. The reflections of the plastic around him are quite alluring, and the heavy machinery in the background he is working on adds to the tension. What I feel would have made this image stronger is if I could see the man’s face (and not just his back).
The second runner-up is Sacha Lenz. The first thing I see when I look at the image is the beautiful black negative space, and the bright tiger that pops out from the background. Whenever I think of tigers, I think of power and aggression, but in this photo the tiger looks quite docile and calm. Strangely enough in the top right corner of the frame, you have an open door with a person exiting the scene through the white light. It gives the photo a very surreal and strange feeling, but I have a difficult time linking the subject of the tiger and person leaving the scene. Also I find the left side of the frame a little empty (although the negative space is nice). I also love the textures and contrast of this image as well.
Stay updated for next week’s weekly assignment on my Facebook fan page!
Also the winner of this assignment is purely my opinion, so if you have any differing opinions please leave a comment below (and tell us why!) And please keep it constructive :)
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!Â
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!Â
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. (more…)
VICE recently did an episode for their on-going series called “Picture Perfect” with Christopher Anderson, Magnum photographer. It is a great short video documentary on Anderson, that feels very intimate and discusses some of his past, present, and future projects. Also for those who are curious (who finished watching the video) he survived the sinking of a handmade boat in the Caribbean by wearing a EPIRB, a satellite transmitter which sent a signal to the US Coast Guard (that saved everybody on board).
Anderson is one of my favorite Magnum photographers due to his soulful imagery, and intimate and personal approach. His photos make me feel that I am really there- along with all the action, drama, and human conflict. Not only that, but he has done a wide breadth of work that range from conflicts in war, photographs of his son and father, as well as a project he is currently working on in NYC. You can see some of his images on the Magnum Photos site here.
Also make sure to check out my book review of his recently completed work, “Capitolio” here.
Photos from Anderson
Below are some of my favorite photos from Anderson in his book, “Capitolio”.
Jonathan Carvajal, the winner of last week’s photo assignment “Backyard” made this week’s street photography weekly assignment: “Surreal“.
Interpret “Surreal” however you would like, and upload your best (1) shot to my Facebook fan page by 11:59pm on Thursday (8/23). Know it isn’t a lot of time to shoot, but remember “Pressure makes diamonds“.
Hey streettogs, I am excited to announce that I will be teaching a series of 3-day street photography workshops in Tokyo and Kyoto with my  good friend Bellamy Hunt, aka Japan Camera Hunter.
The first street photography workshop I did in Tokyo was last year, and it was a massive success. Passionate street photographers came from all across the globe, including the states, Europe, and Asia. We didn’t expect such a great turnout, but it was definitely one of the most memorable workshops I have taught.
There is something unique about shooting street photography in Tokyo.
The city has a sense of energy, a pulse, which inspires shooting street photography. The skyscrapers climb upwards endlessly, the colors are dazzling, qnd the streets never end with an infinite supply of people. It is quite unlike anywhere else in the world I have shot street photography.
(Above image: Garry Winogrand, World’s Fair, New York City, 1964. All photographs in this article copyrighted by the estate of Garry Winogrand)
Garry Winogrand is one of my favorite street photographers that I have gained much photographic insight and wisdom from. He was in-arguably one of the most prolific street photographers of his time (he shot over 5 million photographs in his career) and one of the most passionate. However, he hated the term “street photographer” and simply saw himself as a “photographer”. It is an idea I later understood and respected very dearly, as Winogrand was more interested in making photographs than classifying himself for art historians.
I never understood a lot of the things that he said about photography like why you should wait a year or two before developing your shots, why photographs don’t tell stories, and how photographers mistake emotion for what makes great photographs. Although I didn’t really get what he was saying, I was intrigued.
After having done a ton of research on Winogrand and finding out more about his philosophy in photography, I found a treasure chest. Although I am not an expert on Garry Winogrand, he has influenced my street photography profoundly. I wish through this article to illustrate some things that Winogrand taught to his former students (the bulk of the quotes are from “Class Time with Garry Winogrand by O.C. Garza” [PDF] as well as “Coffee and Workprints: A Workshop With Garry Winogrand” by Mason Resnick).
If you want to learn more about what you can learn from Garry Winogrand, read on!
I just came back to Marseilles from Istanbul after staying a week with my good friend two cute dogs. I had the time of my life, being able to meet other passionate local Turkish photographers, eating the delicious food there, and also shooting a ton (I shot 35 rolls of Portra 400 film there – avg of 5-6 rolls a day). Special thanks once again to Charlie for the hospitality he showed me and the great places he showed me to shoot!
I was also glad to have my buddy Matteï Batruch, a young street photographer currently studying medicine in Geneva, Switzerland. Last year he attended one of my street photography workshops in Downtown LA, and it was great being able to re-unite with him in Istanbul.
Check out my interview with Mattei above, where we talk about how he got started in street photography, some of the people he gains inspiration from, as well as projects he is currently working on.
I am inspired to see how much experimentation he has done the last year in street photography, and his photographic development as well. Some of my favorite shots from him are below!
(All images in this article are copyrighted by Stephen Shore)
While in Amsterdam I checked out the FOAM photography museum and picked up a book on Stephen Shore. For those of you who may not know, he is one of the early color pioneers in photography in America. Although his style is classified more as documentary and urban landscape, I think there is a lot of things we can learn from him as street photographers. If you are interested in learning more about color and street photography, read on!
One of the things I love most about traveling is checking out photo bookstores and meeting new people. Istanbul was no exception.
Charlie Kirk introduced me to Huseyin Yilmaz, a photographer and a lover of photo books. A few years back, he quit his old job to start a photo bookstore (named Espas) to spread the love of photography with the community. I didn’t show in the video very much, but he also opened up a small gallery for young and up-and-coming artists to showcase their work right across the street.
Huseyin is also coordinating the Bursa Photo Festival, September 15-21. You can find out more information about the festival here.
If you want to stay updated, follow the Bursa Photo Festival on Facebook and Twitter.
A night or two ago, my good friend two cute dogs interviewed me via my GoPro camera on a roof-top terrace bar in Istanbul. He asked me some great interview questions about some of the following:
The term “streettogs”
About my personal background/history
How I deal with people who criticize me
The issue of being an “internet celebrity” and developing as a photographer
Teaching street photography workshops
The interview is quite long (around 30 minutes) and a bit noisy (because it was windy) but if you have the time, give it a watch! Also if anyone has any other comments/questions they would like to ask me, leave a comment below!
