by Jeff Kelley | Sep 22, 2014 | Jeff Kelley
Having all of your belongings tucked into a single bag is strangely freeing.
Camera dangling from her hand, she leaves the station and crosses the tracks, for though she has destinations in mind, she knows that often, the best experiences are the ones you haven’t planned.
With this in mind, she heads into the small town.
Editor’s Note: To understand where Chloe is now you need to understand where Chloe began her journey and where it is headed. The Reinvention of Chloe is a collaborative effort by much of the Grryo team to realize a dream our dear friend Ale began before his death. We do hope you enjoy the journey.
by Jen Bracewell | Sep 21, 2014 | Jen Bracewell, Stories
Gretchen Grace
I am a designer and a typographer, as well as a photographer. Letterforms have always spoken to me. This picture was taken in Manhattan. I saw this word painted on a construction fence and I waited for this shot. I couldn’t remember what the actual word was, SOT?, SOY? but as I look back I see that it was SOW?. I really like how the two people in the shot are both on their cell phones; are they speaking to each other? Are they saying “SO?”.
Dina Alfasi
The picture was taken in the train, with iPhone 5. This Photography is part of a series of train photos #mydtrainphoto The story behind it – It was taken during the last days of the war took place here recently. The Photograph shows a soldier returning from the front and in the newspaper was written in the title: “Salute You”
And over the title images of the soldiers who were killed during the war.
Paula
I’m based in Australia. This shot was taken and edited on my iPhone 5S using Procamera 7 during Vivid Sydney at an instameet (arranged by @vividsydney @igerssydney and @visitnsw amongst others).
Although there was a light projection randomly appearing and disappearing on the wall to the right, it was the arrow that drew me to this shot, as well as the silhouettes of the people walking past. I took a shot, just a second earlier, of the same man when he was right in front of the arrow. Normally I’m a big fan of pure silhouette shots, but I felt that the image lost it’s power as his outline totally broke up the shape of the arrow, blunting the tip! Thankfully, I took this slightly later shot. It doesn’t matter that he’s now broken up the typography of the Museum of Contemporary Ar (!), because the arrow is seen, glowing, and exuding its odd, contradictory message. Here, the silhouetted people serve to substantiate its full height and size as they emerge from the darkness and into the light beyond.
Julienne
Story: My husband and I wanted to check out the raved-about Food Truck craze going on in downtown Knoxville during the popular Saturday morning Farmer’s Market that opens in early May and runs until November. There’s about 4 of them all in a row on Union Avenue and it’s jam-packed with lines of people plus their well-behaved, well-groomed pets. Mister Canteen serves fresh southern fare with ingredients sourced straight from the farm a non-GMO food truck. The amazing story behind the three women who run it can be found in The Southern Food Issue of Garden & Gun Magazine August/September 2014 Issue. Just people watching around the food trucks was a photographers dream itself! Patience was key for cropping the shot and finding the right moment in between crowd surges. This was shot with Hipstamatic app using Yuri 61 lens and T. Roosevelt 26 film from The District HipstaPak on iPhone 5.
by Jeff Kelley | Sep 17, 2014 | Jeff Kelley, Stories
A little over a year ago, Instagram announced it was adding video to its widely used app. Immediately, a collective groan was heard across the mobile photography community. But while the addition of video certainly added plenty of dull content, (to this day, I still believe most folks scroll right past a video), a good number of artists were able to produce creative works of art.
The account @creativevideo was started in the hopes of finding and highlighting these videos, as well as to encourage others to make their own. And while I’ve always tried to highlight ‘videos worth watching’, there have been a handful that stood out among the rest- with two qualifications: 1) they contained an exceptionally creative idea, and 2) they were created solely using a mobile phone.
While the number of photo editing apps is nearly infinitesimal, quality video editing apps are few and far between. For this reason, finding a video that truly stands out can be somewhat difficult- it usually takes a unique idea to begin with, and may require the use of multiple apps to achieve the end result. The following four videos, to me, stand out, and the artists were kind enough to let me share them and the describe their process.
The first is by Frederic Genest, who came up with the idea of combining Hipstamatic photos with a timelapse app:
Here is how I proceed and you will see that it’s pretty simple at the end. I use Hipstamatic to shoot each picture. Middle or low resolution, because it takes too long to record each picture in high res and it’s definitely not necessary. You need to have in mind that the more pictures you take, the longer the length is. The longer distance you travel in between each shot, the faster the journey is. Then I use the Timelapse Pro app to edit the pictures. Why? because you need to be able to choose a very low number of frames for each picture. The right ratio is 2 frames for each pic and 15 pics per second. This, you can’t do with any other iMovie or slide show app. So you don’t use TimeLapse for what it’s initially made. You click on the edit menu, then “import images”, then “save as movie” in which section you can choose the number of frame per second (15 by default), and you can choose the quality of the compression, as well as add a piece of music from your library. Them you save that film in your library before uploading it to Instagram. Here it is, this is the way I do it.
“Hipstamotionpicture” by Frederic Genest
Mira has made many amazing videos that seem to have a double-exposure effect. This was just one of the ones I was enchanted with. Here, she describes how she does them:
My creative process doing this vid:
Positioning the camera and finding the lighting that dramatizes the scene, then I take a few movies so I have something to work with.
I used Slopro to speed or slow some parts in the movie, Reverse Camera to reverse the movie and Cute Cut to edit it all and get the layered effect and to add music.
@miradelsol
Péw made this amazing time lapse film that stood out from the rest. Here’s how it was done:
About the video, actually the idea just came out.. I always love taking puddle photos, and that day, right after the rain, I went outside to take some puddle shots, it was around 4 or 5 pm. When I looked at the cloud’s reflection in the puddle, the idea came out! So I started to put my iPhone on a tripod, standing around the puddle with the cloud as a background, and started to capture myself using a self timer camera app (camera+ app) …but then I thought it would be awesome if the clouds were moving! So I decided to create a timelapse video, I stood around the puddle and let my iPhone start recording for about 15 minutes! And yes, I was standing still for 15 minutes to get the moving clouds.. I was recording using iLapse for the timelapse and added the music using CuteCutPro. 30 frames per second.
“Standing In Motion” by Ahmad Renaldi
Last but not least, Roberto blew me away with this video; it’s essentially an animated version of his photo editing style. Here’s his process:
For this video, I shot a 39 frame motion burst, then had to individually outline each frame. Then, using Image Blender, I created 38 backgrounds of solid color blocks, to add my “Gridient” effect to the overall piece. Then I created another set of backgrounds to overlay with the original set of backgrounds, which was done in Image Blender as well. I used stark colors in the background so that the overall juxtaposition between the color blocks & outlined frames would provide a nice silhouette look to the running subject. Then after additional touch-ups in ArtStudio, the motion burst slides were ready to be placed on their backgrounds. This meant each image, one by one, had to be matched with the exact backgrounds in the right order. That way, each frame moves in a solid consistent motion, giving a sense of continuity and fluidity. Once the final assembly of the outlined slides & backgrounds was done, everything was spliced together in iMovie. After a few pitch adjustments, and the addition of my music track, the project was finished. Then wahoo, the two day development process came to a close.
