PHOTOGRAPHIC
LIFE
Professional photographers talk about themselves.
The life of a photographer. David Lazar is a travel photographer and musician from Brisbane Australia, who loves to capture moments of life, beauty and culture through photography. He’s created a unique style with his bright, colorful and emotive cultural photos and has managed to reach audiences worldwide with these powerful works. His photos are frequently printed in publications and he consistently represents well in photography competitions arena. David’s photography started in 2004 when he took a trip with friends to Thailand and India, and on return from this trip his eyes were opened to the possibilities of travel photography as a genre of fine art. He went on to practice the techniques of composition and lighting in photography after purchasing a Nikon DSLR camera, taking photos around Brisbane and building his skills in the ‘digital darkroom’. David, is a professional musician and a self-taught photographer whose fine art works continue to garner much attention. His travel photography work has been published in magazines such as Digital Camera World, Digital Photo, Photo Review Australia, the Bangkok Airways Inflight magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, Get Lost and travel brochures for Intrepid and Kumuka. He has been awarded numerous prizes for his photos, including seven world holidays, the most recent one being through Abercrombie & Kent with The Australian who ran a photo competition in 2011 for a safari holiday in East Africa. As a result of this trip, David was asked to join the travel company A&K in Sydney, where they exhibited 15 of his framed prints for their 50th Anniversary function. This photographic series was sold to raise money for their Kenyan philanthropy project.
David has also won numerous awards in various local competitions in and around Brisbane, as well as interstate and overseas. David shared some of his insight into capturing powerful people photos. He says interacting and connecting with the subject is very important and in fact the key to getting successful portraits. But how to do it? ‘Smile, engage and be interested in the people you want to photograph and what they are doing. It’s all about your demeanor and attitude. If I interact with people and try to use phrases in their language, or comment on what they are doing through gesture and just be open and sincere, it can go a long way to gaining trust and a special photograph. It’s all about making the process fun and lighthearted so people relax and enjoy being a part of the process’. David also describes the importance of seeing the vision of the photo in the mind before it’s taken. ‘I usually imagine what the shot will look like before I press the shutter – the composition, the subject’s pose, the background, the whole mood. Sometimes I have to think a bit harder to come up with the ideas and other times it just comes naturally and it’s obvious what the shot will look like before it’s been taken’. It’s clear that David is an artist all round. His grandparents on one side were exhibiting painters of landscape and portraiture and photography interests run through the family. He has been playing the piano since the age of five, is gifted with his ability to improvise and play by ear, and currently performs and teaches piano. He received a Bachelor of Music from Queensland University of Technology in 2002, and he furthered his musical studies by completing a Master of Music in film composition. He composes music for films and other visual mediums. But it is his photography interest which simply began as a hobby and is now growing and becoming a dominant part of his life. His visions of creating powerful, artistic photos that feature exotic and unique cultural scenes of life are clearly enjoyed by all of us who have an interest in learning more about the world around us.
Visit David’s website: www.davidlazarphoto.com
Burmese Fisherman
Three fishermen on Inle Lake, Myanmar. The fisherman of this region have a unique rowing technique, where they stand on the stern on one leg and wrap the other leg around the oar allowing for fine paddle control. This way they can precisely steer around thick vegetation which often appears on the lake. It also keeps one had free for using nets. These fishermen successfully live off the land and its natural resources, without using motor propelled boats.
Girl With Green Eyes
Taken in Bangladesh, this portrait features a young lady’s green eyes. I came across a group of friends around twilight playing games outside their houses in the small town of Puthia. I was met with overwhelming attention and curiosity, and got to know some of the people living there. I arranged
to meet this girl and her family again the next day, and when I came back I was welcomed into their house. We took this photo in the afternoon using natural light on the steps to the entrance of their house.
Masai
These Masai tribes people live in the wilderness of Kenya and still uphold most of their traditional values and customs. The colour red is worn to represent power, and accessories and body ornaments are be worn to reflect their identity and status in society. Traditionally, a Masai boy would only become a Masai warrior after he went out on his own and killed a lion, as a rite of passage.
Monk Eyes While travelling around Myanmar, I spent a number of days in a quiet town called Sagaing, and explored the mountainous landscape dotted with temples and monasteries. I met this boy at a monastery who had wide and curious eyes.
