Street Photography Magazine

In this episode, our guest is Michael Kowalczyk, a photographer I met last year at the Miami Street Photography Festival, where I was honored to be asked to do a portfolio review with him. Michael is a multimedia specialist at the University of Konstanz in Germany. He’s also a prolific street photographer. Since we met last year, Michael has leveraged his skills as a multimedia expert and photographer to create the unique website streetphototip.com, an excellent resource for the street photography community. On the website, Michael gives detailed explanations about many award-winning street photographs and maintains a list of street photography competitions going on worldwide. What’s more, he’s doing all of this on his own time and on his own dime. I was particularly impressed with an article Michael wrote about the making of one of his own photos titled “Medellin Mirror”. He goes into great detail about how he spotted an interesting photo opportunity of a man carrying a large mirror through the busy streets of Medellin, Columbia and how he worked the scene as the man moved through the crowd. The article contains several of the shots from the series plus his final selection both before and after post processing. It’s a very powerful learning experience. To learn more about Michael and get some pro tips from him, click the audio player below to listen to our interview. And make sure you take some time to explore the pages of Street Photo Tip – you’ll find all the links you need just below the audio player. Podcast Links Street Photo Tip website Michael’s Website Street Photo Tip Instagram Street Photography Contest Calendar Making Of “Medellin Mirror” Interview with Michael Kowalczyk SPM Podcast episode about writing about your street photography A selection of Michael’s street photos

Stephen McLaren, editor of Magnum Streetwise, is a freelance photographer, author, curator, former TV Producer and aspiring script writer. Born and raised in Scotland, he now resides in Los Angles, California. In addition to being a very talented writer Stephen is also a highly accomplished street photographer himself. Some of his personal street photography is displayed in this article. Magnum Streetwise is a collaboration between Stephen, his publisher, Thames & Hudson and the photographers at Magnum. Throughout this project Stephen worked closely with over 40 Magnum photographers like Elliott Erwitt, Martin Parr, Bruce Gilden, and Richard Kalvar to select images from their vast portfolios for the book. During these conversations he captured their stories and picked up tips to refine his own style. More than a book about the street photography of these legendary photographers, it’s also a history of Magnum itself.  It’s big, it’s meaty, it’s full amazing photographs, but more important it’s full of stories from these legendary about how they work and think. Magnum Streetwise is a must have for anyone serious about street photography. Links From the Show Magnum Streetwise at Amazon Stephen’s Website Stephen’s Instagram A selection of Stephen’s street photos ©Stephen McLaren   ©Stephen McLaren   ©Stephen McLaren   ©Stephen McLaren   ©Stephen McLaren

Blogging about your street photography carries with it some huge benefits. You’ll see traffic to your website increase and you’ll notice the people who come stay longer as they get to know your work on a new level. In a world flooded with street photography images, writing about your photography will make your images stand out as unique. Your images will carry more weight as you shed light on the stories they contain, regardless of whether the story is about yourself or your subjects. Best of all, writing about your work can help you gain clarity when it comes to your goals as a street photographer and the message you hope to transmit to others. But the million dollar question Bob and I hear all the time is, “How? How can I write about my images if I’m not a writer?” It’s an excellent question and a reasonable one too. Most photographers are more interested in visual creativity than that of the written kind. But the thread that may very well connect all creatives is storytelling, and this is where words can really add something special to the way you share your photographic work. Blogging about your photography doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. In this episode of the SPM podcast, Bob and I discuss how to write. We break it down into a step-by-step process and show you that writing doesn’t have to be intimidating. We even go over quite a few writing prompts to help you get those creative juices flowing and find your inner writer. To make them easier to use we’re including them right here in this post for easy access. Remember, your words are valuable. Write about who or what inspires you, tell a story, explain your techniques, describe your challenges, celebrate your successes – the sky is the limit! Writing Prompts for Street Photographers What was happening at the time you took the photo (the back story)? What captured your attention? How much did you work the scene (about how many frames did you take) and why did you choose this particular photo as your favorite? What challenges (personally or photographically) did you face on the street? How did you overcome them? How did the people you met while shooting affect you? What did you learn from any give experience on the street? What might you do differently? How did you feel while shooting and afterwards? How did an image or moment affect you externally and/or internally both in positive and negative ways? Why did you choose to create a series of images or work on a specific project? Who or what inspires you to do street photography? What photographers, painters, writers, etc. inspire you as you create your images? What has street photography taught you? Keep this list on hand as you think about what images you will publish on your blog. And feel free to add your own prompts questions to the list too! Usually we wish you happy shooting, but this time, we’ll wish you happy writing! As always, feel free to get in touch with any challenges you are facing or other tips that have helped you write about your work. We are always happy to hear from you and to get your feedback. And be sure to listen in to this podcast for more tips on how to create written content to accompany your images. We’ve prepared some practical, easy to use advice that will help you to succeed at writing – even if you’ve never tried writing before.  

