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Sep 18 2017

30 More Top Instagram Accounts to Follow for Street Photographers

Recently, I’m noticing more and more talented street photographers surrender to the times and join instagram. Also, a question I see (and get) more lately is who to check out and follow on instagram. So let’s kill two birds with one stone and give some talent to follow while giving some talent some followers. 

A list is a list, but I do take these seriously compared to your normal generic lists from someone who really doesn’t care and just looks up accounts with the most followers. So I can promise, I at least find everyone of these accounts highly recommendable and spend time looking for quality. I also want to recommend accounts that have a decent amount of posts and stay active so it gives you something worth following. So other than being quality with a focus on photography, the other criteria is they must have a minimum of 100 posts while staying recently active.

There are so many more talented photographer accounts out there so this is NOT some definitive list, it’s more of a list just to give you some more quality work to look at. I hope you find some accounts and photographers you enjoy from this list and be sure to check out my past recommendations linked below for more to follow:

  • 15 Top Instagram Accounts for Street Photographers

  • 20 Top Female Street Photographers on Instagram

I might do this again in the distant future so if you have any recommended accounts (Not Your Own), please comment them below.

30 More Top Instagram Accounts to Follow for Street Photographers

(in no particular order)

1. @joel_meyerowitz

Joel Meyerowitz

Link: https://www.instagram.com/joel_meyerowitz

2. @richardkalvar

Richard Kalvar

Link: https://www.instagram.com/richardkalvar

3.@pinkhassov

Gueorgui Pinkhassov

Link: https://www.instagram.com/pinkhassov

4. @jillfreedmanphoto

Jill Freedman

Link: https://www.instagram.com/jillfreedmanphoto

5. @yoriyas

Yoriyas Yassine Alaoui

Link: https://www.instagram.com/yoriyas

6. @roberto.deri

Roberto Deri

Link: https://www.instagram.com/roberto.deri

7. @rudy_boyer

Rudy Boyer

Link: https://www.instagram.com/rudy_boyer

8. @gabyba33

Gabi Ben Avraham

Link: https://www.instagram.com/gabyba33

9. @ola_billmont

Ola Billmont

Link: https://www.instagram.com/ola_billmont

10. @lukasvasilikos

Lukas Vasilikos

Link: https://www.instagram.com/lukasvasilikos

11. @zisiskardianos

Zisis Kardianos

Link: https://www.instagram.com/zisiskardianos

12. @efi_o

Efi Logginou

Link: https://www.instagram.com/efi_o

13. @ilanburla

Ilan Burla

Link: https://www.instagram.com/ilanburla

14. @fabiofagu

Fabio Costa

Link: https://www.instagram.com/fabiofagu

15. @barrytalis

Barry Talis

Link: https://www.instagram.com/barrytalis

16. @kool_peter

Peter Kool

Link: https://www.instagram.com/kool_peter

17. @jacksimon

Jack Simon

Link: https://www.instagram.com/jacksimon

 18. @biekedepoorter

Bieke Depoorter

Link: https://www.instagram.com/biekedepoorter

19. @dmitstep

Dmitry Stepanenko

Link: https://www.instagram.com/dmitstep

20. @vineet_vohra

Vineet Vohra

Link: https://www.instagram.com/vineet_vohra

21. @pierre.belhassen

Pierre Belhassen

Link: https://www.instagram.com/pierre.belhassen

22. @valeriesixlouis

Valérie Six

Link: https://www.instagram.com/valeriesixlouis

23. @swaratghosh

Swarat Ghosh

Link: https://www.instagram.com/swaratghosh

24. @shtutsa_photo / @krysolove

Ilya Shtutsa

Link: https://www.instagram.com/shtutsa_photo

25. @larryhallegua

Larry Hallegua

Link: https://www.instagram.com/larryhallegua

26. @reuvenhalevi

Reuven Halevi

Link: https://www.instagram.com/reuvenhalevi

27. @juliacoddington

Julia Coddington

Link: https://www.instagram.com/juliacoddington

28. @matt.weber.photos

Matt Weber

Link: https://www.instagram.com/matt.weber.photos

29. @troyholden

Troy Holden

Link: https://www.instagram.com/troyholden

30. @ourstreets_

Link: https://www.instagram.com/ourstreets_

 

And if you’re not following mine, here it is too…

@fdwalker

Forrest Walker

Link: https://www.instagram.com/fdwalker

 

And again, feel free to comment any of your favorite accounts from other photographers down below…

 

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Featured File, Files, Lists, Shooter Files Series, Street Photography

Feb 02 2017

My Annually Updated Top 10 Cities for Street Photography (2017)

The number one question I’m asked is “What’s your favorite city for Street Photography?” From friends and family to strangers and emails. The truth is I can’t deal in absolutes or favorites with most anything, especially when it comes to answering that one. There are things I like about most cities that make them stand out in their own way, and there’s too many things dependent for me to pick just one above all others. But I can pick some that personally stand out a little more than others.

