Interview by A.g. De Mesa, photos by Harvey Stein
The thing about any creative pursuit, specifically photography, is that it is easy to pick up but only a few can stay with it let alone be good at the same time.
Tag: photography
Photography Quick Links: February 2015
(A.g.’s note: Photography Quick Links is a new initiative I want to do here on the blog. These are links I have personally read and sifted through. This is by no means a definitive guide but for those news stories or news articles regarding photography [but will try to concentrate it to street of course] that you may have missed or I think you should definitely see to help you in your shooting and understanding of the medium. I am still thinking of a permanent title for this one [will double check with Eric] Cheers and happy reading!)
Portfolio Finds:
For those that love evocative black and white, you might like his work. There is quite a passion and energy as he constantly updates with new work via his tumblr. Worth to check out and get lost in
Tumblr Follow
Follow Alani Cruz’s life as he documents his life in and out of the hospital as he battles his sickness.
Patrick Tsai – Barnacle Island
The follow up to Patrick Tsai’s photo diary, Talking Barnacles. Tsai continues the exploration of the non-fiction ongoing photo essay complete with vignettes from his day to day life being spent on an island somewhere in Japan. I’m working on an extensive write-up on his two works. I hope I get the chance to give it the justice it deserves.
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Capturing The Spirit of Detroit: Video Interview with Brian Day, Street Photographer
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!
Streettogs gallery Work in Progress: Minh Nghia’s Photobook “In Transit”
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.
Streettogs Gallery Feature: Ms. Helen Hill’s Mise-en-scène
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.
Hybernation: Can Places Have a Soul Without People? A Project by Dutch Street / Documentary Photographer Jeroen Helmink
(Above Image Copyrighted By:Â Jeroen Helmink)
Jeroen Helmink is a Dutch documentary / street photographer. After a corporate career of 15 years, his love for photography led him to a new way of living. It was only two years ago he decided to dedicate all of his time to photography and explore the streets as a full time photographer.
Streettogs Gallery Talk: The importance of producing a body of work
Eric’s Note: Streettogs Gallery is an on-going feature and intiative by Manila-based street photographer A.G. De Mesa. Click here for more info.
AG: This week, let me share to you some thoughts on why having a body of work is important while showing a great work from Kip Praslowicz.
After years of studying, looking, and analyzing photographs I have to realize one thing: The body of work is the most important thing a photographer should have. However, the journey of making a body of work is not that easy. It is so consuming that at times, photographers sacrifice their personal lives in pursuit of the great work. More often than not, it results with a lot of emotional and mental stresses. Â With those reasons and a lot more, why then do we need to pursue a body of work?
Streettogs Gallery Feature: Groupings of Lemuel Chanyungco’s Street Photographs
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.:I’ve been following Lem’s work over at Flickr for quite some time now. He is what I would classify as a classical street photographer with mastery of light, timing, and overall visual design. His terrific use of black and white reinforces that aesthetic especially when he utilizes it to for silhouettes.
I want to emphasize that Lem’s photographs are really good. Although recently, he is posting something that is really unique.
Streettogs Gallery Feature: “Surreally” by Nico Chiapperini
Eric’s Note: Streettogs Gallery is an on-going feature and intiative by Manila-based street photographer A.G. De Mesa. Check out more info here.
AG:Â Photography is nothing without seeing. The light, colors, shadows, contrasts, patterns. Human life in general. And it is in seeing that a good photographer will be able to replicate what was seen in a photograph.
This is one of those works that really invites you to just see.
Streettogs Gallery Feature: “The Old of Hong Kong” by Gary Tyson
Eric’s Note: Streettogs Gallery is an on-going feature and intiative by Manila-based street photographer A.G. De Mesa. Check out more info here.
A.G.: Gary Tyson is a great commercial photographer and has been in different locations around the globe. He is also the co-insturctor in Eric’s previously concluded street photography workshop in Hong Kong so I was really delighted whe he sent in a link of a collection of his street photographs.
What I usually do when a collection is sent instead of a series is I try  edit properly to show things in common. It could be aesthetic similarities, strong themes, or repeating subjects. So I pointed out to Gary a subject that continually pops up in his street shots:
Streettogs Gallery Feature: “Lost Faces” by Mikhail Palinchak Jr.
Eric’s Note: Streettogs Gallery is an on-going feature and intiative by Manila-based street photographer A.G. De Mesa. Check out more info here.
A.G.:Â I always defined street photography as “Photographing people in a public place with or without permission”. Â That is how I go about shooting but when I encountered the work of William Eggleston, my definition shattered.