Michael Stern is Los Angeles based commercial photographer who specializes in construction and industrial still photography and timelapse photography. But he’s much more than that. Michael leverages his artistic and technical skills to become a storyteller of his clients’ projects. His motto is: Think like an artist. Shoot like a director. Edit like a storyteller. These words of wisdom can serve all street photographers well as they work. In addition to his work as a commercial photographer Michael is a longtime instructor at the Los Angeles Center for Photography (LACP) where he has taught a basic photography for several years. He’s in good company because other instructors at LACP include Sam Abell, Julia Dean, Ibarionex Perello, Matt Stuart, Joe McNally and too many others to list. Michael’s favorite advice for photographers is to pay attention to what strikes you and stops you cold and to be brutal in editing your work. Links and Resources We Mentioned in the Show Michael’s Website Los Angeles Center for Photography How to Submit Photos to Street Photography Magazine Tips for Creating a Photo Project or Article A Selection of Michaels Recent Work Worker candid portraits of the Crenshaw line in Los Angeles, CA Worker candid portraits of the Crenshaw line in Los Angeles, CA Worker candid portraits of the Crenshaw line in Los Angeles, CA Progress photographs of the Crenshaw line in Los Angeles, CA

Alex Casares spends most of his workday driving throughout his vast rural Arizona county.  He loves it because it gives him the ability to take his camera to pursue his passion for street photography while he works. Because he visits open desert, small towns and urban areas through the day results in a an eclectic style making photos of a wide variety of subjects.  In any single say he can make images of anything from broken down trucks, cactus, horses, street people and dog walkers. Alex is very active in the Street Photography Magazine Facebook Group where he regularly posts new photos new photos and provides feedback to other members. His enthusiasm for our craft is infectious. We can all use a little of that. Links from the show Alex Casares Website Alex’sPhotography – Instagram Alex’s Dog Dayz Project – Instagram Dogs Best Friend by Lee Freidlander Bystander by James Preller Street Photography Now by Sophie Howarth, Stephen Mclaren The Americans by Robert Frank Chance Encounter (with Robert Frank) blog post on The Online Photographer Everybody Street – Video A selection of photos from Alex’s ongoing Dog Dayz project

©David Ingraham I started publishing Street Photography Magazine almost by accident. For the past 10 years I’ve owned a web development business that specializes in creating online training websites. Back in 2013 I was researching some new iPad magazine technology that looked like a good application to be used for courses to be delivered over time. After purchasing a license to create a magazine app I had to create a magazine to learn how it worked. So I decided to make a magazine about my favorite genre of photograph…Street Photography The magazine took off and I haven’t looked back. That was over 6.5 years ago. But my day job is still leveraging internet technology to deliver training via the web. And I continue to be intrigued by some of the creative ways people are using this technology to help others learn new skills. Carter Williams – Lighmob co-founder Kevin Gondo – Lighmob co-founder Recently I met the founders of LIghtmob who have created a really cool mobile-based photography knowledge sharing platform that enables you to connect directly with an instructor to learn a number of photography skills. It looked really cool, so I had to give it a try. I signed up for a lesson with award winning street photographer, David Ingram in Los Angeles. It was a very unique learning experience and I learned a lot from him. Today our guests are Kevin Gondo and Carter Williams, the founders of LIghmob. They will tell us more about themselves and this unique photography learning platform that they created.

