For most of us we choose street photography as a creative outlet, while we follow another pursuit to earn a living. The two endeavors are often kept separate. But our guest today is doing both. He is combining his passion for street photography with a unique way of self-publishing a series of small books of his own work. This gives him full control over the process and end product. Plus generating revenue. Vincent Comparetto, is a native New Yorker now living in Denver, Colorado. And after speaking with him, I don’t see how he could do it any other way. Vincent is a filmmaker, an artist, a former graphic designer and most recently a photographer. His true passion in photography is street photography. But beyond his artistic pursuits it appears that Vincent does everything in a creative fashion, including travel. And as you will see in our conversation with Vincent he is extremely enthusiastic about everything he does. We should all be so lucky. So please sit back, grab your favorite beverage, and listen to Ashley and I have a very enlightening conversation with Vincent Comparetto. Some photos from Vincent’s book Follow Focus Vincent Comparetto is a native New Yorker based in Colorado for the past twenty years. Trained in fine arts, animation, and illustration, he first picked up a camera in college, and has been documenting and exploring cities and subcultures ever since. He enjoys teaching classes in filmmaking, and animation. Outside of photography, and animation he can be found skateboarding, bike riding, and making cubist stencil paintings. His work can be found at http://prometheusproductions.tv, and http://abstractcity.org. Vincent’s Book – Follow Focus Vincent’s Video – Available Light Invest Pennies in Yourself (Instead of spending thousands on gear) Get Inspired to create your own vision. Priceless inspiration, and advice from street photographers for street photographers. SUBSCRIBE TO STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE

Today we are joined by John Simpson, from Walnut Creek, California to take part in another evaluation show. John is recently retired from the legal profession and likes to spend his time honing his street photography skills. 
 John has submitted 3 photos for his evaluation. So please use the photos below to follow along with our discussion with John on this episode of the evaluation show. LA Union Station Ashley’s Comments Excellent subject choice! Everything about this man is contradictory and that makes it interesting. The cowboy hat and guitar with a suit, the celebratory set of flags with a forlorn face – I love the character selection. A little close cropped for my liking though. It’s as if the golden ratio has been interrupted. I feel like you either need to get a tad closer or a little farther out, but with the guitar detail, out would probably have been the better choice. Bob’s Comments This is one of my favorite photographs in your portfolio. I think the gentleman’s expression is what really makes this. When I look at him I think that he’s very tired and he wants to go home but he has a long way to go before he gets there. The seat that he sitting on gives it a sense of place because the peeling paint in the style causes me to think that he’s in an old train station. I also was somewhat bothered by the fact that his foot was cut off above the toes, but the photo was so strong it really didn’t matter. Me and my shadow Bob’s Comments I like the unusual shape created by the woman’s body and the extension of the shadow. It’s very unusual and really captures the viewers attention. I know you captured this with a smart phone very quickly so I understand it’s very hard for all the elements come together. I would like to seen some space around the feet at the edges of the frame. Plus the people in the background make it rather busy. Perhaps you can burn in the top of the image a little if you have data to work with. Ashley’s Comments This one is my favorite! Again the foot is chopped off a bit. It’s a small detail, but I always notice it and find it distracting. Other than that, I love this image. The shadow “reflection” is VERY visually pleasing, the feet lined up on the side of the street add a secondary point of interest while framing your subject nicely, the pattern on the road adds a lovely texture. Really enjoyed this image. CarLove Ashley’s Comments I really like the stripes in this image – the socks, shirt and car grill stripes flow well and make your eyes sweep across very naturally. I’m not crazy about the subject material because I was always a little creeped out by the crying kid dolls at the car shows my dad would take me too, but that’s most definitely a personal bias. However, I will say that it does document the flavor of the car show in a way. The Route 66 plate, muscle car and kid with a ball cap give it a very American feel. I would have liked to see all of the kid’s feet and the edge of fender though. Feels a little too close for my taste. Bob’s Comments Your use of humor here really captures the viewer’s attention. I think it’s because this is something any parent can relate to. To me it tells a story of a father and who has take his young child at a car show. The child became tired and wants to go home. To express that he leans against the car and refuses to move. I like your use of leading lines to draw attention to the child and you can never go wrong by using the rule of thirds. Nicely done. John’s Links John’s Website John’s book – Descansos of Northern New Mexico John on Facebook About JohnI’m a self-taught photographer who got my start at age seven with a Brownie Bullet, a Christmas gift from my parents. As I explored the medium over the years, I became fascinated by street photography and the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Gary Winogrand, Lee Friedlander, Robert Frank, Bruce Gilden and others. Invest Pennies in Yourself (Instead of spending thousands on gear) Get Inspired to create your own vision. Priceless inspiration, and advice from street photographers for street photographers. SUBSCRIBE TO STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE

