Street Shots Photography Podcast

A Little Rusty

The STM guys are back together and they’re just a little on the rusty side. Tom made it safely across the country to his new home base and Antonio fired up Skype and Street Shots is back in business. Now that they’re separated by 2,000+ miles, they realize how important it is to maintain a sense of community between them despite the distance. In this episode the Switch to Manual guys talk about the value of larger photographic community, both as a source of inspiration and just plain fun. From the NYC Photo Expo to Brooklyn's Photoville and small meetups in between, communities of shutterbugs offer great opportunities to learn and share your work.Photoville in BrooklynSTM Coney Island photo walkWorld Wide Photo Walk, 2015, Red Hook, BrooklynTom's hat somewhere on the road in OklahomaTom and his loyal boy, Johnny Cash, on the road somewhere in Tennessee

Fuji Fifties

On this special 30th episode, Antonio invites friend and podcasting mentor, Victor Cajiao (from the Terra Tech podcast), to fill in for Tom while he settles into his new digs. Victor and Antonio discuss what it’s like using the newest of Fujifilm's “X" cameras and what this has done to their photographic vision. Photographers often succumb to "gear acquisition syndrome" (GAS), but no matter what anyone says about gear, cameras are an essential tool that helps to shape a photographer’s visual style, be it landscape or street photography. Tune in and listen to how this one particular brand of camera has set both Victor and Antonio on a journey they didn’t necessarily expect.Victor's photos:(Allison Sheridan from the NosillaCast Podcast)Antonio's photos:The Switch to Manual Guys:Antonio and Victor:Quote that Antonio forgot - 
"The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera." - Dorothea LangArticles about Fuji:Zack AriasHow the X100 Changed My PhotographyFuji X100 ReviewVictor Cajiao Links:Terra Tech Podcast

The Light Mappers

Photography at its most basic is about capturing light. There are all kinds of light: natural, artificial, diffused, transmitted, reflected, ambient, and so on. In this episode of Street Shots, listen to Antonio and Tom discuss what kind of light turns them on and how they go about capturing it. It’ll prove to be an illuminating show. And apologies for the bad puns.

Seeing with Fresh Eyes

Tom has an announcement which leads us into this week's discussion. We all know the thrill of going somewhere new to take in and photograph the sights. You tend to notice all kinds of colors and textures, landscapes and people. But how do we walk through our familiar environs with that same level of creative awareness?  Join the Switch to Manual Guys as they brainstorm and toss out some helpful suggestions. Links from the show:Still Speaking Magazine, with Tom's shot on the cover

Someday Your Prints Will Come

Most photographers today spend endless hours reviewing images on a computer screen, rarely having the thrill of holding an actual print. In this episode the Switch to Manual Guys talk about the joy of printing and touch on some of the technical and aesthetic considerations. Whether you prefer stretched canvases or framed prints, images mounted on foam board or the creation of unique photo books, you'll find something useful in this episode. But watch out. After listening to this one you may find yourself approaching a coffee shop or local artist's group about showing your work! After all, printing is one of the more powerful pathways for getting your images out into the world! [note - Antonio must've been still high on his cold medication because he mentions at the beginning of the show that it was the 28th episode when, in fact, it's the 27th episode. Forgive the mixup.](Epson 3800 with a 17"x22" print)(Antonio's exhibit at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden)(sample canvases from CGPro Prints - prices may be out of date)(Antonio's prints hanging in his living room)Link's from the show:CG Pro PrintsRobert Capa's Mexican SuitcaseBrooklyn Waterfront Artists CoalitionSteeplechase Coffee ShopMatt Carr PhotographerAdorama PixStorehouse AppBlurb BooksOn 1 Perfect Resize

Reigniting the Passion

As thrilling as photography can be, we all go through periods in which we lose touch with our creative muse. Life overwhelms us, we get busy, and the camera gets dusty. In this episode the Switch to Manual Guys share some ideas for reigniting your passion for photography. Have an idea that worked for you? Leave a note on the Switch to Manual website or Facebook page and share it with us and the world!

The Ten Thousand Foot View

Every photographer knows the feeling of being subsumed in a tsunami of images, though truth be told we mostly see those last few hundred images we've taken when we glance at our photo library. In this 25th episode, the Switch to Manual Guys talk about the value of having your work reviewed by a fresh set of eyes in what's known as a “portfolio review.” While having someone criticize (or “critique”) your work can sometimes be difficult to sit through, the experience enables the photographer to step back from his or her images to see larger patterns and possible paths toward greater creativity. The ultimate goal of a portfolio review is the creation of a body of work which the photographer can proudly stand behind. 

