Brad Puet | Grryo

The Whale

by Brad Puet | Apr 30, 2013 | Brad Puet, Featured Articles

Photo Credit: BP

Folklore and legends are usually traditional stories popularly regarded as the telling of historical events. When in the form of myths, they often involve some form of the supernatural. They have been with us for thousands of years and, because of this, folklore and legends form the basis of many religious beliefs, value systems, and the way we perceive our place in the world and our interaction with other animals. Humans have long revered whales and other animals in legends. For thousands of years they have been aligned with the gods, mythologized, and celebrated in art.

It appears though in many popular legends that the great whales were not necessarily held in such high regard as the other mythological animals. Whales were typically described as monsters of the sea, their great size to be feared by all. Oppian (A.D. 180) told of the hunt of a whale; its monstrous size and unapproachable limbs a terrible sight to behold. In biblical times, the story of Jonah and the whale was well known, and it is popular even today. The story tells of Jonah who fled from the Lord by boat to Tarshish. When the ship was underway, the Lord caused a great storm. In fear of their lives, Jonah asked the mariners to cast him into the sea so the Lord would again make the sea calm and spare the mariners lives. Once Jonah was in the sea, however, the Lord prepared a “great fish” to swallow him. He was in the belly of the whale for 3 days and 3 nights where he prayed and vowed salvation to the Lord. Upon his vow the Lord spoke to the whale and it vomited Jonah onto dry land and spared his life. Although today we know that it is unlikely that this event truly occurred, the story displayed the power of the Lord and what He was capable of doing to those who defied Him.

Photo Credit: Jen LP

We’ve all been in Jonah’s sandals. We’ve all had a scary task to set before us, a heavy task with potentially frightening responsibilities placed on our shoulders. When we turn away from these responsibilities (knowing what we should do, yet refusing) it churns up massive emotional upheaval. We become swallowed ourselves in an emotional quagmire. We stew in our emotional soup, until we reach a boiling point. We all struggle with emotional buildup over choices we need to make, or even those choices we cannot bear to execute. Some of us, after days and nights of stewing within the womb of the soul, finally emerge (spit from the whale, so to speak) with renewed determination and a rekindling of faith. Others of us return to the emotional abyss until we can process our fears and indecision into a more refined state of being.

In his 1851 novel “Moby Dick,” Herman Melville described a white sperm whale of uncommon magnitude, capable of great ferocity, cunning, and malice. Melville’s novel summarized the fears of Yankee whalers that the tables would be turned and the whale would become the attacker.

Photo Credit: BP

Not all folklore portrays whales as fearsome beasts. Maori folklore of the Ngati Porou people tells of their ancestors being carried safely across the Pacific to New Zealand on the back of a whale. The Ngai Tahu people consider the sperm whales off the coast of the South Island as taonga (treasures). If a whale strands, prayers are said in order to return its spirit to Tangaroa, the Maori god of the sea. After this, the lower jawbone is removed for ceremonial carving and placement on the marae (the tribes’ traditional meeting grounds). Think “Whale Rider.”

The north Alaska Inuit people have for over 1000 years relied on whale products for their survival. As with many traditional hunting societies, ceremonies accompany the hunt that assures good luck, and many hunters take charms or amulets to ensure their luck and safety. Some believe the skull of the dead whale must be returned to the sea in order to assure the immortality and reincarnation of the whale, thereby protecting the future hunting success.

Photo Credit: Jen LP

Whales are associated with compassion and solitude, and knowledge of both life and death. They are also associated with unbridled creativity. The exhalation through the blowhole symbolizes the freeing of one’s own creative energies. Sound is also a creative force of life. Whales use sonar and echo-location, linking them to the tutelage of direction and response to feedback. Though whales are symbolic of free use of creativity, they are also teachers of how to use creative energies more conservatively.

The whale may facilitate emotional clarity, and help us navigate through the often ambiguous and confusing seas of emotion. Whales themselves are incredibly nurturing; we see this in how they raise their young as well as their close-knit connection to others in their community herds or pods. Whales have a natural affinity for helping, especially promoting well-being within their community. People who are attracted to the whale often feel devoted to a greater cause, and although they may struggle with their own personal emotions, they tend to naturally conjure healing powers towards others in emotional trauma. Navigating the emotional waters with the whale by your side will afford guidance and clarity say many of these stories.

