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                                ZZ PHOTOGRAPHER FEATURE

Marco Boccato ... outdoor photographer

8/4/2017

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In his work he is following the words of Helmut Newton "I have always avoided photographing in the studio. A woman does not spend her life sitting or standing in front of a seamless white paper background". So Italian photographer Marco Boccato is the perfect candidate to be featured in Streetfashion MagZZine. We got in contact with him via Facebook and after we had some look at his photos, we asked him for an interview and to provide us some of his beautiful photos. And here we are to introduce you this amazing photographer.
Marco, please tell us a little bit about yourself to begin with. (How old are you, Where were you born and where do you live now, What is your profession and do you have other besides photography?
38 years ago I was born in Italy, precisely in Port Viro in the province of Rovigo.  I'm an outdoor photographer, who does not love to shoot in front of a white paper background. As well  i’m a practiing martial arts photographer for a lifetime and in the summer i’m organizing fashion contests and photographic events in Veneto, Italy.
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Have you been involved in the arts in some form other than photography?
My passion for photography was born in 2004, when i started to capture everything with my first car photography session and then it grew a bit all the time and finally in the last 4 years became a great passion.
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Seeing your remarkable work, I am curious where your creativity comes from?

My creativity comes from the mix of colors and shades, giving the right flavor to photography and creating a bit of magic and perhaps adding even a few parts more and not forget the right clothes and good makeup.
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Could you share with us how you first became interested in photography?
My interest in photography - to create an image, that remains over the time and provides good memories – was born as I was in London with my girlfriend and every shot, that I performed, got me always more excited.
 
What equipment are you using now and with what did you get started?
I started with a very compact gear in 2013 when I took my first Nikon SLR camera. Then I changed three more times.
 
What is your favorite lens?
The lenses, that I use for the greater camera are a 85 mm f1.4, 50 mm f 1.8 and a 17-50 f 2.8 – 4.
 
Can you tell us about your work flow from the point until you showcase the developed picture?
My goal is to give the pictures the right touch of professionalism and quality, always looking for the perfect shot.
 
Do you see a particular influence, be it a photographer or school on your work?
I think, that every photographer uses his own technique and his way of seeing the picture. In this world there is always constructive criticism, but not everybody accepts it.
 
What would you say characterizes your work in comparison to other photographers?
Even we are all photographers, we are always different temperamentally.
Among your works, which is your favorite and why?
among my best works I do not think, that any photo gives me the incentive to many  more and more and  i appreciate my considerable changes over time.
 
What would you tell a newcomer who asks for your advice on how to start?
To a person, who has just started photographing, I would just say to use the passion, that comes from the heart and not accept envy and critique, if it is not constructive.
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2 Comments

Jessica Napolitano ... creating artworks

26/3/2017

1 Comment

 
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We recently have been able to admire some of her fantastic pictures on facebook and 500px. Photographer Jessica Napolitano does not just take photos, she creates artworks, that move between dream and reality. We definitely  wanted to introduce you Jessica and were lucky enough, that she accepted to go for an interview with us. She also provided some of her great pictures to show them to you here in Streetfashion MagZZine.
Jessica, please tell us a little bit about yourself to begin with. (How old are you, Where were you born and where do you live now, What is your profession and do you have other besides photography?
Hello everyone, my name is Jessica Napolitano. I am 22 years old and I was born in Gaeta. I live in Italy precisely in a small village called Santi  Cosma and Damiano in the province of Latin. In life as well as to dedicate myself to photography, i help in a family company. I love traveling. I love hot countries. I am a very open person, cheerful and always ready to help others.

Have you been involved in the arts in some form other than photography?
mmmmm no ...
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Seeing your remarkable work, I am curious where your creativity comes from? 
Fundamental characteristic of my photographs is the creativity, that accompanies me since i’m a lucky girl. Why? Because through photography you have a vision of the reality, that is more ''fantastic and expanse as in a fairytale''. To say it short: It is as if I thought like a ''child“, that seeks to create that kind of atmosphere, you find ''there''. As well as being creative I must say I am also a good observer. I observe everything around me and even with a ''simple location'' I can often pull out the best or rather hopefully;) I always loved pictures in general. I think the camera can reveal the secrets, that the naked eye or the mind does not grasp. Everything disappears except the one, that is focused with the lens. Photography is an exercise in observation and a ''challenge'' to consequently creating through it the combination of truth and beauty called art. But another very important thing as well as the ''creative'' is the makeup artist. To me the makeup artist plays a vital role in getting the photos already good before the post-production. I was lucky enough to find ''Lina''. She ''facilitates“ the job with her tricks nothing less than from fantastic to perfect. Without her, i think, the result would not be the same!
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Could you share with us how you first became interested in photography?
I always loved photography in general, but I never studied this passion, until I had the good fortune to meet a great person, my boyfriend, who is a portrait photographer. Initially i lent myself to him as a model. Then about 7 months later I decided to stand behind the camera and I truly have to say“ I LOVE THIS FORM OF ART “. I love it as you see in my pictures. I love to create atmosphere and the perfect location. To say it short: I love EVERYTHING. It gives me really a lot of satisfaction and i’m even more pleased with the result, that I managed to get it done in such a short time.