In This Episode Today street photographer, author and teacher, Valerie Jardin, joins us to talk about her new book plus a number of other exciting things she has going on around the world. Before we spoke, I had an opportunity to read Valerie’s new book Street Photography: Creative Vision Behind the Lens and I was totally impressed. Her book not only serves as an excellent reference, but it is also an excellent learning tool and source of inspiration. The book is divided into two main sections. Part One is all about the fundamentals of street photography and Part Two, which is really unique is titled Photo Walks. In Part One Valerie doesn’t excellent job explaining the basics of street photography. She starts at the beginning by telling the reader what it is and how to get started. Then she goes into more depth about the various approaches to street photography, the elements of making a strong photograph (subject, composition and light) by using examples of her own work. Even for seasoned street photographers, Part One is an excellent reference and source of ideas. Part Two, titled Photo Walks, is what sets this book apart from all the others. Each Photo Walk consist of either one photograph for a series of photographs and a detailed explanation about what went through Valerie’s mind when she made it. Not only can we learn more about the art of street photography by reading the her Photo Walks, we also learn how to write about our own work. Because I believe that we can improve our own work and vision by taking the time to verbalize what we thought about and how we approached taking a particular particular photograph. Valerie’s Photo Walk descriptions first set the scene by explaining where she was, why she was there and what she saw. She then adds a little about herself and her personal relationship with the scene. Finally Valerie explains her approach to composing and capturing the image. I’ve been taking a few minutes to read one of these Photo Walks every day. Each time I learn a little more about photography and Valerie’s approach. Even you are vaguely interested in the street photography, I encourage you to read this book. You won’t be sorry. There’s a link to it in the show notes below. Valerie’s Links Street Photography: Creative Vision Behind the Lens Valerie’s Website Do Something for Nothing Project Hit the Streets Podcast Hit the Streets Podcast Facebook Group Hit the Streets Photo Walks Facebook Group

Dan Ginn is a London based event and street photographer originally from Leeds.  Like the rest of us, Dan is on a photographic journey, but unlike most of us he takes the time to pause, reflect and write  about his lessons and experiences along the way. I was pleased when Dan agreed to sit down with Ashley and me to discuss his approach to photography and how maintaining a blog has helped him grow as an artist. I learned a lot from our conversation and I’m sure you will find a few nuggets in there for yourself. A Selection of Dan’s Photos Where to Find Dan Dan’s Blog Instagram Twitter Facebook

