Street Photography Magazine

In This Episode Today we pay tribute Glenn Capers, to one of my favorite street photographers who we lost last week. Plus we’ll speak with members of the very active New York City Street Photography collective. A Tribute to Photojournalist Glenn Capers If you’ve been following SPM you’ve probably heard me mention that Glenn Capers is one of my favorite photographers. It saddens me to tell you that Glenn has just last week lost his battle with heart disease and has passed away. He leaves behind his wife RoMa Johnson, family and many friends Glenn is a former photojournalists, world traveler, film maker, teacher and master storyteller. I first met him four years ago when I interviewed him as the featured photographer in Street Photography Magazine. He remained in touch ever since sending us updates about his world travels and workshops. No matter where Glenn trailed, he had the ability to easily connect with people of all cultures on a very personal level. This put him into situations that enabled him to create some very powerful images. But always the people came first and the photo was a bonus. In my opinion he was more of a documentary photographer than street photographer. As can be seen in the many photo stories he published over the years both as a professionals and as personal projects. My personal favorite story is a photo story titled A Day in the Life of Superman. It’s the story of Gerrardo, a retired school custodian in San Jose, Costa Rica, who donned a Superman suit to help protest the treatment of striking schoolteachers in his city. Super Seamstress by Glenn Capers from A Day in the Life of Superman Glenn first got to know Gerrardo personally. After forming that bond Gerrado invited him into his life to tell his story. The results are amazing. There’s a link to the photo story in the show notes. Don’t miss it. Glenn said that during his travels he was frequently invited into people’s lives to share their most personal moments. The ability to truly emphasize is a gift do this as a gift which can’t be faked. One of my personal objectives was to attend one of Glenn’s intimate street photography workshops somewhere in the world. He taught these everywhere, in places like Costa Rica, India, Nepal and many others. Sadly, that’s not going to happen now. But all of us will be able to learn from Glenn because his work lives on. I guess that’s all any of us can ask for. Please be sure to see the show notes for this program with links to Glenn’s work online. I don’t know what else to say so I’ll end this was Glenn’s own words of advice which he called his Last thought for the photographer, “Whatever you look to see outside, is waiting inside you.” Glenn Capers 1950 – 2017. Glenn Capers’ Links Blindman Shooting – Glenn’s  500px Account Glenn’s Behance Articles Glenn’s interview in Street Photography Magazine Glenn’s IMDB Page Interview with Jorge Garcia and Mathias Wasik of the Street Photography Magazine Collective Jorge Garcia Mathias Wasik Street photography, by its nature, is a lonely pursuit. Typically you shoot by yourself, edit your on photos, maybe upload to a social media site for a few cursory comments and wonder alone if you’re making progress. Or maybe you show your photos to your family and friends who say everything is good or don’t quite “get” what you’re doing. One of the best ways to grow as a photographer…any the of photographer is go get real constructive criticism. Sometimes a little tough love can make a huge difference n your growth. So where to you get that? Jorge Garcia, a Tampa native who relocated to NYC, had the same problem. So 3 years ago he decided to do something about it and begin his own collective. Today the New York City Street Photography Collective (NYC-SPC) has 21 active members who meet monthly to share their work and provide input and support to each other. Together they embark on group projects, publish a website and a Quarterly Zine. As a result they have grown as a group and individually as artists. I’m pleased to have had an opportunity to speak with George and his fellow collective member Mathias Wasik about the collective, how they began and where they plan to go with it. My hopes are that it will inspire you and others to put your own spin on a collective of your own. If you do, please keep SPM in the loop. So kick back grab a beverage and listen to my conversation with George Garcia and Mathias Wasik from the New York City Street Photography Collective. NYC-SPC Links New York City Street Photography Collective Jorge Garcia’s Website Mathias Wasik’s Website NYC-SPC Quartely Zine Photo Book Recommendations Bystander: A History of Street Photography By Colin Westerbeck and Joel Meyerwowitz God Inc. by Carl De Keyzer Harry Gruyaert: East/West by Harry Gruyaert