So now that I’m almost half way towards my goal of photographing 100 cities, I thought I’d create my first Annually Updated Top 10 Cities for Street Photography. Only cities I’ve photographed so far during my 100 city project are eligible so check the list here before you get mad at me for not including cities like NYC or Tokyo this year (They’re coming, though). And we’ll see how much next year’s list changes with even more cities up for inclusion.

My Annually Updated Top 10 Cities for Street Photography

(for 2017)

  1. Istanbul, Turkey
  2. Havana, Cuba
  3. Saint-Petersburg, Russia
  4. London, England
  5. Mumbai, India
  6. Paris, France
  7. Marrakech, Morocco
  8. Odessa, Ukraine
  9. Hong Kong
  10. Hanoi, Vietnam

1. Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul holds a special place in my heart so I might be a little biased here. It was the start of my 100 cities project, and jumping into this blog and mix of plans and goals I’ve set for myself. I lived here much of 2015 so I got to know it better than most cities too, but bias aside, I can’t imagine Istanbul not being towards the top of any street photography city list. Istanbul truly has it all. 

Being the capital of 3 empires helps cram the city with so much to offer a photographer that other cities can’t touch. Culture, history, religion, politics, people, diversity, character, conflict, architecture, sea, sunlight, color, old world, new world, and the list goes on. It’s many world’s of atmosphere packed into one city. It’s no surprise it spans two continents.

You could live here for years and only touch the surface. The energy and atmosphere of Istanbul is what I miss the most, though. It feels more alive than other cities, with a raw beauty that I haven’t found anywhere else.

Istanbul, Turkey 2015
Istanbul, Turkey 2015
Istanbul, Turkey 2015

2. Havana, Cuba

If you imagined the perfect city for street photography in your mind, Havana might be what you’d picture. It’s extremely walkable, full of character and life around every corner, as photo friendly as it gets, almost too easy to shoot in, and all with an atmosphere frozen in time. The opportunities for photography are endless here. You can just walk in any direction and explore away.

Havana is also a city that invites you in with the people like not many, so it’s a complete experience for photography. The amount of times I get invited for a drink or even into someone’s home in Havana is something that you don’t experience elsewhere, especially in a large city.

Still, while Havana is no secret among photographers, people question me about it as much as any. “It seems too hyped, over photographed, packed with clichés, every photographer’s destination,” and on. And while the old car type clichés of Cuba do deserve caution when here photographing, it’s really mostly a bunch of nonsense. You won’t find many photographers that have been here that regret it. Most fall in love just like everyone else. And believe it or not, there’s still plenty to photograph here. So my advice is to just ignore any worries and get over here as soon as you can.

Havana, Cuba 2016
Havana, Cuba 2016
Havana, Cuba 2016
Havana, Cuba 2016

3. Saint-Petersburg, Russia

Saint-Petersburg is probably the least hyped and talked about city on my list, so why is it up at #3? Because people just don’t know how good it is. Now, the time of year does makes a big difference, but if you go in the summer, it doesn’t get much better for street photography. The winter can be beautiful in its own way too, you just won’t have many hours of light.

The summer in Saint-Petersburg might be my favorite place to be for street photography right now. The sunlight is out 20+ hours a day and the beautiful city is full of life just as long. More than that, though, there’s just something magical about the city. The canals, pastel colors, incredible architecture, bridges, islands, hundreds of parks, and more give it this atmosphere that has to be experienced. The life and people are full of character too. Many people go about their life without any care of what others think, so it’s not uncommon to see older women and men sunbathing in their underwear. At the same time, you have many people who care a lot, so you see a variety of fashion and looks. It’s a big, magical city with a mix of so many things.

Saint-Petersburg, Russia 2016
Saint-Petersburg, Russia 2016
Saint-Petersburg, Russia 2016

4. London, England

London is as well-known as any city in the world, and as famous for street photography as it gets, but sometimes cities don’t live up to their fame. London isn’t one of them.

One of my favorite aspects of London are all the different neighborhoods, each with their own character. It’s like different villages grew until they combined into one large city over time. It isn’t like New York or Tokyo, where skyscrapers dominate over you. London doesn’t feel overwhelming for a city its size. You can spend your days exploring parts of London on foot and get completely different atmospheres when it comes to photography. Some areas are chaotic and crazy, while others are quiet and relaxing. There’s something around every crooked, winding street, and you never know what it will be.

The biggest knock on London is the weather, which I can’t say is undeserved, but if you get some sun, it’s really hard to beat this city. It’s as dynamic and fun to shoot in as it is famous.

London, England 2016
London, England 2016
London, England 2016

5. Mumbai, India

I will mention that while I haven’t visited them yet on my 100 cities project, I have been to Kolkata and Varanasi years ago. From memory, I’d probably put them above Mumbai, but they’ll have to wait until next year’s list to see if they officially pass Mumbai (I’ll be photographing both in 2017). 

India is packed with so many cities for street photography that it’s hard to name one. Out of the cities I’ve visited so far during my 100 cities project, though, Mumbai gets my pick.