A little about me. Mark Lorenz
I never wanted a 9-5 office job, I wanted to enjoy my play time and enjoy my work. I live outside of Boston, grew up in Connecticut. I am an avid cyclist and Buddhist. I wanted to get paid for something I loved to do. I was always interested in photography so I decided to pursue that. I spent 20 years working in the news paper industry, at first as a freelancer, stringer, then part time. Working my way up the ladder until I was hired full time. It was great shooting anything and everything. You certainly learn a lot, shooting news photos. Every assignment is a challenge. We shoot under every condition imaginable weather and lighten. My favorite subjects are pro sports and politics. I would get such a rush covering the presidential primaries, especially when you have seconds to get that one shot, that differs from the hundreds of other photographers. I also love working on very tight deadlines, I love that adrenaline rush I would get. I was fortunate to have numerous awards for my work, but it wasn’t about that, it was about seeing my work published and receiving positive feedback on how viewers enjoyed seeing my photos. You certainly meet a lot of people and can see each personality. I would shoot for what I knew the paper wanted, the safety shot. After that, I could get creative and try new things. For me, it was about bring the viewer into the photo, to allow them to feel what I see. As an introvert, I would shoot on somedays with a long lens ( zoom lens) so I wouldn’t be in your face with a wide angle. Taken photos has always been an outlet, taken the photos in itself was the inspiration for me.
The photo of the girl was a story we did on her. She had cancer but was always happy. When I came to work about a year later, I had heard she lost her battle with cancer. Despite the sadness of seeing this photo, she seemed to always have joy. We go through our lives taken everything for granted and hear she was looking at this with a positive out look.
The third shot is a mother and father at their sons funeral who was killed in Iraq. These photos are the hardest, even though you are invited and placed in a certain area to shoot, you still feel uncomfortable. The emotions, the quietness, is very moving. You try to distant yourself from it, but it’s hard to.
The car accident was more of a funny shot. No one was serious injured but the look on the guys face sitting in his car that was turned on it’s side, it’s a look of shame. ( I have photographed some horrific accidents in my career )
Biography Rob Gerhardt was born in Augusta, Georgia in 1977, but grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From an early age his parents exposed him to the arts through many trips to museums and galleries in both Philadelphia and New York, as well as during trips to Europe. Rob’s first exposure to photography came during his junior year in college, when he took his first photography class with photographer Harold Feinstein. And since falling in love with photography during that first class, Rob has never stopped making photographs. In 1999 he received his B.A. in Anthropology/Sociology and Art History from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. And in 2007 he received his M.F.A. in Photography from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University in Boston, MA. Rob’s work has been in numerous solo and group exhibitions in the United States, Canada, and Europe, and is in a number of private collections. He has lived and worked in New York City since 1999.
Artist’s Statement For me, being a photographer is more then simply making photographs of what I see before me. Rather, my photography is an expression of how I empathize with the world and how I relate to what I see in my viewfinder. It is not a matter of visiting a place, making photographs and leaving. It is about getting to know the people and places I photograph, which can only be accomplished over extended periods of time. It is about trying to step out of my world and into theirs. To sometimes stop being a photographer, put down the camera, and listen and talk instead. I do not believe that any photographer is capable of showing the entire truth of the world in their photographs. Human nature does not allow one to be completely impartial. And I do not believe that my own work is any different in this regard. My photographs are my take on the people, places and events that I chose to photograph. They are just one point of view, but it is my point of view. In that, they are unique expressions, for no two people ever see the same thing in the same way. Through my photographic expressions, I show both the beauty and the sadness of the world as I see it. I do not expect the viewer to relate as I do to the people, places and things in the photographs. But if the viewer comes away having seen something that has made them think or feel in an unexpected way, then my photographs have been successful.
Fort Green Park, Myrtle Avenue, Fort Greene, Brooklyn, 2009
Chrysler Building, 42nd Street, New York, 2010
Times Square, 42nd Street, New York, 2010
Telephone Booths, Myrtle Avenue, Ridgewood, Queens, 2008
Some items about who I am. 1) I make photos for their own sake. If they are easily aligned with products, then they may be used to sell them. I try to retain a purity in the content, and the message conveyed. 2) I do not endorse any specific equipment or cameras. 3) I get up in the morning to be creative. Creativity is my life. I am well intended with what I create. This is how I can make the world a better place through art. 4) I am a photographer, filmmaker, musician. I play guitar. 5) The commercial photography is separate from the creative work that I do. 6) My work is a form of public service. I offer better quality and value in life through example. 7) I meditate, breathe, do yoga, and read knowledge. I have other spiritual practices. 8) Most anyone is a friend to me. If they are down, I try to lift them up. I belong to everyone. When a person tried to challenge me, I basically tell them what is on my mind, and walk away. These people drain me of my energy. 9) I am straight forward, honest, and relaxed (most of the time). 10) My goal is to create works that people will enjoy, so they may benefit and get something out of them. how is that? 11) I am very dedicated, and I never give up on something that I believe in.
