An Interview with the Temples (Dave and Holly) by BP (Just choppin’ it up)

Doo, Doo, Doowop Doo, Doo

All i really want to say my darling today is a special day we call our
Own so take me in your arms and hold me and tell me you love me
and i’ll be there for you
Do you know what today is
Do you know what today is
It’s our anniversary (it’s our, it’s our special day)
anniversary
Do you know what today is
It’s your anniversary made for Dave and Holly…

Ooooh I love me some Tony Toni Tone…It’s Our Anniversary…now that…that right there…is my JAM!! WHOOO…slow jams, grindin’ at the house parties with that special someone…brings me back…well…this interview ain’t necessarily about them days…I’ll revisit those in another article…maybe…EITHER WAY…the reason why I’ve got that song in my head is that today…like…TODAY…is our friends @kewiki and @musiccityace’s ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY on IG…so together…if ya’ll know the song…sing the above with me and let’s greet them in a Life To Music fashion…Doo, Doo, Doowop, Doo…ok ok…maybe later…

let’s meet these lovely folks from the Midwest…happy couple, happy family who are powerhouses individually and of course togehter…The Temples: Dave (@kewiki), Holly (@musiccityace), Emily, Chloe, and Colin…

H: Holly D: Dave BP: Yes. That’s me.

BP:  Tell us how the daily life of the Temple family looks like. Who is Dave? Who is Holly? (outside of IG, what do you all do for a living etc etc)

D:  Holly is a wife, mom, homemaker.

H: Dave is a husband, dad and works for King+Knight, a digital agency in Fort Wayne, IN

BP:  Ya’ll are pretty involved with the Igers Chicago crew.  Can you tell us why this is important for ya’ll to be involved in?  What suggestions would you have for others who are on the margins about joining an Igers group in their city?

H:  It has been amazing connecting with the people from IG in real life.  They have gone from being “someone you know on an app” to extended family.  I look forward to the meets now, not just to take pics but to see everyone.  We had an instameet the week before Thanksgiving and were able to stay later and go out to dinner with them.  I joked that it was like Thanksgiving dinner with the family you actually WANT to see!

Don’t be afraid.  I’m so extremely shy and was very nervous the first time but I can’t imagine missing out on seeing my other family and meeting new friends if I had given into the fear that first time.

D:  The Chicago crowd has been great and is headed up by @relaxocat. She does an amazing job at coordinating the events and getting people involved. The events are always different and allow everyone to get a chance to see a different part of the city. The people in the group are the best part. It’s been great to be with other like-minded people and learn more about them outside of IG. They truly have become our friends.

My advice is to find an Instameet in your area and go. We drive three hours just to go to ours and it’s worth the drive. You learn a lot and it’s such a fun way to network.

BP:  Chicago and/or surrounding areas.  Where do ya’ll actually live and how does this influence your art? Can you describe your area to help us visualize more what the Temple’s see everyday?  Where would you (either individually, couple, or family) like to shoot?

H:  We live in a small town in Indiana of about 8,000 people.  The next bigger towns are 30 minutes each way with nothing but flat roads and cornfields in between.  It has definitely influenced my art.  I enjoyed taking pics of downtown Nashville before we moved back and we don’t really have that big city feel here now.  It’s caused me to get more creative though and allowed me to see the beauty in an old rundown barn. I would absolutely LOVE to shoot Boston.  Only been once but so gorgeous.

D:  To piggy back on what Holly said, the change of scenery definitely impacted our art. At first it was difficult to find things to take pics of. But I am lucky enough to work in an area that has a lot of old brick buildings. They make a great subject for shooting. I’d love to travel to Italy, London or Germany to shoot pics of the art, scenery and people.

BP:  Dave and Holly, ya’ll are powerhouses on IG with great respect through not only you’re art but also through your interaction with your followers and the community.  What is it about IG that keeps ya’ll going?

H:  The creativity has to be my #1 thing.  I never knew I had so much bottled up before being able to let it out.  Next would be the awesome people.  So many have become friends outside of IG and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

D:  Definitely the creative outlet. It’s great to be part of a community. Regardless of how many followers you have, it’s important to just be active, be real and just have fun.

BP:  When do ya’ll find time to shoot?  Are there times that you both go out shooting together? as a couple? or within a group?

H:  We don’t really shoot as a couple, unless we are out as a family and something catches our eyes! And it’s usually the same thing and we have a little spat about who gets to shoot it! Lol.  I would love to do a family photowalk but I think time is the biggest issue.  With that said, most of my shots come from around the house, while driving (safely!) or Dave will slow down while driving so I can lean over to get that perfect barn.

D:  I had to get a production schedule figured out so that IG didn’t interfere with my “real” life too much. It has worked great for me and has become so routine that I don’t think about it. I basically shoot wherever I am and whatever catches my eye. The iPhone is ALWAYS in hand so I don’t miss a shot. We usually go shooting together when the weather is nicer and we take a walk as a family, but we typically try to shoot different things. And yes, she usually beats me to the good shots!

BP:  You have three beautiful children in Chloe, Emily, and Colin.  How have ya’ll instilled in them the passion of photography/ arts?  Does each of them share the same passion as you all?