Mumbai is the financial, commercial and entertainment capital of India. If you go by population, Mumbai is the largest city in the world’s second largest country. If you go by money, it’s the wealthiest city in India, but with some of its most extreme poverty. Mumbai is also India’s most diverse, cosmopolitan and westernised city. Basically, Mumbai is everything and more.

Bazaars and temples, colonial architecture and skyscrapers, bay promenades and fishing villages, Asia’s biggest slums and Bollywood stars’ most expensive homes. Mumbai is filled with a variety of scenery and life that rivals any city in the world. It’s filled with an urban energy that consumes you and endless interest that keeps you wanting more. All of this adds up to one of the top cities in the world for street photography.

Mumbai, India 2016
Mumbai, India 2016
Mumbai, India 2016

6. Paris, France

The city credited by many as the birthplace of street photography would be hard to leave off my list. When thinking of the classic black and white street photos from the past, scenes of Paris come to mind first for many. That’s a lot of hype to live up to when times change and the city is photographed as much as Paris, but for me, it still doesn’t disappoint.

There’s a lot more to Paris than the classic romanticized image of the city, though. The center of Paris, especially around streets like Rue de Rivoli, provides plenty of the classic picturesque street photography atmosphere, which is what will attract many photographers. And of course there’s the impressive parks like the Tuileries Garden, the scenic Seine River and all the famous architecture. All of these spots provide the atmosphere that makes Paris one of the most visited cities in the world, and why it’s so photographed, but what puts it on the list for me is how it also provides a much different atmosphere in many places.

Paris isn’t all beauty and romance. It’s also one of the edgier cities in Europe. This edginess in many areas does come with some negatives, but it also brings character, interest, a different atmosphere, and, in my opinion, photo opportunities that are very different from the clichés you might relate to Paris. It’s a city with a lot to offer, on both sides of the spectrum when it comes to your definition of beauty.

Paris, France 2016
Paris, France 2016
Paris, France 2016

7. Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech is the most challenging street photography city on the list, but it more than makes up for it in photo opportunities and atmosphere. It’s one of the more interesting cities for street photography that I’ve been to, not only for the rich variety of life and scenes to capture, but also for this challenge that it brings. While comparatively, not a photography friendly city, it is one of the most photogenic cities you’ll find. Many photographers come here for that reason, but leave frustrated if they’re not prepared for the challenge. You have to be on your game if you want to get close, candid shots.

If you’re ready for the challenge, you’ll be rewarded with all the life, colors, chaos, atmosphere, unique charm, and more that Marrakech has to offer. It’s chaotic, full of touristic hassling and haggling, and comes with this challenge, but as far as non-stop photo opportunities, it ranks as one of the best cities I’ve been too. There’s so much happening everywhere, so many characters and interesting people, so much color and beautiful scenery, and it’s all mixed in with a unique look that is all Marrakech. And that beautiful sun is always above making sure you have no excuse not to go out and capture some that.

Marrakech, Morocco 2016
Marrakech, Morocco 2016
Marrakech, Morocco 2016

8. Odessa, Ukraine

I have to include a city from Ukraine, one of my favorite countries in the world for street photography. It’s a close call between Kiev and Odessa, but the unique beach life gives Odessa the edge for me.

I went to Ukraine for the first time in 2015 and fell in love. So much so that I returned in 2016 and plan on returning again in 2017. I like places that feel authentic, are full of character and mood, while being a little rough around the edges. Ukraine is all this more than any place I’ve been. There’s nothing fake about the atmosphere and it doesn’t feel over photographed. It’s more untouched, while still being a large country with plenty going on. And the markets are the best you’ll find anywhere. Odessa’s Privoz Market is no exception.

Odessa provides this atmosphere that I love, but adds the Black Sea and more. It’s become the country’s top vacation getaway with beaches that fill up during the summer. The city is filled with history and character, while being extremely walkable. You can enjoy the pedestrian streets, old courtyards, parks, and markets in the city, and then take a walk to the beaches to enjoy the unique character, and characters, that fill it. They aren’t the typical tourist beaches you might be used to, either, which provides even more for street photography, in my opinion.

Odessa, Ukraine 2016
Odessa, Ukraine 2016
Odessa, Ukraine 2016

9. Hong Kong

One of the biggest things I appreciate in a city is how unique it is. Does it provide an experience and atmosphere that you won’t find anywhere else. Hong Kong is a city that does just that. While being known as one of the world’s largest financial hubs, it’s also a multicultural cities like no other, providing a modern exterior with a traditional interior to explore. It’s a one of a kind city full of character, variety and interest, showing the future in one direction and the past in another.

Hong Kong has one of the most impressive city skylines I’ve seen, but down on the ground in the narrow alleys and older neighborhoods, you can experience a completely different atmosphere. Hong Kong is one of the more unique cities I’ve been to with an international urban vibe mixed with old world Asia.

