20 Female Street Photographers to Follow in 2018
The women’s revolution for street photography is here! Below are 20 female street photographers to follow and be inspired from in 2018. These are current shooters and not of the past, so you won’t be seeing names like Vivian Maier or Mary Ellen Mark. The order is also not from worst to best or best to worst.
Also I am aware that there are a lot more female street photographer’s to follow but this is my list and I just so happen to not know every female shooter on earth. So please if you have a good recommendation please share with me. Another thing to mention, I am excluding female street photographers that are part of any renowned collectives (for example…Magnum, inPublic, Burn My Eye). In any event, enjoy!
Michelle Groskopf
Julia Gillard
Melissa O’Shaughnessy
Michelle Rick
Lauren Welles
Alison Adcock
Michelle Chan
Poupay Jutharat
Suzanne Stein
Cat Byrnes
Suan Lin
Tatum Wulff
Agnes Lanteri
Julia Coddington
Elizabeth Char
Maria Moldes
Simone De Peak
Rebecca Wiltshire
Jill Maguire
Julie Hrudova
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Photo Walk & Tip #1
Are Street Photography Workshops Worth Paying For?
Are street photography workshops worth it? Well yeah of course…Wait a minute I spoke to soon, it’s not worth….Actually it’s really up to you. I have taken a few street photography workshops myself, which I found to be overall positive experiences.
Research The Photographer
The photographer teaching the workshop should have a good body of work. Most importantly, you must appreciate their photos to even consider taking their workshops. For example, my first street photography workshop I attended was with Burn My Eye member Jack Simon. In fact, I did not know too many contemporary photographers, I only studied or looked at the works of Magnum elites.
Streetfoto had a few workshops available and out of all the photographers, Jack’s work stood out and resonated with me the most. Jack has a keen eye and seems to be at the right places at the right time. His humor shows through his photos as well, which were immediate attention grabbers. Viewing his photos made me want to learn how he captured some of his iconic images and find out more about his approaches to photographing the streets. Best of all Jack is a very nice person!
Now let me remind you, the best photographers aren’t always the best teachers. For example, many would say Michael Jordan is the best basketball player of all time! But I think those same people would also agree and say that he is probably the worst general manager and owner of an NBA team….of all time! Phil Jackson, coach of the Chicago Bulls in the 1990’s and Los Angeles Lakers in the 2000’s, was an average player. Phil came off the bench as an energy type of guy, rebounded, and hustled hard. Not much offense though. Phil fouled a lot. He wasn’t THE guy but was just A guy. Nothing too spectacular. However, his coaching resume is very much different. And yes I know his teams were stacked. Anyway I hope you get my point, back to our main topic.
The more you research the photographer the better. Look to see if there are any testimonials on the photographer’s workshop. Similar to making a big investment on anything really…you’ll want to do your due diligence in researching the product, reading reviews, see if it’s within your budget, and make your purchase or find something else. Same strategy applies to choosing your street photography workshop.
Benefits From a Workshop
From my experience the benefit of attending a workshop is gaining the knowledge from your instructor. My favorite part is the hands on approach and honest feedback during the photo review process. You get to experience how your instructor goes about shooting the streets and ask any questions you may have. Not only that, but I benefited by making new friends with Paul Kessel and Jill Maguire, along with many others. The last workshop I took was with Jesse Marlow and Aaron Berger, two photographers with totally different styles and approaches. Aaron is very much relentless and slick when shooting the streets, while Jesse is much more laid back, which is more of my personality and style. I wandered the streets of Los Angeles with Jesse and got to pick his brain. Overall we just had genuine conversations throughout the day and I had the opportunity to hang out afterwards for dinner. Those will be the memories I cherish over the technical skills gained through these workshops. Anytime you meet someone who shares the same passion as you honestly there’s nothing quite like it. And if you can connect with them on a deeper level, even better!
My Two Cents…
Ultimately, you get what you put in. Like almost everything in life, there are some people who work in a half-assed way or try hard but have minimum ability. But if you find that rare workshop, it would be extremely worthwhile. Ask yourself, why are you in the workshop? Are you working on a book and need a better understanding on how to sequence your photos? Does that instructor have the knowledge of working in series? Are you a beginner and want to have confidence having a camera around photographing the streets? Simultaneously, you the student need to be open and try to apply what may be new ways of shooting. Be flexible. From my observation, there are too many street photography workshops today….many are taught by less than qualified people or qualified people wanting to make a quick buck.
