Street Photography Magazine Podcast

In this episode of the Street Photography Magazine podcast, Bob Patterson and Ashley Riffo sit down with photographer, filmmaker, and educator Bethany Eden Jacobson for a conversation that was part time capsule and part behind-the-scenes look at a creative life. Bethany takes us back to the gritty, electric energy of 1980s downtown New York, which was an era where art, music, and rebellion collided. From photographing icons like Iggy Pop to documenting the underground scene shaped by figures like Jean-Michel Basquiat, her work captures a moment that was raw and unfiltered, and though she didn’t realize it at the time, transformative for the art world in general. But it wasn’t just the nostalgia that made this conversation interesting. We also talk about what it means to revisit your archive decades later, how filmmaking influences photographic storytelling, and why editing—whether for film or a photo book—is where the real work begins. Bethany also shares her thoughts on creative identity, resisting the pressure to “niche down,” and embracing a multidisciplinary approach in a world that often demands labels. It’s a great conversation for anyone out there in the wild navigating their own creative path right now. Links from the show Bethany’s Website Kickstarter for “Another Time, Another Place” – LAUNCHING APRIL 14TH Bethany’s Photo Book “Another Time, Another Place”

Several months ago, after an editorial meeting with Bob, which was packed with beautiful and meaningful projects, I admitted that I often feel like I don’t know what I want to say with my camera. I did not share this with Jorge Delgado-Ureña, photographer, writer, educator, and co-founder of The Raw Society, but it goes without saying that our conversation hit home for me personally. In this episode, Jorge and I talked, among other things, about intention in photography. Why it’s so hard to nail down, and why it matters more than we might like to admit. Jorge shares his perspective on storytelling, responsibility, and the difference between simply taking photos and actually saying something with them. Plus, you’ll hear about how The Raw Society came to be, what a fantastic community it’s turned into, and what’s in store for the upcoming inaugural Raw Photo Fest. I loved hearing about a festival that will showcase photography in a way that is accessible to anyone and everyone, including kids, locals, and non-photographers. “Raw Photo Fest is more than a festival. It is an invitation to slow down and connect — with photography, with stories, and with Menorca itself.” – Christelle Enquist, Co-founder of The Raw Society and Festival Director This episode has plenty of food for thought, and it might just challenge the way you’ve been shooting. I know it gave me a little something to wrestle with. Links from the show The Raw Society The Photographer’s Journal (Jorge’s Substack) Raw Photo Fest Watch this episode on YouTube

In this episode of the Street Photography Magazine podcast, Bob and I had the chance to sit down with photographer Doug Bruns. And the conversation we had was the kind that sticks with you long after it’s over. We talked about how growing up around cameras and photographers shaped his path, and how a formative trip abroad set him on a lifelong journey of travel and image-making. But this episode goes way beyond origin stories. We talked about what it means to photograph for yourself instead of for validation, how stepping away from social media impacted Doug’s creativity, and why committing fully to black and white photography gave him a surprising sense of freedom. We also got into the realities of creative dry spells, discipline, and the long, often nonlinear relationship we have with our work. Doug shared a few stories that really stayed with me too, especially one about discovering a sculpture deep in the Maine wilderness that reshaped how he thinks about creativity and purpose. This isn’t just a conversation about photography. It’s about identity, intention, and figuring out how to stay connected to your creative voice over time. If you’ve ever questioned why you make photos, or if you’ve ever felt stuck, distracted, or disconnected from your work, I think you’ll find something meaningful in this one. Links from the show Doug’s Website Doug on PixelFed Doug on Glass The photography of Alison Wright A Selection of Doug’s Photos P.S. You can also watch our conversation on YouTube.