This week our evaluation volunteer is Warwick Davis, an avid street (and former professional) photographer from Sydney Australia. Warwick recently retired (early) from a career as a real estate appraiser to pursue his passion for street photography and travel. He’s also a big fan of major league baseball and the Boston Redsox. Warwick asked us to give him feedback on three photos from his portfolio, so here’s the highlights of our comments below each photo: Ashley’s Comments: There are two things I really like about this image: The men in this image fascinate me because they are together, but each one is focused on something different. Each one is in his own little world. From left to right it looks like they are thinking about a runny nose, making it down the stairs and the woman. They add a quite a story to this image. My favorite part is the flow of this image. The people are positioned in such a way that they mirror the lines of the archway, which gives this image a beautiful, easy flow. It makes the eyes sweep across very naturally. The one thing I’m not sure about: The color scheme. While the people’s clothes create an interesting pattern in blues and greys, the colors are rather lifeless. I feel like this detracts from the interesting lines in this image and keeps it from being one of those images that grabs your attention and makes you stop scrolling. Perhaps B&W would make it a little stronger? Still, I think only a side by side comparison would reveal whether color or black and white make for a stronger image. Bob’s Comments: Initially I was really taken by how sharp the photo is. The reason I like it is because the gives the joints between the blocks sharp definition should make them appears very strong lines in the image. Although the photo was in color it looks black and white, except for the color of the subjects’ clothing which makes them really stand out in the frame. I also really like the three guys who are all wrapped up in their own thoughts., Except for the man on the right who was looking outside the frame of the arch at the woman walking by. Had he been disengaged like the other two the photo would not be nearly as interesting. Excellent timing on your part. The only suggestion I have is to crop the photo tighter eliminating the wall on the left and even the Argyle Stairs text at the top eliminating some unneeded elements and making the subjects, framed by the archway, more prominent.     Bob’s Comments: There is a lot going on in this photo, and at first glance I thought it was a little too busy. But then I looked deeper and saw something very interesting. On closer inspection I noticed that the main subject in the photo is you, the photographer… Not the guy at the table or even the ladies in the background. This is very different and I like it. I think you are the subject of the photo because your are attracting the attention of the guy in the window as well as the ladies framed by the outline of your body and your reflection. Had you not been there their attention would’ve been focused inward. As I look at the photo I can feel my eyes moving counter clockwise from the man in the foreground to the women in the background and back around again to the man. And this is caused by the presence of your reflection in the frame. Ashley’s Comments: Not gonna lie – at first glance, I thought this was just another coffee shop window shot. These are not that original and there are a million of them. Sometimes I feel like they are just over-glorified street photographer selfies. HOWEVER, when you take a second look, you find that this is actually a pretty interesting shot. I love the golden spiral effect – there are a lot of layers here and they swoop around in size. The window frame and umbrella reflections lead the eye around to the man closest to the window and then over to your reflection – where you caught the two women as well. That makes for a nice composition though with all the elements in this image you do have to look for it a bit. The people make the shot though. Your reflection tells me you are just taking a photograph totally normally, but the people inside make me wonder – what did you do to make half of the coffee shop customers turn around and look a little unsettled by your actions? It’s funny, it’s human, your timing was great to get them all framed in there like that and that’s why I can confidently say this is not just another over-glorified coffee shop selfie. Ashley’s Comments: The colors, composition, story – this image has it all. First the colors. Pastels all around from the brick wall to the photographer to the main subjects. Really like it. Excellent composition – really good example of golden spiral. It draws your gaze around very naturally. The story leaves me with more questions than answers – something I think all great street shots should do. I wonder – why are they taking that shot? What is the occasion? Are they a couple? Is the girl just a prop? Does she like that guy kissing her or not? Lots of mysteries here and despite the other positive things I mentioned – it’s that story (or lack of) that keeps me looking. Bob’s Comments: This photo has it all. It’s got a beautiful woman with a funny expression that’s genuine, not posed. I really like the way she’s leaning to the viewer’s right and the posture of her partner as he leans into the kiss. You caught a really genuine moment here in a situation that could have easily been posed and unnatural. And to top it off, it also includes a photographer. This photo reminds me of something I might have seen in life magazine when I was a kid. It’s a very interesting slice of life taken at just the right moment. However I, do find the pastel triangles in the background to be somewhat distracting. For that reason I’d love to see what this one looks like in black-and-white. My suggestion is to try a few different black-and-white versions to see how you feel. Warwick Davis I encourage you to visit Warwick’s website at https://warwickdavis.net.au. He’s done an excellent job selection only a few of his best images to give you a sense of his vision. I applaud him for resisting the temptation of uploading more photos than most people can digest. Also, be sure to visit his Flickr page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/visitor82/ to see even more of his work.

Tatevik VardanyanTatevik Vardanyan is a commercial and editorial photographer based in Yerevan, Armenia. But her first love is Street Photography. She already has a very strong portfolio of not just her street work but also special projects and commercial assignments. Tatvik is very selective about which photographs to include in her portfolio. Recently she was stuck trying to decide if three of her recent photos were good enough to make the cut. So she volunteered to join Ashley and me on the evaluation show to ask our opinion. Have a listen to the podcast to hear what we had to say. Tatevik’s Photos We Evaluated Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Be sure to take some time to visit Tatevik’s website to see how she fit these photos in with her other work. And while you’re there don’t miss two of my favorite projects titled Panels and On the Edge. These two series give you a real sense of what it’s like to live in her city. Where to learn more about Tatevik Tate’s Website Facebook Instagram Vimeo If you would like to join us a guest on a future Evaluation Show please use our Contact Form to tell us a little about yourself and include a link to some of your work online.