Whales ask us to embrace the unknown, and that’s precisely why they are so connected to the emotional depths of the oceans. To be sure, our current circumstances are born from an emotional womb. In other words, our reality is intrinsically connected to our thought and our emotional choices. It can be frustrating and confusing to track down the emotional origin of the stuff that’s manifested in our lives, and the whale can help us understand, on a deeper level, the actions that have caused unrest in our daily life.

In many sects of Native wisdom, the whale is symbolic of the beginning, the creation of all life on earth as we know it. They aren’t the only ones. Countless cultures around the globe associate themes of creation, birth and rebirth with the whale.

Photo Credit: BP

This Whale. The day Jen and I met this whale we were both brought together by tumultuous times in our lives. It was also the day of the Boston Marathon bombings. Actually it was within an hour of the bombings. We both had felt the sorrow and confusion on the global level, and on the individual level, we were left questioning life events. For me, many questions rushed me. I was lost on many issues. The “Whys” and “How Comes” met this whale as we walked the 100 yards to meet him. It was surreal. Hundreds of people flocked to get a glimpse of this magnificent animal over the span of 3 days (remember Jonah’s story?). Our time with him was relatively short (max 30 minutes). I felt that short time brought feelings of “Everything is going to be alright.” No answers, but the feeling of “You don’t need to know the answers right now” took hold and ultimately calmed me.

It was a healing moment as were amongst others who sought to pay homage to this poor whale whose life was taken by some sort of destiny. We touched the whale and found some sort of solace in its intense circumstance. Did we reach emotional clarity? Certainly not, but I argue that our friendship and whatever personal search that brought us together that day, found a quick moment of humility. It was our time to share with one another the lives, the deaths, and the changes that surrounded our own personal story.

—————

Photo Credit: Jen LP

Learn more about this Fin whale that washed up at Burien’s Seahurst Park.
Read more stories of whales as told by Pacific Northwest First Nation.
Listen to the call of the Fin whale.

Tehran, Iran: A City of Contrasts

by Brad Puet | Apr 15, 2013 | 24HRProject, Chops with BP, Featured Articles

Photo Credit: Ako Salemi

Tehran is a city of contrasts. Photography from Tehran has its own restrictions and sensitivities. Despite the problems, mobile photographers like Shahram Sharif and Ako Salemi have been photographing this city for several years. In this interview they tell us how they got to know each other and will share with us their experiences of street photography in the capital of Iran.

Tell us about yourselves? When did you start and how did you become interested in mobile photography?

Shahram: Well I’ve been working as a Technology journalist for a long time and I’m currently working for one of the well known financial newspapers in Iran. Photography and Cinema have been two of my priorities in life. However, I gave up film making very early after a few experiences in making a short films. Unlike cinema I continued photography passionately. It’s now 17 years that I am taking photos and my favorite fields are documentary and nature (although these two are totally different). Now that I look at my archive I see that as a technology lover I have had photography experiences even with my first basic smart phones. However, they were not significant experiences and low quality of cameras was disappointing. In the recent years quality of mobile cameras has dramatically improved and the wide variety of applications have transformed the world of photography. My first serious experience of mobile photography happened after I joined Instagram. I saw good photos taken by mobile phones on Instagram. This made me think that it’s possible to take good photos with mobile. Moreover, I found Instagram filters very interesting. Despite this many of the Instagram photos where loose selfies and it made it difficult to think of serious mobile photography. I was astonished when Ako first showed me the Hipstamatic. The afternoon I first started to take photos using Hipstamatic was the same as the first day you go photographing with a new camera. Watching a film by Koci on Linda, seeing the black and white street photos of some of the Instagram members such as Dan Cristea and also seeing the Wearejuxt website made me think What an ideal place.

Photo Credit: Shahram Sharif

Ako: I became fascinated by cameras ten years ago and I started walking and taking photos in the streets of Tehran with my pentax analogue camera. It is now eight years that I am working as a photojournalist in some of the famous Iranian newspapers. Walking around in the streets and taking photos of people has been my passion for years. This habit has provided me with a moving photo studio. Big size of SLR cameras and the attention they attract was one of my concerns during all these years. It even caused me troubles a few times. Two years ago I got an ipod touch and took a few photos with it just for fun. At the same time I joined Instagram and I was lucky to see photos of Koci and Elif. Little by little I became more serious in taking mobile photos and sharing them on Instagram. I was also very excited when I first used Hipstamatic and its black and white films. I then got an iPhone for its camera quality. Over the past two years I gradually became an iPhoneographer. Now I only use my camera when taking photos for the newspaper I work for.