Show Notes: Episode #168 In today’s episode, we delve into the serene and contemplative world of fine art street photographer and architect Cyrille Druart who is the featured photographer in the January 2023 issue of Street Photography Magazine. Street Photography Magazine subscribers can read Cyrille’s story and view his photographs in our feature story about in which is scheduled to publish on Sunday, January 7. Main Themes: “Plein Silence” Series: Dive into the discussion about Cyrille’s powerful “Plein Silence” series, a body of work that poignantly captures the stillness and solitude of the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of a fine art photographer. Artistic Evolution: Follow Cyrille’s artistic journey, including his affinity for minimalistic monochrome imagery and the development of his distinct graphic series that showcase his evolving style. Methodical Approach & Self-Critique: Gain insight into Cyrille’s meticulous method of shooting and his pursuit of perfection through rigorous self-critique, a testament to his dedication to the craft. Structured Composition & Design Methodology: Learn about the intentional structure and composition in Cyrille’s work, as well as his design-oriented methodology, which guides him in curating his photography series. Stylistic Adaptations: Cyrille talks about the occasional stylistic changes in his work and how he adapts his style to convey different moods and messages. Post-Processing Techniques: Uncover Cyrille’s approach to image refinement, using Adobe Lightroom for subtle tweaks and Adobe Photoshop for more substantial graphic adjustments. Social Media Presence: Delve into Cyrille’s thoughts on social media, his preference for Instagram (@cyrilledruart) as a visual platform, and his contemplation about closing his Facebook account to maintain a thoughtful curation of content. Closing Thoughts: Cyrille Druart’s blend of architectural precision and photographic artistry creates a unique and introspective body of work. His advice on tool selection and the curation of social media presence offers valuable insights for both emerging and established photographers. Don’t forget to follow Cyrille on Instagram to witness his minimalistic, monochromatic world. Episode Timestamps: [00:01:30] – Transition from architecture to photography [00:05:45] – Exploring “Plein Silence” and pandemic-inspired art [00:12:20] – The evolution of artistic style and monochrome love [00:18:15] – Behind the scenes of Cyrille’s shooting and critique process [00:25:40] – Composition and design in photography [00:32:10] – Discussing post-processing preferences and techniques [00:38:55] – Cyrille’s advice on selecting photography tools [00:45:00] – Thoughts on social media and content curation Don’t miss an episode of “The Street Photography Magazine Podcast.” Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed today’s show, please consider leaving us a review—it helps others discover great street photography content! Links from the show Cyrille’s Website Instagram

One of the great frustrations in the digital age is that e easy it is to make your photography available to the world, yet so difficult to get people’s attention and to take the time to look. Street and documentary photographer Chris Suspect, the Street Photography Magazine featured photographer in August 2020 issue, has figured it out. He regularly enters his work in competitions, attends festivals (at least he did when you could do that sort of thing) and just getting to know people personally. And most recently is self publishing a series of photo books, which have been very successful. After speaking with Chris I realized that he is the living embodiment of the old adage “Don’t wait for the phone to ring.” In this free sample of the interview from our most recent issue of SPM, Chris Suspect, shares the details about how he creates and promotes his self-published books. Plus he tells us the story behind his latest book, Old Customs. Links from the show Chris’ website Chris’ book Old Customs Chris’ Instagram Photos from Old Customs

When you ask Kevin Fletcher of Portland, Oregon what he does he’ll tell you that he’s an image maker. Like all good elevator speeches there’s so much more to it. Professionally he is an independent Directory of Photography who does commercial work around the world, most recently for Netflix. And he’s working towards doing more narrative work like short films. As a visual artist he is also a damn fine street photographer who applies the rigorous skills of filmmaking to his still photograph. Earlier this year he completed a personal project titled 82nd Avenue of the Roses about an urban street in Portland. That project won the Lensculture 2020 Street Photography Series award against some tough competition. We include some of the images in this article so you can see for yourself. During our discussion Kevin tells us about his motivation for creating the project and how is cinematography experience influences his street photography. In the process he gives us insight as to how filmmakers think throughcomposing and lighting scenes and how those skills apply to photographing in the moment on the street. One thought that really stuck out to me from our conversation is that Kevin says not to make editing decisions while shooting. Basically do only one thing at a time. When you are making images, don’t think about which you will keep or discard later, just keep shooting and focus only on making photographs. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did. Links from the show Kevin’s Website Lens Culture 2020 Street Photography Awards Stephen McLaren Drive Lincoln Project The Third Man movie Endeavour television series Selections from Kevin’s 82nd Avenue of Roses Project

