Street Photography Magazine

A 1975 photography exhibition, called “New Topographics,” was “new” in that the landscapes it offered up to viewers weren’t the picturesque natural scenes people had grown accustomed to. Instead, this exhibit was, in the words of San Francisco’s MOMA, all about “unromanticized views of stark industrial landscapes, suburban sprawl, and everyday scenes not usually given a second glance.” The original show featured big name photographers including Robert Adams, Lewis Baltz, Bernd and Hilla Becher, Joe Deal, Frank Gohlke, Nicholas Nixon, John Schott, Stephen Shore, and Henry Wessel. With that show a new genre was born, a first cousin of street photography. No people are present in these images but the images are still about people, documenting the effects and results that people have on their environment. Cynthia Gladis, a New Jersey based photographer, was our latest podcast guest and with the onset of the pandemic, she found herself outside, taking images of her home state in places that were no longer bustling with people. The result? Cynthia says, “Photographing my home state is a labor of love, and I do so with a quirky and ironic nod to the New Topographics photographers of the well-known 1975 exhibit that focused on our modern man-altered landscape.” During our conversation, she shared more about this project and a few others she’s been working on. We hope you enjoy this podcast, as well as this small selection of Cynthia’s photos. A Selection of Cynthia’s Photos New (Jersey) TopographicsNew (Jersey) TopographicsNew (Jersey) TopographicsNew (Jersey) TopographicsSand StoriesSand Stories720 South Carolina720 South Carolina Cynthia’s Links WebsiteInstagramFacebookNew Topographics – A Man Altered Landscape

Mark Indig was motion picture executive for over 40 years with major studios like Disney, Miramax Universal and Dreamworks. During his career he worked on films like Body Heat, The Big Chill, Titanic, The Village, The Guardian and Tropic Thunder. Mark started in the biz as a location manager where he traveled the world to identify and document locations for new films. The skills and workflows he created to complete these assignments gave him the skillset to create long-form documentary photo projects like his study of he Ohio River titled Ohi:Yo’. This one thrilled me in particular because several stand-out photos were taken in my hometown of East Liverpool, Ohio. Mark also was the series winner of theLos Angeles Center of Photography 2021 Street Photography Around the World Contest. His winning photos were published in the May 2021 Issue of Street Photography Magazine. During our conversation we talked a lot about how he approaches a new project and gave me some tips for one I just started. I’m sure you will learn something valuable from him as well. So please have a listen to my conversation with Mark Indig. A selection of Mark’s photos Closed Sundays #42Westminster VermontPoint Pleasant West VirginiaWellsburg West Virginia Mark’s Links Mark’s WebsiteMark’s FacebookLos Angeles Center of Photography (LACP)

Martin Agius is a photojournalist and a street photographer who took an interest in film photography at a young age. In 2008, he took some courses with the local photographic societies in Malta and soon thereafter was appointed the Official Photographer of the Armed Forces of Malta. Nowadays, Martin is an avid street photographer who enjoys taking a creative approach to the streets. His work has been published internationally and featured in exhibits. In addition, Martin has judged street photography competitions and organizes workshops. Join our conversation with Martin to hear more about his photographic journey on this edition of SPM Podcast. A Selection of Martin’s Images MaltaMaltaTextured Street ProjectTextured Street ProjectStreet Double Exposure ProjectStreet Double Exposure Project Martin’s Links WebsiteInstagramFacebookYouTube

When you think of Hawaii, you probably think of an island paradise filled with palm trees, sunshine and surfers. It’s certainly not the most urban backdrop for street photography, but that doesn’t stop HNL Street Collective from creating some glorious street shots. Their photos may look a little different from someone shooting NYC, but these guys know that at the core of street photography is the human element. So they go where the people are in Honolulu: Chinatown, strip malls, and mostly, the beach. Get ready to meet four of the Collective’s members and find out what it’s like doing street photography on Oahu’s south shore in Hawaii. A Selection of Photos by Members of HNL Street Collective Philippe GrossPhilippe GrossIan HuntIan HuntJames KnudsenJames KnudsenJames Knudsen Interview Links HNL Street Collective WebsiteHNL Street Collective InstagramPacific New MediaPhilippe Gross’ WebsiteIan Hunt’s WebsiteJames Knudsen’s WebsiteJames Knudsen on Pacific New MediaJames Knudsen on Instagram