Hong Kong 2016
Hong Kong 2016
Hong Kong 2016

10. Hanoi, Vietnam

I live in Ho Chi Minh City and I love Ho Chi Minh City, but when it comes to street photography, I have to be honest. Hanoi is the winner. When it comes to best cities in Asia for street photography, Hanoi is towards the top of my list too. Vietnam’s capital has endless character, charm, plenty of places to shoot, some of the most photography friendly people you’ll meet, and packs this all into a very walk friendly city. Being thousands of years old, you feel the city’s age when exploring the streets. It can feel almost like groups of villages packed into one big city with the authentic, old world atmosphere it exudes.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)  is a great city which some photographers might prefer, but Hanoi is so much older and filled with even more character. They share many similarities, including the friendliness of the people, but Saigon is a little more polished and urban, while Hanoi is more walkable and gives a little more of the exotic. If big city skyscrapers and development are your preference, then Saigon might win out, but for me, Hanoi has a very attractive blend of big city and old world. Both cities are highly recommended, though, so visit both and decide for yourself.

Hanoi, Vietnam 2016
Hanoi, Vietnam 2016
Hanoi, Vietnam 2016

 

For 2017, I have plans to photograph at least 20 more major cities across 4 continents so we’ll see how this list gets shaken up next year, but with 45 cities down, every one of these cities comes highly recommend and are sure to provide an amazing experience for street photography, and more. (To see what cities I have tentatively planned for this year, check here.)

 

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Featured File, Files, Lists, Shooter Files Series, Street Photography, Travel, Travel Photography

Dec 19 2016

20 Photo Books from 2016 (for Street Photographers)

I love photo books, but traveling and being away from the U.S. all year makes it difficult to pick up many new ones. Still, I make sure I have a few purchased online waiting for me when I visit home over the holidays. So in honor of it being that time of year again, I compiled a list of photo books published in 2016 that should appeal to any street photographer.

Since it is the holidays, photo books do make a great gift for any photographer too. And if that photographer is you, even better. Gift yourself. 

So here’s 20 photo books published in 2016 that are definitely worth checking out.

20 Photo Books from 2016 for Street Photographers

1. La Calle: Photographs from Mexico by Alex Webb

“La Calle brings together more than thirty years of photography from the streets of Mexico by Alex Webb, spanning 1975 to 2007. Whether in black and white or color, Webb’s richly layered and complex compositions touch on multiple genres. As Geoff Dyer writes, Wherever he goes, Webb always ends up in a Bermuda-shaped triangle where the distinctions between photojournalism, documentary, and art blur and disappear. Webb’s ability to distill gesture, light, and cultural tensions into single, beguiling frames results in evocative images that convey a sense of mystery, irony, and humor.”

2. William Eggleston Portraits

“The eminent American photographer William Eggleston (b. 1939) was a pioneer in exploring the artistic potential of color photography. Eggleston made a name for himself with his eccentric, unexpected compositions of everyday life that were nonetheless rife with implied narrative, elevating the commonplace to art. This sumptuously illustrated book features Eggleston’s masterful portraits, including many familiar and beloved images as well as some previously unseen photographs from his long and productive career.” 

3. Street: The Human Clay by Lee Friedlander

 

“American photographer Lee Friedlander (b. 1934) has had an expansive career, photographing his subjects—from family and friends to political figures and celebrities—in their everyday environments, while simultaneously changing the very landscape of his chosen media. In his Human Clay series, images of people in their surroundings are presented together thematically. Each book features hundreds of photographs, many never before published, chosen and sequenced by the artist himself from his vast archive. This latest volume in the series compiles some of Friedlander’s street photography taken over the course of more than 50 years—including images of Atlanta, Buffalo, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, and San Francisco, as well as more than 125 photographs of New York City.”

4. The Eyes of the City by Richard Sandler

“From 1977 to just weeks before September 11, 2001, Richard regularly walked through the streets of Boston and New York, making incisive and humorous pictures that read the pulse of that time. In the 1980s crime and crack were on the rise and their effects were socially devastating. Times Square, Harlem, and the East Village were seeded with hard drugs, while in Midtown Manhattan, and on Wall Street, the rich flaunted their furs in unprecedented numbers, and “greed was good.” In the 1990s the city underwent drastic changes to lure in tourists and corporations, the result of which was rapid gentrification. Rents were raised and neighborhoods were sanitized, clearing them of both crime and character. Throughout these turbulent and creative years Sandler paced the streets with his native New Yorker’s eye for compassion, irony, and unvarnished fact. The results are presented in The Eyes of the City, many for the first time in print.”

5. Bruce Davidson: Survey

“This survey focuses on the work that has made Davidson one of the most influential documentary photographers to this day. In addition to his civil rights series and his work in Harlem, the book includes Davidson’s well-known series Brooklyn Gang, Subway, and Central Park. The book also highlights more recent projects, such as his explorations of Paris and Los Angeles landscapes.”