“Motion Gridient” by Roberto Cuevas
by Josh St. Germain | Sep 5, 2014 | Josh St. Germain, Stories
Yesterday, EyeEm published a blog post that announced the new missions in partnership with The Huffington Post. They announced three new ways to participate which can be viewed on their FULL BLOG POST. What immediately grabbed my attention was the third mission. They are calling for photos about meaningful stories from EyeEm members. Who better to get involved than the Grryo community!! I’d love nothing more than to see our community members be selected and published in the world renowned Huffington Post.
So, this is your call to action!! Let’s show them the power of storytelling through our images. Below is all the info on how to get involved…
“The third way to become a part of the story is sharing your photos in a new EyeEm album called Huffington Post Stories. Simply tag your photos about stories that you would like to tell with The Huffington Post and we will be looking through this album, connect you with The Huffington Post and you may get the opportunity to blog about your story to a large audience.
We truly feel like this is just the beginning of something special. Your photos will always have attribution along with a link, so the exposure that you’ll be getting is immense. It’s a win for you, the photographer, and for journalists. That’s what makes us proud of this announcement.” – EyeEm Team
by Josh St. Germain | Sep 2, 2014 | Josh St. Germain, Stories
I would like to take you back to October 15th of 2012 of my life. My wife and I closed on our first house together that morning. We had spent a taxing ten months looking at every house that came onto the troubled real estate market. We were fortunate enough to finally step into one and know it was home. We knew this was where our family would grow… and so it did.
Two months prior to finding our new home, we had started trying to get pregnant again. It was two days after we held our new house keys, that my wife came to me with the news of a positive pregnancy test. I spent the remaining week and half painting and preparing for our move after work each day. I’ll be the first to admit, it was an overwhelming time for all of us.
During the days of moving our material lives from one place to the other, my wife called me on her way in to work and hesitantly told me that she just didn’t “feel right”. Neither of us wanted to believe that anything could be wrong. After tense days of blood work, doctors visits and unbelievable anxiety, we received the call that we feared. It was October 31st, Halloween, as we were getting our two kids ready in their costumes, in our new home, that we knew our family wouldn’t be growing as soon as we expected.
7/11/14 4:57 am
I cannot pretend to know the truth of how a miscarriage affects the mother. I’ll say this… watching my partner, my love, go through it, broke my heart every day. The doctor said we’d need to wait at least two months before considering trying again. Emotions ran high as we entered the holiday season and remained as strong as we could for each other and our two children.
After Christmas passed, we decided to continue trying. I believe we both shared an unspoken fear that this road may end in heartache once again. Knowing that were both unwilling to give up and that no matter what happens we had two wonderful children that brought us so much joy, we knew it was the right decision.
Eleven months came and went as twenty seven days of hope followed by one day of knowing that this month wasn’t the one. November 17th 2013, my wife’s birthday, that 28th day brought something different this time. I’ll never forget being woken up by my teary eyed wife who had just seen the test results that she thought she may never see again. I hadn’t breathed that deeply in over a year.
Thirty four weeks later, seventeen days earlier than expected, my wife came home from work and began having contractions. Her scheduled appointment for a repeat c-section wasn’t for ten days. To say we weren’t prepared would be an understatement. It was just past midnight when we decided to head to the hospital.
7/11/14 3:59 am
Among the few things I managed to grab on our way out the door, was my smartphone. The obvious reasoning was to be able to contact family and friends with updates from the hospital. What I didn’t consider at the time, was that I’d be able to capture a timeline of moments from this unexpected event. The images shared here are of both significant and mundane moments during our early visit to the hospital…
7/11/14 5:15 am
7/11/14 5:22 am
7/11/14 5:24 am
<
7/11/2014 10:30 am
7/11/14 10:31 am
7/11/14 5:57 pm
7/12/14 5:56 pm
7/12/14 8:05pm
7/12/2014 8:08 pm
7/13/14 1:19 pm
7/13/2014 4:07 pm
7/13/2014 4:27 pm
7/13/2014 7:14 pm
7/14/14 9:18 am
7/14/14 10:02 am
by Todd Leban | Aug 31, 2014 | 1000 Words, Stories, Todd Leban
Welcome to the ninth edition of the GRRYO 1000 Words Facebook Showcase! Since the creation of the Facebook group, we have seen it grow and watched inspiring work being posted daily. We are happy to be able to showcase some of the outstanding work that is being shared.
GRRYO believes that mobile photographers/ artists tell stories through the photographs/ images and art that represents their families, their environment, themselves. This is important because of the level of communication that is portrayed in imaging today.
We want to support the mobile arts community by having a place for artists to share, discuss, and critique (if requested by individual). These dialogues help the individuals and the community to grow.
We look forward to you and your art. We thank you for your contribution to the mobile photography/ arts community. To submit your work click here.
Veronica Hassell
I have been exploring the water element this summer with my lifeproof shooting a lot of underwater shots and this was an afternoon when we just finished shooting. It was early evening and we were losing the last bit of natural light so as my model sat shivering, I decided to take a few more shots. I actually used the snappeed in app camera and used a preset in the grunge setting. I then used the tilt shift preset for some slight blur. Unionapp was used to add and blend the flowers, which I also shot in the snappeed camera and edited in grunge. This original shot was taken in a swimming pool with all those edges of the pool just beyond the models head in view. A little cropping and blending created more drama and the feel of some deep blue pool in Bali which is what I was hoping for.
This shot is part of a series on Flickr called “Skin Divers” which is from the writings of Anne Michaels.
I think as time goes by I’m realizing more and more that it doesn’t matter how many apps you use, sometimes beauty can be created with the most simple subject. It’s a challenge I’m enjoying quite a bit: finding beauty in simple moments.
// instagram // Flickr // Veronica Hassell//
Elaine Taylor
This shot was taken early Summer’s evening at one my boys’ favourite spots to play. A place where they automatically run, climb, jump and create little adventures together. No technology in sight (apart from my cheeky iPhone!). It’s what they enjoy doing more than anything. I love capturing those precious moments.
I took a few shots that evening. When I looked through the camera roll this one jumped out. I loved Billy’s hand; like he is beckoning his big brother. The original image felt a bit gloomy though, and didn’t reflect the actual moment captured. It seemed sad. Ominous. The boys with their heads down under a moody sky. It just didn’t feel right. So, I turned to Mextures to add something colourful to the sky; something uplifting.