H:  We want them to be themselves.  Emily showed some interest while taking a digital photography class in school but it died off when the class ended.  She’s very crafty though, learning to knit at 6 and teaching me when she was 8! I think Chloe has the photographers eye.  Some of her shots are normal 11 year old shots but some have made me jealous that I wasn’t the one that got it! She’s very artistic and loves to draw the most.  She has talked about being an architect when she grows up but I think she would make a great photographer too.  Colin is much more techy.  He enjoyed taking pics at an instameet but hasn’t done it since.  He would rather play a video game or help fix a broken xbox.

D:  We really try hard to promote creativity and thinking outside of the box with the kids. They all think about and see things completely different and we teach them that there’s no one way to do things. They are all amazing in their own ways and all have different opinions of what art is to them. We may not all share the same passions for things, but we try to be involved in their lives as much as possible. Basically we just try to lead by example.

BP:  How have ya’ll both gained the passion for mobile photography? for the arts?

H:  I have always had a little interest in photography but the passion didn’t come out until IG.  I had taken shots with the dslr before but ended up frustrated that I couldn’t capture what was in my mind so I gave up.  After having an iphone though, I know my frustration was more with my lack of knowledge of photoshop and not being able to edit the way I saw it.

D:  I started shooting when I was a little kid. Whether it was a 35mm film camera or a Polaroid. I always enjoyed it. I got my first real camera in high school and learned how to shoot with film. It’s a great way to learn. Digital photography really just helped make me better. I fell in love with mobile photography as soon as I got an iPhone though. Truly the best phone a photographer could own. I am also a huge fan of the arts. Anything from paintings to sculptures to music and more.

BP:  Outside of just the photography, editing is a huge factor for a lot of folks on IG.  This reigns true for ya’ll as ya’ll are able to edit and produce beautiful art.  What are yalls favorite apps? When you first started, what apps did you all use? How have you seen the progression of these apps, and ultimately the “super” app would be able to do what?

H:  I’m a huge fan of snapseed for my barns.  I love ProHDR for sunsets.  I was hardcore camera+ when I first started and it’s still the app I usually turn to first for certain things.  The apps just keep getting better but as far as a “super” app, I would have to say that snapseed is about there.  If they added a masking tool it would be even more awesome.

D:  Favorite apps are snapseed, pixlromatic, Hipstamatic, super retro and proHDR. I think camera + was my first and I still use it every once in a while. The apps just get better and better as they begin to emulate much of what you can do on your computer. I’d love to see a mobile version of Adobe Lightroom someday, that also includes Lomo filters, effects and more. I think Filterstorm and Iris are close though. We both get asked all the time what kind of camera we used for a shot. We really just use our phones. The trick is in the editing. That’s what makes the shot look amazing.

BP:  Are there styles that you see on IG that you don’t necessarily use, that you would like to try? IE. street, portraiture.  What would you say is your “style”?

H:  I’m very random but would have to say that landscapes would be my style. I think I would try any style, but I’m very happy with my landscapes and randomness so I don’t feel a pull towards any other style right now.

D:  I really love street photography shots from folks in New York City. I also love some of the black and white photography of elderly people or people with very interesting faces. (Think National Geographic) I would have to say my style leans toward journalistic in the sense that it’s more of a magazine feel.

BP:  What do you think when someone says that mobile photography/ arts isn’t a viable art form? Do you see it as a viable art form?

H:  It is most definitely a viable art form!  Some things that some people do with their pictures absolutely amazes me and makes me feel something emotionally.  That’s art.

D:  I guess I’d ask them what art is to them? Anything that causes you to feel an emotional response by engaging you to stop, study and ponder is art. I wouldn’t say that all mobile photography turns into art, but not all clay turns into a beautiful vase either. It’s what the artist does with the raw form of mobile photography that allows it to turn into art.

BP:  What other passions do you all have outside of mobile photography?

H:  I like to knit. Recently taught myself how to crochet too.  I love spending time with the family watching movies and I am a little too passionate about games on my phone!

D:  I love to sing. I do it every day no matter where I am. Like Holly, I too love watching movies, but I typically watch them with a critical and creative eye.

BP:  CONGRATULATIONS on your IG Anniversary today. When you first started what got ya’ll hooked?  What are the pros and cons of IG in your honest opinion?

H:  I originally got the app as a different option for putting pics on twitter.  Once I realized it was a social app, I never imagined being as involved as I am.  I was hooked when someone other than Dave first liked a photo.  How exciting to have someone you don’t know like something of yours!

D:  I originally got the app for the filters and then discovered it was a social app. It soon became addicting because I wanted to see if anyone liked my stuff. Then I began meeting new people and the rest is history. Pros of the app for me are that you have a creative outlet, get to meet new people and be inspired by others to keep improving. Cons of the app are the spamming, copyright issues and the lack of effort by some people to improve their skills. It’s a photography app, not Tumblr and we both have seen a flood of junk showing up. But, that doesn’t keep us from posting. You gotta drown out the negative with the positive. That’s just part of it being a social app.

BP:  Holly had some shots stolen and gained a lot of support from the IG community for the IG Anti-Theft movement.  Holly, you’ve been able to return to IG after such a terrible happening.  What brought you back? Dave how were you able to support her outside of IG?  Can you describe the emotions of finding out about this, processing, and coming to the conclusion to return?