What equipment are you using now and with what did you get started?
I started with a Canon 600 d and now use the Canon M III. My favorite targets are 2:85 mm and 35 mm, of course it depends on many circumstances which one to use. Usually I need about an hour to create my pictures and the programs I use are ''photoshop and lightroom ''.
 
As I said before, I was ''influenced'' by one person. That is my boyfriend. For me it is now a point of reference as well as in everyday life, even in the work, and it is great to share with him this passion. We help each other and I hope to become more and more clever, because in life you never stop learning.
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What would you say characterizes your work in comparison to other photographers?
Every photographer has his own style and I think everyone is different from everyone else
 
Among your works, which is your favorite and why?
My favorite photo, I have to say, comes from my last shoot and the title of the photo is ''relajacion''.
 
Tell us your funniest or most awkward photography story. 
The fun thing I like have to tell you, because I always enjoy taking pictures, but I remember one in particular, when i was some weeks ago together with my best friend to take some pictures. She is not a professional model, i was working with, but for me she showed herself very willingly to take pictures. I asked her to do something really easy and trivial that is to ''create movement with her hair'' and at the same time to be able to look into the camera. But all without success. The only thing, that I could capture in that shoot (we were trying an hour to figure it out) was a sea of laughter, looking at the pictures on the display and it really were unnatural poses :) so the photos from that day I call ''Valeria Marini''.
 
What would you tell a newcomer who asks for your advice on how to start? 
I would say not to despair of the difficulties, that surely will be there initially and above all to be always ready to learn new techniques
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1 Comment

Jo Zeitler ... everything around us is some kind of art

22/3/2017

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He's the photographer of Streetfashion MagZZine's cover photo March 2017. Jo Zeitler is a professional photographer, based near Dresden, eastern Germany.

After we discovered the amazing photo, that we have chosen for our cover, at the page of cover model Olivia Leps, we had a more extensive look at the portfolio of Jo Zeitler and were impressed by his work. Now you have the chance to get your own impression of Jo's work and background in photography by reading our interview with him.
Jo, please tell us a little bit about yourself to begin with. (How old are you, Where were you born and where do you live now, What is your profession and do you have other besides photography?
Hi, my name is Jörg, but you can call me Jo. I was born in 1967 in Nabburg, a small town in Bavaria. In 2010 I’ve moved to Dresden, a really nice city with amazing spots. I work as a full-time photographer since 2015. My mayor areas of work is people and wedding photography. Before that I was a self-employed web developer.

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Have you been involved in the arts in some form other than photography?

If you see the nature as art then absolutely yes! Everything around us is some kind of art and I like doing outdoor sports and travelling plus I’m a wildlife fan. Nature is always a perfect inspiration.

Seeing your remarkable work, I am curious where your creativity comes from?
For one thing it is my age When you get older you have a different view on things. You aren’t in a hurry like most younger people. Look at a piece of wood. Sure it's only a piece of wood but if you take the time to look at it more closely you will discover wonderful things. This piece of wood in front of you is something unique. That's exactly how I see photography. Everything and everyone is something special and photography has the chance to discover it and show this particular.

Could you share with us how you first became interested in photography?
1980 I got my first camera. I was young and I wanted to show the world through my eyes. The eyes of a young boy in the 80s.

What equipment are you using now and with what did you get started? what is your favorite lens?
My first real camera was a Canon A1 and I got my first paid job, for a local newspaper, when I was 16. Today I use different Canon DSLR cameras. For People Photography I prefer the 5D Mark 3.
My favorite lens, a good question that I can not answer easily. But fashion and people photography I would not renounce the Canon 70-200 2.8.

Can you tell us about your work flow from the point until you showcase the developed picture?
Before the shoot everything is discussed and planned as far as possible. This does not go into detail, however, because my kind of photography is spontaneous. A moodboard usually suffices completely.

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At the shooting I am very focused on the finished picture. I imagine the finished picture before I take a picture. Model, environment, light and shadow must coalesce and support the effect of the image. If that is not true, the photo rarely has a mood for me.
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Do you see a particular influence, be it a photographer or school on your work? Any subject that attracts you?

Not really a photographer. In our time, we are inevitably influenced by the social media. As a photographer you must be active on many platforms like Facebook, Instagram, 500px, Flickr, youpic. This automatically affects the photographic output.

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What would you say characterizes your work in comparison to other photographers?
I take photos for people and not for me. If people are happy with the pictures, then I am. But I am never satisfied with these pictures, so I always learn to do better pictures.

Among your works, which is your favorite and why?
Always a picture from the next shoot, because I can make someone happy.

Tell us your funniest or most awkward photography story.
That was in 2016 at Borneo, when my wife and I arrived at the airport in Banjarmasin. We stood at the luggage rack and waited for our backpacks. Then a group of young people came up to me and they asked if they could take a picture with me. I felt like a star

What would you tell a newcomer who asks for your advice on how to start?
If photography is your hobby and you want to do it professionally, then consider that you have a hobby less.

