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everyday stories captured through everyday photos
Life just ain’t perfect and neither is any of the people we shoot nor are some of the best photographs out there.
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exclusive interview
BOSTON
ten tips on STREET
with JOE WIGFALL
in 24 hours
PHOTOGRAPHY
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1 ISSUE 1 // SPRING 2011 // EVERYDAY PLACES ISSUE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Elaine S. Finch DEPUTY EDITOR Zoe Buck FEATURES EDITOR Mandy Kahn ONLINE EDITOR Zoe Buck ASSISTANT EDITORS Johnie Gall, Dawn Gregory INTERNS Ashley Baluyut, Angelica Bonomo, Jessica Bush, Taylor Norman, Mandy Spivey, Erin Yamagata ART DIRECTOR Holly Greesley DESIGN DIRECTOR Wyatt Mitchell SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR Zana Woods PHOTO EDITOR Carolyn Rauch DEPUTY PHOTO EDITOR Anna Goldwater Alexander PHOTO ASSISTANTS Sarah Filippi SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR Monica Campana PUBLISHER OF ADVERTISING Monica Campana ADVERTISING INQUIRIES mcampana@1k.com SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES Subscriptions 1-800-437-5828 Foreign Subscriptions 1-617-706-9110 www.1kmagazine.com Contact the account managers for reprint information DISTRIBUTION Newsstand Distribution by Curtis Circulation Company, LLC. PUBLISHED BY Madavor Media, LLC WEST COAST SALES MANAGER Jessica Blotter MARKETING MANAGER Jody Schmauss CHAIRMAN & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jeffrey C. Wolk FINANCE MANAGER Marlena Underwood SALES ADMINISTRATOR Laura Finamore CUSTOMER SERVICE Susan Concannon, Cathy Passeri NEWSSTAND CONSULTANT Howard White
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
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orothea Lange poetically stated that “While there is perhaps a province in which the photograph can tell us nothing more than what we see with our own eyes, there is another in which it proves to us how little our eyes permit us to see. “ Photographs have the unique ability of telling a story without words. Memories are captured and preserved, waiting for their story to be seen. These stories can be told from the unique artistic photograph as well as from the everyday photographs. It is through the everyday photos that the essence of the life and culture of people and places is seen. K1 magazine aims to share these everyday stories with readers through beautiful, soul filled images. It is the photos that tell the stories, and as the saying goes, a photo is worth 1000 words.
Editor in Chief, Elaine S. Finch
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issue number one
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through our eyes
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the world on a toilet
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tom hall
brent kyles
ten tip// street photography andy cole
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concrete streets where dreams are made eric kim
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the days of his life
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24 hours 24 frames
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documenting the inevitable
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david shaftel
jamie rader
nataly jameson
ten tips// photographing objects andy cole
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TOM HALL
through our eyes Haitian teenagers document their nation
ABOVE// Rue du Commerce in Jacmel is a famous street hosting some of the oldest French architecture in Haiti; many houses were badly damaged in the earthquake—Caroline Zephir LEFT// Haittian orphanage children gathered outsied during repair project— Guetty Samedi
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lobal images of Haiti since the 2010 earthquake have been taken mostly by adult, international photographers and have focused on death, destruction, trauma and violence. In October of 2010 child rights organization ‘Plan International’ commissioned award winning photojournalist Natasha Fillion to train and work with 22 teenagers to document their own lives in their homes, their own neighborhoods and schools. At work, at rest, at play, in mourning and in contemplation, these candid photographs taken over the space of only two weeks reveal aspects of Haiti rarely seen. The young people involved in this project were given crash-courses in photo skills such as lighting, composition and framing, provided with digital cameras everyday experiece
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and then sent ‘on assignment’ in their communities. Their brief was to cover topics such as home life, education, leisure, friends, everyday Haiti and anything about which they were passionate. Natasha, a freelance Canadian photojournalist currently based in Port au Prince who has covered assignments including Iraq, Sri Lanka and central America said the results “blew me away.” “They took the project very seriously and exceeded my expectations. With only two days training, the photos they took were inspiring and beautiful. Through them you get to see so many different sides of Haiti. Beautiful things, the ugly things, family, people laughing, crying, it’s a really touching story.”