Last December I had the pleasure of finally meeting New York photographer Lauren Welles at the Miami Street Photography Festival. I’ve been a big fan of her work ever since we featured her in Street Photography Magazine in our January 2016 issue. It’s one thing to meet someone through our virtual world and it’s another sit down and bread bread with them. This week Lauren stopped by to catch up on what she’s been doing photographically since her feature. And I must say, she’s been very busy. The work she’s been producing shows it (be sure to check out some of her recent photos below). In June she’s holding a pretty cool workshop in Seville Spain during the “El Roció” pilgrimage with photographer Jon Kral. Then later in the year she’s traveling to Sydney, Australia for the Head On Photo Festival. Over the past few years Lauren has been creating a documentary project about Stickball in New York. In the process she has gotten very close to the players, fans and league culture. It shows in her work. Have a look some of her recent photos below. We’ll be inviting more of our past featured photographers to join us on the podcast in future episodes. If you have any favorites you’d like to hear from please drop send me an email at bob@streetphotographymagazine.com with your choice. Some recent work by Lauren Welles “Haircut” Havana, Cuba. 2018 “Fútbol” Havana, Cuba. 2018 Team Sugarhill after winning the 2018-season East Harlem stickball championship. East 109th St., East Harlem, NYC. 2018 Eight-year old, Jacob de Jesus, watches his grandfather, Joe Sr., at bat. East 109th St., East Harlem, NYC. 2018 New York State Assemblyman, Robert Rodriguez, dances with a stickball fan during the E. 117th St. annual stickball block party. East Harlem, NYC. 2017 Aaron Rivera, Bianca Creales and Delia Carrion, try to distract the player who is batting against their fathers’ team, with their trash talk. Stickball Boulevard, Bronx, NY 2017.

Mermaid As a long time actor, Maria Ricossa knows people. You could say she’s an expert on human behavior. She has spent a considerable amount of time thinking about what makes different kinds of people and characters tick, and she uses this ability to her advantage when she hits the streets of Toronto where she now resides. Interestingly enough, Maria doesn’t spend much of her time shooting Toronto’s bustling city center. Instead, she stays a little closer to home and captures everyday stories she encounters on her daily walks. How did she find stories in a less urban environment? How did she find so many different stories in a single place? How has acting affected her work as a photographer? These were questions Bob and I were eager to ask. Maria had some thought-provoking answers to share with us as well as some of her own insights, stories and ideas for and from street photography. Maria’s Links Maria’s street photography website Maria’s Instagram account “I Want to Crawl into My Stories” by Maria (February issue of SPM) Women Street Photographer You Should Follow on the Web (Street Hunters)  

Craig Strong, photojournalist, commercial photographer, founder of Lensbaby and its Chief Creative Officer has mastered the art of reinventing himself over the years. Along the way he has pushed the envelope in both his businesss and personal creativity. As a wedding photographer in the early 2000s Craig create the original Lensbaby to give his photos a more organic look to the images created by sterile digital cameras. After making similar lenses for other photographers he and his partner Sam Pardue introduced the Original Lensbaby at WPPI in 2004. Today Lensbaby makes a variety of creative lenses, and optics forseveral popular mounts. In our convresation Craig shares his personal journey with some suggestions to help you spark your own creativity and inspiration. Lensbaby Links Lensbaby Website Lensbaby Unplugged – Official Facebook Group Lensbaby Addicts Facbook Group Lensbaby Artistry Facbook Group

Typically we publish our podcast every other Thursday, but I’m adding a special one this week because I am so take with the work of today’s guest Meryl Meisler who I had the pleasure of meeting in person at the Miami Street Photography Festival back in December. Meryl is a native of new York City is a photographer, teacher and author who has been recording her life and the world around her with a camera since the 1970’s. Inspired by masters Diane Arbus and Helen Levitt she has her own unique style that is both artistic and historical. Meryl will be our featured photographer in the May issue of Street Photography Magazine of this year after she returns from being the artist in residence at both YADDO in Saratoga Springs New York and Lightwork in Syracuse. In the meantime here’s a recording of our conversation with Meryl where she shares both the photographic and life lessons she learned during her journey. A Selection of Meryl’s Photos from Purgatory & Paradise: Sassy 70s Suburbia & The City CBGB OMFUG ©Meryl Meisler Man Dancing at Wedding Rockville Center © Meryl Meisler Jiveguy Subway, Williamsburg © Meryl Meisler Falling Star © Meryl Meisler Ringling Circus Clown Car © Meryl Meisler Meryl’s Links Website Book: Purgatory & Paradise: Sassy 70s Suburbia & The City Exhibit: Nottingham Contemporary’s Zebrario Space Exhibit: New-York Historical Society, NY, NY May 24 – Sept. 22, 2019