Tony Luciani’s Artistic Beginnings

Tony Luciani, a multi-award winning artist, has spent more than 40 years of his life as a painter using positives and negatives, composition and light to create stunning art. His work has been exhibited in numerous galleries throughout his career. Already drawing at the age of six, he was compelled to enter the TV Guide Magazine weekly art contest. He would draw the images and submit them only to have them returned with instructions not to cheat. Since the contest was to mimic the example pictures, and Tony had done so masterfully enough that they felt he had traced them, he knew he had found his calling. His high school courses were heavily focused in art. After high school, Tony went before the board at Ontario College of Art where his portfolio was evaluated, and he was fast-tracked to third year due to the strength of his body of work.

A Candid Interview with Tony Luciani

Tony called me from Canada and spoke candidly to give me a deeper and more personal glimpse into his backstory and present life. He told me that one of his favorite paintings titled, “Wonder Woman” stirred great controversy and that many galleries would not even consider exhibiting it. It depicts a woman, Monica that is not covering up the scar of her mastectomy but protecting it. It leaves the viewer connected, not just to Monica but to the sacrifices we make for survival. Her beautiful bald head and soulful eyes courageously encourage strength from those facing the same battles. This incredible painting is now a permanent fixture, the smallest ever at the Modern Art Museum in Barcelona, Spain. To view more of Tony’s paintings, visit his website.

Tony Luciani Adds Photography to His Repertoire

Paintings of his caliber take months to finish and Tony wasn’t satiated with only putting out 3-4 paintings per year. He longed for another way to put his feelings to art and decided that photography was a wonderful solution. In his many years as an artist, Tony had only used a camera to take reference images so that he could use them to create his paintings. About a year ago, that changed when Tony decided to start playing around with his camera to learn more about the various technical settings. His strong grasp on composition and lighting as a painter was already ingrained in his mind and made him far more advanced than most who pick up a camera today.

As his mother, Elia, who will be 93 in January, began to develop partial dementia while living on her own, Tony decided that she was too full of life and humor to even consider an assisted living home. So, he moved his mom into his own home/studio, a converted old church, in September 2014. Hearing him tell me about this historic space made me think about the stories that one place must hold. His words, so descriptive and passionate about life and art brought me into his world for a moment and made me feel like I was there watching him work.

How Tony Luciani Drew Inspiration From His Mom

One day, Elia sat in a chair reading a book with her head rested on her hand. Tony noticed the way the light was hitting her through the frosted, diffused church windows and he knew, in that moment, that he had to photograph her hands and face. He grabbed his camera and began reading the light with his eyes as he posed her and took beautiful frames of her features.

Her hands and face adorned in wrinkles that tell her age didn’t stop Elia from thinking of herself in her youthful years and transporting mentally back to that time. Tony realized that when Elia would dress up for him to photograph her, she would come back to life and have so much fun participating.  So, he continues to photograph her, and she thrives on it.  Tony says that his mother modeling for him is her contribution to the household which admittedly, made me chuckle. His photo sessions with Elia activate her mind while also capturing her spirit. His love for the woman who birthed him shines through and is evident in the portraiture he creates of her. Elia now collaborates with Tony on portrait concepts.

In Tony’s Own Words, He Describes How a “Sew Sew Photo” Came About

“As a young boy, I would at times bring my school homework down to the basement sewing room. There, my mom would be creating & mending clothes for the family on this massive machine she purchased from the factory where she worked. I would cuddle up in this over-stuffed fabric chair and listen to the humming of the motor, as I did my math and English. It relaxed me. Mom’s house was sold a while ago…and I salvaged the Singer machine, saving it for my daughter on her request. One night a few months ago, I heard that same hum from my studio late one night. When I quietly went down, I saw mom mending away. I relived my childhood for a few minutes. I felt like a kid again.
I call this shot, ‘A Sew Sew Photo.’ ”

Elia Luciani: More Than Tony Luciani’s Muse

Elia received a Nikon Coolpix P5000, 10-megapixel camera from Tony, and he challenged her to capture at least 10 images per day of her surroundings. He set up a Facebook page for her and posted her work proudly, entered her into some competitions and her work was featured several times as best of black and white on Inspire Magazine. From April to June 2015, 17 of Elia’s beautiful images stood out on the walls of the Chicory Common Natural Foods & Cafe in Durham, Canada. This was her first “One Old Woman Show” and I suspect it won’t be the last.

My Thoughts on Tony Luciani’s Widespread Appeal

Many people create gorgeous images every day so why then does Tony’s images of his elderly mother garner thousands of social media likes every time he posts a new one? I earnestly believe it’s because these portraits connect with nearly everyone. Perhaps you, as the viewer are elderly yourself, or you see someone who has also or is currently suffering from dementia. Maybe you see your future self or feel guilt for an elder that you didn’t continue to care for. Maybe you are reminded of the good days that led up to the end of a loved one’s life. Perhaps you are even afraid of the end of your own. Whatever the reason may be, Tony’s images are captivating. He says he’s not a photographer but in my heart, I disagree. Feel free to check out his photography website and decide for yourself. To see the world through Elia’s eyes, visit her Facebook.

Jermaine Horton – Website | Instagram

“I’m a die-hard sports fan, so being able to shoot pro sports is an outlet of joy and eases my mind because I know the game. It’s so fun watching some of my favorite players make plays and celebrate with their emotions. I know some people love vacations, i.e. walks on the beach to clear their mind, and I do too, but sports is clarity for my mind. I enjoy seeing people passionate about their craft and living up to major moments. There is nothing predictable about sports which HELPS me with weddings because you never know what will happen and it keeps your mind and reactions sharp.”

Marlies Hartmann – Website | Instagram

“As a single parent, finding balance has always been my greatest struggle, and it can be incredibly difficult to stay inspired when you’re chained to your computer 24/7. For me to stay inspired, putting aside work 100% and focusing on my daughter lets me reset and see the world through her eyes. Exposing her to new places (like Tokyo in this instance), taking her to see an art exhibit, broadway show, or fun pop-up museum allows me to draw inspiration from an alternate artistic mediums while also giving her my undivided attention, and enhances her love of the arts/nature all at the same time. Those opportunities result in a full cup that’s ready to get back to work with a fresh outlook, renewed perspective, and a stronger relationship with my daughter.”