H:  I couldn’t stay away!  I get very emotional about things, overly emotional sometimes and I wear them on my sleeve. I have had other shots stolen but have learned how to deal with it better.  Yes, I still get very mad.  It’s very frustrating to see a shot that you worked hard on on someone else’s profile taking the credit for it. I might not make money from my shots but that doesn’t mean anything.  I put myself in each one.  My editing is pure gut feeling so when someone steals a shot, I take it very personally.  My first thought was “I quit”.  I was mad and frustrated and just wanted to quit.  The anger starts going away with the power of the flag, report and block options.  But once your photo and/or the user is removed it’s hard to stay away.  Yes, it will probably happen again but that little report/block button is very powerful.

D:  I am more passive in how I handle things. I typically play the “peace keeper” role. But, I have to stay supportive of Holly throughout and just encourage her. I just reminded her that for every one “bad” person, there are thousands of others who are inspired by her and appreciate her work.

BP:  I remember thinking to myself, “this couple has got to be the first family of IG!”.  Both of you were able to pull many successful challenges, which ultimately helped Ale and I come up with some Life To Music challenges. Do you all plan to still do challenges in the future? If you are, what are some ideas of challenges that we may see from you all?

H:  I miss doing challenges!  The success of my Gotham Clouds Challenge was very exciting but it’s also exhausting.  We’ve taken a little break from challenges but plan to start again after the new year!  As far as ideas, we haven’t really thought much about it.  We agree that there are certain things you have to consider to make it successful so a lot of thought goes into each one and we haven’t gotten that far yet.

D:  The challenges are a blast and I can’t wait to partner with Holly again on future ones. We’ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t work in a challenge and have established great relationships with @postalpix, @hatchcraft and @keepsy. We will definitely be starting up again after the holidays.

BP:  Back to the kiddos.  I know for myself, every chance I get I try to get my little one to learn how to use the camera.  Did your children naturally take on mobile photography? What are some of the things you would say to other parents who have future mobile artists i their family?

D:  Our kids have had a camera in their face since the minute they were born. I think they have just learned by example and have each taken on their own personal flare. We love to see what they come up with and are blown away sometimes at the shots they take. For parents of future mobile artists, encourage them to be creative with their shots. If they do end up in a social environment like IG, just monitor them closely. We post the kids’ pics for them on IG so they can have a creative outlet, but they don’t actually go to the pop page and see what else people are posting. Until the content is cleaned up, they won’t. They still enjoy hearing the comments and how many likes they received. They all compete with each other a little in that way.

BP:  Who is Wilbur the Ant? What does Wilbur the Ant represent? What is the future for Wilbur the Ant?

D:  Wilbur was created on IG back in June after I lost my job. I needed a creative outlet and posted a pic of an ant. He was named and people prompted me to keep posting new pics. So he became a way for me to share my daily experiences and emotions. Soon after people suggested a book be written and that’s what I did. Wilbur now brings happiness to many folks on IG and has become a member of the community. I plan on writing more books and just enjoying the ride for now. Reading the book for kids has been the best part of the experience. Their minds are so open to learning and they are sponges.

BP:  In one year, what have ya’ll seen change in IG? for the worst? for the best? Have ya’ll tried any of the other photo social apps? Why or why not?

D:  The biggest thing I’ve seen change is the volume of spammers. Some of that may just be more noticeable due to the amount of followers I have. The app has improved greatly and @mikeyk and @kevin have done a great job with maintenance and improvements to the app. I haven’t really tried to many other photo social apps. Mainly just because I like to stay focused on one community.

H:  I agree that the amount of negativity, spamming and stealing have all increased but that’s gonna happen with so many more millions of people on than when we started. But there are also more great people to see and share with. I haven’t been interested in any other photo social apps. IG meets my needs and wants and isn’t one addiction bad enough? ????

BP:  Where do you see the future of mobile photography/ arts is going?

H:  I think it’s just going to keep blowing up.  I think mobile cameras will continue to get better and I would love to shoot a wedding entirely by iphone.

D:  As the technology improves, it will only get better. Apple has really pushed the art form forward. I eventually see stereo (3D) photography being a logical next step, but it will be a ways off. I’d love to someday do an exhibit strictly limited to mobile photography.

BP:  Lastly, what does the future hold for the Temple family? in general and in the mobile photography community?

D:  We basically take one day at a time. Who knows where things will go from here. We can only hope it’s good. The key is to just be open to positive new experiences. For mobile photography, I’ll pretty much go as long as the technology allows, and it looks like it will only get better. So you guys are pretty much stuck with me. Haha

H:  Ditto

Dave’s Favorite Shots

Train Tracks – Taken in the evening and edited with snapseed. I love the mood of this shot and it’s vanishing point.


Old Man – This was a homeless man in Wicker Park that I paid $5 to take his pic. He has an amazing face! I used snapseed for this shot as well.

