20 Questions

Jul 26 2018

20 Questions in Istanbul with Kerem Nasipoglu

*An interview series with a play on “20 questions,” where I try to mix it up with different questions. Some serious, some not so much. I’ll also be focusing the series on some of the best street photographers from the cities I visit around the world during my 100 Cities project.

The beginnings of my Major Cities project started almost 4 years ago while I lived in Istanbul, Turkey. This amazing city was not only the first city I included in my project, but 86 major cities later, it’s still at the top of my list of cities in the world for photography. While living there, I met and became friends with a local photographer by the name of Kerem Nasipoglu, one of the most passionate and involved street photographers in Istanbul, which is saying something. And being the first city on my project, I realized I never interviewed a local photographer from the city so I could think of no one better than Kerem to have for this city’s installment of 20 Questions.

While being very involved in the street photography community, Kerem’s street work blends with a strong interest in social documentary work. Documenting daily life as it happens and finding stories within it all is what interests him the most. Discovering these moments and differences from what surrounds him as he walks the streets of Istanbul daily really drives his passion and you can see it in his work.

So now to learn more about him, it’s time for 20 Questions in Istanbul with Kerem Nasipoglu…

May 10 2018

20 Questions in Amsterdam with Julie Hrudová

*A new interview series with a play on “20 questions,” where I try to mix it up with different questions. Some serious, some not so much. I’ll also be focusing the series on some of the best street photographers from the cities I visit around the world during my 100 Cities project.

I photographed Amsterdam earlier during my 100 City project, but have yet to do a local interview for the city. Until now. When it comes to photography, Amsterdam brings its crazier, anything goes side that its known for, but also a scenic, charming side that provides two very different atmospheres blended together. When it comes to local photographers, Amsterdam also brings the talented Julie Hrudová. While born in Prague, she’s called Amsterdam home for years and it’s where her photography career has really grown.

Much of Julie’s work gives a surreal and mysterious feeling. There’s a playful atmosphere mixed with humor and a slight strangeness to it all. Many times, her scenes bring questions that keep the viewer looking and wondering. Her unique eye for the obscure and how to capture and play with reality in her own way recently awarded her at the Italian StreetPhoto Festival, as well as being named the 2017 EyeEm Street Photographer winner.

So now to learn more about her, it’s time for 20 Questions in Amsterdam with Julie Hrudová…

Oct 05 2017

20 Questions in Hong Kong with Michelle Chan (aka little.rice)

I visited and photographed Hong Kong earlier during my 100 City project, but didn’t get a chance to know Michelle Chan (aka little.rice) until this year. While Hong Kong is her home, she’s also lived over a decade in the UK and spends much time traveling, especially to one of her favorite places, Nepal . With such a genuine and warm energy, along with a unique photographic vision, I knew I had to include her in the 20 Questions series, and thankfully she agreed.

Michelle’s black & white photos contain a dream-like atmosphere and mood, while also including a strong focus on people and life. There’s emotion in her images, all with her own personal touch and character. An award-winning project of hers includes her unique, and slightly humorous, documentation of the Crab Seniors, a group of early morning elderly swimmers in Hong Kong.

So now to learn more about her, it’s time for 20 Questions in Hong Kong with Michelle Rice…

Aug 24 2017

20 Questions in Lviv, Ukraine with Taras Bychko

*A new interview series with a play on “20 questions,” where I try to mix it up. Some serious questions, some not so much. The series will also focus on some of the best street photographers from the cities I visit around the world during my 100 Cities project.

I visited Lviv, Ukraine early on during my 100 City project. Since then, Ukraine has become one of my favorite countries to visit, as there’s something special about this uniquely authentic country. While cities like Kiev and Odessa provide their own special Ukraine atmosphere, Lviv adds a more European feel with a lot of old world charm. Making Lviv even more special, it’s also home to the talented photographer Taras Bychko.

Taras’ work contains a lot of style and mood. By mixing creative ways of capturing light and shadow with the life of the city, he’s able to bring his own vision to his photos. While Taras isn’t the only one to play with the effects of light and shadow, his work brings a personal, creative and unique touch that makes it stand out. He also incorporates people, life, moments and color in with careful composition to play with his command of light, and add even more interest to his scenes. There’s a strong character to his work that has quickly been gaining more and more fans. And fortunately, for the blog and those fans, he’s agreed to play along in this edition of 20 Questions.

So now to learn more about him, it’s time for 20 Questions in Lviv, Ukraine with Taras Bychko…

Jul 25 2017

20 Questions in Brussels, Belgium with Dani Oshi

Last year, I met photographer Dani Oshi in Brussels during the Brussels Street Photography Festival, which he’s a co-founder of. We quickly became friends and the whole BSPF event ended up being a highlight of the year. Dani’s a great guy with tons of passion and energy, especially when it comes to photography. In addition to the festival, which is coming up again this year in October, he also founded WorldSP.co, a photography community that promotes contemporary original artists on tumblr from all over the world. When it comes to photography, his work crosses commercial and personal, including street photography.