My boys under a rainbow sky off on an adventure together to discover new and exciting things. That’s what I see when I look at this image.
Apps Used: Procamera7, Snapseed, Mextures, Union
Process:
I shot this with ProCamera7 on my iPhone5S. As I do with most images, I took it into Snapseed first: cropped and straightened it, then increased the contrast a little. Next step Mextures to create the rainbow colours in the sky (can’t remember the details – Mextures is still new to me so I would’ve been playing around for quite some time). Finally, I took the image into my favourite blending/masking app Union to bring out the original silhouettes.
Links:
// AMPT // Flickr // IG // EyeEm //
Erika C. Brothers
This image is one of hundreds I have taken of my kids this summer, in fact I could say that is my favorite of summer 2014. I really enjoy taking water photography and enjoy the results I get from the effects of water. This particular photograph was taken with the iPhone standard camera and edited on a iPad first using Camera+ to adjust contrast, after I used iColorama to highlight the effect of flow, and for final filter effects VSCOcam.
IG // FB //
Tommy Wallace
I don’t usually shoot cars yet here I was in the backyard of an abandoned farm house with three or four surrounding me. What was I to do? This shot was taken with the sun through the window giving a nice glint of light on the horn ring of the steering wheel.
Taken with the Camera-FV5 app on my Samsung GS4, I let this gem sit on my feed for months before I did anything with it. For editing I used HandyPhoto which is one of my favorite editing tools. This app is available on android and iOS.
It’s been awhile but I’m thinking on this one I first cropped then darkened the photo, while increasing contrast and sharpening slightly. I’ve really enjoyed working with textures and applied a few of them gently to get a darker effect and to give some vignette on the edges.
As I edited this I began to focus on the glow from the light reflected on that horn ring. I love the way the reflected light splashes across the steering wheel.
I try to title photos from personal experiences as well as something that is unique to the shot itself. The fuel gauge is setting on the “E” in this shot, of course. When I was growing up and started driving I learned a new phrase: “Flat on empty.” The car I drove was in that condition more often than not. As I’m old enough to have driven a car with a horn ring like this, I thought “Flat on E” was appropriate.
On Instagram, Eyeem, and Twitter I’m @pastortwallace. On Flickr just drop the @. You can also see some of my stuff at amptcommunity.com/profile/TommyWallace. I appreciate the opportunity to participate with the Grryo community. The storytelling aspect of photos is so powerful and I’m glad Grryo celebrates that.
Patricia Larson
Photo taken with iPhone 4s
This photo was taken on a trip to a beach in Texas, the picture was completely minimalist so I decided to play with the editing, it was a beautiful evening and it was not time of vacation so that the sea was in complete tranquility and could perfectly capture the photo.
Apps Used: Camera+, Circular
Facebook // EyeEm // Flickr // IG // phoneart.com
Andrea Koerner
There really isn’t any inspiration per say behind my photos it’s more an intuitive thing that I do. I just start with a photo and “play” with various apps until I get a photo that speaks to me. This one started out as two Hipstamatic photos that I combined in Superimpose. I then added more elements thru Superimpose and put the finished photo thru Brushstroke(I painted it and upped the Saturation). From there I took it into Elasticam and manipulated it to give the figure the effect of wearing a hood/cowl. Lastly I took it into Textures+ and added the graffiti effect.
// Instagram // Flickr // Facebook //
by Jen Bracewell | Aug 19, 2014 | Jen Bracewell, Stories
Chloé fell asleep. Her head pressed hard against the train’s window, the Leica bound round her neck, a metal albatross bouncing in time to the reverberations of the train track.
She dreamt of a male hustler named Paul who she had met on the streets of Istanbul. He was English and smelled of cheap, drugstore cologne and clove cigarettes. Paul had been stabbed to death, through his ubiquitous plaid scarf, with a pair of scissors that pierced his vocal cord.
by Todd Leban | Aug 1, 2014 | Stories, Todd Leban
What’s In A Name? Volume 1 curated by Todd Leban
Whether you are aiming to be creative, clever, humorous, emotional, or are simply identifying the elements of your shot, the title for your image is an important element that deserves some thought. In this first installment of an ongoing series, I have asked a handful of mobile photographers to select one of their photographs, and share their process of selecting its title. Please join me in discovering more about these artists and their images from around the globe.
Chuck Rose
Title of Image: My Reflection and a Piece of My Heart.
This picture is of my only son. I was thinking about how he will reflect some of who I am – that how I treat him and others will be reflected in the way that he treats people, and what a huge responsibility that is, and what an invaluable gift he is. It also made me think of how I want to be a reflection of God, my heavenly Father.
My process for naming an image generally happens one of two ways. I either have a thought in my head that I want to share, and look for or create an image to accompany it, OR I look at or create an image, and a thought comes to mind. One of my primary goals on Instagram, and in life is to encourage others. As I am thinking about a caption, I try and ask myself if the caption will in one way or another encourage those who see it – either by making them laugh, or making them think, or by sharing a part of who I am.
I know that some artists prefer not to use a caption….to allow the viewer to take what they want from the image. Though that is sometimes true for me, more often than not I want the caption to provide the viewer a deeper glimpse into some thought I had when creating the image.
AMPt // Instagram // Flickr // Twitter
Louise Fryer
Title of Image: Don’tcha Look Back
Naming an image is quite a new thing for me, until recently I believed that it was better to leave the perception of an image up to the viewer and not influence in any way. I am currently working on creative self portraits and especially for this genre, I find the images I create don’t seem finished until they have a title. Choosing a title is a very individual process and they can come from pretty much anywhere.
The images I’m concentrating on right now usually have some kind of emotional significance and sometimes I’ll find a title comes to me quite easily, music is a great inspiration to me, and this image is titled from the last lines of ‘Don’t Stop’ by Fleetwood Mac. As this image is quite personal to me in what it represents ‘Don’tcha Look Back’ is perfect being that it is about moving forward, looking to the future and not looking back.
Website // Twitter
Philip Parsons
Title of Image: A Window to the Ordinary.
I tend to keep my titles to one of three styles: simple and to the point, references to song lyrics and registration numbers. I usually deliberate over a title for a while, because I feel that a title is a vital part of a piece, not just an add on. Nevertheless, although I want the title to enhance the image, I still want the image itself to be the dominant method of communication. I also find it hard to write short, pithy titles without them sounding glib, cheesy or just downright pointless. I find that songwriters often express what I want to say far more eloquently than I ever could.