Photo Credit: Ako Salemi

What are your subjects for photography? Has mobile photography made any changes to your photographic vision?

Shahram: I like buildings and places. Cities are remembered by their buildings. However, in my work I try to capture presence of people in the streets. I basically document the life going on the streets of my city. I like nature photography. When photographing the nature I usually use wide lenses and capture vast areas. Photography from nature feels like reading a poem or listening to a soft music. However, I feel like mobile and street photography makes me more realistic. Using normal lenses takes you closer to the subject. You can capture every movement of your subject and the beautiful or ugly reality in front of the camera. I don’t put any effort for making the truth captured in the photos better or worse but I try to find frames that seem unfamiliar at the first look.

Photo Credit: Shahram Sharif

Ako: I still don’t know why streets and people motivates me for photography more than anything. Although I have tried many different fields of photography street photography has remained my main area of interest. I sometimes think this interest comes from my childhood when I spent most of my time playing with other children in alleys of the small town I was born in. I was interested in watching people and following their actions since I was a kid. Graphic connection between people and their surrounding, shadows, light and reflections in windows have always been the main attraction of a scene for me. That’s maybe the reason why I pay less attention to the colors and see my environment in black and white.

People usually don’t notice you when photographing with mobile and even if they do they won’t take you seriously. My photos are therefore more natural. I act faster and little time is wasted for preparing the camera. Most importantly I can easily share my mobile photos on the web. I am however aware that I miss on quality of the photos and I have less control over light in using a mobile instead of a camera. But I think these aspects are of less importance in street photography.

Photo Credit: Ako Salemi

How did you two meet and what do you think of each other’s works?

Ako: I’ve been working for a financial newspaper as the editor of the photography group since 4 years ago and Shahram was the editor of the technology desk of the same newspaper.We were just colleagues until I realized that Shahram also shares his photos on Instagram. We talked to each other about street photography. We started going out together for photographing after working hours. Shahram doesn’t pass any visually attractive wall without taking a photo. His stranded and confused people well represent the reality of everyday life in this city. Accurate compositions and the fine balance of black and white makes his photos spectacular.

Photo Credit: Ako Salemi

Shahram: َAko and I were just colleagues for years. One of those colleagues you pass by everyday with a smile. Mobile photography became a reason for our friendship. It’s now almost a year that we are taking photos together while walking in the streets of Tehran after work time. He usually borrows my portable charger! We sometimes use the lunch times at work to show our photos to each other and get feedback. A few months ago we formed a group for Iranian mobile photographers named Fotomobers and we organised a few mobile photography training sessions for interested applicants.

Photo Credit: Shahram Sharif

Why is the theme of your work so close? And how do you think you two have influenced each other?

Ako: We usually show our photos to each other and sometimes even edit them together. That’s why the atmosphere of our photos have gradually become close. However, despite photographing sometimes even similar scenes I believe each of us has kept his independence and has his our own photographic vision.

I think one of Shahram’s important strengths is his ability to make positive contacts and I have learnt a lot from him in this aspect. His motivation, encouragement and valuable experience were also vital for forming the Fotomobers. As for my influence over his work I think my black and white style has mostly affected Shahram’s taste for photography.

Photo Credit: Ako Salemi

Shahram: I think this similarity is because of two things.Firstly the environment we work in and secondly our vision to photography. Yet these similarities are only in appearance.We have different styles of photography. When I am taking a photo I mostly pay attention to the background and composition of people in the frame. But in Ako’s photos the emphasis is on the relation between elements. I love Ako’s work. He grabs the subjects and doesn’t miss his favorite subjects like birds or pedestrians wearing a hat. I confess that I sometimes envy his photos.

Photo Credit: Shahram Sharif

What is the Tehran you are working in like and how do your photos portray this city?

Shahram: Tehran is a vast city full of contrasts. This contrast is not only the contrast of lights, urban areas and the weather but a contrast is also evident in very different lifestyles and behaviour of people. You may find the most elegant buildings next to the houses of the poor. The happiest and the most nervous people pass you by at the same time.On the other hand street phptpgraphy in Tehran is not at all an easy job.In many of the streets you see the “No Photography” sign .”No photography” sign has become a part of urban culture. Even in some cultural places such as the Book City you are not allowed to take photos. Most of the shopkeepers don’t like to be photographed.Interestingly these people love photos in their personal lives.Nevertheless, despite the political and social restrictions photographing Tehran can be a very joyful experience. It is a beautiful city and as a photographer you find many interesting and beautiful subjects for your photos.Mobile photography gave me the confidence and ability it takes to get closer to the truth of this city.