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featured models: Lily.B, Lindá Vivere, Lisa-Marie Brückner, Isabel Kasper, Tim Klingenberg, Phlox and Olivia Leps
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Harry Wilcken ... has always been fascinated with photography

9/3/2017

4 Comments

 




He is regularly uploading his photos to Streetfashion MagZZine's Flickr group. Meanwhile we have seen lots of great photos of him in the group and asked him for an interview and to provide some of his photos to be published in the magazine. He agreed and so we finally today can introduce you photographer Harry Wilcken, who is based in Utrecht, Netherlands.
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model: Alya Soloukhina
Harry, please tell us a little bit about yourself to begin with. (How old are you, Where were you born and where do you live now, What is your profession and do you have other besides photography?
My name is Harry Wilcken, born in Bogota (Colombia) in 1968, actually based in Utrecht (Holland). I have two professions, Dr. in Veterinary Medicine (La Salle University - Bogota) and Photographer (Art & Design College –Utrecht).
As a professional photographer, I have been working in portrait, product, event and fashion photography.  In the last two years I became more interested in making street portrait photography, a combination of two disciplines that gives me the opportunity to make short stories using the city landscape as a background.
I prefer to work with women, who have little or no experience in modeling, because it is more challenging. During the photo shoots I take care of every small detail that can compromise the esthetics of the final picture, like dirt, garbage on the street but sometimes the same items are important for the picture, so I leave them in place.
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model: Marianne Adriana
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Have you been involved in the arts in some form other than photography?
Not really.
 
Seeing your remarkable work, I am curious where your creativity comes from?
Well, real creativity is not shown on my street portraits, rather than that, I like to think that I make good combinations between the model, the outfits, the poses and background. The end result is a short story with a bit of the essence of the women on the pictures. I consider myself a very sensitive person, with a good eye for detail, very intuitive and with passion for photography.
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models: Manon Werkman | Joanie den Oudsten
Could you share with us how you first became interested in photography?
I have always been fascinated with photography, but back in the day, photography in my country was not considered a real profession and more like a hobby (expensive by the way), so I decided to follow my other passion and became a Dr. in Veterinary Medicine in the 90’s. But, photography was always by my side and the real connection started when I developed my first 35 mm b/w roll by myself, that was the beginning of an endless love with this art.
 
What equipment are you using now and with what did you get started? what is your favorite lens?
I started with a 110mm cartridge-based film Kodak camera (those with cube flash) back in the late 70’s; since then I have worked with wide collection of Canon 35mm film camera’s and lenses, nowadays I am using a Nikon D-810 and an 85 mm 1.8 f lens for my street portraits. But I am still shooting with 35 and 120 mm film cameras when possible.
I have no favorite lens per se, but, I love the 50mm, for film or digital it’s a great lens to work with, it has its particular way of showing the world through it.
Can you tell us about your work flow from the point you first step onto the street until you showcase the developed picture?
Everything starts with a plan and a route for the shoot based on the outfits the model wants to use, usually I choose 5-6 different locations where something special about the city is to be seen (i.e. architecture, street, sculpture, urban furniture). The day of the shooting, I meet with the model and occasionally a MUA  - Georgiana (Vivid Loox) – who takes care of the make up. I make a few shots to break the ice and show the model the end result on the iPad, once she sees the images on a big screen, the session can start fluently and we have some fun. I try to avoid giving to many commands for posing, as I prefer the natural portraiture technique. I use the city as a background and I put a beautiful woman in it, the end result is always a story, which you need to read between the lines.  I work fast, not staying for too long in one location and trying to maintain the model’s enthusiasm up during the whole session. I usually prefer to have an assistant, but I manage to work alone with the model on a street full of people.  I love when men on the streets stop by to give the model a compliment: they make them feel beautiful.
Do you see a particular influence, be it a photographer or school on your work? Any subject that attracts you?
My principal influence comes from the b/w film masters like M. E. Mark, H. Cartier-Bresson, A. Adams, I. Penn, R. Avedon, D. Lange and L. Matiz among others.
 
What would you say characterizes your work in comparison to other photographers?
I try to mimic the old school of photography by preparing myself to capture a more natural portrait of women. I don’t repeat myself; every shoot is different from the previous one.  Also, I consider myself as a photographer that makes portraits with the camera and not with a photo editing software (let me clarify here that I respect and admire some of the amazing images made by few photo-editor artists).
 
Among your works, which is your favorite and why?
The ones I have made with my 120mm cameras (Rolleiflex, Mamiya), it taught me how difficult composition can be when your frame is a square and you look everything mirrored!
 
Tell us your funniest or most awkward photography story.
I was doing a street life reportage with a 35mm film camera and saw a silhouette of a man standing in front of a shop like in the 40’s or 50’s and I decided to take the risk and I did it, I took the picture, but then I was trying to calm down a very angry man who wanted to have the entire film roll off my camera. Luckily for me, I just could convince him to stop fighting me and to give me his e-mail address. I sent him a digital version of his picture a few days later asking for his permission to use it, but until today I have not received an answer at all. And I can tell you; the picture was (is) really good, in the style of Ed van der Elsken.
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Daphne Felter | Mayke Schieni | Lianne Schoot
Moral: Shoot if you can, no matter what, just shoot. Afterwards there is always an option to get the credit and permission to use the picture. Don’t let anybody stop you.
 
What would you tell a newcomer who asks for your advice on how to start?
Go back to film, try it once – at least – see the magic of a b/w photo developing before your eyes in a dark room, go visit art galleries, take a look at the paintings, try to understand the mind of the artist, read about the history of photography let yourself be influenced by everything  (art, music, architecture, landscape, street life, children, older people) and then choose your own way. Let the camera be a part of your daily life.
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model: Mayke Schieni
4 Comments

Fadli Bohari ... his priority is to provide an emotion

22/2/2017

1 Comment

 
By coincidence we discovered some photos on Facebook, what were convincing in a way, that we immediately contacted the photographer, if he is interested to publish some of his photos in Streetfashion MagZZine. He was, so we asked him in addition for an interview to learn more about his work.