TOP// A sweet and snack stall in Croix des Bouquets — Amouce Semexant BOTTOM// Wibmy Jean-Chrisno, who is fivemonths-old, lives in a tent with his family at a temporary camp in Petionville— ean-Louis Benita RIGHT// Esaie rides his bike home from church in Croix des Bouquets— Marie Noussa Belony
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You get to see so many different sides of Haiti. Beautiful things, ugly things, family, people laughing, crying, it’s a really touching story.
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Brent Kyles
the world on a toilet AN ELEVEN MONTH JOURNEY CAPTURING THE EVERYDAY LIVES OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD
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n January of 2010 Nick Kuchmak, a paramedic from Ontario Canada, left for what was to be a two month adventure with his girlfriend Lianna. They set out to see the world—to witness new cultures before moving on to the next step in their lives. This adventure turned into an eleven month journey throughout the world. As they travelled from place to place they documented each location, focusing on capturing the everyday life of the places and people they encountered, through photography. To document and share this journey with family they diligently posted their travel photos to their blog, The World on a Toilet. Their little blog grew as Nick and Lianna gained more and more followers that connected with Nick’s simple journalistic photography and simple descriptions of their travels.
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Visit Nick and Lianna’s blog, www.aworldonatoilet.com, to view a video TOP// Korean celebration dance ABOVE// Nick spending time with the people of Indonesia ABOVE RIGHT// Indonesian children enjoy time on the swings and woman works in the fields FAR RIGHT// Filipino woman with traditional tattoos.
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compilation of highlights from their travels.
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ABOVE// Nick and Lianna start their eleven month journey out by posing in front of the Taj Majal LEFT// Their journey ended with an amazing look at the culture and people of the Philippines. They found more than just farmland, but happy warm and welcoming faces, fun and history.
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Its been an amazing journey and
we are glad we were able to share
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all of our stories and photos.
Andy Cole
Ten Tips//
Street Photography
Street Photography is what got me into taking pictures. I started out as a teenager skateboarding downtown and photographing my friends. Here are my essential street photography tips: 1
PICK A SUBJECT. The first thing I like to do before I set out on a photographic outing is to pick a subject matter so I am looking for something specific throughout the day. It may be water faucets, fire hydrants, pigeons whatever appeals to you.
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DON’T BE AFRAID OF COLOR. You don’t have to limit yourself to black and white. Color is not the traditional medium for street photography but it dose have its benefits.
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GET OFF THE MAIN STREET. Alley ways, sometimes it’s best to get off the main street and venture behind buildings. You can find very interesting things in and around dumpsters.
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MAKE YOUR GEAR DISCREET. I live in Miami, Florida where everyone tries to scam and rob you. I use a Crumpler 4 million dollar home to carry my kit as to not look like I’m toting a camera bag.
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USE SLOW SHUTTER AND TRIPOD. I live downtown at the moment so it is easy for me to take photos of the city at night. You can get some great shots with moving light at slow shutter speeds and a tripod.
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ASK PERMISSION. People will often let you shoot them if you ask. And sometimes it works best when someone dose not know they are being photographed.
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DON’T FORGET THE WILDLIFE. Wildlife in cities is very interesting to me. My city is surrounded by the ocean and the Everglades so we get all types of wildlife in our city streets. Birds, snakes, turtles and so on.
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CAPTURE CITY DEVELOPMENT. Document your city being built new buildings under construction, old ones being demolished.
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CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY. The technology world is constantly changing, so preserve it for the ages. You don’t often see phone booths anymore, or kiddie rides so photograph things that will identify a period in time.
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PUBLIC ART AND LANDMARKS. These make great photographic subjects. They tell the history of where you are and where you’re going. They give context to the story your photos are telling.
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was fortunate enough to get an interview with renowned New York Street Photographer, Joe Wigfall. Joe is best known for his black and white imagery of New York City as well as a WNYC Street Shots feature of him “shooting from the hip� which has already racked over 60,000+ view on YouTube. Out of all of the street photographers out there, Joe is definitely one of the most humble and soulful. Check out this exclusive interview with him and become inspired by his images as well.