The title for the image I’ve chosen doesn’t fit into one of the three categories I usually pick. This image is a comment on photographic composition as well as a reflection on the way I see many people viewing the world around them. The focal point of the shot is clearly the window, but what is seen through the window is plain, ordinary and uninteresting. The interest is in the frame. The details that the viewer should be observing are peripheral. Sometimes, individual circumstances can become so dominant that it is easy to miss the multiple elements that compose our existence. I feel that I frequently need to take a step back and look at the wider perspective.
All links to my social networks can be found via my website.
Armineh Hovanesian
Image title: Two faces for the price of one!
I decided to use this photo. A typical portrait shot however, when I looked at it and worked on the edit, I realized that I’m seeing two faces! Myself and my dad, whom I lost in 2011.
Generally, my photos are not planned in advance. Sometimes, I do have an idea and at other times, I just shoot and deal with the results later. That said, the titles always come to me as I’m looking and editing the photos. Depending on what kind of a feeling they convey some titles are literal, others thoughts and feelings. I tend to speak and communicate with my photos.
Usually I like to participate in monthly challenges where each day is given its own name, mission if you will. This way, when shooting, I have an agenda. As for the rest and most of the time, how a title enhances and supports an image that would entirely depend on my mood, state of mind and kind of day I have had.
Michelle Robinson
Image title: The Secret Story 8/23
This is an image from “The Secret Story”, a set of images that speaks of a life story, many loves ago. Whilst it is an image that is “in-your-face”, it is one that was created from a place of peace. For me, having found creativity and some kind of artistry after a “brain crash” (because a “nervous breakdown” is not close to describing what I went through), my early artwork was very raw as I channelled all the decades of repressed emotions. To be able to be removed enough to tell that part of my life is a huge personal achievement for me.
This year I decided to not give titles to my images, especially since I started my Creative 365 Project for 2014. I’ve used quotes to support many of the images and when I have needed to give a title to them, I have abstracted from the quotes. Part of the reason for doing this is due to laziness and also to lend credence to my own belief that I’d rather people see what they want to see, if they see anything at all.
If I could, I would name all of my images “untitled”. I think titles are important because it helps direct a viewer to a sentiment or state of mind. In many ways, the use of quotes is the same, I guess; except that I actually search for the quotes after I do the images. I’d like to think that my images can simply stand on their own untitled and to give freedom to interpretation. I am quite happy if people don’t ‘get it’, and often times, they take from it something that is wholly different from my original intention. To me, that is “art”. I spend a lot of time creating with heart and soul and from instinct and the sharing of images on a public platform is like releasing a balloon up into the air for the wind to take it to … wherever. Likewise, I share and expect nothing in return. There are people who view images quietly and follow my journey – if they take anything from it, it is already a gift in itself. I prefer not to dictate how people should interpret or feel about my images. I don’t seek for approval and neither should they if they interpret something right or wrong. The surprise is when someone sees something profound which I hadn’t in my creative process.
————–
*If you are interested in being a part of future volumes, please send me an email. – Todd Leban
by Josh St. Germain | Jul 27, 2014 | 1000 Words, Josh St. Germain, Stories
Welcome to the eighth edition of the GRRYO 1000 Words Facebook Showcase! Since the creation of the Facebook group, we have seen it grow and watched inspiring work being posted daily. We are happy to be able to showcase some of the outstanding work that is being shared.
GRRYO believes that mobile photographers/ artists tell stories through the photographs/ images and art that represents their families, their environment, themselves. This is important because of the level of communication that is portrayed in imaging today.
We want to support the mobile arts community by having a place for artists to share, discuss, and critique (if requested by individual). These dialogues help the individuals and the community to grow.
We look forward to you and your art. We thank you for your contribution to the mobile photography/ arts community. To submit your work click here.
This month’s submissions showed us that the quality and creativity of our artists is growing exponentially and shows no signs of stopping! Last week my wife and I were happily surprised with the birth of our son… 10 days earlier than expected! Due to my time spent in the hospital and getting us settled in back at home, I was unable to give my selected artists the usual amount of time to submit the stories behind the images I had selected from the group. Due to this, there were a few that were unable to meet the short deadline. So, I am asking our audience to please take a few moments to go view the GRRYO – 1000 Words Facebook Showcase – Submission group and see the brilliant work being submitted.
Thank you as always for the participation and support!
“She Thought She Was Safer This Way” by Meri Walker
EyeEm // Website // Flickr // Blog
Apps used : longexposure, cameramatic, afterlight, afterfocus, mextures
After four years, making photographs and paintings with my iPhone remains one of the strangest things I do. I say this because when I go walking with my phone camera, what I’m doing is waiting for a call.
The experience of walking with any camera in hand has always felt to me like a kind of “hunting” and being hunted – at the same time. But, from the beginning, walking with my iPhone, with no special lenses, no extra filters, no “gear,” I have felt free, like a child, to look and listen for someone/something to call me – without words.
“She Thought She Was Safer This Way” started with me and my dog, Blaze, walking along Bear Creek late in the afternoon. It was early in June and the long low light filtering through the fresh green leaves was highlighting patches here and there in the gathering dark. Giant thistles had begun fluffing out and the one in this shot was lit like she was on her own little stage. I stopped to watch the wind blow her and was surprised to see that nothing happened to her hairdo. I climbed over some vines to get closer and made several shots from different positions, using LongExpo to gather all the light and detail I could in the low-light situation. The more shots I made, the more I noticed how tough her helmet of hair was.
Many of us who love plants but aren’t botanists carry around fanciful notions that these thistles are soft, sweet and feminine, standing passively in fields, waiting for a child’s soft hand to pick them and blow their seeds to the wind. However, spending time with this little beauty, she used my phone to tell me that her 360-degree helmet was more like armor than some gauzy, fancy-girl headress. At this stage of life, I could easily identify.
When I got home and looked carefully at the images, I imported the best shot into Cameramatic, a quirky little square-format app I recently learned about from Eloise Capet that has some interesting black-and-white films and lenses. Then I used Afterlight and Afterfocus to bring up contrast and clarity in the thistle structure and suppress detail in the surrounding areas. helped add a little unifying texture without compromising the detail.
As is so often the case for me, as I approached the end of the apping process, I heard the image title whispered into my right ear. It almost doesn’t freak me out anymore when an image calls me with its title. It’s like a little blessing. As I said, having a camera in my phone – and a phone in my camera – remains one of the wierdest experiences I’ve had in this life.
“Enlightened Men Always Escape” by Stephane Vereecken
Website
The “Enlightened Men Always Escape” picture was created in the studio with two models. Then reworked on photoshop touch for duplicate characters and add prison bars, hand-drawn. And this is Repix and Snapseed applications , that were used to process the image.