Photo Credit: Shahram Sharif

Ako : A big city like Tehran with more 20 millions population,various districts and buildings,different classes of people and a dynamic environment is a rich source of inspiration for me.We have four different seasons in this city. Tehran’s snowy,rainy,sunny and cloudy and even polluted days make a variety of subjects and situations for photography.However as any other place photography in Tehran has its own problems. I usually try not to draw attention when taking photos and mobile helped me alot with this. The reason some people don’t like to be photographed is that they think their photo will be misused. This may cause troubles for the photographer. It might even become dangerous if you a government building is in your frame by accident. Therefore, photography in Tehran must be done with caution and it’s basically a risky job. Despite all the risks photography in this city is very attractive and these risks have not discouraged me. My love for street photography provides enough motivation for me to face these problems. I don’t have the experience of photographing in other big cities in the world so I can’t compare but I’m sure it has its own problems everywhere but the only thing than make everyone to carry on is love and passion for mobile photography.

Photo Credit: Ako Salemi

You’ve been among the 24 hours project photographers. How was 24 hours of photographing Tehran and did you encounter any problems?

Shahram: 24 hours project was a great idea however I think it was more than anything an opportunity for us to examine ourselves to see whether we are able to take 24 good photos during 24 hours. I believe the most significant aspect of this project was the time pressure on photographers. One hour is a very short time and fatigue of mind may disturb one’s concentration.The other problem that Ako and I had in this project was that Tehran doesn’t stay up late into the night and we had to capture half of our photos during the night. I personally didn’t think it will be this difficult to photograph in the streets of Tehran at night. Despite its difficulty the 24 hour project was an amazing experience. We are planning to exhibit some of these photos in the “1st Tehran Mobile Photo and Film Festival” in Tehran as agreed by Renzo and Sam.

Photo Credit: Shahram Sharif

Ako: I had not followed this project over the previous years so when Renzo first explained the project to me the project was somehow unknown to me. According to local timing Shahram and I had to start after the photographers in Australia,Japan and Indonesia. It did not seem to be a difficult task to post one photo per hour on instagram at first. However, after the first hours of the project and as we became more picky about which photo to post it became more difficult and sometimes even stressful. As the project happened at the time of the Iranian New Year holidays we faced a quiet and rather empty Tehran. This was a challenge for us since we are very much interested in capturing people in our photos.Nevertheless the emptiness of the streets helped us to take photos of almost all the important places in Tehran without getting stuck in the Traffic. At the end I should thank Renzo and Sam for the management of the project and also other photographers in other countries for their participation that made this somehow difficult experience also fun. I should also thank Brad and We Are Juxt website for giving us this opportunity to share our experiences in mobile photography.

Photo Credit: Ako Salemi

The Unraveling of a Billionaire

by Brad Puet | Apr 11, 2013 | Brad Puet, Featured Articles

Photo Credit: BP

The Unraveling of a Billionaire by BP and Victoria

Let us set the stage.

We both had planned a street shoot the other day. The plan was to take a favorite route in the city – Pike Place Market through to Westlake, up and down Pike and Pine St. The light in the beginning of the day was great but by the time we got out to shoot, it had become more overcast. We both didn’t have our Mophie packs and we both started out with less than 100%, with V starting out with a whopping 23%. We monitored the batt levels and did the best we could.

V: If you’ve ever gone on an IG walk with me, you know I generally come unprepared with a low battery and decaffeinated. This day was certainly no different.

B: By the time V hit under 10% it was time to juice up. Note: If V’s phone didn’t need a charge, our story would’ve never happened, so we decided to hit the Starbucks, power up, and catch up.

V: While Brad was off being gentlemanly, purchasing our coffee, I sat at a table next to Bill. He glanced over at me with a warm smile. He complimented me on my chucks and said he wore the same ones when he was a youngster. We laughed about how styles just recycle themselves, but agreed my kicks were classics. I noticed his formal wear and how he seemed out of place in our “Keens and Northface” city, but I appreciated the fact that someone would get dressed in a full suit and go to a local coffee shop to simply work on his computer.