Our guest this week is Montana documentary photographer Kelly Gorham is a former photojournalist, filmmaker and Director of Visual Media at Montana State University. As a filmmaker he is about to finish a PBS documentary film, titled Mavericks, about the story behind the ascendancy of Montana skiers to the heights of competitive freestyle skiing. In fact Kelly is a former competitive freestyle skier himself. Well into his career, Kelly attended the prestigious Kalish Workshop for Visual Storytelling in Rochester New York. He says it was an amazing experience that changed his life and how he approaches his work. As a lifelong resident of Montana he learned patience by photographing wildlife in Yellowstone National Park near his home. He would seek out a beautiful background and wait for hours and sometimes days for animals to wander through to make a few good frames. He uses this same approach when photographing on the street in the cities he visits while traveling. Whenever I conduct an interview, whether for our podcast or the magazine I always try to learn at least one new thing from our guest. I figure if I learn something you will too. Recently I’ve been trying to do more documentary work and I’v been looking for ways to become a better visual storyteller. I knew I was missing something fundamental, but I didn’t know what. It’s been a frustrating experience trying to figure that out on my own. Then during our conversation Kelly explained how he approaches a new documentary project I had an “aha moment.” You know the old adage says, “when the pupil is ready, the teacher appears?” That’s what happened to me. Kelly opened my eyes to something that has been in front of me all along. I didn’t quite realize it at the time. That little piece of advice means a lot to me. I need to thank him for it. So please take the time to listen to my conversation with Kelly and I hope you will benefit from it as much as I did. Links from the show Kelly’s website Kelly’s Instagram Mavericks documentary film Kevin Carter’s Starving Child and Vulture photo Kalish Workshop for Visual Storytelling Arnold Newman, portrait photographer A selection of Kelly’s street photos Street scenes in New York City. January, 2020. Photo © Kelly Gorham. Bremen, Germany ©Kelly Gorham Minneapolis Airport © Kelly Gorham

Although the Coronavirus is not currently in the headlines that doesn’t mean it’s gone away. On the contrary it’s still there and just as dangerous. Now that we’re collectively letting our guard down I fear that it will come roaring back. But I hope I’m wrong. Like you, I’m sick of hearing about it. The disease has taken it’s toll on family and friends, the economy and to a lesser extent our work as street photographers. It’s been a drag being locked up for the past few months and to be honest I’ve been in a funk. It’s caused me to put aside many of my good habits and I’ve lost interest in getting out to make new images. That’s why Ashley and I pulled together a panel of longtime street photographers to discuss how the pandemic has affected their personal work, businesses and psyche. The panel is Lauren Wellesvaler from New York, Valérie Jardin in Minneapolis, and Jens Krauer in Zurich, Switzerland. We got together in a live town hall format via Zoom on June 3. I knew intuitively that we’re all facing the same issues, but the act of talking about it with other photographers made it sink in. For me it was a cathartic experience. Valérie said that this has been a stressful experience for everyone and dealing with stress requires energy. We only have so much energy available so something has to give. Why didn’t I think of that before? For your convenience we embedded the replay video in this podcast post in case you prefer to watch it. But because this is a podcast I assume you’re on the go and not able to sit down to watch. Therefore this episode includes the audio portion of the discussion for your listening pleasure. Up next is our discussion about Street Photography during the pandemic. Video Replay

Although Debby Cole, a former business owner and corporate executive from Austin Texas, spent spent most of her adult life as a landscape photographer she never considered street photography until she attended (almost by accident) a workshop with Valerie Jardin in Paris. Debby says it changed her life. Since then Debby has traveled the world to connect with people and sharpen her skills. Even during the height of the pandemic, Debby ventures out almost daily to discover new things to photograph in Austin. Her transformation into a passionate street photographer was so profound that she was compelled to record her experience in a new book, Letting Go, How Less Becomes More. Links from the Show Debby’s Photography Website Deborah Cole Connections Valérie Jardin Website Peter Turnley Website A selection of Debby’s street photos Better Together. ©2020 Deborah Cole High Tea ©2018 Deborah Cole Generations ©2018 Deborah Cole Errands ©2019 Errands Stripes ©2018 Deborah cole SoCo At Rest ©2020 Deborah Cole Morning Stroll ©2020 Deborah Cole