I worked for about two years with models wearing masks to express deletion of the individual and of the human person, crushed by the mass of people on earth. The individual alone and lonely is no longer possible … We are part of a greater whole and our move is watched constantly.
I am also at this time, actually going to make some experiments on social networks for this purpose. And it’s very interesting how people react.
This is my new lab.
This picture shows the characters imprisoned and only a person realizes that he can escape. Because this person, who has a clear face, and light out of his head, is the only one with knowledge. And because without knowing things in life, and the world, it remains in place and imprisoned.
And masks monkeys bring us back to our beastly origins and prehistoric.
We must escape and then show the way for others.
“The City Without You” by Aldo Pacheco
Flickr // EyeEm
the title came after I almost finished the edition and because my love ones are on a trip back home (Lima Peru). express for me some kind of sadness, the sensation of not to being with them for a month and a song of one of Joaquin Sabina (spanish singer/song writer) “Calle Melancolia” (Street Melancholia) that talks about a lonely person that life in that street and he wants to move to the Street Happiness, but always is to late… anyway…. it’s a city without you
Edition :
The photo edition starts with 2 different photos, the first on is a selfi of me and my daughter (Sabina) at the airport the day they left and the second one was of some mechanic games at a ribfest fair in Toronto. For both of them I used Clever Painter app to get the thick brush. I worked also with the selfi in Repix with Drips and Spray edition tools.
In iColorama I combine and mix the second (after and third photo, and re-combine the result with the previous one. as a result of that we got the “buildings”. Next step was the drawing lines done with Scketchbook Mobile app. Finally Snapseed for image tuning, crop, grunge and retroflex filter
“At Days End” by Rob Depaolo
This image was taken at Salisbury Beach Reservation in Massachusetts earlier this summer while walking the shore with my family one evening.
As I was taking various shots, this young girl walked down into the water before quickly turning and running back out. There was something about how she was approaching the water with caution at first that grabbed my attention. I snapped away and managed to get this one image that really captured the feel of the moment.
All editing was done in Filterstorm Neue on my iPhone (the shot was originally taken with PureShot). I cropped the image in a bit to better frame the girl, converted to black and white and made a few typical adjustments to the levels and contrast. I used the clone tool to remove a part of another person that remained in the left side of the frame. Finally, I added a bit of vignetting (I love a vignette!) and that’s it! I like to keep thing relatively simple in my editing workflow.
“Safari” by Kathy Clay
This image was inspired by a recent trip we took to a Game Lodge near Kruger National Park in South Africa. The experience was amazing. We went out twice a day in open jeeps and saw more animals than I ever imagined.
I took hundreds of photos and the one thing that was constant in many of the photos was the back of the Trackers head (his name was Peter). He sat on a small fold up chair attached to the front of the jeep. I tried to capture the beauty and silence of the open savanna in the photo.
The apps I used we’re Superimpose, Snapseed and IColorama.
“Tubos” by Patricia Larson
Instagram // EyeEm // Flickr
Photo taken with iPhone 5s
This photo was taken at my work, this structure belongs to a machine that generates electricity with gas, daylight shines on the structure with much sunshine. It did not require any editing, just put it in black and white with the filters of camera+
App used : Camera +
“Turn Away Before He Sees You” by Andrea Koerner
Instagram // Flickr // Website
This photo came about when another mobile photographer reminded me about the double exposure feature of Hipstamatic. I’ve always loved Hipstamatic and it turns out the double exposure feature is terrific for the self portraits I love to do. This one was done using the Hongdae HipstaPak(Yoona lens and Blanko 012 film). One of my favorite combo for taking photos of flowers in a vase. This one was a self portrait double exposed with a flower that was past it’s prime. The title came about from the intensity of the eyes in the photo.
by André Hermann | Jul 11, 2014 | Stories, Storyteller
Emulating Edward Weston
Introduction
Its been a long time since my last post here as a juxter now grryo. Earlier this year I moved from San Francisco, California to Houston, Texas to teach photography full-time at Houston Community College. Now that I’ve made it through my first semester and settled into my new digs, I am ready to write about photography again.
I’m no stranger to the classroom. I taught documentary photography, and multimedia storytelling in San Francisco, California for two years at The Academy of Art University. During this past spring semester I taught ‘Fundamentals of Photography’ for the first time in Texas. Besides introducing my students to the importance of the exposure triangle, the importance of carrying a camera everywhere and practice, I introduced them to the ‘masters of photography.’
Without learning about the masters and what makes a great photo, well, great, is like operating in a vacuum. In order to develop our skills, our photographic eye, in order to become better visual storytellers we must have a mentor, a photography hero, a source of inspiration. Yes, everyone should have one, actually many.
Emulating Irving Penn
After students have an understanding of how the camera works, along with a general understanding of light and composition, I give them their first major creative assignment: Explore the masters of photography. Choose one photographer from my impressive, yet far from complete list of masters, who’s work emotionally connects with you. “And there will be,” I tell them. Study that person’s work, style, subject matter, and composition. Think about ‘intent, content, and composition.’ Ask questions. Search for answers, and then try to emulate the person’s work. They are given one week to research a photographer and two weeks to create 6-8 images. For some students this will be a truly emotional experience that will transform them.
This assignment, my friends, is what inspired me to write this post. Besides learning the fundamentals, this assignment plays an important role in the development of any photographer. I have seen it change students who entered the classroom lacking vision, understanding, or inspiration in the beginning. They left the class with a new found passion, excitement for photography, and personal vision.
Today I am going to share this assignment with you as well. No matter where you are at in your photographic career everyone should try this assignment. You might just find a new source of inspiration.
Emulating David LaChapelle
One thing to keep in mind: Intent, content, and composition
What makes a photographer and his/her work great? This is a question that is often asked by anyone remotely interested in looking at or practicing photography. In many cases these photographers do not just have one great image, they have many—portfolios of amazing images that have helped them earn the title of ‘iconic,’ joining the group of the photographic immortals that are talked about in classrooms, galleries and museums.
As visual storytellers it is of the utmost importance that we know the masters. There’s a lot to be learned by studying their images, and contact sheets. I remind my students to not only be producers of images but also be consumers. Be ravenous. Devour as much great visual content as you possibly can. Collect images, start a scrapbook or a pin board on pinterest. Collect photo books of the photographers you admire. Study them regularly. Pick their images apart. Try to understand how and why it works. Study their Composition—how have they consciously decided to arrange the visual elements in the frame. Intent—Why did they create these images, and for who? Content—What have they chosen to include, or exclude from the frame? How does it make you feel?