B: Before I sat down I saw Bill next to the table that V had been sitting at. He was real focused on his typing, tapping away at the keys, one finger at a time style. He also had a great hat and was dressed up real dapper like. I opened up ProCamera, focused, set exposure and took a couple shots. Figured I had to catch this scene. Thought this would be the end of it, not knowing that the conversation with Bill would give backstory to the photo. Initially V and I chatted it up and Bill paid no mine to us, nor us to him. At one point, he got up and asked us to watch his laptop and flip phone as he needed to go across the street. We did. We continued to chop it up and again paid no mine when he returned. I cracked a joke that I had used his minutes to call Uruguay (chuckle here, chuckle there) but for the most part that was it.

Meet J. William Oldenburg.

Bill started to pack up his things and on his way out he wished us a blessed day and before he got too far, BP asked him for his name.

“Bill, Bill Oldenburg.”

Little did we know that we was speaking to a billionaire. Well someone who used to be a billionaire.

Bill said, “Have you heard of the movie Sleepless in Seattle?” Of course we did. Tom Hanks. Meg Ryan. The house on Lake Union. “Well I was a part of the production crew of it. As a matter of fact, Tom is supposed to come here in a couple of weeks because we are looking to do another movie, except this time it’ll be based on my life.”

Bill proceeded to return to his seat. He had this sparkle in his eye. It could be that he was thinking, “Hmmm these are going to be easy prey for me to con.” or “Here’s a chance to be able to tell my story.”

His story led from Sleepless to Seattle, to the hat he was wearing. “This hat, this hat was given to me by my close friend, Frank Sinatra.” At first we laughed, thinking he was pulling our leg. But then he continued on with his story in great detail, genuinely and with a tenderness in his voice toward his “friend.” He then mentioned to us that Elizabeth Taylor so loved a necklace he had bought for his wife, and that he allowed a duplicate to be made as long as she promised not to wear it until his wife had first worn hers in public. He told us of a quote that his close friend, Katherine Hepburn had told him, “The most valuable antiques are old friends.” He told us of his big galas and having Wayne Newton sing at these events. He talked of his close friendship to Orson Wells.

Photo from Bill: (L) Orson Wells, (C) Bill Oldenburg, (R) Wayne Newton

He continued on, sharing about how in the early 1980’s he had purchased the USFL LA Express football team with whom they drafted Steve Young before making a deal to send the star to the San Francisco 49ers. He told us about being the only person in the world who was not afraid to challenge Donald Trump, even being quoted in Sports Illustrated as saying, “I’m used to winning, to nothing less than becoming the best,” he told Sports Illustrated. “Donald Trump can get all the press he wants, but when it comes to business, he can’t carry my socks.”

His stories were thoughtful and when he spoke of them he had a “reminiscing” tone about him.

However, it wasn’t just about the stars. He told us stories about his family too. He showed us a photograph of his daughter in her wedding gown, as she had recently been married in Seattle, and spoke highly of the groom. The photo was on his iPhone that his daughter had gifted him, though it was apparent that his flip phone and older laptop were already a challenge for him to use. He showed us quotes he wrote, showed us a paper printout of Lazarus, his dog who had recently passed away. He truly loved his family; four daughters and his wife and “soul mate,” Marla.

Clearly for him his world was big, but was nothing without his daughters and his wife. He went from working at a bank after high school and being a vacuum salesman to a real estate mogul, football team owner worth billions, to losing everything. His story is of rags to riches to rags.

Photo Credit: Victoria

V: It was fascinating to talk to someone who was so charismatic and seemed incredibly genuine. While he was sharing with us, I noticed his suit being nice, but that it desperately needed to be dry-cleaned. I remember trying to sort through that in my head, how could a billionaire’s shirt be anything but stark white and without wrinkles? I brushed it off, remembering he had “just moved into town and was still adjusting to the area,” so maybe he just hadn’t found time to get it taken care of. He mostly spoke to Brad, which I didn’t mind. BP tried to include me in the conversation, but it was very clear who Bill was aiming for. He offered us a photography gig during his next event, asking for our contact information to let us know more. If both of our parking times hadn’t expired, we probably would have sat and listened to his endless supply of star-studded stories and his grand future plans.

As Brad and I walked out of the store, we glanced at each other with somewhat skeptical grins. Had we just randomly met a billionaire who wanted us to stay in contact and possibly shoot for his next grand event? Weirder things have happened. We said our goodbyes and ran off to our cars, praying the parking attendant hadn’t found us yet.