Tomasz Trzebiatowski has done a masterful job creating the website and magazine FujiLove. In the process, he’s built a large and enthusiastic community centered around the well respected Fuji line of cameras. And I’m happy to count myself as a member. Next month Thomas takes his show on the road to New York City. The event is called FujLove Live 2017 and will be held at the Bathouse Studios in the East Village on February 25 and 26. Tomash He has an all-star lineup of hands-on instructors including Elia Locardi (Landscape Photography),  Valerie Jardin (Street Photography, Karen Hutton (Inspiration) and Damien Lovegrove (Portraiture). If you’re anywhere near New York in late February, don’t miss this one. For more information, have a listen to the podcast where Tomash talks about the event and a number of other things. Important Links from the Show Fuji X100F FujiLove website Guidebook – Leave Your Photographic Legacy in a Digital World Damien Lovegrove Photography Valerie Jardin Photography Karen Hutton Photography Elia Locardi Bathouse Studios, New York

Craig Boehman Anyone who has been shooting on the streets for any length of time has been affected personally by it. It could be an economic opportunity, a memorable image, a lifelong memory, a dangerous encounter or even a new friend. We all have these stories…even if we don’t remember. This week we begin a new podcast segment called “Because of Street Photography.” Here we will speak with different street shooters to learn their personal stories about how their street photography has affected their lives. Our first guest is Craig Boehman, an American photographer living in Mumbai India. Craig shares his experience of landing a commercial photography assignment after being discovered on Flickr by creative director looking for a street look in his area. Do you have a story about how street photography has affected your life? If so, use the form on our Contact Us page to tell us about it.   A selection of Craig’s Photos   Craig’s Website Guidebook: Leave You Photographic Legacy in a Digital World