Thomas Ingersoll – Website | Instagram

“How people choose to spend their free time is always a huge inspiration to me. What skills have they cultivated? What do they do and how do they do it? There is something captivating about all the ways we choose to occupy our time. For this project, I wanted to show the vibration and rhythm that comes with playing the stand-up bass. The mood the artist created with her instrument inspired me to use colored gels, and the vibration of the strings inspired me to use a slow shutter.”

Kesha Lambert – Website | Instagram

“We frequently find ourselves working at the same venues. Familiarity with a venue is great in terms of logistics but it can be a creativity killer because it is so easy to default to doing what you know works well in that space. Then there is the challenge of the client’s “must-have” shots related to the venue. Many venues have popular areas or architectural structures that venue is known for, which are sometimes the reason that the couple chose the venue. Grand swirling stairs, an opulent archway, a view of the skyline, a rooftop; working in these must-have spaces can also throw a creative into default mode. So one thing that I like to do is just observe spaces. I will stand in a space and just look at it, look for textures and nooks that I may not have noticed before. When I enter a space find the thing that draws the viewer’s attention, find the thing that makes the room special, then turn my back to that part of the room and really observe. The first photograph shows the archway that was in this venue’s wedding brochure and enlarged in print on the walls of the venue’s lobby, the second photograph is what I captured when I turned my back to the brochure arch.”

Taylor Kinzie – Website | Instagram

“Whenever I’m starting to feel the familiar heaviness of burn out, I pack up the car and go on a road trip to somewhere beautiful and isolated. My go-to destinations are Yosemite, the Central Coast, and Montana. During this time, I unplug from social media so I can clear out the clutter of the comparison game in my head. I let myself do nothing but feel joy and awe. Taking time out of my schedule to get re-centered and reconnected with nature and myself helps me to feel inspired again and I always return feeling energized and ready to create.”

Jason & Joanne Marino – Website | Instagram

“Spending a few weeks in our RV is always our way of recharging and finding inspiration. Not only do new locales allow us to see the world differently, but the food we eat, people we meet, and adventures we have really get us geared up to dive back into work once we’re back home. This photo is of our three teens from our summer RV road trip in 2018, taken at sunset, just outside Monterey, CA, at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca RV Campground. It says it all for us.”

Vanessa Joy – Website | Instagram

“I love trying a new photographic technique outside of my typical brand. I tend to have a light and bright image style to my photography, so going the opposite I’ve tried doing silhouettes with a fun colorful twist. This technique is great for hiding ugly locations, creating an epic image, and surprising them with something they can’t see on their own.”

Citlalli Rico – Website | Instagram

“I’ve always loved plants and finding a way to incorporate them in my photography work. My favorite is to frame my couples with any kind of leaves that are bright and beautiful. Plants have also helped me tremendously to understand natural light and how to see it and use it in the portraits I create.”

Jay Cassario – Website | Instagram

“Every year around August and September, I start to feel burnt out and feel like everything I do is repetitive. It’s a mental game that kicks in each and every year. I used to switch to shooting film, which helped because it challenged me and made shooting fun again. The problem with that is is that it becomes expensive and the inspiration from it quickly fades away. A few years ago I decided to switch it up and being that my son was 3 years old, I took him and my wife to Bar Harbor, Maine for vacation. I spent the week documenting his new experiences without asking him to look at the camera a single time. Since a good amount of my wedding photography is done in a documentary style, I fell in love with photographing my son the same way as he explored the world. My wife and I now plan a vacay every year around the end of August or early September for this exact reason now. I bring one camera and one lens, which is normally my Leica M and either a 24mm or 35mm lens. It provides us a little break during the busy season and no matter how burnt out I am from photography I find the love all over again photographing my son as he grows older and older each year.”

Lanny Mann – Website | Instagram

“Nature. Exercise. Music. Meditation. & Yoga. And most importantly, our kids!”

Justin Haugen – Website | Instagram | Wedding Maps Profile

“Self-care is a big part of helping me stay creatively refreshed and excited about the work I do. Lately, I’ve been getting into an exercise routine and rekindling interest in Yoga through the kind mentorship of a wonderful woman who I’ve photographed through her journey of growth. She’s helping me find my flow in life and I’m showing her the beauty and strength I see in her. Exercise, get massages, take some personal time. Disrupt your daily routines and treat your body and mind better, and the photography you do will reflect the growth you experience.”

Jared Gant – Website | Instagram | Wedding Maps Profile

“Simply breaking up my daily grind and routine helps me stay refreshed and increases my creativity. Typically, we as a family break up our routine by traveling somewhere new with each other a few times a year. Both my wife and I own individual businesses and this can be challenging, but always worth the effort. While traveling, we will turn off phones and other electronics and try to be fully present with each other. Recently we traveled to southern California and took our kiddos to several beaches. Seeing the excitement in their eyes as they got to experience the Pacific Ocean for the very first time caused me to pause and self-reflect on how much I take for granted the beauty all around.”

Ralf Czogallik – Website | Instagram

“First of all, it’s very hard to keep me motivated but on the other hand, it’s not. For example, last weekend I had a long Saturday with 19+ hours. The next day I had to shoot another wedding so I was tired as f**k and was not looking forward to shooting this one. But the minute I walked in the bride welcomed me with a big hug and I was on track again. We had so much fun that I completely forgot how tired I was. I stopped looking at other wedding photographers to get inspired. The less time I invest in doing that the better my images get. I only do what I love to do it even if that means I am losing a client or two in the process. The most important thing for me is to keep myself focused all the time. Doing the thing I am good at and instead of looking at other photographers I try to get in touch with them, have lunch, have dinner or meet for drinks. Just to talk and listen.”

Tanya Parada – Website | Instagram

“Something that refreshes me creatively is exploring LA with just my iPhone. I’ll leave my professional camera at home and look for interesting pockets of light, shapes, and compositions with fresh eyes and zero pressure! It helps me to relax, hone in on being present in the moment and really study light.”