Emulating Berenice Abbott
Assignment instructions, and your chance to be featured here on the grryo blog
This assignment can be challenging yet very fulfilling. Please click here to download the .pdf explaining the assignment in more detail, including the list of photographers. You will have two weeks to explore the list and create 6-8 images. Post your images to your preferred photo sharing site, particularly IG, flickr, FB, and eyeem. Include the name of the photographer you’re emulating in the description. Hashtag your image using #grryoMOP After two weeks of this assignment being published to grryo.com, we will review the images and curate a gallery of the best images with the hashtag. I will choose the most interesting images and highlight those photographers in part 2 of this post. You can have as much time as you need. In order to be featured in the online gallery you must meet the deadline.
My students love this assignment. I hope you all will as well. Have fun with it because it is only photography, right? I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone’s work.
–André (shutter_se7en)
by Jen Bracewell | Jul 6, 2014 | 1000 Words, Jen Bracewell, Stories
Grryo Summer
Welcome to our second themed Instagram 1000 words showcase! There are many talented artists on Instagram and we wanted to tap into their creativity and showcase their work here. I chose “Summer” as the theme for this showcase. Thank you for sharing your pools, popsicles, surfers and revelry with us.
Grryo believes that mobile photographers/ artists tell stories through the photographs/ images and art that represents their families, their environment, themselves. This is important because of the level of communication that is portrayed in imaging today.
We want to support the mobile arts community by having a place for artists to share, discuss, and critique (if requested by individual). These dialogues help the individuals and the community to grow.
We look forward to you and your art. We thank you for your contribution to the mobile photography/ arts community.
I chose these images because they’re fun, they scream “summertime” and they all told a story, as good photos do.- Jen
Image by @silalexi
The Dutch love to talk about the weather. I’m no exception… I live in The Hague, a city at the coast. When the sun is shining in the center of town, it can be stormy weather at the beach. The day I shot this photo there were beautiful but also a bit threatening clouds hanging above the city buildings. Above the sea and beach the sun was shining in all its glory. I love the contrast and the mixed feelings (again) that come along with this kind of weather. The lyrics of ‘The Storm’ Jerry Ropero crossed my mind during editing the photo (Noir app).
“Diving Into Summer” by @tephi
This was our first trip to the pool for this summer and as I’m sitting on my chair I see my 6yr old daughter do a dive for the very first time off the 1m board. I was so surprised I about fell out of my chair because we have not been practicing diving. I immediately grabbed my phone to get a photo of her second attempt, which this was. I wasn’t sure she was going to try again since she belly flopped the first one but she is a trooper and wanted to try it again and I said good I wanted to get a photo. She smacked on this dive too but she laughed and I told her how proud I was for even trying. Let our summer adventure begin!
I edited using Snapseed for detail and then Picfx and Mextures. I almost edited out the red umbrella but it looked like she was wearing a cape so I left it and she liked it.
Image by @repinsk
Created using Hipstamatic BlankoFreedom film with the Loftus lens then cropped. I loved the intense bright colors of the towel against my fair skinned blonde daughter. We were at the pool and it just screamed summer in its color intensity!
“buddies” by @bridgettesxo
At the start of summer we went for a hike up to Wallace Falls in Gold Bar, WA. We trekked through the forest and uphill for 2.2 miles each way.
Here are the boys taking a moment to themselves before heading back to the cabin – the river was so refreshing and inviting!
Taken with a Lumia 1020
Image by @silalexi
The sea for me is a magical place, especially during the summer. When I go over there I sometimes get fascinated by children who play on their own. They always seem to be in their own magical world. This boy didn’t notice any people around him anymore, but was happily lost in his own great adventure. Watching him gave me a big smile, but at the same time I felt pain in my heart. This because of a personal matter concerning children. These mixed emotions showed in my editing. For this editing I used the Noir app to bring it back to black & white. Then I added (a bit of) color with the Mextures app. Besides the editing I always try to find matching lyrics of a song to ‘explain’ my image, to emphasize my feelings.
Image by @mouse_sta
This image was taken with an iphone4s with the Hipstamatic app. With the Hipstamatic comes an array of lenses and film with different effects. Thus you can edit your pictures as you take them. I chose the Jimmy lens; it has a warm yellow glow to it, which just says summer to me. I used the Blanko Hongdae film, which gives texture and makes things look more like a print than a photograph. This was taken at the Memphis Botanic Gardens in Tennessee; there was an overgrowth of wild flowers near where they do some bee keeping. Yellow, flowers and summer go hand in hand so it was irresistible. If you double tap your Hipstamatic screen it will increase in size, you can then hold your finger on what you want to be your point of focus. I chose that flower that was in the foreground; I was then delighted a bee chose that same flower. So some luck and some skill gives you a hot time.
Image by @knoxmomi
Story: I’d been looking for a car show in my city for the opportunity to take photographs and saw online that the 2014 Hot Rod Power Tour was making its 2nd stop in Knoxville, Tennessee
http://www.wbir.com/story/life/2014/03/04/hot-rob-power-tour-plans-stop-in-knoxville/6012735/ in early June so I grabbed my husband who’s a gear head and my teenage son to see what it was all about. Thankfully, both were tolerant of my frequent stops to take multiple shots of whatever beauty of a Hot Rod caught my eye and since my husband loves vintage and fast cars, he was able to tell me make and model and even what kind of motor is under the hood. It was an eye-opener and learning experience all rolled into one Car Show! This was the start of many subsequent Summer events in the city which has kept my iPhone on the go, go, go.
Process: I took this photo of a 1957 Chevy Nomad station wagon because the fin design was just so striking. I used Pro Camera 7 app at 3:2 aspect ratio on my iPhone 5 then exported the image to Vscocam app. There I used adjustments to sharpen the image slightly and give a little contrast. No cropping was done and I chose N1 filter to bring out the beautiful red tone.
by Jeff Kelley | Jun 30, 2014 | Jeff Kelley, Stories
I approached Ken a while ago with the idea of interviewing him regarding his frequent ‘street portrait’ posts on Instagram. Ken, ever the one to deflect the spotlight, helped me come up with the idea of including some others, and what resulted from this was the following conversation via a Google hangout.
J: Jeff K: Ken O: Omar S: Shawn
J: So thanks for hanging out! Let’s start with basics- what city or town are you located in, and how long have you lived there?
O: I’m living in NYC right now… I’ve been here for a year now. Harlem.
S: Philly. However I have moved around a lot. I’ve been back since 2010. NYC (Park Slope) before that. I’m a Philly native, though.
K: West Philadelphia, about 10 years now.
J: For the purpose of this discussion I thought it might be good to define what a ‘street portrait’ is, versus regular street photography. Who wants to take a stab at it?
S: A street portrait is the capture of a subject [in public] with their expressed permission, in the portraiture format.
O: I believe the photographer must show clearly that there is (was) an interaction between the photographer and the subject. Where the main purpose is to say something specific about that subject. And yes, there needs to be consent in this case.