So now you have the possibility to learn about Fadli Bohari, who is a professional photographer based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Read our interview with him and take a look at his amazing photos.
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Fadli, please tell us a little bit about yourself to begin with. (How old are you, Where were you born and where do you live now, What is your profession and do you have other besides photography?
My name is Fadli Bohari. Currently I live in Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia. I’m doing photography for full time. My major areas are fashion, editorial, portrait and documentary. I was born in Ampang - Selangor in a village named Kampung Berembang. Due to  state infrastructure development our village need to be demolished to build one of the states big projects. As I remember at the age of 17 I was assigned to take pictures of several houses before they got turned down. That was my first assignment of photography and I was in the opinion, that photography is interesting and i would like to learn more about photography.
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Have you been involved in the arts in some form other than photography?

I’m a part time musician. I play drums, guitar and I can sing :D  I’m always relating music with photography since i started with photography.
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 Seeing your remarkable work, I am curious where your creativity comes from?
I worked as an art decorator at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur and I believe at that time I learned many things about art; To identify, what is called fine art, how to get audience attention through our artworks and many more. I never took any class about arts/photography before. So I can say, that it was a kick start. And as I mentioned, that I’m a musician and therfore always relating music with photography since i started with photography.  
 
Could you share with us how you first became interested in photography?
At first I was really amused with the features in DSLR, like how close you can get the shots by using zoom lenses. How details you can go by using macro lenses and how big the shots can be printed out such in billboards. That is where my interest comes from. I wanted to learn more about cameras and how to make good shots.
What equipment are you using now and with what did you get started? what is your favorite lens?
Now im using a Nikon d7000 and d90. My first camera was a Canon 1000d. Some time ago I was having a Sigma 30mm f1.4 lens. It is my favorite lens. Unfortunately i need to sell it because of financial problems. But I plan to buy it back.
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Can you tell us about your work flow from the point you first step onto the street until you showcase the developed picture?

My major areas are editorial, fashion and portrait. I have to find a good concept / theme for the session. For sure every session will have a different concept, not the one, that I’ve done before. Then I have to find a model, outfits, location and material, that is related tot he session like props, a team such as a makeup artist and an assistant. Normally every shot is planned upfront to get the visual idea first for the mood, emotions, pose, light, set, styling, model’s look and so on. Most of my shots were planned because it is more satisfying for me.
Do you see a particular influence, be it a photographer or school on your work? Any subject that attracts you?
I can say, that I’m a big fan of Charles Lucima and Vadim Stein. I like the mood, tone, feelings, model’s posture and the characters on each shot. Actually I’m flexible and universal. I like many other photography genres such as landscape, street photography and many other photographers. Some by their work flow, some by their idea of the shots.
 
What would you say characterizes your work in comparison to other photographers?
Full of attitudes. On my shot I will never let my model look loose, she/he must look in a mood. To provide an emotion is my priority.
 

Among your works, which is your favorite and why?
I can say, that it is the session I did in the last two weeks, because I got precisely, what I wanted. It is well planned and everything went smooth and I’m satisfied with the results. It was done in an abandoned house with a model from Brazil (Kaoana Mari). It was a fashion editorial session and we finished earlier than expected, cause I got everything I wanted.
 

Tell us your funniest or most awkward photography story.
Hahaha..  photo bombing by mosquitoes. For me it is funny, because my model is already in the mood with the best pose. When I rechecked the settings, she got mosquitoes biting her in face, hands and feet.
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What would you tell a newcomer who asks for your advice on how to start?
Identify what you want to do. Put more efforts on it. Learn, what is a good shot, what elements you need to put in your shots. “The creative adult is the child, who has survived.”- Ursula K. Le Guin.. so fight to survive.
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Cy Davison ... loves telling a story whenever possible

16/2/2017

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He's a self taught published photographer and videographer with the passion to tell a story through his lens. More than a year ago we discovered his photos on YouPic and decided to ask him for an interview.

It took a while until we finally managed to get it done. But now we are able and happy to introduce you to Texas based photographer Cy Davison with his company Beyond Reach Media and to show you several of his amazing photos
Cy, please tell us a little bit about yourself to begin with. (How old are you, where were you born and where do you live now, what is your profession and do you have other besides photography?
Hello, my name is Cy Davison and I am 41 years old. I was born in a small Texas town called Van Alstyne. But now, I currently live in Lancaster Texas which is approximately 15 minutes south of downtown Dallas, depending on how fast I drive. My profession I would say is actually just media in general. Not only do I create with photography, but I am a film maker, graphic designer, and film composer which is my 1st passion. I have been doing this business since 2013 when I first picked up a camera.
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Have you been involved in the arts in some form other than photography?