Photographic Alchemy: Interview with photographer Jean Miele

In this 24th episode, Jean Miele draws on the language of alchemy (the ancient art of transforming lead into gold) to give expression to his holistic and deeply subjective creative process. Jean and Antonio met as photo editors in the 80's and share a vast knowledge of traditional film photography. Today Jean's best known for his creative documentation of industrial settings and his composite landscapes which, like his beloved alchemy, transform the ordinary into pure gold. Deriving meaning and telling stories through images, Miele's ever-evolving creative edge keeps him returning to those "thin places" where the veil separating the ordinary from the extraordinary offers itself to the camera. He likens his "fictional photography" to the work of a novelist, reminding us that all great art helps us see deeper into the mystery. Miele's work does that and more, playfully challenging and inspiring photographers at every level, including the Switch to Manual Guys! 
Links from the show:
Catherine Couturier Gallery
B&W Workshop at Maine Media, August 2, 2015
Death Valley Workshop, March 2016
Jean on Facebook
Jean's Website
Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist
 (photos courtesy of Jean Miele. All Images Copyrighted © Jean Miele)Sunset Along Rte 1, IcelandMyrdalssandur, IcelandWrench - Old Limestone Mill. Norway.Motor for Large-Scale Ball Mill Crusher for Copper Ore. Norway.Jemez Falls. New Mexico.
 

Lone Wolf

This episode Tom is on leave and Antonio's got the keys and went nuts. No, not really. So a slight change in format this week as he discusses a new iPhone camera attachment that's hitting the market, the DxO One, and his opinion about this unique piece of hardware. He follows up on previous podcast episodes (one with Bart Busschots about photographing people and the last Street Shots episode about shooting in bad weather) with his experiences shooting the recent Coney Island Mermaid Parade in Brooklyn, NY. What it was like shooting with mirror-less Fuji cameras in less than ideal weather and practicing his advice about asking total strangers if they wouldn't mind being photographed. A half hour of Antonio talking to himself and not sounding (too) crazy.

Weather or not, you SHOULD shoot.

Ever look out the window on a rainy day and think, "Dammit, I wanted to take some pictures today?" Well, think again! Less than ideal weather offers all kinds of creative opportunities for shooting and post-production edits can help bring out some of the drama invisible to the naked eye, or the camera's LCD. You'll want to watch for the water drops on your lens and take a few other precautions to protect your gear (Ziplock® bags anyone?). Listen to all that and more as the STM guys share their ideas about shooting in poor weather. And a big shout out to Antonio's buddy, Mo, who suggested the topic.

Do the Opposite

Ready to take your photography to a new level but feeling as if you're stuck in a rut, doing the same thing all the time out of habit? Try doing the opposite. In this episode (inspired by a Seinfeld episode), the Switch to Manual Guys talk about the power of doing precisely what you never do, opening up new creative vistas through playful experimentation. You may not permanently switch from landscape to portraits or black and white to color, but doing try it for a day and experience the creative power unleashed simply by doing the opposite of what you typically do. And don't forget to order the chicken salad on rye with a cup of tea!   

Photograph it in Style

What is style? How do we develop a style to our pictures? Is it important to have a style? In the last episode, photojournalist Ron Haviv brought up the idea that each photographer needs to find their “visual voice.” In this episode the Antonio and Tom discuss finding your own visual voice over time, using apps like Lightroom and Aperture to look back through your photographs to find the common themes that run through your archive. They also touch upon whether or not your equipment helps to define your photographic look. Using some of their own images as starting points, the Switch to Manual guys tackle this question: What are you trying to say through your images? Because what you’re saying with your photography is important and maybe you want to say it with some style!

Which Pix? (Re-record of Ep.18)

Hi everyone,This is a re-record of Ep.18, "Which Pix." We accidentally published the wrong recording when we put the original episode up. Rather than delete the original, we're adding this one to the stream because it talks about the images we actually posted on our blog and adds to the overall discussion about editing your pix. This isn't an official new episode but a supplement to episode 18. Hope this makes sense.

The Visual Voice

World-renowned photojournalist Ron Haviv (one of the co-founders of the photo agency, VII) shares insights from his two plus decades, giving voice to the voiceless in over one hundred countries around the world. Ron just returned from his exhibit in Sarajevo which marked  the twentieth anniversary of the end of that conflict. What was it like seeing his work in Bosnia twenty years later?  How has the advent of digital photography changed photojournalism?  How did he get started? How does one produce images that rise above the noise and how can we all become more conversant in the language of images?  Find out by listening in on Ron's interview with the Switch to Manual Guys. 

Which Pix?

So you come back from a shoot and you not only have hundreds of images, you have ten versions of each image!  What to do?! Join the Switch to Manual guys for a discussion of how to go about gleaning and curating your strongest shots. The STM guys chat a bit about their editing process; Antonio draws on his experience as a photo editor and Tom shares a story from a human rights delegation to Honduras on the anniversary of the 2009 coup.  