6. Ernst Haas: Color Correction: 1952-1986

“Ernst Haas is one of the best-known, most prolific and most published photographers of the 20th century. He is famed for his vibrant color style, which, for decades, was much in demand by the illustrated press. This work, published in the most influential magazines in Europe and America, also produced a constant stream of books, and these too enjoyed great popularity. But although his color work earned him international fame, in recent decades it has been derided as “overly commercial” or not sufficiently “serious.” Yet there was a side of Haas’ work almost entirely hidden from view: parallel to his commissioned work, he made images independently, images far more edgy, loose, complex, ambiguous and radical than the work for which he is famed. Hass never printed these pictures in his lifetime, nor did he exhibit them, perhaps believing that they would not be understood or appreciated. This volume, intended to “correct” the record, compiles these photos of great complexity for the first time in print.”

7. Elliott Erwitt: Home Around the World

“Elliott Erwitt: Home Around the World offers a timely and critical reconsideration of Erwitt’s unparalleled life as a photographer. Produced alongside a major retrospective exhibition, the book features examples of Erwitt’s early experiments in California, his intimate family portraits in New York, his major magazine assignments and long-term documentary interests, and his ongoing personal investigations of public spaces and their transitory inhabitants. Essays by photography experts based on extensive new interviews with the photographer consider less-studied aspects of Erwitt’s work: his engagement with social and political issues through photojournalism, the humanist qualities of his very early photographs, and his work as a filmmaker. Home Around the World traces the development and refinement of Erwitt’s unique visual approach over time. With over two hundred photographs, and ephemera including magazine reproductions, advertisements, and contact sheets, this volume is the first to offer a comprehensive historical treatment of Erwitt’s body of work and position in the field.”

8. diane arbus: in the beginning

“Diane Arbus (1923–1971) is one of the most distinctive and provocative artists of the twentieth century. Her photographs of children and eccentrics, couples and circus performers, female impersonators and nudists, are among the most recognizable images of our time. This book is the definitive study of the artist’s first seven years of work, from 1956 to 1962. Drawn primarily from the rich holdings of the Metropolitan Museum’s Diane Arbus Archive, diane arbus: in the beginning showcases over 100 of the artist’s early photographs, more than half of which are published here for the first time. The book provides a crucial, in-depth presentation of the artist’s genesis, showing Arbus as she developed her evocative and often haunting imagery. The photographs featured in this handsome volume reveal an artist defining her style, honing her subject matter, and in full possession of the many gifts for which she is now recognized the world over.”

9. Mexico: Photographs by Mark Cohen

“Between 1981 and 2003, Mark Cohen travelled to Mexico eight times. Seduced by the “surrealist” qualities he found there, Cohen took his camera to the streets of Mexico City, Oaxaca City, and Mérida, as well as other parts of the Yucatán. Following his split-second impulses, Cohen took his signature “grab shots,” often flooding the subjects with the artificial light of the flash. His black-and-white photographs, taken at arm’s length with minimal focus, capture the textures and rhythms of gritty city streets and city life. Reminiscent of Cohen’s iconic photographs of working-class Pennsylvania towns, yet imbued with a perceptible sense of foreignness, these Mexican images convey the restless energy and strangeness of daily life.”

10. Christine Osinski: Summer Days Staten Island

 

“Taken in the “forgotten borough” of Staten Island between 1983 and 1984, the photographs in Christine Osinski’s (born 1948) Summer Days Staten Island create a portrait of working-class culture in an often overlooked section of New York City. Captured on Osinski’s large format 4×5 camera as she wandered the island, her candid portraits of strangers, vernacular architecture and quotidian scenes reveal an invisible landscape within reach of the thriving metropolis of Manhattan. The neighborhoods that Osinski captured are devoid of the skyscrapers, swarms of pedestrians and choking masses of traffic that are a short ferry ride away. Instead, she captures kids riding bikes on open, empty streets, suburban homes with neatly tended yards and the small-town feel of New York’s least populous borough. Accompanying the series of images is an essay by Paul Moakley, Time magazine’s Deputy Director of Photography and Visual Enterprise.”

11. Harry Callahan: The Street

“Harry Callahan (1912–1999) was one of the most influential American photographers of the second half of the twentieth century. Callahan’s highly original oeuvre involved a wide-ranging exploration of photographic techniques including experimentation with exposures, a strong sense of line and form, and light and darkness. A crucial addition to Callahan’s critical presence and leading to a deeper understanding of the photographer’s greater impact on the techniques and styles of modern photography, Harry Callahan: The Street explores the artist’s lesser-known works, focusing on his black-and-white and colour street photographs. Bringing together documentary work, still life and staged photographs—many of his wife, whom he photographed throughout his life—this important review sheds new light on Callahan’s personal and pioneering approach.”

12. Cuba La Lucha by Carl De Keyzer

“Magnum photographer Carl De Keyze went to Cuba and came back with surprising, often tragi-comical pictures of a split country. Fidel Castro on a wall poster, while a man in the same picture wears a T-shirt emblazoned with’ FBI’. Four Cubans withdrawing money in a bank, while Che Guevara watches them from a portrait above their heads.