1998. New York. Two Roses.
I was admiring my camera. Forget the photos I made with it.
“WOMEN:” are pictures of women in the street, portraits that are made in the course of a day, and without a plan. My thesis project is a video presentation that takes the viewer into my process of making portraits and combines still photographs, music, and sound. The presentation offers a glimpse of my mindset, interactions with potential subjects, and the circumstances surrounding the making of the image. The photographs that result are record of these encounters. The video documents my collection of experiences. The women that I photograph reflect me in the picture. As a result of my vulnerability, I am able to get out of the ordinary and funny responses from them. By doing this style of photography, I am in the process of finding out something about myself. This occurrence works in my favor. The video format emphasizes this quality clearly by actually taking the viewer into the streets with me while I work, giving them a glimpse of my street ‘performance.’ There has to be a special interest before I ask women if I can photograph them. If they evade my gaze or walk in the opposite direction, I do not pursue them. If they look, look again, then we somehow meet. We may talk a little bit, hang out together, and then talk about the photograph I wish to take. If she agrees, I point the camera; he or she may smile, or not, look into the camera, or look away. There is minimal instruction. My interest is to capture the moment of intrigue, humor, intimacy, discovery, surprise and trust, in public, in the New York City streets. I met a woman in the street while walking to school. She looked genuine and interesting, so I walked over and started talking to her. She had a very pleasant way about her. I liked her red coat. It was a very cold day, and I was surprised that she was very responsive. As the flash fired, she smiled and revealed a mouth full of braces on her teeth. This surprised me. She didn’t seem to mind or be affected by my reaction. What happened then was not planned, and it created an interesting photo. My awkwardness offered me indescribable knowledge of how I relate to others.
I met a woman who is standing under an overpass wearing fashionable tweed and sunglasses, while holding a black motorcycle helmet that has a PS-1 sticker on it. Her male friend was on the bike to the right of the frame. I was attracted to her, the way she was dressed and her sense of humor, when we met. She told me that she liked my camera. We laughed and talked for a few moments. Her appearance was tough and aloof in the photo. I got her to engage the camera the way she did, because she felt like acting that way, and that my camera looked cool. She delighted me inside. I was glad that we were able to share the moment of the photograph together. The interest is about what appears in the photo in comparison to what actually happened. I started doing street photography in New York City in 1978 and then branched out into other cities. Over the years, I became more and more interested in street portraiture. Similarly, I met people in the street, both men and women, and made their portraits. In my mind, these photos were a combination of photo-documentary and portraiture. In the 1980’s and 90’s, I hit the streets and took medium format portraits in NYC. My wife at the time thought it would be a good idea to make a living at it. I used a Yashicamat 124G twin lens reflex camera, and a Hasselblad 500C. More recently, I purchased a Rolleiflex 2.8F, a Nikkor and a Sunpak 120J. The camera and flash combination allowed people to engage me differently, due to the size and the look of the equipment. I am attracted to the square image because it offers me the clarity and the potential resolution of a sizable print when commissioned. I attach a portable flash on a bracket, which I use to fill in shadow detail when needed and to create a separation between foreground and background, adding drama to the image. The possibilities of making these images and being in the right place at the right time was something I learned from Charles Traub. There is no mistake about what happens around us, and for anything positive to occur, we have to be in the right state of mind and body. He taught me how to make things work for me, by understanding the elements of any given situation. There is chance in everything. I am learning to master the nature of the circumstances surrounding photography and life itself. Images from the ‘Beach’ Series, and the ‘Charles Traub’ Monograph, allowed me to learn about his expertise in the square image. ‘Street Portraits’ is an inspiration for the subject of people and the use of this format. Although his intention for making his portraits are different than mine, I learn from his great depth, knowledge, and understanding of photography and became an important visual reference for my creative work.