Megan Allen – Website | Instagram

“This is about the time that I start to feel that I’m running out of creativity in the year, which used to induce a panic. Now, I try to remind myself that every wedding is fresh and new to that couple, and it’s my job to remember and honor that, and kick tail no matter what! One of the ways I keep things fresh is to step outside of the wedding photography and work with fellow creatives to create content for their personal branding and social media presences. Working with many of the cast members of Hamilton, Aladdin, Mean Girls, and others have invited me to see things differently and take risks in the creative process. Branching out of the wedding world and creating for other creatives in a more fluid and creative space has helped me come back to wedding days with a curious, creative spirit, and I’m thankful for that.”

Christian Cardona – Website | Instagram

“I always find peace when I’m with these guys. More than inspiration, I find time to take a break from the everyday rush. I think we get stuck just because we don’t take time for ourselves, our families, and our personal projects. We are always in a rush and this is something I struggle with and I’ve always had a hard time balancing. I find ideas, think better and find creativity when I stop and breathe, so here’s to hoping I can do that more often.

Geeta Randery – Website | Instagram

“Work on yourself before you go-to-work for someone else…” is a quote that’s always stuck with me. Something that I enjoy that helps me remain refreshed and maintain creativity is ‘working on myself.’ Making the time to do the things that I need/enjoy FIRST, before my kids & husband; I can’t do justice to my business/family if I’m not 100 first. I learned this the very hard way after struggling through depression a couple of years back, as I was prioritizing the care of everyone & everything else first, before my own. My kids, husband, chores, business, clients… always came first; self-care didn’t exist in my daily routine. Once I began “working on myself before I went to work for someone else” I changed the trajectory of my happiness and took control back. I now prioritize taking care of myself from the inside out, which means eating wholistic & clean, going to yoga classes at least 3 times a week, and taking a mandatory vacation once a quarter – away from my camera, computer, chores, etc. Since then, my business has flourished, I’m incredibly happy, able to remain refreshed, and draw creativity because my mind, body, & soul are in a constant state of abundance.”

Tanya Smith – Website | Instagram

“I’m totally inspired by each of my individual clients. Since I work with brands, they each have a different story to tell, which means I can get creative with lighting, posing, colors, backgrounds, props, etc. and every shoot is so different! In this particular case, the client wanted something urban and a little grungy. We chose a rooftop location at golden hour and I brought a Lens Baby and some tulle to play with in front of the lens for some cool effects.”

Dave Shay – Website | Instagram

“Keeping myself at the top of my creative game used to mean reading a ton of books or catching up on the latest blog posts from photographers I love. Lately, I’ve noticed that the best way for me to stay creative while I shoot is to make sure that I go into every shoot well-rested and in solid physical shape. This means going to the gym regularly, and intentionally planning in vacations and time off in my busiest seasons. I’ve become willing to lose a lead or two while I escape for 2-3 days with no computer, and nothing but my iPhone to make sure that I serve the clients I do have to the best of my ability. This image is from an iPhone X edited with Lightroom Mobile.”

Pye Jirsa – Website | Instagram

“I have the challenge of going last after so many wonderful tips and insights have been given. My insight and tip is a summation of what’s been said. When trying to keep oneself creatively refreshed, go back to the things that have and continue to sustain your interest in photography. This isn’t shooting what your clients want, it’s not planing shoots that will get you more business, nor is it even taking pictures of things that you think will help grow your social media presence. This is taking pictures that you would take regardless of the outcome, taking pictures simply for you. In my case, this is taking my family out on road trips and shoots where I can document moments that matter to me (like this picture of my children during a trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats). In your case, it could look completely different. The important thing here is dropping all-purpose beyond one simple thing, capturing photographs that make you happy.”

Vanessa Joy – Website | Instagram

“Staying creative can be tough because burnout is fairly rampant with photographers. I found that you have to find new things to fall in love with throughout your career that keep you interested and motivated. Recently, for me, it’s been about getting to know my clients more and becoming more connected to them so I’m even more excited about telling their love story. I find the more emotionally invested I am a couple the more creatively motivated I’ve become.”

Anna Nguyen Stratton – Website | Instagram

“Burnout is a real thing, and with everyone glorifying the hustle it’s hard to not feel guilty when you want to take a break. Soon you’ll get into a rut of not wanting to document your own family or create for yourself because you don’t want to see a camera. This is a good time to use something else to create. When I’m feeling like it’s become “work” I pull out my iPhone and get creative. That’s how I got into underwater photography. It was my release, and it all started with an Otterbox and an iPhone. Now I have a full underwater kit and shoot commissioned work. Being underwater has its own challenges that you don’t deal with on the daily so it’s exciting, fun, and very much freeing because you’re not fighting against what is expected and what is creative.”

Trevor Dayley – Instagram | Website

“I like to think of my creative brain like a computer. Whenever it’s lagging, running slow, or just seems bogged down, often times what it needs is a reboot. The way I do this is by giving myself a small challenge to force me to use something that is not part of my standard process (a light, a lens, a technique.) For instance, I might say to myself, “for the next ten minutes you are going to shoot at f8, instead of the typical “wide open” f1.2 that you’ve been doing.” Or I might say, “Alright, Trevor go grab the 90mm Tilt-Shift lens out of your bag because it’s now the only lens you’ll be using for the next 15 minutes.” These challenges help to reboot my creative side and get outside that box of doing the same thing over and over again.”

Rob Hall – YouTube | Instagram

“Get back to whatever excited you about photography in the first place. Often times we learn photography playfully in our immediate environment, but the career takes it into a completely different direction. For me, taking extended travel breaks and photographing the new experience takes me back to the feeling I had when I first discovered photography. I always come back to work with a clear mind to create.”

Citlalli Rico – Website | Instagram

“I started 13 years ago shooting 100 weddings per year. The burnout was real after every high season. To stay creative and inspired, I found out doing art projects outside wedding photography kept me going. Right now I’m working on lino prints and I love it.”

Eric Talerico – Website | Instagram

“How to keep that creative spark burning is something I think about a lot in my career, and in life. I’ve learned to push myself outside my comfort zones whenever I can by avoiding patterns and routines. I find this keeps me on my toes and allows me to pull ideas from myself and the environment around me rather than doing the same thing over and over. If I am photographing at a venue that I’ve shot at before my goal is to never shoot in the same spot twice. There are more times than I can count where I’ve said to myself “How did I get myself in this situation? What was I thinking? I should have just taken the safe shot.” But when the dust settles I am usually amazed at the end result. It makes me feel like a true creative and keeps me inspired to push myself outside my comfort zone again the next time.”