Like you I’m learning how to become better at the this elusive art form we call street photography. No matter how much I know or have learned there’s always more. It’s like crossing the ocean. Once you reach the horizon, what do you see? Another horizon. So each time I interview a street photographer for the magazine, our podcast or just a regular conversation I alway try to come away with at least one lesson or insight that I can apply to my own work. I ask about things that I struggle with hoping that they are issues that may affect you to. After all we’re all on different paths up the same mountain. Recently I had a conversation with Swiss street and documentary photographer Jens Krauer. I’ve been a fan of his work for quite some time and thanks to an introduction from writer and photographer Gina Williams I had an opportunity to meet him. Several years ago Jens left a secure career in the corporate world to pursue his passion for street and documentary photography. To finance his personal projects he takes on paid commercial photography video production gigs. On the street Jens is a keen observer of not only light, but the key elements in an often chaotic scene. Then zeros in to work the scene when possible. And is extremely mindful of the photos he chooses for public display by being a ruthless curator of his own work. Rather than publishing hundreds of his images on his website and Instagram he shows only a handful of his best work. Jens says he prefers to be known for five great images rather than being famous on Instagram. I found him to be very insightful, thoughtful and willing to share his experience. I’m sure you will too. Links from the Show Jens’ website Jens’ Instagram A selection of street photos by Jens

Matt Jerrams sheltering in place. I hope you’re are enjoying yourself sheltering in place. Of course not. It has been an interesting time, hasn’t it. Because we’ve been stuck inside Matt Jerrams and I got together the other day to record an episode indulging our favorite guilty pleasure which is street photography gear. If you are a regular reader of Street Photography Magazine or listener to this podcast you probably know that we don’t talk much about gear. But that doesn’t mean we don’t like like it. In fact, I’ve found most of us have a bad case of GAS (gear acquisition syndrome). That’s why Matt and I got together to discuss some of our favorites. I know it may seem a little Fuji-centric at the beginning. That’s because we both shoot with it regularly. But Matt is such a gear head, he’s got plenty for everyone. Have a listen. Links from the show Matt Jerrams Instagram Fred Miranda Website Buy/Sell Forum KEH USCamera World UK RangefinderForum Gear Classifieds Fujix-forum Classifieds Fujixseries Classifieds Fuji-x-forum (similar name, different site): Fuji X USA Buy/Swap/Sell Facebook Group. Fuji Second Hand Market (UK/Europe) Micro 4/3 Forum Classifieds (Sorry for all the Fuji links. I had them in my bookmarks so I thought I’d share them)

I’m back from my trip to New Zealand and getting back into the swing of things. Sorry for being offline for so long. When we left the US things were relatively normal, and in New Zealand it seemed to be business as usual.  Although we watched the stock market melt down on television, out on the streets of New Zealand life was normal.   And on our ship (that’s right we were on a cruise) we were fat,  happy and almost oblivious to the rest of the world. Then all hell broke loose. Our cruise was suddenly cancelled and for a few days we didn’t know how we were going to get home. When we did finally get back (I’ll spare you the details) we landed in a world different from the one we left. Im still trying to get my head around it. I’m sure you’ve had enough Coronavirus talk to fill the rest of the year, so let’s put that aside and talk street photography. Today our guest is Shlomi Amiga. He’s a commercial photographer from Toronto Canada and very active street photographer who has just formed a new collective for Canadian street photographers. Shlomi was also the featured photographer of the month in our September 2019 issue, so be sure to check out him and his work after you finish listening to this. If you’ve ever thought of forming a collective with like-minded photographers this is a good time to do it. If you’re like everyone else you’re stuck at home for the foreseeable future. Shlomi put his group together pretty quickly by starting an Instagram account. So have a listen to my conversation with Shlomi Amiga where he tells us how he made it happen. Shlomi has very graciously offered to perform a few portfolio evaluations for free. If you’re interested you can contact him directly by email at shlomi@shlomiamiga.com or DM him on Instagram at @callmeshlomi. Links from the show Shlomi’s website SPYSPC Instagram Shlomi’s Instagram