For example, when I make an investment or big purchase (Sadly for me I consider anything over $100 a big purchase) I ask myself…is it worth it? How else could I use this money? I could use that for utilities, a good night out, or invest in stocks. Don’t just spend to hoard. Economics 101…the things you purchase need to work for you. Your clothes need to have some kind of Return On Investment for you. Maybe it’s how you present yourself and people at your workplace take that into consideration. Perception is everything. If you buy a new camera and your initial plans are to just roam and shoot casually, that’s fine. But for me because I’m broke as hell, I need to find multi-purposes in everything I buy. Can you make a few dollars with that camera? Can you pick up a gig or two? Hell if you break even, that’s already a win. WILL THE MONEY SPENT MAKE ME MONEY OR GIVE ME AN EXPERIENCE THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET….or am I just blowing my money away.
What I’m saying is if I had to choose between a new camera or a workshop that I’ve taken the time to research, I’d choose the workshop. Reason being is there’s no price tag on a potential experience of a lifetime or the knowledge you’d walk away with…of course that is all dependent on the quality of your workshop instructor and on YOU. Your mindset and what you want to be able to walk away with from the workshop is key.
Last note, I hate when someone says workshops are a waste of money, especially if they have never attended one. That’s like saying Hawaii only has beaches and I don’t like the ocean so I’m never going to visit there. Of course Hawaii has much more than beaches, but it’s up to you to do the research beforehand that will help determine how your vacation pans out. If you have a negative mindset about something or someone, yet know very little about the situation or person, then that’s all on you.
To sum things up, “are street photography workshops worth it?” Yes, it is. But it depends on YOU and what you want out of it, as well as the quality of your instructor, which is also dependent on you! Do your research and keep an open mind, you’ll find workshops can be a great learning experience and a lot of fun!
For workshops visit below:
http://streetfoto.org/workshops/
http://www.brucegilden.com/workshops/
https://www.magnumphotos.com/events/event/alex-webb-workshop-oslo/
https://www.maciejdakowicz.com/photography-workshops/
http://erickimphotography.com/blog/workshops/
http://italianstreetphotofestival.com/workshops-street-photography-festival/
https://www.miamistreetphotographyfestival.org/
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Win Some Lose Most
“Street Photography is 99,9 % about failure. So often I feel defeated by the street. I sometimes find, that if I keep walking, keep looking, and keep pushing myself, eventually something interesting will happen. Every once in a while, at the end of the day, when I´m most exhausted and hungry, something – a shaft of light, an unexpected gesture, an odd juxtaposition – suddenly reveals a photograph. It´s almost as if I had to go through all those hours of frustration and failure in order to get to the place where I could finally see that singular moment at day´s end” – Alex Webb
The first harsh lesson street photography has taught me is “Win some. Lose most”. Most of the time when you go out to photograph whether it’s a weekend walk into the city or whether you just bring your camera everywhere with you, just have realistic expectations and not expect that every shutter click is going to be a good image.
Remember to ultimately shoot for yourself and at the end of the day what really matters is if you’re happy with your photos. You may get a lot of “likes” or compliments on social media from your friends but deep down you know whether you have a good photo. WWE superstar John Cena, said that after a match everyone backstage congratulates you and pats you on the back tell you “Hey that was an awesome match” but in his heart and mind he knows whether or not the match was a 5 star match. And if it was a 5 star match he’s not settling, as long as he’s wrestling, he’s gonna keep striving to top his last five star match. You can bring that same mentality to street photography, you take a good photo. It wins awards, gets recognition but don’t settle. Keep shooting. Try to top your last good photo. The competition is not among other people on social media but rather among yourself. Realize that you’ll have more shitty shooting days than good. And once you realize this and be honest with yourself in the quality of work you’ve been producing and the time and effort you actually put into your street photography, the better you can go about your art.
Even when you’re submitting photos to festivals or competitions. I’ve always said that getting in one is like hitting the lottery. The percent of your photos getting in is slim. Therefore, do not be disappointed by not getting in. Because you did not lose. You just did not win. If you’re in a rut or have a photographer’s block then try out new genre’s either within street photography or in photography in general. Sometimes mixing things up helps me reshuffle the creative juices. By allowing yourself to try new things and make crappy photos along the way takes off pressure. Removes any competitive spirit within you and allows you to have fun and learn new things.Sometimes going on hiatus helps. I discovered street photography in 2010 and did it for two years.
