FXBG: A Street Photography Hotbed Collective captures unique city perspectives By Erica Terrini "It all began in late 2019, early 2020," Nelson said. "I was seeking a group that specifically shot a lot of street photography, which is all over the internet, Facebook, and Instagram, but there were no real groups locally."
While it may be on the smaller side in terms of size and population, the City of Fredericksburg is not lacking in charm, vibrancy, or a strong sense of community. Permanent residents and a steady stream of visitors to the downtown area make for an enticing assortment of opportunity for artistic inspiration. From paintings featured in local cafés and coffee shops to sculptures, prints, and poems-there is a strong, creative appeal in this river city. This alluring arena has not failed to evade the eye of area photographers either-just ask regional resident and co-founder of the Fredericksburg (FXBG) Street Photography Collective, Ted Nelson.
building a community of photographers who like to shoot street. We invite everybody from rookies to professionals." A familiar face and barista at Katora Coffee, Ethan Rusch, said he first noticed collective members out taking
O n c e Nelson discovered an opportunity for area photographers to come together to hone their skills, he wasted no time in seizing it. He said he created a Facebook group and Instagram account and after garnishing a following, the group began to hold meetings. Nelson said in their search to find a permanent meeting place, members encountered Megan Samples and Cori Blanch, owners of Curitiba Art café, who offered the coffee shop as a home base for the collective. Nelson said. "From there, we started
photos not too long after he began working at the café. The Wisconsin-native said the collective's photographers consistently look for different viewpoints of Fredericksburg culture, which is largely tied to local businesses. "To see their secondhand perspective of what a passerby might see is eye opening," Rusch said. "They capture moments-everything from the grandiose events to the more minute happenings" ..
community. "Being able to take pictures where I've lived my entire life is great," Beltran said. "I look at everything around me differently than before”.. " This year, the collective started publishing its magazine and was Street recognized by Photography Magazine, which also did a podcast featured on its website. Despite being more wellestablished, collective co-founder Josh Bryant said members still strive to bring professionalism, ethics, and positive community relations to street photography because it has "a rough edge to it." "It's like the punk rock genre or freestyle form of photography," Bryant said. "It's misunderstood and we really try to shed light on what this style truly is as an art form”. ...this type of photography is different. We're not just taking people's pictures-we're talking with people, we're highlighting businesses, we're highlighting positive things." According to Nelson, collective photographs are being displayed on a rotating basis at Curitiba. The group will
According to collective co-founder Aaron Cabitto, members meet twice a month discussing upcoming trips, gear, techniques, and sometimes include photo critiques.
“The Banyan Tree of the Americas”, a Journey in Cultural Ties Semilla Cultural events to highlight PuertoRican musical and dance genre, Bomba and its African roots October 2nd, University of Mary Washington Sunday October 3, University of Mary Washington
"To get multiple people's input on my work is extremely beneficial," Cabitto said. "It's more than just a thumbs up on Facebook or a like on Instagram." Cabitto said much of the growth and education takes place by watching how other photographers capture moments through the lens. "When you're standing next to them with your camera versus theirs in the same situations, you see just how differently they see things," Fulltime college student Renzo Beltran said joining the group has been educational and reintroduced him to his
hold its first annual Street Photography Shoot Off Oct. 2. Photographers will compete to be featured in Street Photography Magazine or win a free oneyear subscription. "We built more of a family than just a website or just a group. We're beyond that," Nelson said. "We have all bonded and formed lasting friendships out of this." FXBG Street Photographer Collective fredericksburgstreetphotography.com. Erica Terrini is a Freelance Writer
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