Today our guest is Austin Texas based street photographer, Tom Chambers. Tom has been a very active street photographer since the 1980s when he began photographing in and around El Paso Texas. Since then he’s lived all over the world including India and China. He began his photographic journey while working for NASA on the Apollo project where he documented the lunar soil brought back to earth by the Apollo astronauts. Tom is also a teacher and he’s putting that experience to work to introduce photographers in his area to street photography. Most recently Tom created an intensive street photography workshop in partnership with the famous Precision Camera in Austin called Street Photography and Documentary Portraiture. The month-long program runs each weekend during the entire month of June. Tom says that it’s vital that street photographers get to know their camera inside and out so that they can be totally focused on the activity in the streets while shooting. He says when editing your photos it’s critical to evaluate each image in terms of it’s importance to you. Links from the Show Street Photography and Portraiture Workshop – Austin, TX Tom’s Website Tom’s Facebook A Selection of Tom’s Street Photos ©Tom Chambers ©Tom Chambers ©Tom Chambers ©Tom Chambers ©Tom Chambers

ON ASSIGNMENT: SEVILLE, SPAIN PILGRIMAGE TO EL ROCIO Today our guest is New York Street and Documentary photographer Lauren Welles. If you’re a regular listener or magazine subscriber then you’ve likely heard her before. She’s a former attorney, now full-time photographer who is passionate about her craft. On top of that she’s witty, articulate intelligent and just a fun person to talk to. I just had the best conversation with her about storytelling through photography that I want to share with you here. During our conversation she told me about a Leica sponsored workshop she is holding in Seville Spain in late May – Early June along with photojournalist John Kral. It’s part of the ongoing Leica Akademie Series. And Street Photography Magazine will publish some of the best images from the workshop in our August issue, so be on the look out for that. Links from the Show Lauren’s Website Seville Spain Workshop – May 26, 2020 Lauren’s Instagram John Kral’s Website A Selection of Lauren’s Stickball Project Photos @ Lauren Welles @ Lauren Welles @ Lauren Welles @ Lauren Welles @ Lauren Welles

Susanne Baumgartner and Lynn Kaplan – Miami Street Photography Festival 2018Today our guest is Susanne Baumgartner a prolific street photographer from Switzerland who’s been at it regularly for over 15 years. I had an opportunity to meet Susanne personally at the Miami Street photography festival back in December 2018. She was there as a finalist in the Singles and after seeing her body of work I was not surprised. As a pharmaceutical rep, Susanne is required to ravel to various parts of Europe. This enables her to practice street photography during her free time on the road. Many of us in the US would gladly spend thousands of dollars just to get to these places, but Susanne visits them routinely. Suzanne says that her greatest lesson from practicing street photography as it is that she’s become much more observant of the things that happen around her, whether she’s shooting or not. During our conversation she shares some very practical advice for street photographers of all levels. Bottom line, she says to make better photos and to be more comfortable shooting in public places you have to do it… a lot. Like anything else, it takes practice Although Susanne may come across as quiet and sometimes humble, her photography skill speaks for itself. And she produces some of the most humorous images I’ve seen in a long time. I learned a lot from her during our time together. And you can too when you have a listen to my conversation with Susanne Baumgartner. Links From the Show Susanne’s Website Susanne’s Instagram Siegfried Hansen’s Website A Selection of Susanne’s Street Photos