I stopped in 2012 because I didn’t know what and why I was photographing randomness out in the streets. I got back into street photography in 2015 with a new burning light and most importantly it was more fun than when I was originally practicing it back in 2010-2012. In that regards, sometimes you need to hit the reset button. For most people their reset button is a two week vacation and when they return back to work they’re rejuvenated and ready to continue to climb the corporate ladder. That’s why there’s spring breaks, summer breaks, winter breaks, for students so that they don’t feel burnt out and uninspired to learn. If you’re falling off into boredom and you’ve tried mixing it up…it’s okay. That’s normal. This actually happens to me a lot. Just find something else to do or stay busy and return to hitting the streets thereafter.
At the end of the day try new things, pace yourself, compete among yourself, and don’t add any unnecessary pressure onto yourself. You are the gatekeeper of your own destiny.
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Why I Love Street Photography
“Photograph the world as it is. There’s nothing more interesting than reality” – Mary Ellen Mark
I love shooting the streets. Wait wait love is too strong of a word…maybe I’m obsessed…okay sounds better. To me…in my bias opinion, I think street photography is the hardest form of photography to go about…and the most honest form of photography. Sure to shoot the streets is easy. You just need a camera and head out…to go about it is fairly simple. To do it well or at least decent is very hard. I think street photos evoke more emotion than any other type of photography genre out there. Now that’s not to say I don’t appreciate a little landscape shot from time to time, cause I do. Photos of a beautiful landscape will definitely catch my eye, some shots may look different from other’s based on weather or season but for the most part they’re static. A street photo which typically consist of having a human or people within the frame….or some element of a human figure (shadow, poster with a face for example) are much more dynamic. That is what I have always loved about street photography.
I also love the challenge that street photography presents itself. I could be shooting the same streets day in and day out and still walk away with completely different pictures each day. I can photograph the same area but still not know what to expect. You never know what you may come across! I don’t need to travel to some exotic country to make some damn good photos. I can do it anywhere, as long as I have an open mind and I allow my instincts to react and take over.
As much crap there is on social media in regards to what people think is “street photography”….I do enjoy seeing a fellow street photographer build their own following and receiving the recognition they deserve for their creativity and hard work. The internet amazes me sometimes and I think there’s a lot of hate you’ll come across on other blogs in regards that social media is killing street photography (Is Street Photography Dead)….And maybe it is to an extent but at the end of the day without these social media platforms we wouldn’t know a lot of these great modern day street photographer’s. The days of only receiving recognition by either making it on the New York Times or getting major media coverage is OVER. You hear me…it is over!!!! It’s a whole new ball game now! And I think people are aware that they can be their own brand and the fact there is a higher percentage of getting attention on themselves motivates everyone across the board. This makes everyone to step up their game! Even the pros need to step up their game to continue to be relevant…We live in a world of what have you done lately!
What I love that street photography has done for me….it’s given me a creative outlet….I believe everyone needs to have a creative outlet…or the very least a hobby…something that can fuel you which then fuels you during your 9 to 5 job. I truly believe if all you do is work and come home and binge on Netflix day in and day out…you’re killing yourself. I don’t believe in routine. Routine leads to complacency. You need to find something outside of work, outside of just drinking with friends every Friday and Saturday night, getting shit face and wasting your time. You need to find something else that is much more fulfilling. Perhaps, volunteer at a shelter. Utilize your skills to help a non-profit. Obtain new skills. Exercise and getting fit is a great option to consider.
All I’m saying is find something. Anything. Try them all! You aren’t going to find your creative outlet or hobby over the weekend. It’ll even change over time as well. When I started street photography in 2010, I stopped in 2012 because I didn’t know what the hell I was doing taking random shots from a far and not really liking the photos I came out with. The itch was always there and went back to shooting the streets in 2015. See the passion was always there, it never left me, I just went on a nice vacation away from street photography which ultimately reignited my fire.