Absolutely! I am a musician and composer. I have been playing guitar for over 20 years and was a music major in college. I also may occasionally do some acting and screen writing in the midst of my film making.
Seeing your remarkable work, I am curious where your creativity comes from?
I would say my creativity comes from life. I love telling a story whenever possible. A lot of my peers say that I am more of a photojournalist that anything else. I am the one that will capture the dynamic moment of the lady dancing in the back corner that no one else saw that night. I enjoy watching the reaction of people when they see their captured moment. We as photographers sometimes don’t realize how much of the soul of somebody we capture versus the outward appearance.

Could you share with us how you first became interested in photography?
To be honest I originally bought a camera to make movies or learn the film making process. The year I bought my first camera, I wrote, directed, filmed, and scored a super short film for the Ron Howard film festival. So naturally I took my know how from video to photography developed my style of still images from that.
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What equipment are you using now and with what did you get started? what is your favorite lens?
I am currently using the Nikon D810 as my primary with a Nikon D610 as my secondary. My first camera was the Nikon D3200. My favorite lens right now has to be the Nikkor 50mm 1.8. It is my workhorse! I think it’s because while I’m doing a shoot, I will change modes and start filming behind the scenes footage. The 50mm gives me a great deal of flexibility.
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Can you tell us about your work flow from the point you first step onto the street until you showcase the developed picture?
The first thing is…I never approach the location or studio with a preconceived idea on what the photos need to look like. I don’t start bringing out the strobes when the ambient lighting is doing something for me. Im not a colors or shapes guy, so I’m always looking for where light and shadow have a relationship with the particular scene. After that, I try putting the subject(s) in certain poses or situations that compliments the scene and create a story. I don’t take a lot of snaps because, I just don’t point and click. I literally compose the elements in the scene and how they relate to the subject. Once I get home, I immediately upload what I grabbed and start to flag the ones that jump out at me on first glance. Once I pick one or two I then start the processes of retouching and other techniques to make the photos pop.
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Do you see a particular influence, be it a photographer or school on your work? Any subject that attracts you?
I don’t have an influence per say, but I do like Chase Jarvis, Annie Leibowitz, and Joel Grimes. Each have their “thing” that they do. But what I am influenced by is a school of thought and that is, I LOVE MOTION! Anybody that knows how to capture motion well and convey the dynamics and emotion of the subject has my vote all day long. Whomever my subject is, I always try to motivate them to do motion of some type from the smallest flick of the hair to leaping in the air with 6 inch heels. My satisfaction comes when somebody sees a photograph and they say “nice Photoshop skills”. I then reply, “that’s not photo shopped, they actually did that”.

What would you say characterizes your work in comparison to other photographers?
I think it would be my story telling. Even with one frame, I should have expressed to you a beginning, body, and an end. This plays into my love of light and shadow relationships, setting the mood and letting the imagination take over.

Among your works, which is your favorite and why?
For many reasons, my favorite piece is what I like to call “Time”. It was my first photo session using strobes, so it was definitely time of pure experimentation. I literally changed my way of thinking about lighting overnight. But with that, it would be the photo that I think would define my style and voice as an artist.

Tell us your funniest or most awkward photography story.
Well I wouldn’t say that it was funny…but I showed up at a location to do actor headshots with all dishes, soft boxes, and stands ready to go. Then I went to go reach for the strobes out of the bag and found that they weren’t there. Needless to say, I had to be very creative that day.
What would you tell a newcomer who asks for your advice on how to start?
Learn all the technical aspects of shooting, just so that you can break the rules. I think all photographers say this, but I agree with it and have proven it to myself many times…the camera doesn’t make the photograph, the person behind the lens does. It doesn’t matter if you have a Nikon D3300 or a $70k Hasselblad, you don’t need a high dollar gear that puts you in debt if you can’t create art that speaks to someone with the gear that you have. Chase Jarvis published a book only using his iPhone as the camera. It’s called “The Best Camera is the One You Have with You”. I think this is a good starting point.
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Tony Hammond ... trying to capture a bit of the personality

11/2/2017

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He is not a typical portrait and fashion photographer. Based in the south of England Tony Hammond made his way along band photography.

We found a message of Tony on our Instagram, took a look at his photos and asked him for an interview. He agreed. So here we are and you have the opportunity to learn more about this interesting photographer and to take a look at some of his photos.
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Tony, please tell us a little about yourself to begin with. (How old are you, where were you born and where do you live now, what is your profession and do you have other besides photography?)
I am 38, and live in vibrant Brighton, UK where I have lived for about 15 years.  I was born in London, but moved away to Horsham (a town halfway between London and Brighton) when I was less than a year old, which is where I grew up.  I wish photography was my job, but it isn't, at the moment it is more of a hobby, but do now dabble a little in the professional side of things occasionally.  My day job is in stock planning and control.
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Have you been involved in the arts in some form other than photography?
I'm not really involved in the arts in another way other than photography.  In my college days I did briefly sing in a band, and played a bit of bass guitar, but I guess it wasn't really my thing.  Photography has in recent years kept me involved in music to a degree photographing bands and gigs (on and off for various people and reasons), and more recently got me involved in the performance arts having helped some actors with head shots, and also getting involved with burlesque performers and shows.