Photo @Greg Burnett When it comes to the contents of Street Photography Magazine, 2019 was one of our best years yet! We had so many amazing submissions come in and we are so excited to see the quality of everyone’s work getting better and better each year. In this episode of the Street Photography Magazine podcast, Bob and I talk about some of our favorite articles and our favorite featured photographer interviews too. Listen in to find out what our 2019 favorites were and find the links below if you’d like to revisit them for yourself. A Few 2018 Favorites Bob’s and Ashley’s Favorite Article Doing the Most by Andy Hann Ashley’s Honorable Mention Article There’s No Place Like Home for Street Photography by Deborah Cole Bob’s Honorable Mention Article Salt Fever by Karl Dedolph Bob’s Favorite Featured Photographer Greg Burnett in the July issue Ashley’s Favorite Featured Photographer Julia Dean in the August issue

Every month, we receive dozens of submissions for our Street Shooters of the Month feature, which appears in each issue of Street Photography Magazine. From those images, Bob makes a careful selection and chooses six special images to be published. It can be tough to choose with so many talented photographers sending us fascinating street shots from every corner of the globe, but choose he must and choose he does. Once a year, Bob and I sit down to talk about our favorites. With over 70 images to choose from each year, making a final selection can be tough. To aid us in this endeavor, we chose a few specific categories to guide our selection: street portraits, storytelling, timing and minimalist. Check out our selections just below, and if you’d like to hear what we loved about each image, then click on the audio player below to listen in on our conversation. Also, keep those submissions coming! To submit an image to be considered for the Street Shooters of the Month feature, first register here as a user. After registering, simply click on Submissions > Photo Submission Form from the homepage to submit single images. No need to upload full size images guys, we prefer you keep each image at 1600 pixels wide and 72 dpi. Congrats to all our favorites this year, and muchas gracias to everyone who submitted their images. It’s a privilege to see work from around the globe and we are so happy we can share it with the SPM community. Best Street Shooters of the Month 2018 Street Portraits Ashley’s Favorite Old Stock by Eoin O’Neill This photograph was taken in Limerick City in April 2019, it shows an elderly man sitting on steps on the street. He is smoking a tobacco pipe and the lighter that he holds in his hand is broken. his face and his hands are weathered and his gaze is fixed firmly on the street around him. View on Website Bob’s Favorite Turban by Yasser Alaa Mobarak Turban of Sikh Man at Delhi. View on Website Storytelling Bob’s and Ashley’s Favorite Finding Myself by Rajiul Huda Dipto A barber was there in the side of street in Dhaka and I was in the traffic jam. I saw, he was showing the customer how well he has shaved and then he looked at the mirror. I think, he tried to find himself in that. Probably, he was finding the inner beautify of himself instead. View on Website Timing Ashley’s Favorite Triple portrait. Jerusalem. 2019 by Chaim Martello This picture has been taken at an open market, in the busiest hour of its busiest day. In such situations, strangers precipitate into ephemeral shapes, as if a hidden choreographer is placing them on a stage to create order from chaos, for a fraction of the second, at least. Bob’s Favorite Yellow by Francesco Gioia I took this picture near Bond Street in London. I was walking when I saw these two kids wearing yellow rubber rain boots. At the same time, a man carrying two yellow bags was walking towards me in the opposite direction. As soon as he got closer to me, I pressed the shutter. Minimalist Bob’s and Ashley’s Favorite Museum Visitors by Irina Escoffery During my visit of Vanderbilt museum I saw couple of guests standing on the balcony and looking around. I loved the way those two individuals look like. View on Website    

Street photography often begins with curiosity. For Carmina Ripolles, it also began with a moment in life when creativity became a necessity. In this episode of the Street Photography Magazine podcast, Bob Patterson and Ashley Riffo talk with Carmina, a street photographer and English teacher whose work celebrates what she calls the “beautifully ordinary.” Her journey into photography began during the lockdown, a time when the world slowed down and many people found themselves searching for new ways to express and understand their experiences. What started as a creative outlet soon became something deeper. Inspired by photographers like Vivian Maier and Richard Billingham, Carmina began documenting everyday life with a keen eye for small gestures, fleeting expressions, and quiet moments that often go unnoticed. Her photographs remind us that meaningful stories don’t only exist in dramatic scenes, they are happening all around us. Throughout the conversation, Carmina talks about how photography helped her know herself better as a true people person. She also shares how listening, observing, and engaging with others can transform a simple moment into a photograph that resonates. Her goal isn’t to dramatize the street or focus only on hardship. Instead, she looks for humanity, humor, and joy in daily life. As she puts it, she wants her images to be “beautifully ordinary.” Carmina in the February Issue Beautifully Ordinary: The Street Photography of Carmina Ripolles In a genre that sometimes gets defined by bravado or confrontation, Carmina’s photographs remind us of another path. Read more Links from the Show “The Fugitives” by Carmina Ripolles (The Bee) “When We’re Smiling” by Carmina Ripolles (The Bee) Carmina on Instagram