On this episode of the SPM podcast, Bob sat down with Tim Huynh, director of the film Fill the Frame, a new street photography documentary. Not only did Tim tell Bob about the making of the film, he also went into detail about another project he’s been working on called, Beyond the Frame, a stellar YouTube series that premieres today! It’s a mini-documentary series of sorts about individual street photographers and their work – one you don’t want to miss. Listen in to our conversation to hear more about Tim’s film, his current projects, and his passion for street photography. A Selection of Tim’s Images Interview Links Tim’s Street Photography FilmTim’s YouTube ChannelTim’s Instagram

Marc Gordon was trained at the International Center for Photography in New York City and studied street photography with Harvey Stein. His photography focuses on documentary style photography and unposed portraiture – two elements that can be clearly seen in his work from New York City’s Gay Pride Parade, an event that brims over with emotions and controversy. In this episode, Marc told me more about what it was like to capture the contrasts seen at that event and how he manages to get right in the middle of the action. Get to know more about this talented photographer and his projects by clicking on the audio player to listen in to our conversation. A Selection of Marc’s Photos Read more about Marc’s experience documenting the Gay Pride Parade in the June issue of Street Photography Magazine. Interview Links Jack Simon Gus Powell

In the October 2020 issue of SPM, Gina Williams wrote this about Kevin Fletcher, “Essentially self-taught, he built and explored the magic of the darkroom, taught himself the Zone System, photographed and photographed, and eventually ended up attending graduate school at New York City’s School of Visual Arts. “Fletcher went on to embark on a successful career as a cinematographer. He now lives in Portland, Oregon. While telling stories through film projects as a Director of Photography in his professional life, Fletcher maintained his still photography as a private endeavor and passion, and until recently, he kept those images to himself.” Kevin joined us on the podcast to discuss what went into the making and release of the powerful photographic images in his book, Avenue of Roses. Kevin’s Images Interview Links Avenue of Roses BookKevin’s website

It was our pleasure to speak with our good friend Meryl Meisler once again, this time about her newest book New York PARADISE LOST Bushwick Era Disco. Strand Books describes this book as “an intimate journey to the pandemonium and paradise of the 1970s through early 1990s New York City. Meryl documented a tumultuous time in NYC’s history – epidemics of arson, crime, crack, and AIDS, intensified by a paralyzing blackout, political and fiscal crisis…Her effervescent images are personal memoir – love letters filled with compassion and humor mixed with angst, kept secret for decades until she retired from teaching.” Join Meryl and Bob as they talk about Meryl’s book and all the years of photography that led up to it. Preorder your copy of New York PARADISE LOST Bushwick Era Disco here. A Selection of Meryl’s Photos

Suitcase Joe is an anonymous photographer and activist who uses his work to advocate for the unhoused. He spent a decade getting to know Skid Row and its inhabitants—the largest unhoused community in America—and in that time he gained the trust and acceptance to intimately observe and photograph the inner workings of their daily lives.  Suitcase Joe’s photos allow some of L.A.’s most vulnerable people to tell some of the city’s most powerful stories. Get to know the photographer behind this compelling work by clicking on the audio player in this post. Suitcase Joe’s Links InstagramSuitcase Joe FoundationSidewalk Champions Book A Few of Suitcase Joe’s Photos

Whenever we get together with Michael Ernest Sweet, there’s always plenty to talk about and in this episode of the podcast we certainly covered some ground. We talked about Tim Huynh’s street photography film, Fill the Frame, our thoughts on social media, the lack of community spirit in street photography, the double-edged sword of developing a strong signature in your work, and whether we really need the latest and greatest gear. In addition, we talked about what it means that Canada’s premier print photography magazine, Photo Life, (a journal Michael corresponded for for years) has closed down. Join our chat by clicking on the audio player. Michael’s Links WebsiteInstagram