The Poetry of Coincidence, Pt.2

Join the Switch to Manual guys for the second half of their interview with Hamburg-based street shooter, Marco Larousse. This week, Tom and Antonio single out some of their favorite images from Marco's work, eliciting some background anecdotes and insights from the photographer himself. If you like to shoot on the street (or want to and are trying to muster the courage), these two episodes are for you!Marco started taking pictures as a young teen and has never looked back. Digital and film are part of his repertoire and despite some of the differences shooting in Germany versus the U.S. (particularly with privacy laws), Marco and the Switch to Manual guys find they share the same passion for capturing images from the street. His striking photography along with his Fuji X Files blog (where he shares techniques, tips and reviews of Fujifilm's great X-series cameras) helped him gain a rare slot as an official Fujifilm X Photographer.Marco’s work can be found on his website where you can also check out his Fuji X Files blog. It’s a  wonderful resource if you own a Fuji X camera and if you don't own one, you'll probably going to want to get one after reading it. Marco can also be found on Twitter and on Flickr.

The Poetry of Coincidence, Pt.1

This is the first in a special two-part interview of Hamburg-based street photographer, Marco Larousse. Marco started taking pictures as a young teen and has never looked back. Digital and film are part of his repertoire and despite some of the differences shooting in Germany versus the U.S. (particularly with privacy laws), Marco and the Switch to Manual guys find they share the same passion for capturing images from the street. His striking photography along with his Fuji X Files blog (where he shares techniques, tips and reviews of Fujifilm's great X-series cameras) helped him gain a rare slot as an official Fujifilm X Photographer.Marco’s work can be found on his website where you can also check out his Fuji X Files blog. It’s a  wonderful resource if you own a Fuji X camera and if you don't own one, you'll probably going to want to get one after reading it. Marco can also be found on Twitter and on Flickr.Be sure to catch part two next week where Marco and the Switch to Manual guys explore some of Marco's iconic images and digress just a bit into gear.  

Magic

Photography is a magical process, both in its ability to freeze moments in time and in letting us share our unique vision of the world with other people. This episode, Antonio and Tom discuss just what magic arises when they think about being photographers and the pictures they’ve taken. From that first experience of watching a print emerge from the developer in a darkroom to the technological marvel that is digital photography, the STM guys remind us that we all see the world differently and the adventure of photography is a magical one. As the author Arthur C. Clarke once said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Photography certainly falls into that category.

Expose Yourself!

Back in the day photographers would check hand held light meters in order to get the proper exposure and avoid wasting film. In the digital age, exposure continues to be an important creative tool. The notion that there's one "perfect" exposure can be misleading. In this episode the Switch to Manual Guys remind us that by experimenting with a range of possible exposures, you can change the mood and feel of an image. So don't just shoot in auto mode and accept what the camera gives you; take creative control and play around with your exposure. You'll be surprised by what you get!

The Flow of Work

"I can't believe I took 300 pictures at the wedding. How the heck am I going to organize them?!"  With the ease of digital photography has come a new challenge: how to manage the constant flow of images. Professional photographers refer to this as managing one's workflow. In "The Flow of Work," the Switch to Manual guys share their tips and insights on managing and backing up images. The goal is safe storage and easy retrieval, which is easier said than done! 

The One That Got Away

Every photographer knows the feeling of missing a shot. This can happen for all kinds of reasons, as the Switch to Manual Guys know all too well. Listen in as Antonio and Tom recount some lessons learned the hard way. You'll learn how to stack the deck in your favor to improve the chances of getting the shot before it gets away!

Eventful

Weddings, bar mitzvahs, birthday parties. We find ourselves going to events throughout our lives, and being photographers we will always bring our cameras to capture these meaningful moments in time. Antonio and Tom discuss how they deal with event photography and offer some ideas so that you can come away with images that are both memorable and beautiful. Great photographic opportunities can be found at events and it’s great to capture images you’ll be proud to share with family, friends and, perhaps place into your portfolio.

Street Etiquette

The Switch to manual guys celebrate their tenth episode by fielding a listener question. A Twitter follower asked if they ever encounter hostile reactions while shooting in the street. This launches an entire segment about how to tactfully shoot with and without permission in all kinds of situations, while also offering some hints for folks just starting out. There's something for everyone here in this wide-ranging exploration of what happens when you start taking street shots.

It's About Time

The Switch to Manual guys talk about the mystery of time as it pertains to photography. Beyond the usual notion of photography capturing a moment in time and the importance of being aware of one's immediate surroundings, Antonio revisits the scene of a JFK photograph his father took fifty years ago, while Tom talks about a modern day protestor holding up an iconic black and white image taken during the Civil Rights Movement. These and other examples are explored as part of the mysterious dance between photographers and time.