Dave & Abby Moss – Website | Instagram

“Travel has been my biggest inspiration. Exploring the world and connecting with cultures that have different wisdom, perspectives, and ways of being has helped me open my mind and heart to all kinds of new experiences. When I travel I’m outside of my normal life and my normal self. I see the world with fresh eyes and it helps me to love people and our natural world even more. I’m also passionate about exploring my inner world. When I’m continually growing and changing I feel fulfilled and creative. Everything in life can help me understand myself better; running a business, unpacking why something triggered me, reading a book, taking a course, meditating, etc. If I start to feel disconnected I reach out to my community of open-hearted healers and creatives. Simply being around them helps me to reconnect and remember who I am. When I’m filled up inside I can let creativity spill out.”

Justin Haugen – Instagram | Website | Awards Profile

“We are creatures of habit and prone to a routine that keeps our minds in the same creative space. I do my best to disrupt patterns in my life and open myself up to new experiences. On a whim, I went to a friend’s cafe on a Monday night to randomly see a visiting musician who was touring the country from Japan. I was one of five people in the room that night and it ended up being one of my favorite musical experiences. Afterward, I invited the musician to shoot with me the next day and I was so fortunate to happen upon such a creative and interesting subject. Get out into your city and try something different for a change. You never know what opportunities will present themselves or how inspiration will strike you.”

Lanny & Erika Mann – Website | Instagram

“Jesh de Rox says it best, “If you want to make interesting work, live an interesting life.” That, and learn from our kids (the most creative, imaginative humans on Earth).”

Jay Cassario – Website | Instagram

“Ever since I began shooting 35-45 weddings per year, I always find myself hitting a hard creative rut right around the 3/4 mark of the wedding season. I feel like everything I do is repetitive. Everything is similar to some other shot I took earlier. I start to feel like my creativity that came so easily in the first half of the year, after a couple months of downtime, really becomes difficult to pull out. It was about 4 years ago that I started really feeling it, so I started shooting film at weddings. Shooting a different medium seemed to really help. Shooting film is a lot different than shooting digital, so it really forced me to switch things up. I did the same thing the following year. Due to the price of film and getting it scanned, it wasn’t the best move financially so I needed to try something else a couple years ago. Being that I’m an ambassador for Leica Camera USA, they often ask for new work so I decided to use that as an excuse to start giving them something other than just wedding photos. I began doing a lot more shoots with local models, something I still do today but more-so throughout the year now. When I photograph a model my approach is very different then it is on a wedding day. Obviously, for the fact that there’s only one subject but I’m not shooting in a photojournalistic style. I’m not anticipating moments. I’m working in a completely different style and it really helps avoid creative burnout. Burnout can really affect you as a wedding photographer and the end product that you deliver to a client. Try to switch things up, use lenses you don’t typically use that often, try different lighting techniques, or start to really push yourself in areas that you may struggle in. The other idea I would offer is what I’ve been doing the past couple of years which is to find something else to shoot besides wedding photography. It can also open up other doors to help financially as well.”

Megan Allen – Website | Instagram

“To keep my creative spark going, I really enjoy going outside of my usual genre of wedding photography, and doing creative portraiture for actors and musicians. The organic, creative vibes they come to their shoots with always fuels my soul, and I come away energized and inspired by their creativity that they lend me on the shoots.

It’s a different vibe when you get to work with fellow creatives, and the ability to bounce concepts off one another — as well as knowing when you say, “Hey, I have an idea…” — is a beautiful thing, and the collaboration always comes out looking a little different. I love it, and I hope I can continue to create for creatives in the future.”

Jared Gant – Instagram | Website | Wedding Maps Profile

“I stay creative by staying curious, by always learning and improving, and then by acting on that curiosity by playing outside the lines. I find that maintaining creativity is particularly difficult when I’m not pushing myself to learn or when I get too complacent with what I have already learned. The more I know the more I realize what I don’t know, and that motivates me to explore further and try harder. Then, once I’ve explored, I can leave the path, and that’s when things get really fun. Put another way, each time I learn something new, it’s like adding a new color to my paint palette. Once I’ve mastered that new color, it’s time to paint outside the lines.”

Sean LeBlanc – Website | Instagram

“I stay creative by saying “YES” to work outside of photographing weddings and will often seek out new opportunities that get me out of my comfort zone. In the early days, I would turn down non-wedding related work because I was only focused on weddings and engagements. This was great for a few years however over time I began to hit some creative roadblocks. Over the last two years, I have been saying “YES” to a wide range of portrait work and I have been blown away by not only the amazing stories I discover about my clients but also how far I can push my creativity to showcase their story with bold creative artwork.”

Lyndah Wells – Website | Instagram

“I try and combine my love of travel and photography to break out of my creative rut because sometimes it gets bad. Hanging with a group of friends, exploring somewhere I’ve never been and shooting with my small discreet Fuji making photos that please only me, meeting new people on my travels gets me revved up to get back to work and takes the pressure off.”

Dave Paek – Website | Instagram

“Sometimes you need to step back and not give a sh*t what other photographers or award societies will think of your work. You need to look introspectively and ask yourself what’s important to you and how your emotions color (for the lack of a better word) the people you photograph. I sometimes have a very emo way of looking at things and my photos can sometimes be on the moody or dark side. I am obsessed with themes related to inner struggle/conflict, deliverance, and redemption. I like shooting underwater to draw out these themes and emotions.”

Thinkhouse wanted something unique and also be able to showcase some of the talented younger generation of creatives worldwide. Giving Kevin free reign to unleash his creativity, they ended up in some “varied and unusual places to create a juxtaposition of the normal and the surreal – from iconic barbers and butchers of Dublin, to the lakes and deserts of South Africa” in this wild, unusual, and evocative series.

We had a chance to ask Kevin Goss Ross some questions about the project in the interview below.

Kevin Goss Ross Interview

Your images for the Thinkhouse X series are very different and creative. What inspired you to create these images? Where do you come up with your ideas?