Holly’s Favorite Shots

Sunsets on the lake in TN were my favorite. I love color so this shot was eye candy for me! Edited with ProHDR, camera+ and tilt shift generator

Queen Anne’s lace, sunset and clouds. How could it get any better! I love shooting weeds/twigs/flowers in front of a sunset. ProHDR

The Temple Kid’s Favorite Shots

Ducks – Taken by Colin with his cell phone in Chicago during an Instameet


Gate- taken and edited by Emily on her cellphone during Instameet in Chicago


Me and Mom –  Taken by Chloe. Shot in Chicago at an Instameet.

An Interview with Marco L. by BP (Just choppin’ it up)

BP’s Introduction

Peace ya’ll.  For my first Juxt interview, I wanted to find someone who definitely represented themselves in a proper fashion. Someone who not only killed the photography portion, but killed the edit side with style, purpose, and vision. I couldn’t find anyone so I went with Marco. BAH, just playing.  I chose to interview Marco because I was blown away by his feed. He has a crazy style and flare to his edits that not only represents him as an artist but his area, Brick City.  I love that.  I try to do the same (Seattle, Stand UP) and I find that Marco is someone who inspires me to look deeper into my own art to capture that. To me, it’s easy to capture people (oooh, that may get me some heat) BUT I think there are a few folks that I follow on IG, EyeEm, and SZ that are able to really capture the person and fully represent them on that level, not just a picture of them but a photograph of them.  That sits true for Marco, real strong.

One of his first images that caught my eye, was of a woman walking by a mural in Brick City where he isolated the color on the girl and left the rest of the image in black and white. The woman has her head down, almost scared of the mural.  The mural has the flowers coming out the sidewalk, a monster mothra sized butterfly, and a globe just a bit bigger than the mothra sized butterfly. The womans head is just about framed by another piece of the mural as if trying to box her head in.  The caption reads, “Butterfly up high, got it’s eye on all passersby. No lie.”

Once I saw this image it was an immediate follow, an immediate homie holla, and an immediate mutual artist respect and friendship.  I’m not the only one either.  One of my friends on IG, Ryan Coleman @rcoleman, tagged me on one of his photos and exclaimed the same feelings, “DARY” (short for legendary).  The both of us use that term only when appropriate and this feed is just that…DARY.

He has a new series that he is working on (but hopefully continues his “TAG” series) entitled “70’s album covers”.  The vintage feel and art from back then is CLASSIC and he will definitely be able to capture that with his own background and experience in that genre.  He is also is real keen on music.  Marco sits back in not only his Hip Hop but is also in many genres like myself. But we rooted. We are of the same fabric. Enjoy his words, and his works. HOLLA at him when you get a chance.

And with that…I introduce Magic Marco…

BP: BP M: Marco

BP: Who is @magicmarco? What are you all about?

M: First I’d like to say peace to the whole Juxt fam. I think what you guys are doing here is a great thing for the mobile photography community and I look forward to seeing the site grow leaps and bounds. But ok, me…I’m just me like 50 Cent said years back. I’m your average trash talking, joke a lot, dirty flick watching, paperback book reading, working and family man. Oh and due to my wife’s work schedule, I’m Mr. Mom every other weekend. It’s because of my two kids that I’m so grateful the liquor store is right down the block.

BP:  Tell us all about your area and how does this influence you. Your style?

M:  I’m from a small town called Newark, NJ. It’s like Miami’s South Beach but without the palm trees, beautiful homes, nightlife or beach. Ok, all joking aside, Newark is an old industrial city. It’s not much of a tourist attraction. Not by a long shot. In fact, our biggest draw is the close proximity to NYC and the lower rates offered by local hotels. Essentially we’re the unofficial bastard “6th borough” of NYC. About as appealing a place to live in as the Bronx but I love it. I love it and hate it at the same time if that makes sense. Brick City, or the The Bricks as we sometimes call it, has that whole hustle-n-bustle type vibe….the epitome of the rat race. You either hustle and make something of your life or get lost in the cracks. People love to write off Newark as the slums but there’s a lot of beauty to be found. The vibe, the essence of the people, the melting pot of the different ward’s cultures and mentalities is home and it’s my mission to capture them in a honest and artistic way.

BP:  Bro, who are the biggest influences in your life? And why?

M:  My mama, my baby mama and everything in between. Yeah. Oh, and I’m influenced by how much money I have in my pocket at any given moment. Cause if I’m broke I don’t feel too confident. Therefore I’m not my usual me. Ok, I’m not even making sense here. Next question.

BP:  Whats the weapon of choice when it comes to shooting? Where does it shine? Where you think it needs some assistance?

M:  I use an iphone4. It helps me tremendously because I’m listening to music all day while working anyway. So, you can usually find me with the ear buds on and when a photo op presents itself, bamn!, I whip the trusty iphone out my pocket and snap. It’s super convenient. Plus the 5 mega pixel camera isn’t too shabby either. Those are pros for sure. Not to mention the ridiculous amount of photo apps accessible at any time. Editing a pic while sitting in a Wendy’s Drive-Thru is a beautiful experience. Cons? Um, well it’s a given that the iphone sucks donkey balls when it comes to night shots. So far that’s my only complaint. Dear Apple, fix that shit. Sincerely yours, Marco.

BP:  What apps you got in your darkroom, bro? You chose to share this shot with us, tell us the movement/ process you took on this one.