K: First I would have to say that everything is subjective and different people will have different definitions based on their perspective- but for me a street portrait takes place in a public setting and takes place with direct interaction between subject and photographer.
‘Sam Pugh’ by Shawn
J: Right. I just wanted to be clear as I’ve seen some photos labeled ‘street portraits’ which were really just pictures of random people, who had no idea they were being shot. How did you get started doing them? Did you start with candid street photos first? What led to the interest in street portraits?
O: I’ve always had an interest in people since I started photography professionally. However, if it was not for a job, I wouldn’t have gotten myself to do it… just as with regular street photography. Eventually I just decided to do it for my own work… first started doing street photography only, but living in Harlem, I knew there was something more I wanted to get from the history…so I decided to start this particular Sundays series.
S: My story is that I love candid shots, but at the same time I’m a chatty kind of person. So I would start with candids and work up a conversation with the subject to introduce myself and my project. The success depends on how the subject takes the work, and the forward nature of my request. Often times, it becomes a fixed point of reference – if I don’t get the portrait the first time, maybe I will the next time I see them. Comfort levels are a big factor. My interest simply comes from my love of meeting people and connecting.
K: I’ve always done them, I didn’t know they were called street portraits, but I’ve always stopped people who were interesting to me and asked for their portrait.
O: In my case I am not very chatty… I’m more introverted when it comes to strangers… so it was initially a challenge for me.
‘Odessa’ by Omar
J: Omar – can you talk a little more about the Sunday series thing and how it relates to your job?
O: Yes. As I said, I know there is a lot of history in Harlem and every Sunday people really come out wearing their best outfits and there is a stronger sense of pride and community. That’s how this series got started, I wanted to capture that. This, however, is a completely personal work and it’s not related to any other professional endeavor other than my personal work.
J: Got it. I know Ken has mentioned that Sundays are an excellent time to catch people.
O: It is… I also find people are less guarded.
S: Spring/Summer + Sunday = awesome shots. I like Sundays because there are fewer people around, and those few are more open – it’s an odd type of isolation.
K: I think it depends what you’re looking for. I am extremely conscious of how I present the people I photograph because at the end of the day they are trusting me with their image. It’s a gift. So I feel it’s my duty to cherish it. All of that to say, Sunday is a good day to capture people at their best.
J: Another thing Ken once told me- that this isn’t rocket science- you walk up to someone and ask ‘can I take your picture’ and they either say yes or no… While I’m sure that’s true, there must be some discernment on your end as to who will make a good subject. Is there any way to describe that process? And Ken, I like what you said about feeling some responsibility about it. I imagine that factors in to who you choose to shoot.
S: That process for me is simply going with my gut instincts. People who are friendly attract that to them. However, even shooting someone who isn’t necessarily ‘nice’, so to speak, is a chance to challenge yourself to get a great portrait. I’ve been in so-called ‘bad’ areas and gotten some of my best portraits.
O: Subject-wise, I look for people who catch my eye… either visually because of their physique, or by the way they carry themselves.
K: I work off of interest. If a person or scene is interesting to me, there is a hope that someone else might find the portrait interesting. It’s tough to explain why I might take a portrait of one person and walk past another.
S: I couldn’t say that there’s a formula at work for me, just interesting people in unique situations.
‘Nell Divine’ by Ken
J: What other factors are most important once you’ve gotten someone to say ‘yes’? Background or lighting, for example. What do you look for?
S: Light.
K: Always the light!
J: And do you guys often ask the person to move to a particular spot?
S: Light is everything. Sometimes, to get into better light [laughs]
K: Depends on the interaction. Sometimes the portrait is born out of long conversation and you might get a sense the subject is agreeable to doing more than stand and shoot. Other times you have to make the best out of the little time they’re giving you.
S: Truth. Getting the most from those who give the least – right, Ken?
K: Yes, but sometime I get the least from those who give the most.
J: Oh, can you elaborate on that, guys?
K: Meaning, I work off of vibes. The strength of the interaction, for me, leads to a better portrait.
S: Ok – sometimes you’ll come across a great subject and they’re only giving you seconds to work. You have to engage them in a way that creates that shot or lose the moment.
O: That’s an interesting point though… in my case, I usually try to be as fast as I possibly can… with the photo, and in the interaction. Since I know I am taking some of their time I try to make it as seamless for them as possible, and I feel that helps me and them to feel at ease.
S: That’s a good point Omar. I use the old gift of gab to ease them in and out of the moment.
O: What is that, Shawn? I mean what do you mean by gift of grab? gab*
J: [laughs] Gift of grab might not go over as well.
S: Omar- re: taking someone’s time… I use conversation to keep them at ease. [laughing at] gift of grab
K: “Come here, give me a street portrait!!!” So, that’s your technique! [laughs]
J: How about the editing process after- does the interaction you’ve had with them affect the way you may edit the picture?
O: Not really, in my case…I edit according to what I see on the frame.
S: Editing is best served up on small dishes. Meaning, I feel that editing looks great on Instagram and all; the printed work, not that much. The closer you get to natural 1:1 living scale, I believe one should use far less editing.
J: Makes total sense. Do you all shoot mobile only for street portraits? I guess I’m wondering if approaching someone with just a phone in your hand ever confuses them when you ask to take a picture.
S: I carry both my phone and camera – if I can evolve the situation to use the camera, then I do. Many people aren’t at ease with a real camera pointing at them these days.
O: No, I shoot with a camera (mirrorless, hence smaller )… I know people who do street portraits with the phone… but I know I’ve found some people find it more questionable when it’s with a phone.
‘Color run portrait’ by Omar
J: Interesting – so sometimes you think the phone camera actually makes them feel more comfortable, Shawn? And vice versa, Omar?
S: I read their expressions and go with the tool that makes them the most comfy. People pose differently with either a camera or a phone pointed at them, in my opinion.
O: It might also have to do with how comfortable one is with what you shoot with… meaning, if you are more comfortable with the phone, that projects, and the person feels at ease. I’ve always felt more comfortable shooting with a camera. I remember trying to use the phone on occasion, and people kind of gave a “REALLY, dude?” kind of look.
K: I love my little phone camera but I also photograph with traditional cameras as well. Regardless of the device, I feel that you as the photographer are what makes people agree to be photographed.
K: Although to be perfectly honest, when I have the traditional cameras a lot more people tend to ask to be photographed.
‘Philadelphia State of Mind’ by Ken
J: Right. It’s much more obvious what the function of it is.
K: I don’t get many “Hey you! Take my picture with that iPhone!” requests.
J: That sounds about right. And yeah, are the people who ask usually less interesting? [winks]
K: That’s the question isn’t it? I told you I work off vibes. The people who ask to be photographed are not always the ones you want to photograph.