Seeing your remarkable work, I am curious where your creativity comes from?
Actually I find this a very difficult question to answer.  The truth is I'm not really sure.  I think it must just come from years of flicking through magazines such as NME and the now non existent Melody Maker for band inspiration, but also men's and women's lifestyle magazines.  I think having lived and worked in Brighton for years now will have had a big impact on my outlook too.  The city is awash with creative people of all art forms and you see great examples all over the place from the graffiti, to street sculpture, to street performance, to pop up galleries.  It's everywhere in all forms, and I think this influence has rubbed off on me.
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Could you share with us how you first became interested in photography?
My uncle had a Pentax ME Super with a few lenses (28mm wide, 50mm standard, and 70-210 zoom from what I remember) which I used to borrow/play with when I was entering my teenage years.  I think I just used to enjoy using this, and when I was at college did a photography course and used this camera for it, at which point I think he handed it down to me as I used it a lot more than he did.  Back then, I used to like playing with the depth of field of a photograph.  In terms of the modelling photography I do now, just under two years ago, a friend of mine asked me if I'd help her with a shoot, so I did.  I didn't really know what I was doing, and wasn't particularly happy with the results I managed to get, but did enjoy the day.  I wanted to improve on this and manage to get the results I wanted, so it spiralled from there.
What equipment are you using now and with what did you get started?  What is your favourite lens?
So as per the previous question, I started out with my uncle's Pentax ME Super, but I also played around with a very old Praktica MTL3 which I picked up in a charity shop and experimented with a few screw on lenses.  I did stick with the Pentax as I preferred this camera for real every day usage, and then when I moved on to digital got an entry level Pentax K200D.  I went with Pentax for a couple of reasons, I liked their design and feel, you seem to get a lot of camera (features) for the money, and I could use the old lenses I already had.  Occasionally I still go out with the film camera, but now I'm using predominantly a Pentax K5, which I bought about 6 years ago, as I wanted a little more professional body and better low light ability.  I have several lenses, my favourites of which are the Pentax DA* 50-135 f2.8, and the Pentax FA 43mm f1.9 Limited.  Both are perfect for portraits as they render image colours and bokeh beautifully.  I've only acquired both these lenses in the last year, but they're great.  The 43mm is so small to carry about and an old film era lens, but the smoothness of the image is lovely.
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Can you tell us about your work flow from the point you first step on to the street until you showcase the developed picture?

This is something that varies wildly from shoot to shoot.  It is not unusual for me to have no real plan when going out for a street shoot.  If this is the case I'll likely have camera, a couple of lenses and a speedlight in case it's needed.  Then walk around and pick areas to shoot off the cuff.  This can work well and can help give a nice candid feel to the work.  However, I do usually prefer to have a small plan in place of the type of thing we're looking for, and in these instances location and end image goal has already been discussed.  We'll go to the location, set up shot (which may now include off camera lighting depending on required shot), and take several until we feel we have captured the right shot of look and pose.  Then it's post production which for me is usually reasonably light.  Unless there is a specific effect I need to achieve, I'm not really going to be using Photoshop much.  Most of my work flow is produced through Lightroom, and is good, but fairly basic adjustments to lighting, contrast, clarity and colour balance.  I like a more natural look to the models, so I don't edit the “lumps and bumps”, but try to get flattering poses rather than worry about this after.  I'm a believer in showing the model as they are.
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Do you see a particular influence, be it a photographer or school on your work?  Any subject that attracts you?
I like shooting portraits and hopefully trying to capture a bit of the personality of the model, whether I always achieve this is subjective, but I believe when input is from all parties involved in a shoot, then the personality can really show through.  I also like the alternative, so whether that be the location or concept, or models themselves (I find myself working a lot with pierced and tattooed models).  I generally take influence from looking at other people's photos generally, and wouldn't be able to pinpoint any particular source.  I do tend to pay more attention to what my local photographers are shooting (possibly as I have access to the locations) and often take influence from them.  Recently I've been very impressed by the work of a couple of local photographers (Sarah Olivier and Susan Grace Hinman), and as a result have ideas in my head now influenced by them.
What would you say characterizes your work in comparison to other photographers?
I think I take a very relaxed approach to what I am doing.  Although I tend to try to work quite quickly through an idea before moving on to the next, I'll very much be involving the model and allowing equal influence from both sides.  I work to a principle that there is no pressure from either side, and mutually we reach a point where we know we've got the shot we require.  I've been told that I tend to work towards darker and maybe more contrasty end images than I see a lot of other people do.  I'm not sure why and it may not be to everybody's taste, but I'm told it makes my images stand out a little in the crowd.
Among your works, which is your favourite and why?
I did a shoot with model Kristaps Neilands towards the end of last year.  He told me he wanted to do a shot with cigarette smoke.  So we found a location and took the shot.  This one shot completely divided opinion, I loved it, and a lot of other people did too, but it was love or hate with this shot.  There were many reasons why people didn't like it, for many, it was the inclusion of smoking that they didn't like, or the fact that the eyes were covered by smoke.  However, this still remains my favourite model shot, and pleases me it caused a little controversy, although this wasn't it's intention.
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Tell us your funniest or most awkward photography story.
This has to be from my first beach shoot.  Happily shooting away, and then from out of nowhere I saw a man in a canoe appear in my viewfinder.  A bit of conversation followed, he was complimentary and polite, enquired as to the reason for the photographs, where they were going to be published and the like, had his photo taken with the model, but then didn't go anywhere for a while, not sure what he was waiting for, but we had to move our to remove him from the shots.
 