Every photographer I’ve ever met strives to improve and have others appreciate their work. An important part of that is receiving honest and thoughtful feedback about what you did right and what you can do better. But good feedback can be very hard to find. For this reason, we decided to dedicate one podcast episode each month as an Evaluation Show critique show. And today is our very first one. Each Evaluation Show will feature one photographer who submits three images for review. During the program Ashley Hunsberger, editor of SPM, and I will take turns giving our own individual evaluations of each photo. The photographer will be asked to join us as we discuss what we like, and what we don’t like and what we suggest (if anything). This is brand-new for us so and we’re excited to learn where it takes us. Our first evaluation participant is Jake Metzger from Christchurch, New Zealand. Jake contacted me several weeks ago to ask me I evaluate his portfolio. Instead, I invited him to submit three of his photos to be evaluated on the podcast. He jumped at the chance. Jake is a very talented street photographer who working to be a photojournalist. He’s already doing some excellent work and he’s eager to do better. Although there’s an 18 hour time difference between we were able to work it out so that could join us live during the recording. And I’m glad he did. We had a very lively conversation about his images and photography in general. Where to find Jake Website Facebook Instagram Kathmanu Ashley’s Comments First impressions: City feels big, eyes drawn upwards with the buildings makes me feel small. The subject is a bit mysterious – body mostly obscured by his sack of who knows what. This feels very documentary/journalistic and I like it for that. And props to catching Kathmandu so deserted, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a shot with so few people. Without the crowds, I feel like I’m seeing a real part of the city. Love the way the man is stepping too. Something about it…This one has a timeless, classic quality it could’ve been taken 50 years ago. The story I see is one of the hard work and sometimes tough lives of everyday people in Kathmandu. So often you see the mystical crowded city, but this to me is more real, a moment most tourists would miss as they walk the streets with their tourist eye. Bob’s Comments Although this photograph was taken on a very narrow street Jake chose to crop it a bit on each side. This helps the view feel the sense of being confined to a tight space. I also like how he captured the subject just as he steps from the shadows into the light. The only thing the that doesn’t work in the photograph is the truck just ahead of the subject. It’s the same dark tone the same as the subject’s head which causes it to blend into the truck. This makes him much less prominent in the frame because it prevents him from being isolated from the lighter background. This causes the viewer’s eyes to move up the page beyond the subject and focus on the buildings farther down the street. Little things can make a big difference. Of course Jake had no control over the situation. Had he waited for the truck to move away, the subject would have done so as well. Melbourne 1 Bob’s Comments Jake shot this photo using a film camera for the very first time. That’s no small feat after leaving the comfort of the digital world. I really like how he shot this wide-open blurring the people on the sidewalk in the background. I also like how he captured the joyous expression on his subject’s face. Another second before after and he would’ve missed it. But I kept noticing how my eyes would travel from the main subject to the man on the right who is closer to the camera and slightly out of focus. Then my eyes would travel back to the smiling man. But had that man not been in the picture, it would have been a weaker shot. Jake could have increased the depth of field by stopping down to keep both men in focus, but then the background would be sharper as well. As with everything else in photography (and life) it was a tradeoff. Ashley’s Comments First Impressions: This image is a positive take on the streets and real life. It’s refreshing. What I am drawn to is the human interaction here. When I look at this image I feel connected with its subjects. I feel like humanity is in general good. I like the composition. The blurred man in front blurred subjects in background lend to the rule of thirds and the fact that subjects go big to small lead my eye through the scene from right to left. To improve: I think I would have liked to see these guys with a cleaner background, they are such interesting subjects. But hey, this is street photography and you can’t always control the background, you worked with what was there and I love the result. Jaipur Ashley’s Comments First impressions: Beautiful colors here, but to me there’s a story here too – and one that is not so surreal – one of seeing beauty when forced to live in the elements and perhaps in poverty. The rich green plant life and humidity eating away at the walls contrasts with the brightly painted walls and the woman’s sari. It’s as if harsh living conditions are trying to eat away the beauty. I like how the woman’s sari contrasts with the wall but her skirt blends with the grass – interesting. The contrast in size between the boy and the woman makes for an intriguing visual point too. He looks so small crouched like that. It appears he is using the bathroom – a common sight here in Bolivia and if so I’d say it just adds to the contrast between beautiful colors and strong people with difficult living conditions. Bob’s Comments There is a lot to like about this photograph. The colors are strong and the contrast of the woman sari against the green wall is striking. It’s almost a textbook implementation of the Golden spiral with the child’s rear end at the focal point. This image gives us a strong sense of place with no mistaking that the photograph was taken somewhere in India. It raises questions about the woman. Did she react to the child using the front porch is a toilet as she walked by, or did she just ignore is just another day in the neighborhood? Jake says he took the photograph mainly because of the colors, but he caught much more than that. It’s always nice to have a happy accident. Well done.

Do you often feel stuck in a rut with your photography? After spending a day shooting do you come back at photos look the same as all the others that you’ve done in the past? Are you looking for a way to improve your photography to find your vision? Often times the answer is using a different part of your brain. Photographer Ed Walker, who was featured in the October 2016 issue of Street Photography Magazine, tells us he turned the corner by writing about his work. That’s because the act of writing helps us crystalize our thoughts and filters out the less important information.  This cause us to identify and focus on what’s most important.   Here’s a  link to Ed’s blog to see an example of how he does it: http://www.edwalkerphotography.com/blog/. The big question most people have is, “how do I do this?” Ashley and I created a simple photography writing framework that you can use to guide you in writing about your own work.   Photography Writing Framework Take a group of five recent photos or a collection of photos from a project and write one paragraph that answers each of the questions below. Take your time.  Put it away for a day or two, then sit down and revise it. What are you doing? Why are you doing it? What were your expectations at the beginning? What obstacles did you face (or are you facing)? How did you overcome them (if at all)? What was the end result (if you’re finished) How do you feel about it? What have you learned from the experience? What was your  biggest surprise? What are you going to do new as a result? What will you stop doing or will change as a result? If you like the results of your writing then submit the copy and photos to  Street Photography Magazine to be considered for publication.  Send the text and images(1024px on the long side) to bob@streetphotgraphymagazine.com. Links From the Show Miami Street Photography Festival Schedule Ed Walker Photography Blog SPM Podcast Interveiw with Glenn Capers Glenn Capers on Behance Glenn Capers on 500px