Much of Dani’s street photography work shows an up-close approach with strong attention to details and the use of flash to enhance those details. There’s a tension brought to the scene through his vision in what he chooses to capture and how he captures it. In addition to close-up flash and interesting details, expression and color also play an important role in much of his work. It’s personal and provides a unique perception of reality and life in the street.

So now to learn more about him, it’s time for 20 Questions in Brussels, Belgium with Dani Oshi…

Mar 22 2017

20 Questions in Saint-Petersburg, Russia with Ilya Shtutsa

At the beginning of last summer, I spent a couple of weeks in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. The White Nights Festival falls during the summer, when the long days of sunlight bring the beautiful city to life, making it an amazing time to visit this remarkable city. It ended up being one of my favorite cities I’ve visited during my 100 cities project so far, and also gave me the chance to meet and go shooting with local photographer Ilya Shtutsa.

Ilya is a member of the Observe Collective and his work is an excellent representation of the magic this city has to offer street photography. Finding the extraordinary from the ordinary is an overused saying in this genre, but that is exactly what he does. His scenes have a sometimes surreal, almost magical, look to them. Ilya captures complex and interesting, often unusual, scenes from daily life in Saint-Petersburg. They’re scenes you probably haven’t seen before and they’re captured with an interest in light and color that really brings them to life. There’s plenty to look at, with a painting like quality to it all in many of his images.

So now to learn more about him, it’s time for 20 Questions in Saint-Petersburg, Russia with Ilya Shtutsa…

Feb 21 2017

20 Questions in London, England with Dmitry Stepanenko

For this installment of 20 Questions, we’re going to London, England to get to know photographer Dmitry Stepanenko. I met Dmitry last summer when I went to photograph his city of London. He offered to show me some of his favorite spots for shooting and we’ve been friends since. Dmitry is also a founding member of the The Street Collective, which I have since became a member of and will be returning to London to teach our upcoming Color Street Photography Workshop on March 10th with Dmitry (spots available!). So what better time to interview him for the blog than now.

Dmitry was born and grew up in Odessa, Ukraine, but has called London his home since 2010. It was actually since moving to the UK that he found his passion for photography too. Dmitry’s photos show a strong connection to light and color, creating images out of daily life that can give a cinematic or painting like feel. Geometry, reflections, colors, contrast, light, and shadow composed together with a human element to give it even more life.

So now to learn more about him, it’s time for 20 Questions in London, England with Dmitry Stepanenko…

Jan 09 2017

20 Questions in Hong Kong with Edas Wong

While living in Ho Chi Minh City, I made a week trip up to Hong Kong for photography. While the weather wasn’t the most cooperative, I left the city loving it. Hong Kong is such a unique city with so much to offer that I’ll definitely return. Hong Kong is also home to photographer Edas Wong, who thankfully agreed to take on this city’s installment of 20 Questions.

Edas’ photos have a dreamy, slightly surreal feeling to them. He finds surrealism and humor, or even the strange, from day-to-day life using juxtaposition and a curious eye. His captures make you look and think about what you’re seeing. He’s a dreamer that uses the camera to capture his imagination onto a photograph, using everyday life to do so. Which usually occurs right here in his city of Hong Kong.

So now to learn more about him, it’s time for 20 Questions in Hong Kong with Edas Wong…

Aug 01 2016

20 Questions in Bangkok, Thailand with Rammy Narula

Between leaving Vietnam and some work in Russia, I decided to stop in Bangkok, Thailand. Bangkok has become a hotbed of talent in the street photography genre and fortunately I was able to meet much of this talent after guest speaking at the Street Photo Thailand Workshop. Photographer Rammy Narula, who is part of the Street Photo Thailand team, was kind enough to not only show me around Bangkok, but also to thankfully take on this edition of “20 Questions.”

Bangkok Photos-12 — (From Rammy Narula’s new book, Platform 10)

Rammy is a member of the APF Collective and a very involved member of the street photography community. Light, shadow and color play a noticeably important part in many of the scenes he captures, as he uses them to not only enhance his photos aesthetically, but also to enhance the strength and focus of what he captures. His work is clean with every detail in the frame flowing together, while blending the candid humanity of everyday life into photos that are visually pleasing too. Rammy recently finished his first book, Platform 10, which really showcases his style using light and shadow in an artistic way.

So now to learn more about him, it’s time for 20 Questions in Bangkok, Thailand with Rammy Narula…

Jul 18 2016

20 Questions in Hanoi, Vietnam with Chu Việt Hà

During my time living in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, I made sure to visit the capital of Hanoi too. I really enjoyed how full of character Hanoi is, and the older feeling it gives you compared to Saigon. While in Hanoi, I was lucky enough to meet and shoot with local photographer Chu Việt Hà, who really knows how to capture that character and discover the moments this city has to offer.

Chu Việt Hà’s work shows how important a good eye is in street photography. He’s able to find interesting, and sometimes surreal, scenes and moments within day-to-day life that most would never notice. He gets up close and brings you into what he captures. Seeing the world through his eyes shows you how unique all that life around us really is.

So now to learn more about him, it’s time for 20 Questions in Hanoi, Vietnam with Chu Việt Hà…