M:  I use ProCamera for all my shots. I like the default big button feature and auto saves to the camera roll so I definitely stick with ProCamera. I also use Snapseed, Filterstorm, and  Juxtaposer. Oh and Camera+ for the Clarity and of course a bunch of other shit cause I’ll appstack the hell out of a pic if need be. The ones I mentioned though are my staple go-to apps. But ok, lemme break down the editing process for P.i.G.e.O.n.S.

First I’d like to say I hate pigeons. Bunch of dirty ass shit dropping nuisances with feathers is what they are. One of them fuckers shitted on my head a few years back. So fuck them.

Anyway, so for this pic I captured with ProCamera in the daytime. Then I added Clarity in Camera+ and sent it to Filterstorm to turn into B&W and saved. Still in FilterStorm, I used the Vignette damn near all the way in to create fake moon and saved again. I took that B&W image without moon in Iris and used the Solarize effect and saved. Then I blended both images in Juxtaposer and finally added ND-Grad in Photo fx. Tah-dah, Halloween looking ass pigeons!

BP:  Ok bro, what do you want us to take away with your photography? What’s your expectations?

M:  Basically I’m looking for the same response as every other photographer….if I may so boldly refer to myself as that. What I want is simple…….I want you to look at my pics and be like, “Damn, that is the most beautiful photo I ever seen in my life! Marco’s a fuckin’ genius and I hope all my kids turn out to be just like him!” That’s it, I don’t expect much.

BP:  OK Marco, you rolled out a new-er series using TAGS.  Can you tell us what is behind this series? Why are you doing this series and its meaning to you? For some folks, they don’t know really what “tags” are.  What would you tell them “tags” is all about?

M:  Ok, TAGS are the overlooked, more simplified style of graffiti that you see everywhere in the city. They’re mainly just names of the writer. Definitely nothing fancy like murals or the more elaborate, colorful type pieces that most folk associate graffiti with. Urban calligraphy if you will. Writer’s bomb the city with their tag…..basically tattooing as much property as possible as a claim to fame. I started the TAGS series as a challenge to myself because I was getting bored taking regular street candid shots. The challenge is that for every tag I see and like, I take a photo of it and then have to take a candid street shot within the vicinity. No more than two blocks apart. Afterward I combine the two and make the funky fresh images I post on InstaGram. Lately I’ve been including stand-up comedy in the captions as well. Might as well share some laughter while I’m at it.

BP:  You and I connect lots of levels.  One of which is the love for Hip Hop.  You got Hip Hop references all over your stuff.  Tell us about what Hip Hop means to you.

M:  Most definitely! I’m a Hip Hop head 155% to the 10th power. I walk, talk and live Hip Hop. I don’t breakdance but I’m a B-Boy at heart. Does that make sense? As a kid, when my parents were vibing to their  Merengue and Salsa, I was bumping Run-DMC, Afrikaa Bambataa, LL Cool J, and so forth and so on. I fell in love with Hip Hop around age 5 or 6. Not as a casual listener, no sir. I completely submerged myself into the whole culture. I would run to see the older kids have b-boy battles on cardboard or I’d rush to witness rhyme cyphers at the lunchroom tables and the beatbox rhyme cyphers after school. I knew which artists were down with who and the beefs…..ah man, I could talk about Hip Hop all day. That definitely has a huge influence on my life period. I’m Hip Hop like KRS said.

BP:  Knowledge gets shared. No doubt! Drop something on us that you live by.

M:  Ok, there’s an old grumpy fuck on the radio named Gary Null. He has a talk show that covers health, political and societal issues in general. Dude is very informative and I’m definitely grateful for the knowledge he shares but sometimes he’s boring as fuck. His voice could put an insomniac in a coma. Plus he gets irate too easily. But he’s old and that’s how old folks get down.

Anyway I copped one of his books, and a particular paragraph stood out. I typed it, printed it and framed it. It goes, …….

“When you let go of your relentless thinking, you can rest. Once you’re relaxed, visualize what you want and start your journey. When we wake up we just jump into the day. We’re so focused on starting our rituals and routine that we don’t visualize the greater importance of the day. This is a twenty-four-hour-period we can never live again. So what can we do in this twenty-four hours that’s new and unique, empowering and fulfilling?”

I love that.

BP:  You represent New Jersey.  Brick City.  Tell us all about your area.  What do you love about your area? Describe for us the people, the culture and how that influences your art.

M:  Yeah, like I mentioned earlier….I have a love/hate relationship with my city. I love it but hate the fact that plenty folk don’t take more pride in maintaining their surroundings. Therefore whole blocks of the city look like they do. And I hate referring to my neighborhood as….’the hood’, but that’s what out-of-towners think of it anyway. Still though, I get annoyed with tasteless ‘ghetto’ pics. Newark may not ever make the “Top place to live in America” list and yes it has it’s share of riff raff but it’s also full of hardworking folk just trying to make ends meet and trying their best to ensure their kids have a bright future just like any other town. There’s so much more to Newark than being ‘the hood’. In fact, fuck that label….’the hood’. I promised myself to never to post any disparaging images of Newark and it’s people because we already get kicked and put down by out-of-towners enough. I don’t kid myself or try to portray Newark in some phony pretty type way but I do try to capture it with style. Well….I think so at least. My bad, lemme get off my soapbox. Hi Mama.