The same can happen to you…just because something doesn’t work once, doesn’t mean it won’t work the second time. Mix things up and you’ll find different results. Okay hold on…going off topic here…okay there you have it, a few reasons why I love street photography…what are some reasons why you love street photography?
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What is Street Photography?
What is street photography? According to wikipedia….
“Street photography, also sometimes called candid photography, is photography conducted for art or inquiry that features unmediated chance encounters and random incidents within public places. … Street photography does not necessitate the presence of a street or even the urban environment.”
My photo photo (above) was selected and featured on instagram account @bcncollective they have a decent amount of followers, I believe the account is still fairly new and their selections in my opinion are pretty good. Also, I have not had many of my photos featured on other instagram accounts so this recognition was deeply appreciated.
However, an instagram user commented on my photo something to the extend that the photo is cruel and should be taken down despite many other positive comments. This is one of those polarizing photos that have received both negative and positive comments. I love this photo because of how overly tan she is and she sorts of looks like an alien so when I came across her I wasn’t sure if she came from out of space or if she was one of us earthlings….Anyways, due to this one person the collective decided to remove the image, instagram did not ask the collective to remove it. The photo does not show any nudity or inflicts any of instagram photo procedures. The collective removed it to be sensitive to that ONE comment.
How was I notified about this removal…well the collective messages me the next morning and my response was simply that they shouldn’t care about what people think is or is not a street photo. My advice to them was if you like a photo and want to feature it on your page, do it. Don’t hesitate if “well is it going to receive a negative response”…that’s the same mentality as “well is this photo going to get a lot of likes”….that’s the pitfall of social media, too many people are too worried about other people’s opinion.
You think Suzanne Stein would be anything if she was worried about people bashing her photographs on the homeless community on Skid Row? I’ve read a lot of mixed responses and reviews on Bruce Gilden’s book/series Faces…you think he cares? It’s his vision with a purpose and the best part is he can defend his work. He’s not taking random photos and calling it street photography.
My photo is part of a larger continuous project called Beach Please where I photograph unusual and absurd moments of things happening on the beach or of interesting people that’s at the beach. Whether on the beach or on the sidewalk, my instincts will naturally tell me to make a photograph if the colors are striking, the person is interesting (I don’t know how to explain this but something about them or on them just catches my eye), something is happening or taking place and may look nice in a frame of a second, and if the lighting is striking.
On the beach, there are more opportunities from my experience to come across something interesting that you can tie in with the beach. What I mean by that is for example, all marketing and promotional materials of Hawaii is of the scenery, lava, fire dancers, pristine beaches with super models on walking along shores…However, that is a false perception of Hawaii…Hawaii like any metropolitan city has it’s own set of issues with homelessness, traffic, and high cost of living…on the beach especially a touristy beach like Waikiki, there are rarely any super models. The beach is filled with homeless, over weight seniors enjoying their vacation or retirement, and families….very different then any promotional video you’ll see on the internet of Waikiki (check out my previous blog on “Street Photography on the Beach“). So with this project, my intention is to capture the reality of Waikiki beach which I’m sure the Hawaii Visitor & Convention Bureau would not appreciate.
Conclusion
All in all, there’s a lesson to be learned here. One, don’t give a rats ass what negative comments people make on your photo. If they give constructive feedback on how the photo could be better, then great. But take it with a grain of salt especially if you did not seek constructive feedback. Lesson two, you know what you’re intentions are, photograph with your heart, mind, and soul. I truly believe you can only make good photograph’s if it resonates with you. Yes, anyone can grab a camera, go out, and start clicking the shutter button….and have photos of anything and everything. But if you photograph with your mind, soul, and heart….which ultimately means photos that resonate with you and your initial instincts then go for it.
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Street Photography on the Beach
What time of day are you going
The time of day to photograph people on the beach is very important just like when you go out to photograph the streets. Are you going early morning? Sunrise? Where the light is fairly faint and their aren’t a lot of beach goers…depending on your location you may see a lot of early morning runners and surfers.
Are you going at noon? Where the sun is may be a bit harsh and it’ll be hot as heck! At this hour, I find that the beaches are most crowded. It can be difficult to last a few hours due to the heat, walking in sand, and carrying a bag full of items. I suggest dressing comfortably, wearing slippers or sandals, and carry a point and shoot or keep your dslr/mirrorless camera as light as possible.