ERIC KIM
concrete jungle where dreams are made Exclusive interview with famous New York street photographer Joe Wigfall
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Q1: Tell us how you got started with street photography. A: Before I picked up a camera to shoot people, I used a pen and sketch pad to draw the faces, expressions and interactions I saw. I used to take the New York City subways to work, so I would see some of everything. I quickly found the drawing process took too long. The moments usually ended by the time the train discharged at the next station. I eventually took a photojournalism course and soon realized that the process of interviewing my subjects, learning about their lives, spending time with them and then possibly shooting a few environmental shots wasn’t enough either. One day I stumbled upon the street photographs of a skilled contemporary street photographer online who even shared his process. His straight up raw photos were works of art. I found a niche for my itch. I didn’t know that there were contemporary street photographers who made art by photographing people in the street just being themselves. More importantly, I realized that I might be able to do the same. My passion began to take root. Q2: Describe your street photography style for us. What goes on in your head when you are roaming the streets and taking photos? A: What is my style? I like to be unobtrusive. I try to disappear in the midst of the people I shoot. I call as little attention to myself as possible. I don’t sneak around while I shoot. I’m too big for one thing. I don’t hide my camera, but I futz around with it while I shoot. I quickly and quietly shoot what appeals to me using whatever technique is most effective at the time. Sometimes I feel like I’m invisible, which of course is ludicrous since I’m a 6 foot tall 200 pound dark skinned man, but it works. I also like to get in close to people. I go out looking around me and making quick decisions about situations I see and whether to participate or to just walk on by. You really have to be wise where that’s concerned. Most people either aren’t aware or ignore you, but there are some, (and fortunately they are very few), who resent anyone shooting them whether the law is on your side or not. I intentionally overlook these unstable ones and stay focused, knowing that if I try too hard, I’ll miss the moments, and if I don’t pay enough attention, my response will be too little, too late.
Q3: Where do you find inspiration for your street photography? A: It changes from time to time. The world of black & white photograph inspires me because its imagery invokes the nostalgia of things gone by: like a childhood memory or an old song or some special someone only you remember. Q4: What is one of the most memorable street photographs you have taken? A: The ones that I think I shouldn’t have taken but that show a raw side of people and of life that I wonder whether I should even try to display. I make emotional and psychological connections to my photos and the people in them. I edit
ruthlessly for that very reason. The image has to make an impression on me. If it doesn’t, then I leave it. The photo either has something to say or it’s mute. Attention to myself as possible. I don’t sneak around while I shoot. I’m too big for one thing. I don’t hide my camera, but I futz around with it while I shoot. I quickly and quietly shoot what appeals to me using whatever technique is most effective at the time. Sometimes I feel like I’m invisible, which of course is ludicrous since I’m a 6 foot tall 200 pound dark skinned man, but it works. I also like to get in close to the people I shoot. I go out looking around me and making quick decisions about situations I see and whether to participate or to just walk on by. You really have to be wise where that’s concerned. Most people either aren’t aware or ignore you, but there are
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some, (and fortunately they are very few), who resent anyone shooting them whether the law is on your side or not. I intentionally overlook these unstable ones and stay focused, knowing that if I try too hard, I’ll miss the moments, and if I don’t pay enough attention, my response will be too little, too late. Q5: Where do you find inspiration for your street photography? A: It changes from time to time. The world of black & white photograph inspires me because its imagery invokes the nostalgia of things gone by: like a childhood memory or an old song or some special someone only you remember. Q6: What is one of the most memorable street photographs you have taken? A: The ones that I think I shouldn’t have taken but that show a raw side of people and of life that I wonder whether I should even try to display. I make emotional and psychological connections to my photos and the people in them. I edit ruthlessly for that very reason. The image has to make an impression on me. If it doesn’t, then I leave it. The photo either has something to say or it’s mute.