In his new photography book, with an introduction by curator and publicist Gabriela Salgado, Carl De Keyzer captures Cuba’s duality in pictures. With a master’s eye, he paints the picture of a country that is still rooted in communism, while reaching for Western capitalism.”

13. Libyan Sugar by Michael Christopher Brown

“Centered around the 2011 Libyan Revolution, Libyan Sugar is a road trip through a war zone, detailed through photographs, journal entries, and written communication with family and colleagues. A record of Michael Christopher Brown’s life both inside and outside Libya during that year, the work is about a young man going to war for the first time and his experience of that age-old desire to get as close as possible to a conflict in order to discover something about war and something about himself, perhaps a certain definition of life and death.”

14. All That Life Can Afford by Matt Stuart

 

 

 

 

 

“All that life can afford is Matt Stuarts’ first book of photographs taken in London between February 2002 & November 2015.” 

15. On The Night Bus by Nick Turpin

(USA residents can pre-order here)

“Shot in the winter months from a raised platform in central London, Nick Turpin captures bus passengers unawares during their evening commute. The portraits are at once beautiful and dark and raise questions about voyeurism and public and private space.

Despite being shot from a long way off with a tele photo lens through thick windows that obscure or blur the subjects the images reveal an intimate glimpse into life of the city traveller. Some passengers interact with each other, some sleep, some are moody and pensive, others lost in faraway thoughts. All are strangely silent behind the cold wintery glass that, alongside the artificial light in the bus, renders these everyday scenes into something akin to classical paintings.”

16. Fragments of a Spinning Rock by Kaushal Parikh

 

 

 

 

 

“Fragments of a Spinning Rock, a culmination of almost a decades work spread across India from Kaushal Parikh. The book also includes a short essay by talented writer Tara Sahgal tying the images together perfectly.” 

For more details behind the book, check out my interview with Kaushal here.

17. Sunlanders by Sean Lotman

 

 

 

 

“Sean Lotman’s photographs of Japan immerse us in his imagination and interpretation of reality in a land he has come to call home. His photographs encapsulate his existence in Japan, as a person who is intrinsically bound to his surroundings, yet still exists as a foreigner. His photographs are at times psychedelic, transposing what he sees to photographs as a maelstrom of mystery and wonder. Sunlanders is not a static document of Japan. Nor is it a journal or contest of image making. Rather, it is an exploration of existence, a dive in to a world unknown in suspended reality, imbued in colour and fascination. Each image in the book has been reproduced from carefully hand printed C-Type prints in the darkroom.”

Peanut Press

The last three photo books on the list come from the same publisher, Peanut Press. Co-founders, Ashly Leonard Stohl and David Carol, are both photographers themselves and wanted to create a different type of publisher. One with a focus on the book, photos and photographer over the business. With three photo books published this year, they’ve been busy making that happen.

“We don’t want to be in the “book publishing” business. What we want to do, and are going to do, is make great books. We are going to make books for the right reasons. We are going to partner with great photographers to make the book they will love, that we will love, that exists for one purpose. Not to make money, though we hope it will, but to produce a beautiful and precious treasure that will put photographs first. The work comes first at Peanut Press, or we won’t get involved.”

-Co-founders, Ashly Leonard Stohl and David Carol

18. NO PLAN B by David Carol

 

 

 

 

“This hard cover book is being published in conjunction with David’s first retrospective show, “NO PLAN B” at the Leica Gallery in Soho, New York. This compilation of 32 photographs represents the last 25 years of his work. The photos of David’s travels include images from Russia to Turkey, Mexico to the Canadian Arctic, all with his very unique and personal vision.”

19. NEW YORK by Richard Bram

 

 

 

 

“From 2005 to 2015, Richard Bram’s “NEW YORK” reflects his attention to the energy and people of the city. Richard is attuned to the small gestures that pass in an instant before his eye as he goes about the city.”

20. PLATFORM 10 by Rammy Narula

 

 

 

 

“Rammy Narula’s journey in photography came when he was handed a camera and told to go take some pictures to clear his head. Very quickly walking the streets of Bangkok with it became an obsession that never relented. At Platform 10 in the Bangkok Train Station, Rammy finds a peace within the hectic city.” 

For more details behind the book, check out my interview with Rammy here.

Bonus:

The Book on Photo Books

Magnum Photobook: The Catalogue Raisonne

“Published on the occasion of Magnum Photos’ seventieth anniversary, this fascinating in-depth survey brings Magnum’s history alive through the genre of the photobook, an essential vehicle for photographers to share their work.

Its pages include unpublished behind-the-scenes material, together with ephemera from the photographers’ archives about the making of their books. With an introduction by Fred Ritchin and texts by Carole Naggar, this book explores the evolution of the photobook, as well as the important role that Magnum has played in the history of documentary photography.”

A Crowd Funding Campaign

This photo book by photographer Stephen Leslie isn’t published yet, but you can help make it happen on his crowd funding campaign. 