Also at this time of the day, there should be a variety of people at the beach. Families. Seniors. Tanners. Surfers. Homeless. Tourist. Locals. Go before lunch and shoot for a couple hours, maybe from 11am to 1pm.
If you’re worried about the sun causing you any stress then go before sunset. The late afternoon 3pm-4pm and shoot until the sun sets. You’ll find the best lighting at this hour, a very soft and subtle light just arraying the shores. The key here though is to find where that light is exactly hitting. Of course the area where the light is hitting will change as the sun sets but once you find it, don’t lose it. Follow the light and let your subjects walk into it. There may be opportunities to create dark shadows or silhouettes as well. Also at this hour, the beach isn’t as overly crowded (which can be overwhelming at times just like shooting a busy intersection). Most people are getting ready for dinner or just waiting to enjoy the sunset but majority are doing that away from the sands.
Blend In
If you look the part, you’ll get the part. Same applies when you’re photographing on the beach. If you look like a tourist like everyone else on the beach with beach shorts, often taking selfie shots of yourself, others around may not even notice you or seem to care. But if you’re on the beach with jeans , a pair of shoes, and a long telephoto lens then obviously you’ll be standing out from the crowd…and for the wrong reasons.
Now I’m not saying to go shopping for an entirely new attire just for the beach setting. Dress comfortably. Have respect of what you photograph and who you photograph. Same principles applies as when you’re roaming the sidewalks.
My other advice when blending in is to take your time. Scan the beach. I love shooting the beach because there are many activities happening, lot of different people of all size, shapes, and background in a more contain environment. And also everything is slowed down, unlike the streets where it can be very busy and overwhelming at times.
Have the Fisherman mentality
Take your time. Be patience. Scan those in the water. Observe those lying in the sand absorbing the sun. Eventually you will come across something that just instinctively connects with you. Maybe it’s an overly tanned person. Over sized man in speedos. A juxtaposition of a swimmer and their inflatable’s.
People are exposed on the beach. Their guards are down. For crying out loud, they’re barely clothed. So worse case scenario a photograph of themselves should be the least of their concerns. I believe if you were to shoot at the beach from sunrise to sunset, be patient with the situation, you would walk away with more amazing photos shooting the beach than if you were to spend an entire day on the streets. That’s just my opinion.
What to Look For
Well what do you look for when you’re shooting the streets? Gesture? Color? Wardrobe? Interesting face? Patterns? Juxtaposition? Humor? Same can be applied when photographing the beach. However, I feel it’s even more out there and you don’t have to really look or even stress overthinking or even trying. Just take a nice walk down shore, take your time, enjoy the ocean and view, and I guarantee you will come across something you’d like to make a photograph of. Comparing to shooting the streets, it’s easy to get caught up with the fast pace environment and just to blaze your way through street after street. Your photo walk just ends up being more of an exercise than a creative experiment. The beach has a calming effect, I think that mostly has to do with the people on the beach having that calm and relaxation feeling and it rubs off on you. If you go and blaze through the people in the water or on the sand and be very aggressive with your approach you will only be calling negative attention to yourself from other beach goers.
There’s a lot to see on the beach. Different activities happening, perhaps a volleyball game, kids building a sand castle or burying their siblings alive into the sand. People running in and out of the water. Lying down getting fried by the sun. Or perhaps the possibilities of creating interesting juxtaposition with those reading a book on the beach.
Narrow Your Focus
Feeling overwhelmed with the amount of people? Not seeing anything that sticks out to you? When I feel in this rut, I usually go to my fallback. I think we all have fallbacks in what we look for or what stands out interesting whether we’re conscious of it or not. For me if nothing stands out then I narrow my focus on gesture or bright colors.
Same can be applied photographing the beach, perhaps you narrow your focus to body shapes that you find interesting. Or overly tanned aka burnt people at the beach. Simple things like that, that may not make great photos but at least it’ll make you start clicking that shutter button.
Respect Your Subjects
Have some ethics and respect when shooting the beach just like when you photograph the streets. It’s one thing to have balls and courage but it’s another thing to be disrespectful of another person’s space. If your gut tells you it’s not a good idea to photograph that situation or person then move on. The very least you can perhaps ask for permission but that ruins the candid shot and I personally think it’s a bad habit to do…to seek permission in order to make a photograph. if you’re new to street photography then you get a pass but for those that are more seasoned it’s frowned down upon. Also consider asking yourself, is this photograph really worth taking… is it that good of a shot? Sometimes you really don’t know until you are post processing the image but most of the times for myself, I know in my gut that I got a good photo at that very moment.