The street photography of William Klein is an amazing reference for my work. Mr. Klein created a new and innovative way of photographing women, as well as people in the street. He is right there, upfront, and in the face of his subjects, with no fear about it. In his ‘Life is Good and Good for You in New York’ book, the action was moving around and in front of him while he was working. He created images that are all about taking pictures. They were cropped, composed of film grain, tilted horizons, soft focus, motion blur, and movement. In this body of work the unconventional was his brand of photo-documentary. For me, what he did in ‘New York’ was about the experience of the photograph, the results were just as important as the process. This quality makes his work much more special to me and what I do. Robert Frank’s ‘The Americans (1958)’ challenges what is ‘established’ and makes a successful ‘statement’ with his imagery. The picture that Mr. Frank ‘painted’ of America was groundbreaking. This ‘On the Road’ (by Jack Kerouac)1 adventure in photographs was real, gritty, sad, yet somehow nostalgic, beautiful, and romantic. He explores what most people are afraid to confront in their lives, the unknown. He stresses that I must communicate honestly with others, be one hundred percent committed to them, and make every effort to accommodate 1 Jack Kerouac, On the Road. (New York, NY: Penguin. 1957) 1. their needs. From this understanding, I learned that how I relate to people directly has an affect on how they as subjects interact with my camera. The works of Elinor Carucci offer me her perspective of ‘closeness’ in her book, “Closer,” that I experienced with the works I created years ago in the street, and those I create today. I am inspired by the intimacy between herself and her family in her photographs, as they are, the belongingness portrayed there is beyond beautiful. It can be found anywhere, especially where I work, and I demonstrate this sense of spirit in my images. The street photographs of Saul Leiter (Saul Leiter – Steidl) communicate the subtleness and sensitivity of his vision. His perception of the world is surrounded by wonder, awe and beauty. His subjects were never ‘confronted.’ They were an integral part of what he captured. His understanding of the element of chance, and using it to his advantage, made his images unique. His ‘present moment,’ the energy of it, and what exists there is what I identify with most in his photographs. They offer me something beyond the visual, perhaps a substance of truth that is unseen, unheard or unspoken. For my presentation, I took 56 images and placed them
into Final Cut Pro. I created a slide show; each image appears from 3 to 7 seconds each. I edited my soundtrack, using recordings of my own voice, voices of the some of the women I photographed, music, and ambient street sounds. The spoken words and sounds were edited specifically to reveal what an encounter sounds like. Photographs are presented one after the other: video and sound will take the viewer into my world. The finished product is very simple and it will be played in a loop on a medium to large flat screen television from a DVD player or computer. The entire piece is exactly 5 minutes and 6 seconds long. ”WOMEN:” explores reality and the way we perceive it as individuals in how it relates to chance and circumstance. Through making my images, I share what I already know, as well as what is beyond my ability to comprehend. There is no substitute for the ‘magic’ when I ‘live’ into every photograph. For those who look at them, my purpose is to demonstrate what I wish to communicate: freedom, openness in manner, truth, attraction, fascination, fulfilled desires, pleasure, safety, belonging to one another, and ultimately, love.
About Edwin Brosens PHOTOMACROGRAPHY I was born 1970 in the Netherlands where I still live, the city of Sprundel a small dot on the map. More than ten years I`m active photographer. It brings me a lot of fun and pleasure to see what photography can let you make do. Always busy to improve my style and view into photography, and to share this with others. In 2007 my work reached the international interest, an interview article is published in American “EMULSION magazine”. Lecture, articles, workshops and exhibitions are the way to show my work. My first exhibition at Heemtuin Rucphen was a step to the media, an exhibition at Arboretum Kalmthout Belgium the second one. I still learn…. Thanks to all who help me to improve my work. My website: www.edwin-macrophoto.com
My philosophy on life: “People are more aware these days how important and beautiful nature is, and moreover the tremendous impact it has on our life on this planet.
About the photographer Stephen Krupnick, a resident of Laguna Beach, California, has had a passion for the visual arts ever since he started photographing musicians at Washington Square in Greenwich Village. Stephen was born and raised on the east coast and graduated from New York University, moving to California after completing his studies at NYU. He is an instrument rated pilot and also flies sailplanes. His travels, and photography, have taken him to the four corners of the earth. He has been to all 50 states and all seven continents. He has traveled 10,000 km across Russia, from Vladivostok on Russia’s east coast to Moscow via the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Other recent trips have taken him toCuba, India, Mongolia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Tanzania, Morocco, Egypt, Iceland, Antarctica, Argentina, Chile, Cambodia, Japan, China, and Vietnam. He travels with three Nikon cameras, an array of lenses, and is always looking for that next great im-
age. He is currently working on a book of his black and white images that were taken throughout Greenwich village and other parts of Manhattan. Photographs: Top left. Stephen and his favorite giraffe at Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya. Top right. Our first landfall in Antarctica. Stephen finally reached his seventh continent. Bottom left. Co-piloting a Cessna Caravan over the Rift Valley in Kenya. Bottom right. Stephen in Morocco with his camel that carried him into the Sahara. (No, he did not kiss the camel.)
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at sunrise this past Sunday, May 20th. The bridge connects NJ and Staten island, NY, and costs $12 from NJ to NY, and $13 from NY to NJ. Maybe they want you to stay in NY?
The temple at Karnak photographed at night. Just beautiful.
Here’s one more shot of a baby gorilla. They’re just adorable little furballs when they’re young - and absolutely fun to watch them play and climb.