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TOP LEFT// Destination, 2006, first photo in the moving series LEFT// Pain, 1994, one of Joe’s first NYC street images BOTTOM RIGHT// Rainy Day Series, 2009, Upper East side NYC
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I felt the pain and heard the story (invented perhaps by my own desire for unfolding drama) behind her strained expression. A strikingly majestic woman walking down the street burdened with luggage with no one to help her but her inner strength. A forlorn yet determined look of someone who has lost someone dear to her or whose heart was recently crushed. I was so taken by how she bore her pain that I almost missed the shot. Q7:A video of you on YouTube for WNYC Street Shots describing your technique of “shooting from the hip” has over 59,000 views. Discuss with us a little about how you shoot from the hip, and where you learned the technique. A: I tend to shoot over head, under my arm, in front of my chest, near my leg and even by my feet (haven’t done that in a while though). Most times when I use a digital camera I use a modified version of hip shooting which allows me to peak into the view finder while I set up the shot. Too many photographers think that there’s only one decisive moment. There’s usually more than one but most of us aren’t quick enough to recognize them. I noticed the expressions would change whenever I put the camera to my face. So I would lower the camera just enough so that I could see what was happening but not enough to seem as though I was actually shooting. It worked. I grew bolder and lowered it even more and people’s defenses came down and I got the type of shots I wanted. As I learned what my lenses (28mm and 35mm) could do, I eventually knew how to hold them for straight on shots and what moves to make to get my subject to pose for me without asking them to. I don’t always shoot from the hip. I shoot conventionally when the situation warrants it, but I would challenge you diehards to determine which of my photos was shot through the viewfinder and which were shot from the hip. Q8: I understand that there are some people out there who disregard shooting from the hip. What do you have to say to them and what do you think are the pros and cons of shooting from the hip? A: Many purists think that shooting from the hip invalidates the shot. Others are intimidated by its free wheeling, nose thumbing manner. Still others curse it simply because they can’t do it with any fair degree of accuracy. Truth of the matter is—it’s just another technique and when used in the right hands with the right amount of practice, can go where conventionally shot photography can’t. It simply serves a purpose. It’s the image that counts, not how you get it. There’s nothing illegal about shooting from the hip. There’s nothing sacrosanct about shooting the conventional way either. When we view images that make our hearts throb, we may wonder how the artist did it, but in the long run, who cares. What matters most is the image itself—not the camera, the lens, the film or pixels, the exposure or the style of shooting. It’s the effectiveness of the photograph that matters most in the end. This is the skinny on shooting from the hip. The good: It’s innovative, invigorating and fun. It allows you to compose in-your-face moments that add a lot to even the most mundane moments. It can be used when conventional shooting technique doesn’t cut it or is just conducive. The bad: It involves losing a little control over the photographic experience. (Why do we photographers feel we have to control everything?) In addition, the technique must be practiced for a while to develop a feel for it. You still must allow for composition, exposure and a command of visual aesthetics. There’s a timing and rhythm involved too, so you can’t be a klutz. (Am I from New York or what?) Life just ain’t perfect and neither is any of the people we shoot nor are some of the best photographs out there. Q9: According to your biography, you have been avidly shooting for 25 years—a great feat. In the end, what do you want to accomplish out of your street photography? A: If nothing else I want to create a tome of great street images from life as it unfolds before me. I also hope that the art books I plan to publish, the courses I plan to teach, the manuals I plan to write on shooting (in different cities and countries worldwide) and the articles and interviews I plan to continue to do will encourage others to pursue the genre in their own locale and create an artistic tidal wave
I make emotional and
psychological connections
to my photos and the people in them. The image has to
make an impression on me.
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TOP LEFT// Baggage, 2008, Joe’s favorite photo, as well as one of his most well known BOTTOM LEFT// Embrace, 2010, shows the emotion that can be captured when shooting from the hip RIGHT// Broken, 2009, from the woman’s faces series FAR RIGHT// Quiet, 2010, not all street photography is of people or shot from the hip
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Life just ain’t perfect and neither is any of the people we shoot nor are some of the best photographs out there.
for street photography and its way of grabbing life and inhaling it. Q10: Who are some of the street photographers that you look up to and admire? A: Old School: Robert Frank for his gentle rawness and subtle boldness; Walker Evans for his invisibility factor (and use of an accomplice while he shot in the subways); Gary Winogrand for his compulsive consistency in getting out everyday to shoot something and Robert Capa (yeah, I know, he was a war photographer), for his work’s risk taking impact and my favorite quotes: “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough” and “The pictures are there and you just take them.”
