Street Moments

Black and white is beautiful. I used a DSLR often and it has allowed me to create images that may be difficult otherwise. But the truth of the matter is that film is organic and wholistic to me. It physically captures light in a different way and always will. My haven’t shot ilford, but Tri-X with my 1958 Yashica TLR may be my favorite thing ever.

I feel like black and white allows you to focus on the images in front of you - there’s no distraction of color.  For me, what’s important is the person in my photographs.  I’m interested by them.  Streets are very black and white to me and that’s how I visualize them in my head.

I use a Nikon D7000, a Yashica-mat LM and an X100.  I absolutely understand your views and being a considerate person, I personally had the same opinion to start with, however, one of the biggest things I’ve realized is that people enjoy being photographed.  If you are terrified they will think it’s because you’re hiding something.  If you can cheerfully go up to someone and take their photo, look them in the eye afterward and smile - they have nothing to be scared of.  That’s always been my approach.  If you don’t hide your activities, they won’t hide theirs from you. That’s when the magic happens.

I honestly had a simple desire to capture the best and worst moments in people who I’ve found fascinating my whole life.  There is so much happening around us on a daily basis, and we don’t look at it.  We don’t observe others because it almost seems like your average joe is afraid to interact with a stranger.  I was terrified of people, so I decided to dive head first into it and street photography allowed me to conquer my fear.  Then I began to love people.  That’s what got me started.