Early this year, Thinkhouse approached me to create a new suite of images for them to use across their branding. They’re a bold bunch of creatives and they were looking for someone with a fairly playful, surreal, and youthful style and when they contacted me I was delighted to find that I’d finally found a client who would let me just do my thing. The brief was wide open, bordering on vague, but as Thinkhouse is a youth communications agency, the focus was on my own weird interpretation of ‘youth’.

This is series of photographs of humans inspired by youth and the glimpses of fleeting truths hidden between the chaos of wild weekends – a flexing of creative muscles in an exercise focussed on aesthetic and visual experiments. With references borrowed from popular culture’s more sleazy heroes and folklore narratives from different continents forced together to produce this collection of almost childishly colourful and surreal photographs.

Which image was the most difficult to set up, shoot, post process, etc? Why?

The image of my friend Purity Mkhize covered in gold body paint was definitely the most challenging. It is a conceptual effort dealing with my own identity as a South African living in Ireland. The areas around Cape Town had recently burned down and I was selfishly desperate shoot something in the aftermath. I hadn’t been in Cape Town in many years, and had to shoot it the morning after landing after 23 hours of travel. I also didn’t have any transport, but I borrowed a car from a friend, got some cool people to assist me and found a patch to shoot on.

I landed, immediately started shopping for props, spray painted all the bits that evening and shot the very next day. The location was half way up an exceedingly steep incline which we hiked up with far too much gear. There was nowhere to safely leave anything without the risk of it rolling down the hill and onto the road below, and the South Africa sun was assaulting my now almost Irish skin, weak and pale from years of cloud cover. I also hadn’t told Purity that I needed her to be topless, right near a busy road too.

We couldn’t drop a light stand because of the slope so I had my brother boom it over the model for me while his girlfriend hid behind Purity while holding the cardboard covered in spray paint. We also couldn’t source an appropriate skirt for this so we had to make do with a bronze colour coat. It didn’t look great (you could see the one sleeve) so it took some doing to fix that in post.

Which is your favourite image in this series and can you give some background to it?

I personally love the image of the bearded man dancing wearing a tutu in the Wicklow Mountains. Ever imagine a world where Billy Elliot grew up in Wicklow and didn’t have the nerve to tell daddy that he just wanted to dance? We shot it near the Sally Gap over Lough Tay on a day Irish people love to complain about – absolutely lashing rain and a punching wind leaving people hanging on to light stands.

The majestic Rory wasn’t too pleased with me while we were shooting: “You know I’m never going to be happy about this Kevin,” but cheered up after a pint. I saw his mum in Dublin a couple of weeks later and she voiced her concern about me bullying her son. I love working with Rory because he absolutely hates the process while we’re shooting and his expressions are wonderfully grumpy.

What is your favourite piece of photography equipment and also, what gear do you use?

My friend Rory Burn (the model in the ballet shot) is a product designer and he helped me mold bits of old speedlight brackets into something I’m really happy with. It basically holds two speedlights inside a softbox for more power. Before this thing, I used to destroy three speedlights annually – now when they come loose, they just fall into the safety of the softbox. Genius.

I don’t really care much for gear – a hammer is a hammer. A big hammer is going to get the nail in faster but a little one is still going to get the job done. Eventually. I use a Canon 5D Mark II, a 5D classic, and two great lenses. A Canon 50mm f/1.2 and my favourite, the Canon 24mm f/1.4 II. Glass is the only thing I like spending a lot of money on.

What has been your favourite project or can you give us a hint on what you’re working on in the future?

I’d say that this has been my favourite, if only for the freedom I was afforded and the way Thinkhouse helped so much with the production end of things. Maybe it’s just my favourite because it’s still fresh and new and I haven’t yet reached that point where I’ve seen it too much and started hating it. Which is usually what happens with everything else I do.

Currently, I’m going through a body of work myself and my friend Tyrone Bradley shot in the Karoo in South Africa in April. It is probably a bit more mature than this project in terms of concept and aesthetic but it was no less fun to produce. We spent a week in the back arse of nowhere meeting weirdoes in peculiar little towns, staying with them and photographing them and their surroundings. It’s an exercise in complete collaboration. We swapped and shared cameras, we tag teamed doing lighting.

Neither of us knows who shot what because it’s all just a blur of letting go and trying new things. We’re also going to be editing everything separately and overlaying the results so both of us have an equal input on that end of the process. We’ve yet to see if it is going to work – our styles are so different we might just cancel out what the other person does in their edit. The project is called ‘In Tussen In’, which is Afrikaans for ‘Somewhere, In Between’.

Anything else you’d like to share with our readers? 

Being allowed to create for a living is a privilege which might be fleeting. I sometimes allow myself to forget that but when you do, your creativity always suffers for it. Make like you won’t be able to or allowed to tomorrow.

Also, for more like this, follow me on Instagram or check out my website and Thinkhouse’s website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

CREDITS: Photographs by Kevin Goss Ross are copyrighted and have been used with permission for SLR Lounge. Do not copy, modify or re-post this article or images without express permission from SLR Lounge and the artist.

#SetInTheStreet is an ongoing art project and photo series that begins with Justin finding a centerpiece for a particular “set.” This will be the focal point of the entire set, setting the tone and mood of the scene. The scene above was inspired by a deer head that Justin found in the street on his way to work one day. He tells Flickr, “I knew I really wanted to use it for a shoot, so I actually had to run with this deer head back a mile and a half home. I think people thought I was doing funny performance art,” Justin Bettman

In another scene, a family celebrates Christmas. A loving mother and father look on, as the child sits on the carpet, next to a tree filled with gifts…in the parking lot next to a busy street in San Francisco.

Justin leaves the set up after each photo shoot so the public can interact with them. He enjoys seeing how people add on or take away from the canvas to create their own form of art. Leaving a sign with the hashtag #setinthestreet, Justin encourages people to create in the space he built from unwanted pieces of furniture and other odds and ends.

I hope this project makes people re-evaluate their perspective of trash. I hope people take away a new perspective from this project and start to realize that sometimes there’s a larger picture that you’re not seeing.

To see more of Justin Bettmans’ work, check out his website here.