Within several hours BP had already done his research and learned more about our dear friend Bill. He indeed had a fascinating story, though much sadder that the one he had painted for us. . I had mixed feelings about our encounter after I read the countless blogs and testimonies about a “cheat, con artist, liar and theif.” I didn’t want to believe it. He had gained much and lost much. Walking away, I am still glad we got to meet Bill. His story is his own, we all have made poor choices at times, and regardless of his path and mistakes, he is still holding on to a dream. If he does write that autobiography he spoke of, I will buy it in hopes that its a new chapter where he can build a new future, recognizing his past and learning from it.

B: I got so caught up afterwards trying to figure out this story. Is it real? Is it made up? Are we getting conned? We weren’t the only ones who had met Bill and have heard his stories (read the comments). Like V said, I was on fire, googling him and finding this and that. The stories were true of course omitting the federal charges, and lavish spending, and other business not to do’s that LOTS of folks did in the 1980’s. It felt like V and I was in his movie.

Then I realized I forgot about living and enjoying the moment. You know those stolen moments we had with this man. I’ve had many opportunities meeting people in passing. Strangers with amazing stories. Some believable, some not. It didn’t really matter. V and I got to share time with a nice man who wanted to share stories with us. Did he hurt us? No. He simply shared his story.

It made me think how often than not, we forget to sit down and listen (or read). The world we live in moves so fast. What’s news one day, is history the next. What’s trendy one day, is out of style the next. It moves fast. We forget sometimes how these little interactions can teach us a lesson or even better, help us remember the lessons we’ve learned. Now I’m not saying go find your “Bill.” What I am saying though, is remind yourself that every moment should be cherished. Every story you are told will have meaning even if not at that precise moment. Strangers, friends, family members…whomever will enter or leave your life for a reason. This time with V and Bill reminded me of that.

The title of this article is “The Unraveling of a Billionaire.” It’s an actual title from another article on our friend Bill. But the title sounds like the story is finished which like V, I think and hope that it isn’t.

Bill already titled his autobiography which I find is most fitting to end this article: “Not Ready To Land.”

He’s not done yet. He’s not ready to come down to earth. He wants to fly and continue to chase his dreams.

Bill, hats off to you friend.

Be well.

“It’s such a shame to land with so much fuel left in my tanks”

“Life is a miracle, and the right to live is a gift. It is wrapped in a ribbon, woven with dreams, and whether you are very young or very old, life is filled with wonder and surprises.”

“I believe success is the culmination of winning, losing false starts, confusion, and the DETERMINATION to keep going anyway.”

– J. William Oldenburg

*Hint: Fast Forward to 20:00 min to see Bill and hear his keynote*

Emily Chen: Mobile Street Photographer & EyeEm Ambassador

by Brad Puet | Mar 28, 2013 | Chops with BP, Emily Chen, Featured Articles, Storyteller

Emily Chen: Mobile Street Photographer & EyeEm Ambassador by BP

Tell us about youself:
My name is Emily Chen. I am a specialist in wealth management technology, currently I am managing a mobile app project for financial advisers. I am passionate about beautiful software, and I am also passionate about documenting the streets of Sydney.

My phone is always on stand by, I often joke about the best way to find me, is through my photo stream, I take photos of everything but what generally fills my camera roll are candid street photography. I shoot and edit with my iPhone 4S, more recently I’ve purchased a Samsung Galaxy Note 2, and have started to explore the photo apps in Google Play.

Where are you from:
I am originally from Taichung Taiwan.

During my Year 6 summer break, instead of sending me to the Scout camp down the road, my folks put me on a flight to a small coastal town in Queensland. I lived with an Australian family, played cricket and attended English classes. A summer holiday turned into something much more. I’ve been living in Australia ever since & currently I am in the beautiful city of Sydney.

How does your answer above influence your work:
Taiwan is a fair distance away from Australia, so I don’t get to see my family much! I use mobile photography as a way to stay connected with them – I shoot things I see, places I’ve been, and I share the photos real time.

Inspirations:
What really inspires me are the work of fellow mobile street photographers.

One photographer in particularly I would like to mention is Olly Lang, fellow Sydney street photographer. I first came across Olly’s work back in mid 2011, he was walking the streets that I walked everyday, yet he saw them so differently. Everyone of his posts had me in awe. How did he do that? I find myself asking.

Late 2011 I met Olly in person at one of the photo walk meet ups and he was so open to share his techniques & experiences as a street photographer. He encouraged me to chase that beautiful Australian light, and to continue to develop my own styles.