It seemed that his work doesn’t fit how I understood and read about photography. His photos are so simple, mundane, and very uninteresting. So much so that I think Eggleston’s War with the obvious is the anti-thesis of Bresson’s philosophy The Decisive Moment.
Photojournalism Behind the Scenes: Staged Conflict Photography
Italian photographer Ruben Salvadori recently put together a documentary recording the behind-the-scenes of conflict photography. Although not all conflict journalism is like this, it is still a very eye-opening documentary about the pressures that many conflict photographers face, and the influence they have on the people they photograph.
Your thoughts? Share them below and please keep the conversation civil.
5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Ask For Permission When Shooting Street Photography
When it comes to street photography, it is essential to capture candid moments of everyday life. This is what sets the genre of “street photography” differently from all the other types of photography out there. Although there are many talented photographers out there who specialize in capturing posed street portraits, I would classify those images as more of a subsect of “posed street portraiture” than “street photography” proper. In this post I will outline my thoughts why you shouldn’t ask for permission when shooting street photography.
A Photographic Existential Question: Integrating Photography, Happiness, and Sociology
“What do I want out of photography†has been a question I have been grappling with for the last few weeks. When I was still in school, I had barely any time to even practice my photography, let alone contemplate what I wanted out of it.
However now, after graduating college and having more free time than ever, I have found myself in a quite stagnant position—sort of a limbo. Having always been so busy, I didn’t know what to do with myself with all of this free time. I then started to fill up all of my free time preoccupying myself by going out and taking more photos, working more on my website and blog, as well as participating more on Flickr and my friends’ blogs. However it seems that by the end of every day, I feel unsatisfied and wanting for more.
What do I want out of photography? Money, fame, prestige? Well I’m definitely not in it for the money. I have noticed that the more my photography gets involved with money, the less that I enjoy it and it becomes more of a job than a passion for me. Is it for the fame? I doubt that I will ever be as famous as Henri-Cartier Bresson or any of the other great street photographers without being a full-blown photojournalist or anything of the sort. The prestige? Sure I love attention (as does everyone else in the world) and enjoy having my work appreciated. However, I don’t want to ever become an “elitist†of any sort, congregating with snobby photographers and self-proclaimed “artists.â€
I know I want to spread my love of photography to others. I love being a teacher—especially when it comes to photography. Nothing gets me more excited than teaching the basics of photography to an eager beginner. Being one of the co-founders and the president of The Photography Club at UCLA was one of my greatest joys. I want to give the gift of photography especially to those who do not have access to it, be it social or economic reasons. Something along the lines of “Kids with Cameras,†a non-profit situated in Calcutta, India which teaches children in the red-light district photography, while providing aid and support as well.
Although being a photographer is a very individualistic practice, it is beautiful to participate in a community as well. It is impossible to say that a photographer is completely original in his or her photography. He or she will always draw inspiration from other photographers merely by looking at the photographs of others. Like what Pablo Picasso said, “Good artists copy, bad artists steal.â€
They say that money doesn’t buy happiness. To bridge this into photography, neither does the number of views, comments, favorites, or subscribers that your website or Flickr has. In real life, it is not the number of friends that one that dictates their happiness and satisfaction with life, but rather the few and powerful connections that one has with his close circle of friends. Therefore it must not be the popularity that one has with their photography which brings them satisfaction,  but the support circle that they have with their friends, family, and other fellow photographers.
A photographer that only seeks fame is doomed to be miserable. It is a never-ending quest, as there will always be a photographer more talented, popular, or skilled than oneself. This is definitely a path that all photographers should avoid at all costs.
Focusing on having a relationship with a close circle of photographers is crucial. The support that a photographer gets from others is the energy that continues to drive one another in going out and continuing their photography. A photographer that walls him or herself in without any support from others is a photographer who will have difficulty pursuing his or her art.
In writing this, it seemed that my vision has been clarified. I guess to find the true meaning of my photography, I need to do what I (as a sociologist) have always known, but lost sight of. That is to create community, teach, and share.
So who is down for a photo outing sometime?
Only Show Your Best Photos
This is a general tip which is quintessential to photography. Like they say, you are strongest as your weakest link. The same applies to photography; your photography is only good as your worst photo. If your audience sees all your work and stumbles upon a photo that doesn’t seem “as good†as your other images, it lowers the legitimacy of your photography by a notch. You don’t want to show your audience a series of snapshots; you want to show them a gallery of your best work.
A common mistake many photographers do is have two images of the same scene in a series. Sometimes a scene can interest us and we will take several images of it, and we feel that they are all great. As difficult it is, you have to strive to only show your best image.