You can catch me photographing the beach on my youtube channel here
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Interview With Hawaii Street Photographer Anthony Consillio
Hi Anthony thanks for doing this. where do you live and how does this influence your photography?
A. Hello! Thank you for having me! My name is Anthony Consillio and I live in Mililani on the island of Oahu just about 20 miles from Honolulu. Living in Hawaii has been great for me as a photographer. We have good weather year round so I can get out there more often and such a diverse landscape that you don’t really find in many places. Surf, sunsets and city settings…a little something for everyone. For me living out in Mililani (considered out in the country over here) I gravitate towards the city streets and where masses gather. Brick buildings, long shadows and busy people are what I look for.
When and how did you get into photography (and then street photography)?
A. I picked up a camera back in 2005 when my son was born and other than taking photos of him and a year and a half later his sister I was taking a lot of landscape and seascape photos…very Hawaiiana. Around that time I had a few friends who were all getting married so I was asked to shoot their weddings and after a few of those I found out that I had a knack for it and started my photography business. I had been doing wedding and events for about 6 years when I was asked to take a staff position at a local paper here in Honolulu called MidWeek and I’ve been here ever since. After getting more active on social media posting my work images on Facebook and Instagram I started stumbling across street photography sites and images which I found very interesting. I decided to start wandering the streets around my office to give it a shot and found that I really enjoyed it. I liked capturing the moments rather than staging the shots as I did at work. I used street photography as a way to hone my skills and get a little exercise.
If you had to explain your work to a senior citizen how would you describe it ?
A. I love colors and dark shadows, a lot of contrast. I don’t stage any shots but will wait a while if I see a strip of light I like and just wait for someone to walk through it. I like gritty, grungy streets and just try and capture things as they happen. If I had to describe it to someone the simple answer would be I shoot people and chase lights and shadows.
What frustrates you about photography?
A. One of my biggest frustrations happens everyday. I have a really hard time figuring out which lens to take. I try to do the “one lens and one body” thing so I will spend about 10 minutes going back and forth between my 23, 35 and 50mm lenses before I actually head out the door. Other frustrations I have are that I see so many great crosswalk shots but I just can’t seem to get one.
What’s your thoughts on today’s street photography landscape?
A. More people are shooting street, some more relevant than other but hey they are still getting out there. There are so many interpretations of what street photography is and so many great images coming from it. I think it’s great!
What is one street photo you never get tired of?
A. I like so many photos from so many different photographers but to pick just one I would probably go with Saul Leiter’s ‘Harlem’ or even “Man with the straw hat” I used to look at those two images a lot when I was younger. I can’t even remember where I first saw them but they stuck with me.
What are you most proud of in terms of your work?
A. My growth as a street photographer. Over time I got better and more confident in bringing my camera up and getting the shot. There were times when I was gun shy and missed shots because they caught me taking their photo. Another area I feel I grew is that I got better in identifying potential shots and I always have an eye out for light and shadows. I’m able to capture better photos now than I was just a year ago and I think I’ve found a particular style that I’m currently happy with.
Do you foresee Hawaii being a major location for street photography?
A. I would love to see Hawaii have a bigger role as a street photography destination and I feel we have all the pieces to be a major player. We have a very diverse population and cultures, great weather, a good mix of old & new and magnificent views and landscapes all in a relatively small package. Photographers already flock to Hawaii for the landscapes and seascapes I don’t know why more don’t come here for street photography.
Which street photographer inspires you and why?
A. I really like the work of Saul Leiter and his use of colors and shadows. I also like the fact that he used longer focal lengths than most other street photographers who were shooting with 24, 28 and 35mm lenses.
Name three contemporary photographers you really admire?
A. I really like the works of Craig Whitehead, David Sark and Brandon Wong. I love their use of color and shadows. I always look forward to seeing their new posts on Instagram.
If you can have dinner with one street photographer past or present who would it be?
A. I think I’d like to have dinner with Bruce Gilden. Not my particular style of street photography but still he has made a major impact in the genre. I have at times tried to just walk up and snap a shot of someone but never had the same results but was fun trying. Besides I think it would either be a very funny conversation or he would just piss me off.