In this episode of the Street Photography Magazine podcast, Bob Patterson sits down with Swiss photographer Michael Eugster. Though relatively new to the street photography scene, his photos are incredibly good, and have garnered him quite a bit of recognition in festivals and exhibits around the world. When Michael began experimenting more seriously with photography, he first focused on landscapes. (I mean, how could you not if you lived in Switzerland?) But when he started photographing in Zurich, something shifted. As people entered the frame, the images felt more alive. “Suddenly, people came into the pictures,” he says. “And I realized this is definitely a more interesting element.” Street photography gave him emotions and stories that landscapes couldn’t. Once he discovered that, he committed. Michael studied online resources, listened to podcasts, and spent as much time shooting as possible. Practice became the foundation of his progress. The more he photographed real life unfolding around him, the more confident he became in anticipating moments. Today, Michael approaches street photography with the mindset of a collector. Rather than chasing a single perfect image, he looks for recurring themes that catch his attention over time. Matching colors across strangers, lost gloves abandoned on sidewalks, and even interesting backs, yes, backs, have become ongoing personal projects. These small visual puzzles give him direction while still leaving room for surprise. The street always has the final say, and part of the joy is staying open to whatever appears next. Community has also played an important role in his growth. Photography festivals introduced him to other street photographers who share ideas, encouragement, and honest feedback. Those connections have helped turn a solitary practice into a shared experience. Michael’s journey is relatable. He did not begin as an expert. He improved rapidly, simply by staying curious and practicing consistently. For anyone exploring street photography, his experience is a reminder that growth comes from intention and effort. Links from the show Michael’s Website Instagram Michael on Substack

In this episode, Bob and I had the chance to talk with photographer Xiomaro about a creative path that definitely didn’t start with photography. Before he ever picked up a camera, Xiomaro’s world revolved around music and law. He performed, managed artists, and built a legal career working with musicians. Photography really only entered the picture after a prostate cancer diagnosis forced him to slow down and rethink what he wanted his life to look like moving forward. What followed wasn’t some dramatic overnight pivot. It started quietly, with travel and time spent photographing national parks during his recovery. That period led to something pretty remarkable: acceptance into a National Park artist residency. Living and working in that environment gave him space to think, to create without pressure, and to reconnect with curiosity in a way that hadn’t been possible in his previous professional life. His park work grew into exhibitions and commissions, but more importantly, it helped him rediscover the joy of making something simply because he wanted to. Street photography came later, almost accidentally. While commuting to a legal job he had taken for financial stability, he began photographing daily life in New York City. Not with a grand vision or a long-term plan. Just as practice. Just to stay engaged creatively. In our conversation, Xiomaro talks about how his background in music still shapes the way he works today. There’s a strong sense of improvisation in his approach, learning the craft, putting in the reps, and then letting instinct take over. Whether he’s photographing sweeping landscapes in a national park or fleeting moments on a city sidewalk, that same mindset carries through. We also talk about how surviving cancer changed his relationship to time and to creative work itself. Photography became less about achievement and more about presence. Less about structure and more about play. It’s a really thoughtful conversation about reinvention, creativity, and how sometimes the things that start as small personal practices end up reshaping your life in ways you never expected. Links from the show Xiomaro’s Website Instagram “Street Photography of New York City: Street Haunting in the Big Apple” by Xiomaro “Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art” by Stephen Nachmanovitch