Contemporary: There are many I know who are known and unknown to the general street photography community (Ying Tang, Rui Palha, Matt Weber, Orville Robertson, D. Skyshaper to name a few) who continue to amaze me. I will just single out one: Markus Hartel. His work, shot mostly throughout midtown Manhattan, inspired and taught me how to step out and develop as a street photographer. It was his online site that got me out on the streets believing I could do this. Q11: What kind of equipment have you shot with in the past and are shooting with right now? What do you think is the “ideal” camera for street photography? A: I’ve used a plethora of film and digital cameras through the years. The Rolleicord, Fuji GS645s, Yashica Electro and Konica Hexar for film. (I love film for the tonal quality it brings to the images). Because I like being somewhat invisible, shooting street with big cameras like my old DSLRs (Minolta 7D, Canon 30D, 5D and the like) compromise that ability. Ease of use and flexibility are important too, so I liked using early digicams like the old Olympus 5050 and Canon 9 series. Nowadays I use the Ricoh GRD3, a Lumix LX3 digicam and a four-thirds camera, the Panasonic G1. On occasion I’ll pull out my Konica Hexar when I’m feeling that film thing stirring up in me. While I don’t think there’s an ideal camera for street photography—because you really need to develop yourself with one camera of choice before rotating (as I do to keep the creative juices flowing). For me, if it’s too large or has a noisy shutter button, I shy away from it unless I’m just in
the mood to be bold and bodacious. I also like working out the nuances of a camera until I make it flow intuitively with me. Q12: What is the number one tip you would give to aspiring street photographers? A: Learn to judiciously edit your images. Look for the definitive moment among your photos. Does it move you? Is it interesting? Are there dimensions, connections, interactions? You shouldn’t have to try to explain it—the image must evoke a response in you and your viewer. If it doesn’t, keep looking. Sometimes the best thing to do is to put your
images away for a week or more so that you can become somewhat detached from them. To edit, you must be able to cut. The photo must stand on its own merit, nothing less. When you can look at your images as though someone else shot them, then you can begin to notice the rhythm and the flow of the composition. It sounds deep, but it’s not really. Just realize everything you shoot is not gold. Look for the gems. They have a brilliance all their own.
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“When words be I shall focus wit When images bec I shall be conten
Ansel A
ecome unclear, th photographs. come inadequate, nt with silence.�
Adams
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hen that itch surfaces to revisit all the big moments in our lives (the proms, weddings, births, European vacations), we naturally reach for the photo album. But where are all those other days — that Tuesday in March, say, when, as far as we can recall, nothing happened? The New York–based cinematographer Jamie Livingston found something worth photographing that day, and the next, as he meticulously (and miraculously) chronicled twenty years of his life in polaroid’s before succumbing to cancer in 1997, on his 41st birthday. During his senior year at Bard College in 1979, Jamie Livingston acquired a Polaroid camera. After a few weeks, he noticed that he was taking about one picture a day, and shortly thereafter he decided to continue doing so. The project, which quickly evolved into something of an obsession, began with a snapshot of Mindy Goldstein, Livingston’s girlfriend at the time, along with another friend, both of them smiling at something outside the frame. It ended 18 years and more than 6,000 photos later with a self-portrait of the photographer laying on his deathbed on his birthday. The narrative that unfolds between those two images tells the story not only of the friendships Livingston forged over the years but also the evolution of a city. It charts New York’s progression from an era of urban decay and fiscal crisis to a place characterized by the economic recovery that had arrived by the time of Livingston’s death, of melanoma, in 1997. This was especially
DAVID SHAFTEL
the days of his life 18 years and 6,000 photos later, one man’s chronicles of his times
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true downtown, where he lived for much of the period covered in the photographs. As the city has changed, many of the pictures have accrued meaning. “They often don’t mean anything by themselves,” Mr. Crawford said. “But when you put them all together, they take on a life of their own.” Ms. Reid, who met Livingston in 1985, cited other benefits of the collection. “When I look at a picture that I was involved in or know about,” she said, “you’re just sent right back in time and you just remember everything about that day.” His lovely gesture of toting around a camera to immortalize the everyday, every day, is touching and inspirational. There are a lot of visual jokes, fuzzy shots and fluffed self-portraits, but the plan was to take one picture and keep it no matter how it turned out. Once they found themselves walking with circus elephants through the heart of New York, late at night. Crawford turned to his friend and suggested this could be the picture of the day. “He was like, ‘No, I took a picture of my lunch, it’s already been taken,’” laughs Crawford. Through these photos an understanding of Livingston is seen. The viewer can see his accomplishments, his pitfalls, his everyday routine and his relationships. Put together these polaroid’s tell a detailed and emotional story of Livingston’s life. Before Jamie Livingston died, his friends Hugh Crawford and Betsy Reid promised they would not let the project die with him. To commemorate the 10th anniversary of their friend’s death, they digitally photographed the polaroid’s and reproduced them for an exhibition at Bard, in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The exhibit includes photographs of all 6,000 polaroid’s and takes up a 7 x 120 foot space. Mr. Crawford also loaded all of the images onto a website (photooftheday.hughcrawford.com) so they could be experienced in their entirety. The website has seen amazing traffic since it was first put up. Part of the appeal of the website, as well as the exhibit, is that Livingston wasn’t this amazing looking guy. He led an incredible life, but there’s an everyman quality to the photographs. Viewers are able to make a connection between their own lives and that of Livingston’s.