CREDITS: Photographs by Justin Bettman are copyrighted and have been used with permission for SLR Lounge. Do not copy, modify or re-post this article or images without express permission from SLR Lounge and the artist.

One of the best places to find and follow famous street photographers is on Instagram. Through the app, we can take virtual art walks through famous street photographers galleries, each highlighting locations & people in visual stories that connect us all. Whether through detailed captions or images that reflect some larger theme related to the human condition, we can learn a lot about the genre (and about ourselves) by looking to the work of its leaders.

With a billion-plus users on the app, it can be difficult to find the best street photographers. This following list of 10 famous street photographers to follow on Instagram is not exhaustive, but it’s a great place to start.

What Makes for Great Street Photography?

As you browse through the work of the selected street photographers below, you’ll notice they share a number of recognizable traits. These commonalities in their skillset allow them to capture compelling and memorable images. They’re able to anticipate and capture decisive moments. Also, as evidenced in their imagery, these street photographers also pay close attention to composition, light, and context. In addition to technical skills such as dialing in ideal exposures and nailing focus, they also seem to connect with their subjects and convey emotion and mood in their photographs.

If you read through the bios and “About” pages on their sites, which we recommend doing, you’ll find that great street photographers need to be patient, observant, and willing to experiment in order to create unique and impactful images. They all put in their time in the field (or out on the streets, rather) to find their own place within this genre.

10 Famous Street Photographers to Follow

Brandon Stanton (Humans of New York): Website | Instagram

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“I was five when he became a person in my world. I didn’t know exactly who he was. I just knew that there was someone around that was making my mother smile. I had to look way up to see him. I’d never met someone so strong. He’d tell me to hold onto his wrist, and he’d lift me into the sky with one hand. He worked at an auto shop, airbrushing designs onto the side of vans. I think he dreamed of being an artist. But he needed something more stable. So after he decided to marry my mom, he became a cop. He never lost touch with his creative side. He was always building things around the house—making things look fancier than we could afford. He built my first bike from scraps. He encouraged me to read. He encouraged me to write. He loved giving me little assignments. He’d give me a quarter every time I wrote a story. Fifty cents if it was a good one. Whenever I asked a question, he’d make me look it up in the encyclopedia. One day he built a little art studio at the back of our house. And he painted a single painting—a portrait of Sting that he copied from an album cover. But he got busy with work and never used the studio again. He was always saying: ‘when I retire.’ ‘I’ll go back to art, when I retire.’ ‘I’ll show in a gallery, when I retire.’ But that time never came. Dad was a cop for twenty years. He was one of the good ones. The kind of cop you see dancing on the street corner. Or skateboarding with kids. But in 1998 he was diagnosed with MS. First there was a little weakness. Then there was a cane. Then there was a wheelchair. It got to the point where he couldn’t even hold a paintbrush. We did his hospice at home. He seemed to have no regrets. He’d been a wonderful provider. He’d raised his daughters. He’d walked me down the aisle. During his final days, we were going through his possessions, one by one. He was telling me who to give them to. I pulled the Sting painting out of an old box, and asked: ‘What should I do with this?’ His response was immediate. ‘Give it to Sting,’ he said. All of us started laughing. But Dad grew very serious. His eyes narrowed. He looked right at me, and said: ‘Give it to Sting.’ So I guess that’s my final assignment.”

A post shared by Humans of New York (@humansofny) on May 19, 2020 at 11:57am PDT

With over twenty million followers on social media, Brandon Stanton (aka Humans of New York) is easily one of the most famous street photographers working today. As noted on his website, Stanton’s work “provides a worldwide audience with daily glimpses into the lives of strangers on the streets of New York City.” Stanton, whose style features portraits paired with stories, has also photographed people outside of New York City and he’s shared stories from people in more than twenty countries. If you haven’t yet visited Stanton’s Humans of New York profile on Instagram, get ready to be inspired. There’s a reason he’s amassed such a following.

Street Photographers to Follow – Sean Tucker: YouTube | Instagram

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I rode a motorbike for a little while when I lived back in South Africa. I miss the feeling of freedom you get from travelling like that. #blackandwhite #blackandwhitephotography #streetphotography #streetdreamsmag #lensculture #featureshoot #lightandshadow #protectyourhighlights #embraceyourshadows #ricoh #grist #grsnaps #ricohgr3 #lightroommobile #instagram #london #wandsworth #shapes #shadows #motorbike #negativespace

A post shared by Sean Tucker (@seantuck) on May 20, 2020 at 7:58am PDT

Sean Tucker’s thoughtful composition and dramatic interplay of light and shadows firmly cement his place among the most creative street photographers featured in this article. Also, as an artist focused more on the ‘why’ than the ‘how’ with the images he captures, Tucker uses his YouTube channel to offer fresh insight into his process with informative and inspiring stories behind the photos he captures.

Paola Franqui aka Monaris: Website | Instagram

Next to the “enter” button on her website, Paola Franqui (also known as Monaris) describes the gallery of images to come as “a collection of visual stories.” On her site as well as her Instagram feed, Franqui delivers exactly that, in a cinematic style that captures the emotions of those she photographs in fleeting moments of time. While she’s earned the moniker of famous street photographer, she also uses her adept skillset to capture visual stories in a commercial capacity for big brands like RayBan, Budweiser, ESPN, and several others.

 

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A post shared by Monaris (@monaris_)

Yanidel: Website | Instagram

 

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A post shared by Yanick Delafoge (@yanidel_street)

Based in Argentina by way of Paris, Yanidel has traveled the globe capturing compelling street photographs. Though he doesn’t boast the following of some of the other famous street photographers on this list, Yanidel is a worthy contender for placement here and his work reflects that. Yanidel also writes about his process for capturing street photography images and shares tips and techniques through his blog. As noted on his website and made apparent in his images, Yanidel takes a documentary approach to street photography in an attempt “to give a surrealist and lyric dimension to the little facts of our daily life, trying to blend in some humor and a positive spin from time to time.”