When did you start shooting:
I’ve always been interested in photography but it was when I got my iPhone 3GS in 2011 that’s when I started to shoot street photography.

I commute during the week to the Sydney CBD. I started taking photos of commuters during my train journey, the way light would fall onto their faces, the way they are immersed in reading the news or applying makeup, or simply fallen asleep.

And then I find myself getting off the train one or two stops before my destination so I can walk to the office by foot. And popping out of the office at ‘golden hour’ so I can squeeze in some shooting. I started to document the streets and getting to know the sunlight. I find myself shooting the same spots, over and over again & not get tired of it because the light was always different and the people, people are just so interesting.

What brought you into the world of street photography? What words of wisdom can you share with others who are wanting to learn more and get involved in shooting street?
iPhone 4S and the wonderful street photographer community on Instagram were the key catalysts that brought me into street photography. To me, the user community is what differentiate mobile photography to the other forms. The way we interact with each other, provide constructive feedback and the sharing process, are what makes mobile photography special. And the realisation when I upgraded to iPhone 4S (from iPhone 3GS) that I have a real, substantial camera in my hand, all the time, made me try all forms of photography. Street photography really clicked and in the last 12 months, it’s been a consistent body of street photo work that I’ve pursued.

My two cents worth for the photographers interested to shoot street:

Shoot and shoot more! You can’t improve by simply imagining your shots. Yes, picture your compo in your head, walk the streets, keep shooting, shoot lots! Try different angles, try to shoot single figure, try to shoot urbanscape. Find your feet and find your style.Always have your mobile phone on standby. Always be ready.

Be selective with what you post. Post images that represent you, post regularly and interact with the community to seek feedback. But never spam.

Tell us a bit more about the light and its importance to mobile and street photography. Walk us through what you do to prepare to go and shoot street. Tell us more about the beautiful light of Sydney.
For me, light is the most important element in street photography. Most models of mobile phones are not great in low light situation, which makes the natural sunlight even more important to mobile street photographers.

Light in Sydney is full of characters, light is golden and warm in the morning and afternoon; strong and harsh at midday but that’s where reflections from the tall buildings & windows are most interesting.

I am a light chaser. I walk a lot, I study the light and remember how and where they fall & reflect.

My workflow is fairly simple really. Pre-set my exposure, phone is on standby and I walk and look for interesting figures and light spots. I keep walking. I don’t stop to check my shots, I complete my walk, continue with my day to day activities. And I review the shots later in the day, preferably through my iPad.

As a woman street photographer, have you found any barriers in getting your work noticed? respected? Recently there was discussion of how many women street photographers are out in the world but bigger names have mostly been by men. Can you talk about your thoughts on this?
Honestly, I don’t think there is a relevance in male or female photographer numbers on the street. I dont think gender matters. Perhaps the style of male and female photographers differ? I certainly wouldn’t shoot alone 2am in the morning, but that’s a personal choice. I don’t see or feel the barriers. The body of work is the most important thing here. Shoot, and shoot well, shoot with style are what matters.

As lame as it sounds, you know, it’s hard to tell whether one is a male or female tog through the mobile photography platforms with those little avatar photos and usernames!

I am just going to leave it at that!

Street photography requires having the eye, chasing the light, and being patient. With these photos in particular can you describe for us these 3 factors?

Commuters, Martin Place Station

Martin Place Station
This is a recent shot, taken at about 6pm in the early autumn light.
I am learning about layers and have become quite fascinated with depth and distance.
Here I was about to walk down the set of stairs, I can see my silhouette down the bottom of the stairs as I always do around this time of the day, and I saw the man hesitated about which direction he was going to turn. And when he did, I was ready to shoot.

Light is so important, as it will define and shape your image.
Being ready, and on a look out, compose the image in your mind to make a shot interesting.
Patience, ah, yes, patience in waiting for the right moment. And don’t beat yourself up when you miss the shot, there is always tomorrow.

Prayers, Martin Place Stage

Martin Place Stage- chasing the light.
This was also an afternoon shot. This lady was soaking up the sun, I got brave and walked up to get this shot. She had her eyes closed the whole time. I got lucky 🙂

Lanterns, Angel Place

Angel Place – patience & composition
Midday. The harsh midday sun created such a intriguing shadow around this little laneway.
I waited, not long, for the right composition. Lunch, was well deserved after this.