When you aren’t making pictures you are doing what?
A. I’m usually spending time with my family and friends. I like hiking so You can find me at times on trails, ridges and pillboxes around the island but I normally have a camera with me then too so I’m always shooting.
When or what was the most fun you had photographing?
A. It’s not street related but I had the opportunity to cover a story on a helicopter tour company and they offered to take us on a round the island flight so I was able to spend an hour and a half to 2 hours flying around snapping away. Crossed something off my bucket list as well as got a few good shots.
I ask everyone this question. If you could have one street photographer shoot your wedding who would it be?
A. Great question! I would probably have wanted Weegee (Arthur Fellig) to shoot my wedding if it was possible. I would like to see how someone who shot violence, crime and freaky subcultures would do shooting a wedding. My wife may not like what she got back but I’m sure it would have been very interesting.
Any personal street photography tips or advice you have to those out there?
A. Always have your camera with you and just get out there and shoot. I believe the more you shoot the more you will learn.
Keep up with Anthony Consillio’s work below!
Instagram @consilliophotog
Adding this donate button. Any donation will be greatly appreciated. Your monetary donation will be used for coffee and photobooks. Mahalo
Interview With French Street Photographer Jeff Chane-Mouye
I remember coming across one of Jeff’s photos on World Street Photography The photo was in black and white and taken extremely up close with the old man’s face filling 75% of the frame. The man was located near the beach and had a pondering thought. I thought to myself, I wish I had taken this photo.
I love both the framing and post processing of the photo. The beach in the background with the senior citizen pondering in the foreground created a nice subtle juxtaposition, nothing too obvious or juxtaposition where it was a one and done humor type of photo….something you see a lot floating around on social media these days. There was enough content to keep me intrigue while giving me enough space to create my own story in my head. Ever since I’ve been a fan and followed Jeff’s work, I’d like to see him photograph the beach more often!
I always have fun interviewing other street photographers from around the world and learning their creative process and how they stumbled upon street photography. This is no different. Enjoy the interview below!
Hi Jeff thanks for doing this. where do you live and how does this influence your photography?
Hey Tim, glad to be featured on your Blog. Thanks a lot for that mate. I live in the southern part of France, in Aix-en-Provence, the city of Cezanne. A place blessed with wonderful light. A very touristic destination. During the summer, the streets are filled with thousand of foreign people from all around the world. I guess like me, you’re used to that in Honolulu. Kind of the same here, but we don’t have the beach ! The old city is made of narrow streets with these old buildings in yellow stones. So basically, pretty easy to do some light/shadow stuff. I kind of misused it too much and got fed up with doing all the time the same things, light/shadow, silhouette….I’m still using the awesome light I have here, but trying to give a new direction to my work. A more straight and raw approach of Street Photography. I’m also drawn to tourists in the Streets. It’s funny to see how they act and their gestures. Always moving like a flock of birds.
Street Photography is… (fill in the blank)
Street Photography is about failure… Once you have understood that, you don’t care much about making crappy photos and once you get a decent picture, you’re the happiest person!
When and how did you get into “street” photography?
I started Street a little less than 2 years ago. I was looking for a new camera to replace my Nikon D200 and discovered a new type of camera : “The mirrorless”. Of course I came across the Fuji X System and going through reviews, I ended up reading some blogs where people were praising the Xpro or the X100 for Street Photography. I ended up on Eric Kim’s Blog. That’s kind of where it all began for me. However, I’ve been photographing casually for a while now, since I was 18 years old (won’t tell you my actual age =]). Nothing serious. Landscape, family, trips … Just documenting my life. I continued onward when I had kids. But I felt that I needed to do something to find myself out of this routine. A good friend of mine was making these wonderful landscape photographs. I kind of envy him but landscape is not really my thing. I decided to go for the Street Photography as I have some time constraints being a father of two little boys. Believe me or not, but I studded almost all the materials on Eric Kim’s Website before buying my new camera : a Fuji XE2 with a prime 18 mm (28 mm Full frame eq). Then I started hitting the streets in April 2016…
How do you go about your photography? Do you have a plan or bring your camera everywhere with you?