Sparks by Stephen Leslie

“A family is brought to near ruin by a pet python, an Icelandic advertising agency has a problem with a campaign involving a dead seagull, a Chiropodist desperately wants to stop examining people’s feet and dreams of becoming a Pirate. In India, a shopping mall owner laments the instillation of a new escalator and in Spain there are several possible reasons for a broken plant pot….. These are just a few of the many situations from SPARKS, a book that imagines the stories behind original street photographs.

SPARKS is a book of photographs taken over the past 20 years that now each have an accompanying story. All of the photographs in the book have been shot on film, both 35mm and medium format. The finished book will be produced to the very highest standards and be a real thing of beauty.”

2016 was a good year for photo books so hopefully you all can find something to add to the photo library. And if you have any books from 2016 to add to the list, please comment them below!

 

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Featured File, Files, Lists, Shooter Files Series, Street Photography

Jul 11 2016

20 Top Female Street Photographers on Instagram

 

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Two weeks ago I posted 15 Top Instagram Accounts for Street Photographers, which ended up getting shared and viewed quite a bit. With that came facebook comments and messages, most of which were very positive. But it was brought to my attention a few times that the post’s list didn’t include any women. I spent a lot of time making sure it was all of the highest quality out there, but wasn’t thinking about men or women. When I made the list, I laid out minimum post criteria to ensure only the most active accounts were included, which also left out some very talented female photographers I admire.

Since it wasn’t my intention to make it a Men Only list and I know that it can seem that’s where all the representation goes in this genre, I decided to spend time creating a list of talented female street photographers on Instagram. This time without the minimum post criteria, but they still had to be very high quality, active, and appeal to the street genre. There were already many I knew I had to include, but after spending hours researching and finding new accounts, I discovered how many more are out there. From there, I was able to cut it down to 20 of my favorites. (Never a definitive “Best List,” but 20 of the Top out there.)

These women are all talented photographers on their own, but to help strengthen visibility of women in the street genre, here’s a list of 20 of the best Instagram accounts that street photographers should all follow!

20 Top Female Street Photographers on Instagram

(in no particular order)

[Read more…] about 20 Top Female Street Photographers on Instagram

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Featured File, Files, Lists, Shooter Files Series, Street Photography

Jun 27 2016

15 Top Instagram Accounts for Street Photographers

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Following popular posts like 15 Top Photo Collectives for Street Photographers and 15 Top Blogs for Street Photographers, comes 15 Top (Active!) Instagram Accounts for Street Photographers.

When it comes to the most popular social media platforms for photographers, Flickr has its own pluses, but Instagram keeps it simple, mobile and can be used in different ways. Instagram is so big now that there are too many great accounts to make a definitive list, but I wanted to create a list of some of the best that clearly put focus on Instagram.

This list was heavily influenced by how active the Instagram accounts are. So they had to have a minimum of 200 posts with regular posting continuing today.

So if you’re looking for active accounts to follow, here’s 15 top picks worth checking out if you’re into Street Photography too!

15 Top Instagram Accounts for Street Photographers

(in no particular order)

[Read more…] about 15 Top Instagram Accounts for Street Photographers

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: 15 Top, Featured File, Files, Inspiration, Lists, Shooter Files Series, Street Photography

Jun 15 2016

50 Tips I Would Tell My New Photographer Self

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I remember my first college photography course years ago. It was taught by a photographer with over 40 years of experience. Unfortunately, those 40 years didn’t seem to teach him much valuable advice to give aspiring photographers.

For perspective, the instructor’s most repeated piece of advice was that “No great photos have been made without a tripod!” Not joking.

Most of what I’ve learned since has come from experience, time, plenty of photos, studying great photographers’ work and finding valuable information on my own (thank you internet). A lot of time could have been saved if I’d been told a few valuable pieces of simple advice at the start, though.

So here’s 50 things I wish that teacher had told me instead, years ago. And feel free to add any of your own tips in the comments below! 

50 Tips I Would Tell My New Photographer Self

1. Photos are Images of Light. Learn Light As Much As You Learn Anything.

2. Focus on the Whole Scene, Not Just One Element.

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3. Try Everything, Pick Something. 

4. Don’t Waste So Much Time Looking at Gear.

5. Listen to Criticism, But Stick to Your Vision.

6. Learn How to Zone Focus.

7. Don’t Just Show What Something Looks Like. See How You Can Capture More.

8. Your Photos You Think are Good Today, You Might Realize Aren’t Tomorrow. That’s OK, You’re Improving.

9. Learn Three Things Inside and Out: Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO

quotes5

10. Be a Photographer First, Then You Can Think of a Career.

11. Don’t Compete or Compare With Others. Focus on Your Own Improvement.

12. Always Have a Camera With You.

13. Photo Books are a Visual Teacher. Buy Many.

14. Worry Less About Technology and More About Photography.

15. Take Risks at the Beginning, Don’t Jump into Constraints From the Start.

16. Don’t Spend So Much Time Tweaking Edits and Pre-Sets. Take Your Camera and Go Outside.

17. Force Yourself to Learn How to Shoot Manual from the Start.

18. Don’t Listen to Everyone. A Photo of a Flower Would Get More “likes” than Most of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s Work.