To determine which image is your best, try to be brutally honest with yourself and just make the decision. If you are in a huge rut, you could always ask a friend for a second opinion. I did this quite often with my girlfriend Cindy. I show her  two different variations of the same image and ask for her honest opinion. The majority of the time I go with her opinion.
I know choosing between two photos is like choosing between two children. It is very difficult– but it is something that has to be done.
My Vision of Open Source Photography
You might have heard the phrase “open source†tossed around. But what does it really mean? To state simply, it is a movement in which individuals wish to provide access to technology or knowledge for free to the masses. A great example of one of the most popular open source platforms in technology is Linux, which is a fully-functional operating system (created to compete with Windows) except that all of its code (as well as the entire software) is open and available to the public for free. In addition to Linux, there is OpenOffice (Microsoft Office alternative), Gimp (Photoshop alternative), as well as a plethora of other software which allows users to have access to software for free.
Piggy-backing off the idea of open source software, I am a huge proponent of “open source photography.†When I refer to photography as open source, I am talking less about the technical aspects and more of the philosophy behind it. In the realm of photography, there can be a lot of elitism amongst photographers who have the latest and most expensive cameras and lenses. This often causes many new photographers (or photographers on a budget) to be intimidated and not delve into photography worrying that their point and shoot cameras are simply not “good enough†and that they can’t get a decent photo without having a thousand dollar+ camera.
One of my visions about photography is to tear down these walls of discrimination and allow photography to be open to all, regardless of the experience, gear, or interests that somebody may have. This passion that I had inside me helped install some of the virtues to “The Photography Club at UCLA,†a photo club that me and two of my friends started. Nearly half of our club was made up of individuals who had point and shoot cameras, and they were able to take photos nearly as great as others in the club who sported DSLR cameras. As the president, I also encountered many fellow students who were interested in joining the club, but always were reluctant to join because they didn’t have a “pro camera.†However I would always encourage them to join regardless of their background with photography. The only thing I told them was required was a passion for photography.
With the boom of the digital age, photography is now much more accessible as the advance of technology has also driven down prices. When point and shoot cameras first came out with less than a megapixel sensor, they cost nearly $500. Nowadays, you could get a camera with a 12+ megapixel camera for around $100-$200 dollars. The same is with DSLRs (Digital Single Lens Refex Cameras—ie. the “pro†cameras). The first DSLR cameras that came out cost thousands of dollars, but now you can obtain a solid starter DSLR for around $500 (still not a small sum of money by any means, but much more accessible). Even for individuals on a budget, purchasing a camera is now affordable.
Getting back to the concept of open source photography, I wish to provide as many of my photographic insights to others for the pure advancement of photography as a whole. This means that I never keep any of my photographic techniques secret. I strive to share with people how I convert my images to black and white. I strive to teach people how to best utilize their cameras. I strive to spread the love of photography for anybody who has the passion for it. Furthermore, I also strive to provide a hub in which photographers from all over can feel free to share their images, their insights, and their techniques on photography as well. Hopefully my photography blog will achieve this in one way or another.
Photography allows anybody to become an artist. Not everybody is gifted with drawing, painting, or designing, but photography makes creating art as simple as clicking a button. Granted that creating a good photograph is more difficult than just clicking a button, the potential of creating a captivating image is indeed that easy. Photography allows the creation of something tangible in mere milliseconds, something that cannot be done in any other form or art. Even children with no formal training in art can pick up a camera and take snapshots of life which can move and impress adults.
I am not quite sure where this journey of mine of promoting open source photography will take me, but I know that my passion for photography is not something I can keep to myself. Help me achieve my vision and promote this idea of making photography available to all—whether it be to your friends, family, or to that nagging little cousin who always tugs at your shoulder, wanting to learn how to take photos. You’ve got nothing to lose—but everything to gain.
Todd White “Paparazzi” Painting
So at the online advertising agency that I work (AKMG), the CEO there has a real great taste in art. He owns several Todd White pieces, who according to his website claims himself as the “critically acclaimed modern master and
portrait painter for the 21st century.”
This piece actually hangs in the bathroom, which is quite funny as some of my female co-workers have complained to him that is creepy that it looks like a bunch of photographers are taking photos of them while they use the bathroom. I, however, found it a quite fascinating piece (being a photographer and all). This image says a great deal about society and celebrity-worship, as the piece puts you in the shoes of a celebrity and shows you how it feels like to have all those cameras pointing at you. It definitely does make you feel a bit unnerved and uncomfortable, as the images of the photographers are abstract enough to actually portray face-less photographers. However as a photographer, I feel completely comfortable in front of a camera (as I am the one usually wielding it).