S: You take requests?
O: I have been asked a few times. I normally comply, unless there’s something specific that might make me uncomfortable.
S: I can’t say that I’ve had requests on the street, phone cam or dslr. The only time that’s happened was at one of my recent exhibitions. But it turned out to be a great portrait. I love swapping between both camera and phone in the moment, to be honest.
J: Anyone have a pic on hand they want to throw out there? Maybe tell us a little bit about what happened? I know, I’m putting you on the spot…
O: I can share a story about that (people who ask to be photographed are not always the ones you want to photograph)…
Recently a woman on the train asked me to take her photo…she was with her children…I took her photo fast because it was my stop and I had to leave… Her kids got really excited but as I had to jump out of the train, they got really upset I didn’t take their picture… As soon as I got out I signaled them to take their picture in from the window… Their faces completely changed and one of them in particular gave me a really priceless expression.
‘untitled’ by Omar
S: I had a moment where I was doing a photo shoot with a client and then a man and his kids walked up and stopped on the corner to wait on the bus. The dad leaned perfectly against a mural of angel wings and the word ‘necisita’ over him… I stopped and asked him if I could shoot him – his kids egged him on to do it It was really sweet to see this guy crack his tough shell for his kids.
‘Need an angel’ by Shawn
S: A really lovely moment. He was mad cool about it. His kids were hilarious.
O: I like the text behind…do you know what it means, Shawn ?
S: “need”
O: Yeah. Plus the wings.
S: Like ‘need an angel’, is what I felt, he is their guardian angel/dad.
O: It’s really whimsical yet insightful.
S: He stopped right there and leaned. I couldn’t ask for better, I just begged him not to move.
‘Dr. Salaam Love, formerly of the Delphonics’ by Shawn
S: One of my favorite shots in the past 6 months is of Salaam Love, former member of the Delphonics. I saw him 3 times in one day in 3 neighborhoods before seeing him on my block, after a full day of shooting. He was sincere and effortless in front of the camera. We’ve stayed in touch since then.
O: Sweet.
J: So he is posing for you there? Looks so natural.
S: No, this is pre-pose.
J: But, he knew you were shooting…
S: Indeed, yes. I love the moments before and after a pose. They tend to be more natural for me. Works into what I like to convey about human nature: everyone is flawed and beautiful at the same time.
J: Well damn, that’s a great title for the article.
S: It’s also how I get my shots to be a little different then most.
K: Here’s my story. I’m interested in hearing your opinions, Shawn and Omar…
I was on Kensington Avenue in Philadelphia, a rough area by nearly any standard… From across the street I saw a man combing his long white hair. I imagined him as what Samson might’ve looked like if he’d never met Delilah. It was obvious to me that his hair was a great source of pride for him and I approached him and asked if he was making himself camera-ready for me. He laughed and said no, but told me I could take his picture if I wanted to. As I framed the shot, I watched all of the strength and glory I witnessed just moments before dissipate into what I can only describe as a look of posed despair. I’ve seen people change when the camera comes out, so at the time I didn’t think much of it and told him to go back to combing his hair so I could capture him in his full glory. He laughed and I saw a glimpse of what interested me initially, and I captured the moment. As I took down his information, a woman tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I was the photographer that paid people in the area $2 for their picture. She was clearly looking for $2 and wanted to know where the line started. I told her I was most definitely not that guy. Explaining to them both that I make portraits of people that agree to be photographed because they want to, not because I dangle money in front of them. Something about the practice didn’t feel right to me, especially in an area like Kensington where I’ve seen people do unmentionable things for a few dollars. If you’re going to help someone, help them out of a sense of altruism, not out of self service. I couldn’t help but wonder if his affected pose was a result of what he thought I wanted, or is this contrived reality just the way that some photographers go about getting street portraits?
‘Shaun of the living’ by Ken
O: Well, from a journalistic point of view, it is considered unethical to remunerate subjects for a story… I tend to follow that principle… I feel that dangling a little bit of money in front of someone for a personal gain is not the best way to go.
S: I’ve never paid anyone for a street portrait, and I imagine I never will. I believe in charity, and I have helped some of the people I’ve shot in ways that I won’t mention (for their privacy). To that end, I don’t shoot people who are homeless, or obviously mentally challenged. Paying for shots reeks of poor judgment and bad ethics.
K: I think you mention a good point about photographers exploiting situations, Omar. I think you have to be clear on why you are in the streets asking people for portraits. That is the first question to ask. If the answer sounds anything like fame, glory or an increase in ‘likes’ and ‘follows’, then pause. There’s rules to this thing here.
O: Exactly.
K: I respect everyone’s right to do things their own way, but I think there is something to be said for being upright in what you do. Helping those that need help is one thing, but tit for tat is something else.
J: Well I think this wraps it up. Any of you have any questions you want to add? Any closing comments? Sage advice?
S: Stay humble, friendly, and open toward people and you’ll get better shots.
K: I hesitate to give advice because I don’t know that it would work for anyone else but I would encourage people to stay true to themselves. Authenticity is currency in the streets (not your business card or the size of your camera). When you play for(to) the crowd you ultimately play yourself. Every street portrait that someone allows you to make is a gift, treat it as such.
O: Ditto… I’d add this… make sure you know your craft before you get yourself to do it. You’ll be more effective and give your subject a better experience if you “look” like you know what your doing.
S: There it is!
O: It’s been a pleasure chatting with you gentlemen.
S: Yeah, this was pretty cool man.
J: Really appreciate you guys taking time to do this. Perhaps we will meet some day, after all we aren’t that far.
Ken
West Philadelphia-based image maker.
Instagram
Shawn Theodore
My photographic method has been based on a personal interpretation of existentialism as portrayed in Ralph Ellison’s ‘Invisible Man’ within the modern urban environment, while employing the influences of artists Aaron Douglas, Barkley L. Hendricks and Romare Bearden. I’m not an activist or photojournalist, I am an artist who is passionate about the perception of the people within my diaspora.
Instagram || Facebook || Vsco
Omar Robles
My first connection with visual storytelling was in fact through the art of mime theatre. I had then the privilege of studying under the tutelage of Marcel Marceau at L’École Internationale de Mimodrame de Paris Marcel Marceau. Later, as I went to college to acquire my B.A in Communications and Arts, I discovered in photography a new way of telling stories without words. With photography however, I could immortalize the moments for a little longer. I have since explored as many areas of photography as I possibly can. Amongst all, I’ve found an immense passion for photojournalism. Some of my clients include lifestyle magazines Latino Leaders , Metro San Juan & most recently the Chicago Tribune’s Hispanic publication Hoy.
Instagram || Website