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The narrative that unfolds between those two images tells the story not only of the friendships Mr. Livingston forged over the years but also the evolution of a city. It charts New York’s progression.
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To see more of Jamie’s award winning photography follow her on her blog: www.frommetoyou.com
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n a town where you can’t escape the importance of history is a culture with an obvious political conscience for the future. Our past stands in little buildings as strong as the sky scrapers towering over them. There are more bookstores than coffee shops, more old things than new, and this 24 hours in Boston, was well spent among all of those things. Twenty-four hours, twenty-four frames is a series where I capture an honest portrayal of a place through my experience and what I see within 24 hours shared in 24 frames. All images taken with my Hasselblad 500c and black & white Tri-x 400 film.
JAMIE RADER
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hours frames
A look at everyday Boston Massachusetts life through the lens of 1k photographer Jamie Radar
Our past stands
in little buildings as strong as
the sky scrapers
towering over them
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There are more bookstores than coffee shops, more old things than new, and this 24 hours in Boston, was well spent among all of those things.
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24 hours 24 frames, boston
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NATALY JAMESON
documenting the inevitable Photographer Natalie Jameson’s documentation of the soon to be obsolete telephone booth
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nside the world of fast developing technology some of the things that we were dependent on not that long ago are becoming obsolete, and the pay phones are one of them. Being very aggressively pushed aside by the cellular service they simply cannot withstand the competition. One can`t argue the advantage of wireless, but the fact of the matter is that this option is not available to everyone. So how does this change affect people in difÂferent areas and neighborhoods? What do pay phones mean to us? Will we even notice their disappearance? All these questions came to my mind when I first started the project in 2008. 30
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One day while walking down the street, I noticed an empty phone booth and then it hit me, “one day in a very near future they will be gone forever”. So I decided to drive around Los Angeles and photograph those phone booths in different parts of the city. Throughout my excursions into various neighborhoods, I got a better sense of the individual cultures within each LA zip code. While driving around and photographing pay phones, I couldn’t help but notice how much their physical appearance changed from neighborhood to neighborhood. It was very obvious that in some areas pay phones are still very much integrated into the lifestyle of it`s population. And in other areas they were pretty much obsolete. It was almost a microcosm of the inner social workings of the diverse population. While exploring Los Angeles`s west side, populated mostly by the upper-middle class, I could locate pay phones mainly in the areas visited by the tourists. They appeared to be well maintained and seamed to be scarcely used. At least I didn’t get a chance to see them in action. On the other hand, I had no problem finding pay phones when driving around South Central, Gardena, East LA and other areas of Los Angeles predominantly populated by low income families where cell phones are not a norm yet. That was where I found the jewels of my collection. There were at least two pay phones per street block with obvious signs of recent use. Almost every phone had an appearance that told a story. By seeing all the various stickers, advertising flyers and items of our daily life, one could definitely tell that these pay phones still play an important role in the neighborhood`s life. While all around the country those phones are being removed one by one from their locations, here they are still a necessity for residents. Diving even deeper into the subject; how does the change effect homeless? So few of them have cell phones. They don’t have facebook, myspace, or twitter. The pay phone is, in effect, their version of social media. They have no other way to communicate with the world beyond their immediate local circles, or more importantly, with their prospective employers. They have two choices: giving a pay phone`s number or a shelter`s. The latter could be compromising. But most of the coin phones don`t even accept incoming calls these days. So what`s out there for the down trodden? How should they survive the boom of the technology? It seems that while our technological advances increasingly aid our own productivity and connectivity, it also is inherently excluding others, shrinking their world. The most concentration of pay phones I found was at the airport. Saturated in small areas with large quantities, I watched many of them being used. After a long flight when the cell phone`s 31