They say that great photographers are made not born, but today’s guest, Angelina Davydova is making me think twice about that theory. That’s because she has been doing street photography for only 2 months. When I first saw her images I was certain she had been at it for some time, but not so. Ashley and I were blown away by the fact that she is beginner. Angelina, a native of Russia, now lives in Amsterdam where she works as a logistics expert for the Epson company. She was looking for a creative outlet and not long ago picked up camera and began shooting on the street. After only a few short months she has developed very good sense of composition and an and I for strong subjects. During today’s episode Ashley and I take turns evaluating three of Angelina’s photos which resulted in a very interesting conversation. We’ve included the photos in the show notes for the program below so please take some time listen to our conversation with Angelina as you view the photos in this article. Photo 1 Bob’s Comments Photos of people walking down the street rarely interest me because I see so many of them. At first glance I could’ve said “meh” to this one, but upon on closer inspection I drawn to the story and story and the questions it creates. One thing that stands out is that the last guy is looking in a different direction from the other two. The Chin Chin Club that you chose to include makes me very curious. In Amsterdam place with a name like that can’t be good, so it makes me wonder what they’re doing. And finally the stepping motion is spot on. You caught them in the perfect perfect stride with with their legs all in the same exact position. It was excellent timing on your part. The legs for 3 triangles, strong shapes that lend to the strength of the image. Ashley’s Comments They say a good image brings up more questions than it answers and that’s what I like about this image. The three men seem to be going somewhere together, but they aren’t interacting and their clothes make it hard to tell just what they are going to do. It’s also hard to tell what time of day this was with what looks like very little sunlight. In addition, there are no other people on what looks like a normally busy street – another mystery. The black coats against white window and the light coat against black door is also magic. Another lovely detail is how the three subjects’ feet are all in the same exact position. An excellent shot, the only thing I might change is cropping out the storefront far left to have an only brick background for a more solid rule of thirds and less busy, only brick background, if it had been possible. Amazing capture! Photo 2 Ashley’s Comments The gestures in this photo really make the shot for me. There is so much emotion from each character. The colors flow nicely with a greenish tone throughout. The background is a bit busy, but the characters make up for it as they have a strong pull for attention. I thought it a little close cropped at first glance, but after looking at the image for a while, I found that the way the grandmother’s head and the stroller tires are cropped just a bit make me feel more a part of the scene, as if I am right in there with the characters. Bob’s Comments This photo was well done. I like the color, the composition, and particularly the light on the child’s face and her pose looking down at the phone and her father’s hand. But then I asked myself the question “so what?” I can’t find an answer. Not that the photo was bad because it is well done, the subject just doesn’t interest me personally. If I saw this with a group of other photos it would not capture my attention. Photo 3 Bob’s Comments I really like this one. If It wasn’t for the digital camera and the frame this would be timeless. You did really good work and very harsh light making sure the shadows are not distracting. The main subject is placed perfectly within the rule of thirds and then framed by the girl on the right and the photographer’s hand on the left. That really draws my eye and interest to his face. It creates questions in my mind. For example” who is this guy?” He must be famous. I got the impression that he’s a famous person stopping for a photo op before he climbs aboard his private jet to go someplace interesting. Ashley’s Comments This is beautiful! Well focused, interesting subject and I love the angles. The way the “horizon” slants upwards adds a lot of interest to this image. Diagonal slants frame the main character. Also, it’s hard to tell exactly what’s going on. The camera acts as a censor bar over the eyes of the woman, which adds to the mystery and makes you ask questions or imagine stories. In this shot, the background is much cleaner, which, in my opinion, makes for a stronger overall shot. Overall, you have a keen eye for capturing characters that tell stories and emit strong emotion. Keep it up! I would say keep a closer eye on background and framing to keep creating even stronger images! Angelina currently shoots with a Sony I5000 with a kit zoom lens and a Sony 50mm for portraits. See more of Angelina’s work on 500px

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 [cta_invest1]

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. [cta_invest1]

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