Street Photographers to Follow – Mikk Olli: Instagram

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Tallinn, Estoni 2018 . . #streetphotography #streettogs #streetphoto #challengerstreets #ourstreets #myspc18 #streetlife_award #capturestreets #gspc #cobblescope #fromstreetswithlove #gf_streets #friendsinperson #SPiCollective #streetsgrammer #fujifilm #fujilove #fujifeed #friendsinstreets #fujifilm_street #aspfeatures #tänavafotograafia #tallinn #estonia #oldtown #fujifilmxt2

A post shared by Mikk Olli | Street Photography (@drawntostreets) on Dec 3, 2018 at 5:11am PST

A digital product designer with a passion for photography, Mikk Olli found his way into street photography after challenging himself to overcome his introverted tendency to shy away from human subjects. Like Sean Tucker (listed above), Olli finds unique compositions and highlights his subjects through bold contrasts of light and dark, often isolating a singular subject against a stark backdrop. Consider Olli an up-and-comer worth a follow. With his consistent, high-quality output, it won’t be long before his social media numbers officially qualify for the “famous” label.

GMB Akash: Website | Instagram

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Cyclone Amphan with a wind speed of up to 200 kph expected to hit coastal areas of India and Bangladesh on Wednesday. (20-05-2020) Many times during its history, Bangladesh and the surrounding region have been struck by devastating tropical cyclones that have caused great loss of life and property. Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to storm surge flooding due to the geography of the land and region. Over the next few decades, scientists expect 17 percent of the country’s land to be submerged, and 18 million Bangladeshis to be displaced by seas. The country regularly suffers from deadly and devastating flooding, tropical cyclones, storm surges and droughts. I am sharing few images from my long time project on ‘Climate Change’ in Bangladesh. We can all hope that these images and stories of afflicted climate refugees will bring more attention to this issue. #climatechange #migrants #gmbakash #cyclone #humanitarianphotographerofbangladesh #documentaryohotograoherofbangladesh #bangladeshiphotographers #bangladeshrohingyadeployment #jurnalistofbangladesh #portraitphotographer #streetphotographer #bangladeshphotography #travelling #travel #travelphotography #bangladeshiphotographer #disaster #nature #planetearth #dhaka #Bangladesh #climateregugees

A post shared by GMB AKASH (@gmbakash) on May 19, 2020 at 6:24am PDT

Chock full of bold colors and authentic expressions, the photos that occupy GMB Akash’s Instagram profile will keep you coming back for more. Moreover, the stories that accompany the images make for compelling reading and may even inspire you to take action. A photojournalist at heart, GMB Akash captures visual stories of a wide swath of subjects, from lost tribes to refugees, against a backdrop of climate crises and political unrest.

Street Photographers to Follow – Phil Penman: Website | Instagram

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CENTRAL PARK.NEW YORK . Copyright Phil Penman, 2020.

A post shared by P H I L  P E N M A N (@philpenman) on Jul 27, 2020 at 8:01am PDT

Phil Penman’s Instagram feed reads like a fine art gallery of street photography, mainly (but not always) featuring monochromatic captures of the New York City and its inhabitants. Penman’s award-winning work has made him among the most influential and famous street photographers on this list (and in the world). Having documented celebrities and historical moments (like September 11, 2001), Penman’s recent work has turned its attention to various crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, as illustrated in this piece on how homeless people in New York shelter in place.

Linda Wisdom Photography: Website | Instagram

 

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A post shared by Linda Wisdom Photography (@lindawisdomphotography)

In addition to the incredible work featured on her Instagram page, you can find Linda’s award-winning fine art street photography featured in a number of magazines, including Amateur Photographer and Digital Camera Magazine, alongside tips on how to artfully capture street photography. According to her site, Linda also teaches workshops and offers photo tours in London and Europe. Her body of work mainly features candid lifestyle shots of people in urban and city environments and uses composition, lighting, and mindful anticipation to tell impactful stories within a single frame.

Street Photographers to Follow – Girma Berta: Instagram

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Moving Shadows II, X. #StreetsofAddis

A post shared by Girma Berta (@gboxcreative) on Jul 5, 2017 at 6:04am PDT

In a beautiful blend of street photography and fine art, Girma Berta’s work features a cast of candidly captured citizens set against bold & colorful backdrops. This holds true for pieces that have been digitally altered (such as those featured in his Moving Shadows collection), as well as real world captures taken against city backdrops. Hailing from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Girma has built an award-winning body of work that’s equally comfortable at home in a world class gallery or online in Instagram’s gridded squares, which is especially noteworthy considering many of the images have been captured using an iPhone.

Lee Jeffries: Website | Instagram

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Portraits… it’s a book of love… compassion and humanity… when it comes down to it, it’s always that simple… . Link to buy in my bio x

A post shared by Lee Jeffries (@lee_jeffries) on May 3, 2020 at 10:40am PDT

Known primarily for his work documenting the homeless, Lee Jeffries’ intimate portraits of his subjects offer a rare glimpse into a strand of society that’s often overlooked. The closeup, gritty images put viewers face-to-face with Jeffries’ subjects, whose expressions reveal depths of emotion and inspire compassion. For a so-called amateur photographer, Jeffries has built an impressive body of work and a substantial following with whom to share it.

Street Photographers to Follow | Conclusion

I hope this list proves a helpful starting point from which to dive further into the genre. Here again is a quick recap of the famous street photographers featured in this article.

• Brandon Stanton
• Sean Tucker
• Paola Franqui
• Yanidel
• Mikk Olli
• GMB Akash
• Phil Penman
• Linda Wisdom Photography
• Girma Berta
• Lee Jeffries

You can find additional street photography tips in this article on following ethical guidelines while practicing within this genre. Let us know some other famous street photographers that you follow and feel should’ve made list. We know there are plenty left out there who can inspire droves of photographers with their imagery.

We recently interviewed Janine to learn more about her process and discover how we, too, might find ways to pursue our passion in photography.

Featured Artist Interview with Janine Pendleton

What inspired you to create these photos?

I find exquisite beauty in decay. No two places are every the same. Each broken window and blemish is part of the story of the location and its evolution. The feeling I get when I am walking around these places is unlike anything else. Surrounded by ruins and dwelling in silence and shadows, it is like a form of mindfulness for me. I am both relaxed and focussed on my work, but utterly content in every way.

What is the biggest challenge in the creation of these photos?