battery is dead, a pay phone seems to be the choice. Or an international traveler using a phone card. One would think that this was the place where the pay phones would stand forever. But even there I found number of booths with the phones being removed. The day the very first pay phone was invented by William Gray and installed at a bank in Hartford, Connecticut in 1898 had been revolutionary to our ways to connect. In a very short period of time the count of thousands of pay phones turned into millions. The world was beÂcoming easier to reach. The service had been provided by large number of independent companies with competitive rates. Every one of us at some point or another stood there by some coin phone waiting for an important call. I myself remember not that long ago always keeping those quarters in my pocket for the phone’s use outside of home. I remember standing in the streets of New York, where I lived at the time, waiting by the pay phone for a call from a client. And even though it was only about a decade ago it feels so much longer. Since then, we have witnessed an amazing change in the way people communicate. From basic cell phones to text massaging, then to smartphone productivity with all the options they have to offer. A century of the pay phone verses a decade of increasingly faster ways to communicate in the wireless world. So how long will it be before the very last pay phone will be removed? There is no answer to that, though the future of it is obvious and inevitable. And so it is, things come and go, being replaced with new things which will depart one day as well. But in the meantime, I`ll continue photographing the pay phones around Los Angeles until they become history once and forever, and observe the social changes this brings.
Have you documented an everyday artifact through photography? 1k is looking for reader submission. Send your everyday artifact photo stories to submission@1k.com. Be sure to include all photos, a short bio and your documented story.
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Andy Cole
Ten Tips//
Photographing Objects
There is no such things as a boring photo, if you know how to add your unique eye to it. It all depends on perspective and how you look at the world and the environment for your photo. 1
TAKE YOUR CAMERA WITH YOU EVERYWHERE YOU GO. It is often in your everyday life that a great photograph is waiting to be taken. This means changing the way you see the world around you and observing things you may ignore on a regular basis.
2
BE AWARE OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT. So many times, I find these small moments in time capture the unique compositions and colors that only your environment and knowledge can provide.
3
TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS. This does not mean careless shooting but rather embracing the mundane as something unique. Treat these photographs like any other shot. Consider angles, composition, color, lighting and subject matter. How can what seem ordinary become special through your shots?
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BECOME A PART OF THE ENVIRONMENT. My approach is often to sit or stand in a location for a while until you seem to blend into the activity. Then, I walk and shoot as things present themselves.
5
LOOK FOR DETAILS. Even small things like the benches, doorknobs, bakeries, novelty shops and convergence of material make photographing locations so amazing.
6
PHOTOGRAPH YOUR FOOD. Food can make for beautiful photographs. Photograph it before cooking it, while it is cooking, when it is dished up.
7
PERSPECTIVE. Look for interesting angles and views of objects. Shoot from down low, high above, far away, up close.
8
CAPTURE WHAT IS SPECIAL TO YOU. Consider shooting aspects of everyday life that are special to you. have a great love of typography and letter forms and so often include them in my photography. I find them in almost every situation I am in and so observe carefully the ones I want to capture and save.
9
BE WILLING TO STOP. Be flexible about driving casually and stopping when you see something you want to photograph. Allow extra time when going to destinations as to leave room to stop and take photographs. Allow your shots to be in the moment.
10
DOCUMENT YOUR LIFE. Look for items that tell the story of your life. Capture your favorite objects, in unique and creative ways. Photograph your home, and items you use on a regular basis. Embrace the mundane and ordinary.
ten tips// streetsection photography name
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While there is perhaps a province in which the photograph can tell us nothing more than what we see with our own eyes, there is another in which it proves to us how little our eyes permit us to see. Dorothea Lange