BP:  Who influences or inspires you as far as your photography? and why?

M:  Oh by the way, I don’t have a baby mama. I mean….my wife is my baby mama. Just her. And I’m a superb dad. Like Dad of the Year type dad. I just wanted to clear that up. Just so you know. But um, ok…my influences? Um, shit I don’t know. Jesus? Oprah Winfrey? I don’t know. Everybody. There. Everybody in the whole planet inspires and influences me. Especially and most definitely all the cool ass people I’ve met on InstaGram. You know who you are.

BP:  Your style is dope (awesome).  Have you experimented or found a different style that you would like to try out?

M:  Thank you. I appreciate that. For reals. I know I’ve been talking trash throughout the interview but seriously I second guess my work a lot. I feel there are much better street photographers and I aspire to capture at least a smidgeon of that same magic, ya know. The emotions, the real life, the powerful evocative type images is what I’m after and I got a long ways to go. So in the meantime, I’m definitely experimenting as I go along. Like what I’m doing with the TAGS series for instance. When I get bored of that, I’ma try something else and hopefully it’ll be aesthetically pleasing and then some. I like candids but I also love approaching people for portraits. So I’m thinking I may do a series of portraits but edited in a way to look like old 70’s album covers. A lot of 70’s album covers are funky as hell. So yeah, matter fact I think that is gonna be my next project.

BP:  Lastly, what’s the future looking like for @magicmarco and this art form?

M:  Honestly I would love to be more involved in capturing my city on an official level. Not something lame like taking pics of the Mayor cheesing for the camera while he’s shaking hands with other cornball politicians. Nah, I wanna be commissioned to capture the heart and soul of the city. The people. All with my iphone. I know it sounds far fetched but that’s my goal. And no, I wasn’t smoking weed. I don’t smoke. Not anymore.

But yeah man, I just wanna do my little part to help push the craft forward. Ya know? To help show that mobile photography is indeed a respectable craft…not looked down on as some fake ass offshoot of ‘real photography’. There are already so many talented people making and posting mind-blowing images online and that’s just with the current technology. Can you imagine how much more the envelope is gonna get pushed as the phones and apps get more advanced? We’re on our way to a world where brides will look to hire professional mobile photographers to shoot their weddings. And without one skeptic in the crowd. Watch, it’s going to happen.

Marco L., Instagram:  @magicmarco

BP for Juxt, Instagram: @bradpuet

**Stay tuned**

This is a TAG Interview.  @magicmarco will interview @brooklyntheory in the near future!

An Interview with Phil Gonzalez by Bridgette S.

B: Bridgette  P:  Phil

B:  For those who don’t know who Phil Gonzalez is, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?  When did you become interested in photography?  Who or what inspired you to be a photographer?

P:  I’m a 40 something, French guy, born in Paris from a Spanish working family who immigrated to France. Since I was a child, I thought about going back to my Spanish roots. When I finished my business studies I moved to Madrid where I now live for 17 years. At first, I worked for “big stores” companies as manager, and then as a marketing manager in a car industry company until 2000 when they hired me to launch a “web start-up”. Really, that was my first step in Internet and I never regretted it.

After this, I worked as content manager with Orange, a major mobile and Internet operator, and now I’m a new media manager of a TV broadcasting company in Spain.

I’m in charge of Internet and it means, communication through webs, smart TV developments, iPhone, Android, Tablets and all kind of apps and widgets. One year ago, through a friend’s recommendation, I discovered the Instagram app.

On a lazy Sunday morning, while I was in bed, I read users wondering about Instagram’s best practices… I suddenly thought I could help new users with my knowledge regarding social networks and apps. Since then I have never stopped! I first started the blog www.Instagramers.com with tutorials, apps reviews and interviews of highlighted users around the world. Soon people started to write to me and asked me to help them launch local groups with the Instagramers brand. It was a crazy idea. We launched Barcelona, Madrid and some Spanish groups and then joined London, Paris, Milan, Manila, SF and Singapore – there are 230 groups in the world so far.

I have had to leave some of my other passions aside for a while as I dedicate around two or three hours each day to the Igers Community. Even my life as a mobile photographer suffers from my dedication to this funny and humble network but I think it’s worth it!

B What is your biggest tip/advice for those wanting to pursue street photography?  How can someone overcome their fear and not feel as if they’re invading another person’s privacy?

P:  Street Photography is probably one of the most important “trending topics” on Instagram.

Today there are more than 300.000 pics tagged with the #Streetphotography tag. This style exists for decades and Henri Cartier-Bresson, a French photographer, was one of its fathers. Instagram means that it is Instantaneous and Street photography is a hunt for Instants!

Instantaneous fits perfectly with the Instagram app and the way users Instagram. You can achieve great pics if you have the accurate sight and sensibility to detect the perfect moment, the perfect situation and the perfect shot.

I’m not an eminence in street photography but I can definitely give some basic tips from my own experience.

– The main one: be open-minded. Be open to the world surrounding you. There are millions of situations everyday in front of you worth a pic.

– When you think a situation can give good opportunities, be ready with your fav camera app open and ready to shoot in a few seconds. Don’t hesitate in shooting many pics, you will choose the best shots afterwards.