A major challenge is the process of researching online, to plan a trip and to create the route map. It can take many hours of computer work to prepare for a road trip. First is a kind of info dump, I collect location co-ordinates and information and place them onto my map. I scour articles, news reports, registries as well as satellite maps to find potentially interesting locations to shoot. I then rank them, so I can pick out my essential locations and colour code them. The dispersion and arrangement of these form the basis of the route plan, then it all sort of comes together after this point. When I land the goal is to zig zag along the route hitting as many of the essential locations as possible, padding out the route with any other locations as time permits.

What cameras, lenses and lighting gear were used to create the photos of abandoned places?

I have been shooting Sony since my photographer journey began in 2015. I started out with a Sony A77 mk2 and a Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 lens. Eventually, my trusted and beloved friend earned its retirement, after many years of adventures. Currently, I shoot with a Sony a7 II and Sony FE 12-24 mm f/4 G lens.

I use natural light in almost all my photos of abandoned places, opting for a tripod and long exposures. In some cases, where there are pressures that necessitate shooting quickly I often opt for hand shooting.

Do you have a favorite photo from the series? If so, what is it and why?

My favourite photos depict nature reclaiming lost places. Greenhouses, forgotten by their owners and overrun by un-checked plant growth are always my favourites. I also love lost cars in the forest, especially those which involve exquisite moss textures and trees growing out of them.

For photographers looking to create impactful images like this, could you share your process of coming up with your concepts and ideas?

Many of these spaces are immensely large, and the scale of them is often hard to convey with a single photo. A wide angle lens helps with this, to capture as much of the space as possible in the frame.

[Related Reading: Sea Captain Captures Nat Geo Worthy Travel and Landscape Portraits | Featured Artist Interview with Zay Yar Lin]

What are you currently working on? What’s next?

Currently I am planning trips to Poland, Lebanon and Namibia. Also, I am starting to shoot film photography alongside my digital photography. I have started using my grandfather’s Zenit E and Helios-44 lens, and I am very excited about expanding my art to include film.

Find Janine Pendleton Online: Website | Locations Gallery | Instagram

Note: This post was originally published in 2014.

One photographer, though, has taken Halloween costumes to the next level (more like 20 levels) and has created some oh-so-cute costumes for her two-year-old daughter, Willow. What started as indecision as to what exactly to dress Willow up as that first year, became “Dress Up Willow Month,” as Gina Lee, a children and family photographer from Redlands, CA, made not one, but three costumes. (She did the same for her two older children their first year as well).

For Willow’s first Halloween last year, Gina dressed her up as a Roller Derby Girl, Carlos from the hangover and a Hot Dog on a Stick employee.

Gina then decided that she wanted to do some “couples” shoots and teamed up with fellow photographer Becky Hales and her son Cooper. The two adorable toddlers have since posed as some pretty famous duos in history, including Gilligan, characters from the musical Grease, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – Prince William and Kate. Gina and Becky come up with a concept and then find items around the house to create the costumes, purchasing small additional items as needed.

Gina shares all the images on her Instagram account and has received a ton of attention lately for her creative and fun images. There are no signs of stopping as the ideas keep coming and Willow loves the camera, dressing up and posing for these photos. Plus, there’s still a week left before Halloween.

[REWIND: PHOTOGRAPHER USES MAGIC TO MAKE MERMAIDS OUT OF MATERNITY CLIENTS]

To see more adorable-ness, check out Gina Lee’s Instagram and website and Becky Hale’s website.

CREDITS: All photographs by Gina Lee are copyrighted and have been used with permission for SLR Lounge. Do not copy, modify or re-post this article or images without express permission from SLR Lounge and the artist.

[via Huffington Post]

Tufnell initially planned on doing his own take on Andy Warhol’s “Campbell’s Soup Cans” but ultimately decided he needed to narrow his scope, experimenting with other kinds of food before settling on chicken soup. See the videos and photos below to get a closer look at Tufnell’s project, and don’t miss our interview for additional insight into Tufnell’s creative process.

Video: Chicken Soup Is Not Good for the Soul

Here’s our interview with artist Sam Tufnell.

Sam Tufnell Interview

1. What was the biggest challenge in creating this series?

Of all the series I’ve worked on, this was the most challenging as it combined multiple mediums.  The first step was making the actual sculpture from soup, which involved a more traditional process of casting and mold making.

Next, I began photographing the work which eventually led to me creating a video time lapse of individual stills. To speed up the process, I would heat up the space into the 90’s so by the time the shoot was complete it felt a lot like I had actually been in the soup kitchen. Mentally the most exhausting part was switching gears from sculpture to photography to digital editing but physically it was all those sweaty hours behind the camera smelling like chicken grease.

2. What cameras, lenses, and lighting gear (or lighting setups) were used to create the videos?

I used a medium format Pentax 64z with a 55 mm lens and an intervalometer. The artwork was all photographed within a lighted white cube display that is used for marketing small objects like jewelry, etc.

3. Do you have a favorite from the series? If so, which one, and why?

At the moment, I’m quite fond of the Mona Lisa. It’s my least favorite of DaVinci’s work and would have never gained notoriety if it had not been so famously stolen from the Louvre. Metaphorically, I managed to pull off another heist of the piece, however rather than trying to sell it on the black market, I opted for its destruction.

4. For artists looking to create impactful videos like this, could you share your process of coming up with your concepts and ideas?

Photo courtesy of Sam Tufnell

Photo courtesy of Sam Tufnell

I think it’s always important to be true to the mediums you are working with. Ideas are naturally adaptive, but materials need to be willed into different forms. Artists are not originators; we are a link between old and new technologies and ideas.  For every concept there is a suitable material and process for its expression.

5. What are you currently working on? What’s next?

Currently I am working on a series of self-portrait sculptures that I plan on turning into a new series of video and photography.  Using some of the same principles I used for ‘Chicken Soup is Not Good For Your Soul’, the sculptures will all destroy themselves and be presented as a time lapse.

About Sam Tufnell: Website | Instagram

Tufnell has previously shown his work in solo exhibitions at FiveMyles and IV Gallery in Los Angeles. Currently, his public installation Gnome Mountain is on display in High Falls, NY and he has participated in numerous group exhibitions and art fairs including Volta in 2020, Cornell Art Museum in Florida, Cube Art Fair’s New York edition and Spring/Break Art Fair.