19. Do Listen to Someone, Though. Find Honest Photographers to Critique Your Photos With.

20. Curiosity & Instincts Work Well Together in Photography.

21. Shooting Wide Open is Not Mandatory.

22. Shoot Every Day.

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23. Don’t Give Up. Most People Stop at the Start.

24. Learn One Focal Length Extremely Well.

25. Do What You Can With What You Have.

26. Shoot RAW.

27. Bokeh Can Look Nice, But Only in Certain Instances. 

28. Slow Down. Taking More Shots Doesn’t Equal More Keepers.

29. Don’t Worry About Taking Too Many Shots, Though. Take Another Shot, or five, If You Feel It.

30. If It Doesn’t Say or Show Anything Interesting, Then It’s Not a Good Photo.

31. Just Shoot It. If It Grabs You, Capture It. Hesitating Out of Fear Loses Your Best Shots.

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32. Get Closer. But Not as a Rule.

33. Substance Over Polish. Substance Will Last the Test of Time, Amazing Photoshop Won’t.

34. Most Camera Features Just Get in the Way.

35. Study the Work of Great Photographers.

36. Photography Looks Much Better in Print than on Screens. Study Prints.

37. All You Really Need is a Camera.

38. Look Longer at the Things Most People Ignore.

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39. Write Things Down. Ideas, Thoughts, Goals, Etc.

40.  Stop Waiting and Just Do It. It Won’t Go Perfectly, But You Have to Take the First Step to Go Anywhere.

41. Always Believe in Yourself Sounds Cliche. Don’t Listen to Yourself When You Don’t Believe in Yourself Sounds Realistic.

42. Choose Your Own Life. Don’t Let Others Dictate It.

43. Your Eyes Will Always Be More Important than Your Camera. Train Your Eyes to See.

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44. Question Yourself & Your Photography. Push Yourself.

45. Don’t Worry So Much About What Others Think.

46. Fear and Failure Come with Success.

47. Shoot What You Love. Photograph What Interests You, Don’t Force What Doesn’t. 

48. Walk Everywhere.

49. Don’t Overthink Photography. Capturing a Great Photo is Difficult, But Overthinking Only Makes it More Difficult.

50. There’s Always More to Learn. And to Capture.

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Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Featured File, Files, Lists, Street Philosophy, Street Photography, Tips

Mar 07 2016

15 Top Flickr Pages for Street Photographers

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Belgrade, Serbia 2015

I’ve written some popular posts on 15 of my favorite Photo Collectives for Street Photographers and 15 of my favorite blogs for Street Photographers so I thought I’d share 15 of my favorite Flickr pages for Street Photographers too.

There is an endless amount of amazing flickr pages so this is by no means a definitive list of the 15 best, but it is 15 of my favorite. I’m always looking for new photographers and flickr pages, but I follow all of these and would recommend checking them out if you’re into Street Photography too.

15 Top Flickr Pages for Street Photographers

(in no particular order)

[Read more…] about 15 Top Flickr Pages for Street Photographers

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Featured File, Files, Inspiration, Lists, Photos, Shooter Files Series, Street Photography

Jan 06 2016

15 Top Blogs for Street Photographers

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Kiev, Ukraine 2015

I recently wrote a popular post on 15 of my favorite Photo Collectives for Street Photographers so I thought I’d share 15 of my favorite Blogs for Street Photographers too.

While this niche genre is growing fast, there still isn’t as many quality blogs out there focusing on Street Photography as some of the other genres. I’m always looking for new ones, but these blogs are some that I follow and would recommend checking out if you’re into Street Photography at all!

15 Top Blogs for Street Photographers

(in no particular order)

[Read more…] about 15 Top Blogs for Street Photographers

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: 15 Top, Featured File, Files, Lists, Shooter Files Series, Street Photography

Jan 04 2016

My Top 61 Street Photography Photos From 2015

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Why 61 photos?

Well, I was going to try to come up with some clever reason on why I went with the number 61, but I’ll just be honest.

I’m not good at editing down my photos, I was randomly stuck at 61 photos from the year, and I gave up on cutting them down further to an even and sensible Top 50.

So before we’re already weeks into 2016…

[Read more…] about My Top 61 Street Photography Photos From 2015

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Color, Featured File, Files, Inspiration, Lists, Photos, Street Photography, Travel, Travel Photography

Nov 03 2015

15 Top Photography Collectives for Street Photographers

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I’ve compiled a list of 15 of my personal favorite photography collectives. These collectives aren’t limited to one genre or style, but should appeal to anyone who loves Street and Documentary Photography. 

These collectives are filled with some of the most talented photographers from around the world. Hopefully, after going through these amazing collectives you can find some new photographers and work to follow too. 

15 Top Photography Collectives for Street Photographers

[Read more…] about 15 Top Photography Collectives for Street Photographers

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Featured File, Files, Inspiration, Lists, Popular, Street Photography, Travel Photography

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