– Try to act with discretion and hide from people you’re taking pictures of.  If not, you may kill the essence, the genuine emotion on faces or situations you want to photograph.

– I think taking pics of other people means an interest for them and most of the people should appreciate it and not react in a bad way.  However, there are an increasing number of people aware about persistent polemic around Internet, personal life, privacy and image rights and you could avoid a tense situation.

There are two ways to act if you are scared of people’s bad reactions:

Personally, as most people do, I take pics using stratagems – pretending that I’m calling or cleaning the screen, taking the pic using the reflection of a window or whatever comes to my mind.

The other way is to directly ask people for their authorization. I remember a few months ago, I spent a lovely #InstameetLondon afternoon with people from @IgersLondon. There I met Gary, @streetographer (whose username is very appropriate for this interview), who is from California. We walked through the London streets together for a while and I watched his way to act. Sometimes he just took pictures without asking and sometimes he simply introduced himself as a photographer and asked for permission. Most people not only accepted but also started to chat with us and showed interest in our pictures, for Instagram and finally gave us their mails. A good way to meet people too!

One more thing – there is an interesting free app at the Apple store called “Photographers Rights” which explains the basic rights as a photographer in different countries. Have a look!

http://instagramers.com/apps/photographers-rights-app-a-great-tool-for-streetphotographers/

B:  Some may say that printing quality photos may be hard to accomplish with an iPhone, the resolution must be comparable to that of one taken with a DSLR.  Are there ways to have a maximum resolution with photos?  Have you found that certain apps will lower the resolution?  What is your experience?

P:  Last week Annie Leibowitz, one of the most important photographers recognized all over the world, said, ” iPhone is the greatest snapshot camera” (see video).

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/12/09/amazing-instagram-and-iphone-photos_n_1139351.html

I definitely agree with her. The iPhone camera’s improvement shows an increasing and strategic interest from Apple HQ for mobile photography.   There is no doubt that we are reaching high levels of picture quality. However, just because of quality (and cost) of lenses it will be difficult to have pics that will compete with Dslr cameras for a while but it is just a question of time.
At the moment, you can already have good quality pics in standard format. The big problem is when you pretend to make larger formats. But really, as Instagramers, do we need it? I think people who are professional photographers will go on using Dslr. If they need a higher resolution pic for a magazine, a poster or board, iPhone won’t give the expected result.

About Apps, there are many “HDR Camera” apps that allow you to have very high quality shots but then you have to carefully check your favorite “editing app” user’s guide.
Most of the editing apps reduce the quality of the original pic avoiding long data processing time. In some apps, like Hipstamatic, you can choose low/medium/high quality. I think the apps developers will work on improving the quality of pics edited, as mobile photographers will ask for better final results.

B:  What are your personal favorite apps and why?  Do you use a specific app for your black and white photos?

P:  I think apps are like music.  You have lifetime periods when you may love Rock and then some years love listening to Jazz, depending on your mood.

I started using HDR Camera apps with colorful pics and tilshift mode. Then one day I turned to another style and felt better with a “naked”, black and white style and very few edits. I try not to spend more than five minutes editing pics.

My favs are definitely Camera+ for its simplicity, speed and result but the last few weeks I’m in Love with “Noir”. Noir is the “Crème de la crème” app for black and white lovers. I have more than 50 or 60 apps available in my iPhone but I could probably “live” with only 3 or 4 of them.

B:  What would you say to those who think Instagram is “worthless” because it’s only available on iPhone and that it’s popular because it’s free? Do you think Instagram would be as successful if it were a paid app?

P:  As a developer of Apps myself, I feel very confident saying the success of an app is like the “Coca Cola” secret formula.

You wish your app will be successful but you don’t really know which will be the factors of success. You don’t even know if people will finally use the app the way you thought they would! If not, ask Twitter developers. 🙂

Instagram would have definitely been less addictive and viral if it were a paying app – although, there is a list of common characteristics for successful apps in the market.

Generally, an app must be easy to use, fast in processing and have very few technical fails. If you add the fact that Instagram connects people and provokes great sensation of happiness and community – it’s done.

As a user of Instagram, I’m not very interested in other OS people to join as I think iPhoners have the same instinct of community and it may be a factor of success.
What will happen with Androiders? Who knows?

However, just because competency threatens and investors confide, I understand Instagram HQ will have to go forward and integrate new OS in the future.

B:  Let’s talk about the popular page and how more photographers are saying it’s so “unpopular”.  I’ve seen some suggest eliminating it altogether or that the system of selecting featured photos be modified.  What are your thoughts on improving or do you think it should be kept as is?

P:  Within the last several months, I’ve been in touch with Josh Riedel (a great and humble guy in charge of community matters at Instagram HQ) and “Populars” is one of my fav topics of discussion and one of the most interesting matters for Users. How to make the Popular Page? (see link below) is one of the top consulted content in my site.

http://instagramers.com/destacados/instagram-5-0-english-how-to-become-most-popular-in-instagram/

To evolve Pops, Instagram will have to improve its algorithm and Popular Formula itself. Probably focus on “ratios of friends” versus “positive comments” or versus “number of interactions” in a pic, etc.. I know Popular List means a lot for users and it’s a key point for Instagram HQ too.