I used to plan my street photo sessions before, but now as I always have my camera with me, anytime and anywhere are good opportunities to take pictures. As you know Tim, I have a Ricoh GRD IV now. I’ve been using it as my only one camera for more than a year. I praise this camera and it’s the perfect one for me. It’s a pretty old camera (2011) with a small sensor which sucks when there is a lack of light but you get such a massive depth of field with it then you don’t need to worry about and can simply snap away.
I have a very basic approach. I let my instinct guide me in the streets. Well I’m somehow drawn to the light and tourists when I’m roaming the streets. For the rest, it’s just about luck and opportunities. Sometimes I can be pretty patient if I feel that a spot could give me some interesting pictures. I remember a quote from a National Geographic photographer, Sam Abell, he wrote: “Compose the picture and wait!” Most of the time it’s a lot of walking and taking snapshots. Just a reaction of what I see in front of me. I don’t think too much when shooting. I shoot a lot, I don’t count my number of clicks. There’s a time for thinking when I edit my work.
If you had to explain your work to a child how would you describe it?
You’re a magician ! The camera is a magical tool that enables you to encapsulate a moment for an eternity.
I had to explain to my kids (8 and 5 years old) why I was making pictures of strangers in the streets. It’s a odd practice, but kids are more open minded. They don’t judge. Sometimes as I’m post processing my pictures, they come to see my work and I ask them what they find interesting in the picture and what according to them made me click the shutter. My oldest son already has an eye for it. I like to play this game with them because kids are straight and honest. It’s a good way to see if a photo is working or not.
What frustrated you about photography?
I would like to be able to show my work to a wider audience. But let’s face it, there’s a lot of cronyism in Photography. It’s an artistic community and you need to know the right people with strong connections to achieve your goals. I’m not saying that my work deserves more, but you need to sell yourself if you want to go higher. Well apparently some people are very good salesmen. I’m not…
What’s your thoughts on today’s street photography landscape?
I have mixed feelings. Street Photography has never been so popular. With Facebook and Instagram, it’s fairly easy to discover some really stunning photographers from all around the world. But the drawback is that the social platform have changed our way of sharing our work. As you need to feed the beast, people share more than they should. The goal is to be popular on Social Media. And to achieve that, you need to share frantically. Quantity over quality. No need to say, too many crap shared.
The current trend is clearly color photography with vivid colors. I feel like a weirdo shooting Black & White. I remember a color picture made by a friend. I immediately see the potential of this picture in monochrome. I told him that he should try to process it in Black & White. You know what he answered to me ? “Man, this is 2018 !”
Whose work do you find inspiration from?
Lately I’ve been trying to work differently. To have a more straight approach of the Street. I study the work of Trent Parke, Garry Winogrand, Robert Frank or Michael Ernest Sweet. But not only. I’m also inspired by some photographers I follow on Facebook like Yiannis Yiasaris, Vasco Trancoso, Elizabeth Char, Alex Coghe, Don Springer, John Harper and even you (I know it’s hard to believe… Not saying that because you’re interviewing me!)
What are you most proud of in terms of your work?
Some people measure their success with awards, popularity, the glory shots they were able to capture. I will never be an award winning photographer nor will I ever be a popular or famous photographer. For me , it’s not about the photographs I have made, but the recognition of my pears.
Name three contemporary photographers you really admire?
Trent Park for his mastering of the light, Michael Ernest Sweet for his raw approach and Martin Parr for his sense of humor.
If you can have dinner with one street photographer past or present who would it be?
Garry Winogrand for sure! Who wouldn’t want to meet the legend!
When you aren’t making pictures you are doing what?
I wear my pantyhose and my cape to save the world ! Seriously, I have a boring life. I take the kids to the school, I take them back home, I cook the dinner, I go to work. But there’s nothing to feel bad about having a boring life. Most people have a boring life. Look at Superman and Spider man, even superheroes have a boring life. It’s not a big deal.
Any advice to those about to get their feet wet in street photography?
People say that Street Photography is pretty easy. Get a camera, go in the streets and shoot. There are rules in Street Photography. Study them, learn them, then break them if you wish to go your own way, but make sure to know them first. There’s a literacy in street photography as well.
Keep Up With Jeff Chane-Mouye’s Work
Website – Jeffchanemouyephotography.com
Follow on Instagram @jeff.chanemouye
World Street Photography Profile
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