What would you tell a newcomer who asks for your advice on how to start?
Begin light, don't worry about lots of equipment, camera and a couple of lenses will be fine.  Get to grips with the basic principles of photography possibly from a course or from self teaching.  Try to go out and do a few practice shoots with friends or family.  After this, just put yourself out there and network – social media is a great way to get started, join local photography/model groups, don't be pushy, but don't be afraid to ask people on these groups if they'd help you out with shoots (be prepared to pay a model to get someone with good experience as they often know what looks best with the lighting – either natural or studio – and will be prepared to give you advice on this).  Try to take part in a locally organised group shoot – this is a fantastic way to network with other local photographers and models of all experience levels.  Look out for photography workshops in the field you're interested in.  Look out for courses (although some tend to be theory based which personally never worked too well for me).  Ultimately keep going, don't let yourself be put off if things haven't worked out as you intended, treat every shoot as a learning curve, and every shoot will improve your skill and confidence.
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Bri's Spotlight ... Kendra B.

5/2/2017

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Streetfashion MagZZine editor Briana DeShields met photographer Kendra Branker.
"Currently killing the photography game here in Central Florida is Kendra B photography. Her energy is unlike anything i've seen in a photographer.  It radiates in each and ever photo! Every shot hers belongs on vogue tear sheet or a cover of Marie Claire. Heres is a little bit more about this photographer on the rise- Kendra B!"
Kendra, when did you start photography?
In April 2011.

What was your first camera?
A Canon 60D.

What do you shoot with now?
It is a Canon 5D mark III.
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What’s better editing or shooting?
I love them both parts of the photography process. But if I had to choose, I would say shooting. It's truly incredible to have a vision and make it come to life in camera.
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black&white or color?
It all depends! The subject, the lighting, the mood that I want to convey all play part in determining what's the best version of my final image.
 
What are your favorite lenses and why?
Canon 24-70 2.8 is my ultimate baby. My mind is always racing in regards to how to frame and angle each image. The 24-70 allows me to zoom in for a tight portrait or go wide for a full length shot, without having to worry about how much space I have in order to back up and get the shot I want. Plus! It's so amazingly sharp.
What are your hobbies outside of photography, do you have other sources of income?
I freelance as a photographer, and work a “9-5” to supplement my photography career until I'm ready to make that jump into full time.
 
Are your friends and family supportive?
Immensely! My biggest support system when I'm feeling down.
 
What is your end goal?
My end goal is to have a stand alone portrait studio and travel the country/world to pursue my photography career as far as possible
 
What are your favorite concepts to shoot?
Fashion and beauty! For me, they require such attention to detail that it's truly a rush to plan and execute yet these kinds of shoots.
 
Who is your favorite photographer?
Annie Leibowitz
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Studio or on location?
Location offers a lot of variety
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Have you faced any challenges?
Of course, it's a part of the business How have you or how are you dealing with these challenges ? I try to keep focused on my own personal goals.
 
What inspires you?
Life. I find inspiration in everything, it's a bit overwhelming at times.
 
If you could work with any celebrity who would it be?
J. Cole,  he's my favorite artist ever so it would be an absolute dream.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I hope to have my own photography studio right here in Central Florida.
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1 Comment

Joe Greene ... QuarryClimber

25/1/2017

0 Comments

 
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This week Streetfashion MagZZine's Flickr group hit the mark of 100,000 photos, uploaded by more than 3000 members.

With this article we like to introduce you one of the members, photographer Joe Greene, who is regularly uploading his amazing photos to our Flickr group. Learn to know him by reading our interview with him and take a look at his photos.
Joe, please tell us a little bit about yourself to begin with. (How old are you, Where were you born and where do you live now, What is your profession and do you have other besides photography?
I am a 60 year old kid. Born in West Quincy, Massachusetts (U.S.), which was an old granite quarry town.

Quincy is such a great place, because there are so many interesting places and things to shoot there. I was in camera heaven, when I lived there! There were old abandoned quarries, the Quincy shipyard and a beautiful downtown. I still go back there for shoots. The unending curiosity trait is a big part of my personality.

I currently work full time as a devOps Engineer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

I work part time as a portrait photographer with my co-photographer Lisa Papastenanou, who is also a model and artist.

My goal is to do photography full time.
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Have you been involved in the arts in some form other than photography?

My fingers are "all thumbs", which is why I do photography. (Otherwise I may have tried to be a painter.) 
I do dabble in video and am working on a documentary on the Swingle family of Quincy Mass.

I have also spent quit a lot of time around other artists and have learned much about composition and the use of colors.
Seeing your remarkable work, I am curious where your creativity comes from?
This is an interesting question. I think like most photographers, I am constantly looking at people (and scenes) and conjuring up an image from what I am seeing. My mind just seems to work this way.I see photographs all of the time.

I do love to photograph people and I seem to hone in on expressions that happen when people are not "on" during a photo shoot. I have found that I get my best images when people have "settled into their shoes". A relaxed and confident subject always works! 

Could you share with us how you first became interested in photography?
My first camera was given to me as a gift from my aunt. I think I may have been around 10 years old at the time. I have been in love with photography ever since. I wish I still had all of the images I took way back then.