I really do think “Populars” are important for the “newbies” and for “baby steps” of Instagram.  In the beginning, you don’t have a lot of friends and you need an incentive to come back to the app, have more friends and produce better pics to reach the “Populars” list. I think the app wouldn’t be the same without Populars. It’s definitely a strong asset of Instagram’s Secret Formula.

B:  What is the main objective behind Instagramers.com and why should everyone check it out (not just those new to Instagram)?

P:  I never thought Instagramers would be such a unique reference worldwide in less than one year. It’s incredible. I’m very happy with the level of monthly visits (50.000 last month and growing 15% each month with no advertising at all). What makes me really happy are the kind comments of users which push me to go on and on with the same motivation. Instagramers.com is a place where you can find answers to your doubts, how to become popular, how to promote your profile, how to use hash tags but also how to organize an Instameet or funny posts like “how to make profitable Instagram” or “how to find love in IG”.  And, every week you can discover your favorite users on Sunday through the weekly interview or find new people in the Flash On section “user grid of the week”.

http://instagramers.com/destacados/instagram-4-0-english-how-to-boost-my-profile-of-instagram/

http://instagramers.com/destacados/how-to-use-hashtags-in-instagram/

http://instagramers.com/news/how-to-organize-an-instameet/

http://instagramers.com/news/10-ways-to-make-instagram-profitable/

http://instagramers.com/destacados/how-to-find-love-in-instagram/

B:  In your interview with Xatakafoto you expressed how the number of Instagramers (IGers) by city was increasing.  How many cities would you say are a part of IGers now?  And, for those who are interested in joining how should they go about doing so?

P:  I felt very honored when Xataca, a top technology blog in Spain, asked me for an interview as the development of Igers network caught their attention. It’s probably the first time a mobile app is generating an independent Fans network around the world – with the same philosophy, organizing events and with members contacting and helping others who live a thousand kilometers away with their tips.

Right now we have around 230 groups worldwide – some of them more active than others but sharing the same community sense. Local groups are always open to help and give their opinion. We have a kind of Intranet or “Private group” on Facebook which allows local groups or ManIgers (as I call them 🙂 promoting their ideas, contests or sharing their thoughts with other people around the world.

If a group is already constituted we can integrate it without a problem. If new people are interested in launching an Igers Group in their own city, they just have to send an email to [email protected] and we will explain the basic process, send them a logo and integrate them in the ManIger group.

B:  What are your expectations of each IGer city?  Being a part of IGers Seattle, we have been doing our best to feature photographers so that they may gain exposure and in the process aim to show what Seattle is like – via architecture, music, art, landmarks, etc.  In doing so, trying to be as personal as possible.  What else would you like to see happen on IGers?  Also, do you have any suggestions on how to make it more interactive?

P:  I think Instagram will be successful if it goes on offering a value to the users. Instagram will have to evolve offering more personal gain than just having a number of followers, likes or Pops but offering more incentives like exhibits, global events or business opportunities for companies. I know people who found themselves a way to sell their pics and earn some money.  Companies like Ford Europe and Burberry’s have truly innovated their marketing strategy, integrating Instagram as an important tool.

For our Igers local groups, it’s just the same – a local group will have a meaning if the group provides an added value to its members. A value can be simply featuring members and give visibility to them but it has to move to event organizations, meet ups and finding partners who will offer gifts for contests or bars hosting Instameets for free. At the end, the amazing side of Instagram is that people not only want to meet on IG but soon want to meet in person.

B:  And finally, what continues to inspire you?  What do you do to get out of a creative slump?

P:  People inspire me, every single day. Sometimes, it’s just a kind comment that moves me forward and sometimes it’s simply the necessity to help people.

Helping people can mean giving them tips or connecting them but it can be making them laugh.

I love to feature people unknown with a different life, like @Tuana or @Ktrap, two different lives with two different meanings on Instagram:

http://instagramers.com/destacados/flashon-instagramers-1-15-tuana/

http://instagramers.com/destacados/flashon-instagramers-1-18-ktrap/

As a photographer, really, I sometimes feel frustrated as I wish I had more time to spend in the street looking for the perfect shot, taking dozens of pics each day… but I don’t have time anymore! So I have to do my best when I go out at night, to a concert, etc. These last weeks I’m focusing on #Nighthawks (night life) probably inspired by one of my fav canvas paintings by Edward Hopper – “Nighthawks”.

It’s not always easy to take pics by night with an iPhone camera but as you probably realized, I love challenges.

 

Phil Gonzalez

__________________________________

About Bridgette S.

Seattle, WA

Three words that describe me are simple, social and creative – all of which have played a part in strengthening my passion for iPhoneography. What you see is my vision of the ordinary and not so ordinary, most of which are captured whilst I’m out and about with my son.  As a mom to a toddler, it’s important I catch all those milestones and have a record of our daily adventures. Having an iPhone means I don’t miss a snap and it also means the world gets to see what I see – at all times.  Mobile photography has also given me the chance to meet like-minded enthusiasts both in person and on the web.  It’s truly remarkable to see the community grow and be amongst those who offer support and inspiration.  It has opened new doors and reawakened my imagination; I embrace it and will continue to learn in the process.

Instagram:  @sippinlattes

Twitter:  @sippinlattes