Pirate, George Street

George Street – light, and lots of luck!
Midday. One of the few shots from a photo walk. This one I recall quite vividly, I was with Olly Lang. We were lurking around this spot, sharing notes on how the light reflects off adjacent buildings. Discussing interesting subjects in Sydney. And this man slowly walked up the street. It was a quick capture but a fun one.

Commuters, Wynyard Station

Wynyard Station – light
This is an earlier work. I was learning about light, but to this date, one of my favourite shots.
I saw the light pouring into the train station. I stood and waited. I was there quite sometime, just observing how light fell on people’s faces as they exit the station. This was a moment worth waiting for.

I shoot mostly during my commute, I love morning and afternoon sunlight with elongated shadows and the way light falls on my subject’s faces. Some of my work are currently been shown in the Daily Commutes project at the Format Festival.

What apps do you use? What do you shoot with? What do you postprocess in?
I shoot mostly with an iPhone 4S.
My go to shooting app is ProCamera for colour street; and lately, the Thirty Six app for b&w street.
Majority of my colour street work are unedited, I want to show the image the way I saw it through my iPhone.
If and when I need to touch them up, I use Snapseed and VSCOcam apps. And more recently, Misho’s Perspective Correct to fix any crooked buildings. I highly recommend all the above apps, they are all great for mobile photography in general.

I have just purchased a Samsung Galaxy Note 2, will be exploring the Android apps for shooting and editing.

In closing, any last thoughts regarding mobile photography in general. Street photography in specific. and then plans for where you are going with your work.
Mobile photography is no longer a questionable form of photography. It is a legit form of photography. It is less conspicuous because of the camera size, which brings a new dimension to street photography in particular. The movement of street and documentary style of photography is being influenced by mobile, it is bringing new chllanges, and in a good way.

I plan to keep shooting. There is more to learn and there are always, always more to shoot. My style is street candid, I love and will keep improving on that. Maybe other forms of street, perhaps portraiture, when I am brave enough to talk to strangers, a bit of work to do.

And as an EyeEm ambassador, I would like to continue to help and reach out to the community here in Sydney and more, interact with other togs and people interested in photography, and do my part in pushing mobile photography further.

Emily Chen
EyeEm / Instagram / Twitter

A Story of Visual Impairment & Visual Artistry

by Brad Puet | Mar 26, 2013 | Featured Articles, You Are Juxt

Melvin Freeman Instagram / Facebook / Email

I am a visually impaired “photogrartist” and a father of an awesome 11 year old son. I was born and raised in the Central District of Seattle, Wa. I come from a single parent household; where my hardworking mother raised my older brother (who is 9 years my senior) and myself. Growing up as a kid in the 1980’s & 90’s I was heavily influence by the hip hop culture as well as what i seen and started to emulate as a youth in my neighborhood. I developed a passion for art, creativity and self expression at an early age. So I began to express that by tagging on walls, then through fashion and now through a camera lens!

Music, culture and lifestyle is my influence. I listen to alot of music, take alot of walks and just indulge in the rawness of life and that is what fuels my creativity. In some pictures u may see bandanas and guns or they may be shot pretty dark and eerie- those were some of the elements of my environment and I use those elements in some of my photos to provide a feeling to the viewer. They are natural to me. I recognize beauty in the things that society doesn’t consider beautiful. Im fueled by rawness and imperfection.

I began making photographs in 2004 when I got a Nikon DSLR on a come up. I began to take photography seriously around 2007 and enrolled in a basic photography course. It was in that class that i noticed that I was not able to see out of my left eye anymore. Days later after seeing a specialist, I was diagnosed with optic nerve damage and later lost complete vision out of that eye. There were no answers or treatment as well. I continued to make photographs for a short period of time thereafter, but I felt so discouraged that I put my camera on the shelf to collect dust for almost 4 years. In the summer of 2011, I was diagnosed with Auto Immune Retinopathy and Optic Neuropathy Syndrome, an antibody malfunction that is so rare that the treatments are deemed experimental and may not be effective. This photo story that was shot by me, shows photo by photo detail of my most recent chemotherapy infusion through IV. I decided to shoot and share this story as a way to cope with my struggle and also uplift other individuals out there with medical ailments.

I started taking mobile photography serious around January of 2013, when I enrolled on the iphone photograph class at Seattle Central Community College. I shot with my iPhone but I wasn’t serious about making photographs with it until then! My iPhone is always with me and Dslr is always home, so I figured that I might as well make use of it!