I was instantly hooked! I took that old camera everywhere!
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What equipment are you using now and with what did you get started? what is your favorite lens?
Currently I am shooting a Canon 5DS and a Canon 5D Mark IV.
I have two favorite lenses. The Canon 85mm 1.2 and the Canon 135mm. The 135 is incredibly sharp.
Would love to shoot Nikon some day too.  ;-)
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Can you tell us about your work flow from the point you first step onto the street until you showcase the developed picture?
I try to get people to relax and be themselves first. A good sense of humor is valuable! I also try to get images dead on in camera and shoot exclusively in RAW.

I edit the images using Photoshop from RAW processing through editing the final image. I do use Dani Diamonds workflow often. His workflow is a quick and easy way to tweak the final image.

I do use frequency separation but try not to over-use it. Some of my first images have that porcelain skin look, which is undesirable. 

I am constantly learning and tweaking my styles but that is what I love about photography. The journey of growth never ends!

Do you see a particular influence, be it a photographer or school on your work? Any subject that attracts you?
I really like the work that Dani Diamond is doing and I must say that his images influence me the most. In my mind, he is a master. I am astounded at how good his images are. I do use his workflow often for my edits in Photoshop.

I have also found European photographers have a style that catches my eye often.

What would you say characterizes your work in comparison to other photographers?
I am not sure. I try to get relaxed expressions from my subjects. This is subtle but important.
I also like to work using stone, brick, iron and other urban areas as my "backgrounds" when shooting people.
Among your works, which is your favorite and why?
Arlene Johnson is my favorite model. She is easygoing, fantastic sense of humor and can get right down to business without looking like she is "on" once the camera is on her. A classy woman....and beautiful! (See attached for her image.)

This image was ALL Arlene. I brought along this hat to a shoot we were doing thinking we "may" use it. She put on the hat and just took the lead in the shoot. I did not even have to coach her along. The shoot just took off and flowed. Magic!
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Tell us your funniest or most awkward photography story.

I did wedding photography for awhile so I have "many" awkward / funny stories.
I've been stung by bees during  a wedding ceremony, shot in extreme heat and humidity where the function hall's air conditioning was out (groom looked like Axl Rose after a concert.) and even shot a reception on a boat in Boston Harbor in rough seas. Everyone was seasick.

I could take an hour here!

What would you tell a newcomer who asks for your advice on how to start?
I would suggest that a newcomer pay attention to the old classic composition rules. The old masters were on to something with composition.

I would also suggest that a newcomer try to get it right "in" camera. Don't rely on photo editors to correct exposure and composition.
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Martin Ecker ... loves photos with backlight

16/1/2017

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Taking a look at central Europe again these days we discovered the pictures of Martin Ecker. He is a semi professional photographer from the north of Austria, based in Linz. You might already have seen some of his photos in our article "autumn impressions", that we published before Christmas. Today we like to show you more of his beautiful photos and introduce Martin to you with an interview, we held with him some days ago.
Martin, please tell us a little bit about yourself to begin with. (How old are you, Where were you born and where do you live now, What is your profession and do you have other besides photography?
I am 30 years old, coming from Linz in Upper Austria, where I am currently living. I am working in the field of computer services and have been a part time photographer. After taking photos for many years with lots of joy, I since 2014 concentrate on photographing people.
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Have you been involved in the arts in some form other than photography?

I am concerned, for example, also with film recordings and video editing.
Seeing your remarkable work, I am curious where your creativity comes from?
I always try to test something new and to make special photos at unusual places.

Could you share with us how you first became interested in photography?
I already as a child got an analogue camera for Christmas, I by then began to document. And in 2004 I started with the first own digital camera also to a larger extent to document and to experiment.
 
What equipment are you using now and with what did you get started? what is your favorite lens?
Currently I photograph mostly with my Sony A7 II, usually with fixed focal lengths.
After my first analog camera and experiments with a very simple digital camera, I started with a HP Photosmart 945 in 2004, digital and regular photos. At the end of 2006 came the first SLR camera and in 2014 I discovered system cameras for me.
I prefer to use a 85mm 1.8 or later 1.4.

Can you tell us about your work flow from the point you first step onto the street until you showcase the developed picture?
For outdoor photo shootings I usually arrange a spot to meet and sometimes it happens that I spontaneously decide together with the model which route we take. In other cases I’ve already planned this upfront. But often this is becomes a little walk since I like to use different locations and places.
After the photoshooting is done, I transfer the photos and sort them on the computer. Usually very many photos are created. After a rough preselection, I decide together with the model, which pictures we want to use and these are then processed by me.
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Do you see a particular influence, be it a photographer or school on your work? Any subject that attracts you?
I have often seen photos and videos of photographers on the Internet and already some years ago wanted to start with photoshootings, to come in the situation to bring people joy with these photos and also to be satisfied myself with my work as photographer.
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What would you say characterizes your work in comparison to other photographers?
I often try to make the best of what I see, do not let me be easily deterred by weather or at first glance boring environments.

Among your works, which is your favorite and why?
I can hardly say, but especially I like the pictures with sunlight and backlight.

Tell us your funniest or most awkward photography story.
When I planned an appointment for a shooting with two models, one of them canceled short term.
So I took the outdoor photoshooting with the other of the two models alone.
When the weather later deteriorated, the model had the idea to visit an underground car park.
There, on the lowest floor, we happened to meet the model that canceled our shoot with another photographer.

What would you tell a newcomer who asks for your advice on how to start?
practice, practice & practice… and the Internet offers so many opportunities to train, often free of charge
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