This week I'm having a conversation with my friend Patrick a Roque from Montreal, Canada. We talk about inspiration, visual memory, medium format, snow and more...
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©Jeff Rothstein
Hit The Streets 81: Today's Special with Jeff Rothstein
This week, my guest is Jeff Rothstein. Jeff has been photographing NYC for nearly 50 years. He’s witnessed and photographed many key historical and political events and the ever changing city scapes. But most of all, he recorded moments of everyday life which are, in my opinion, what makes street photography so important and valuable.
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Hit The Streets 80: Promenade Moments with Pia Parolin
My guest today is Pia Parolin. She was on the French Riviera, on the evening of 14 July 2016, when a truck was deliberately driven into crowds of people celebrating Bastille Day on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. The horrible event resulted in the deaths of 86 people and the injury of over 450 others.
Although she would never look at the famous promenade the same again, she decided to document happier days again and started a series called Promenade Moments.
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People at work ©Valérie Jardin
Hit The Streets 79: Q&A and Photo Challenge
Today is a new Q&A and photo challenge episode and I invited Andy McSweeney AKA Andy McPhoto to co-host with me.
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Hit the Streets 78: The Wool Sock Project
Take a listen here, on iTunes, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, etc.
A few weeks ago, my good friend Joshua Coombes, founder of #DoSomethingForNothing, went to Anchorage Alaska to meet up with Mikey Huff, a young photographer who started a project called The Wool Sock Project. You all know how much I love those initiatives and I wanted to know a little more and reached out to Mikey who happened to be a podcast listener!
Bio
Mikey Huff is a photographer and founder of ‘The Wool Sock Project’ based in Anchorage, Alaska. Mikey began distributing care packages to those living on the streets across Alaska, which included a pair of wool socks to help combat the freezing temperatures. Mikey exchanged these for a conversation, documenting these moments through portrait images. Mikey's career path is carved by his curiosity for humans, he believes the best way to improve the world around you is to use your strengths to lift up the community around you.
Project
Serving the Anchorage homeless community, our intent is to help each individual we interact with in some small way, whether it be with our care packages (wool socks, gloves, food, hand warmers, etc…) or simply by shaking hands and sharing stories.
Links
woolsock.org - mikeyhuff.com - instagram.com/woolsockproject or /mikeyhuff
Balance ~ Lake Superior ©Valérie Jardin
Hit The Streets 77: Case Study 2: Finding Balance
Take a listen here, on iTunes, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, etc.
This is a new case study episode. This week it’s another case that will benefit the community at large in one way or another. I received this email a few weeks ago from a podcast listener:
First, I have been wanting to set up my own website. I don’t expect to make money from my photography, but I would at least like to be able to sell prints or at least have my own online platform for displaying my photos. A website seems like a good idea, but I have several questions as follows:
It seems like a good idea, but is it really? Or should I focus my time on other things - like getting out with my camera more often?
What website vendor should I use? What are the differences and pros and cons between the major ones like Smug Mug, Wix, WordPress, etc? Maybe there others that may be more well suited for me.
How many photos do I need to launch a website? I worry that I don’t have enough good content to make a website viable. ( I also worry in general that my work isn’t good enough to justify a website. That's a whole psychology angle that a lot of photographers probably struggle with.)
Should I set up a website so that it can take online orders?
I also wonder what to name my website and/or Instagram page. How do I brand myself? As you know I have two Instagrams: a private one for family snapshots and a more “serious” one where I post some of my better photos and avoid the family pics. I don’t need you to give me a name, but I wonder how to separate my photo “brand” from my day job where I work as a financial planner. When people Google my name, I don’t want them to be confused between two Mike Branch websites - one for financial planning and one for photography. I worry that my financial planning clients may wonder if I am serious about my real job or that it could create conflict with my professional brand. Long-story short I want to keep my photography and professional life separate.
Should my website focus on one genre or specialty or have more variety. I enjoy street photography but I don’t limit myself to any one type of photography.
- Mike Branch
Because we are talking about balancing a full-time career with an emerging photography career, I invited special co-host and friend of the show, Steve Brokaw, to help me with this case.
Bio:
Mike Branch is an aspiring Minneapolis-based photographer with a busy day job and an active family life. His photographic interests include an eclectic mix of street photography, cityscapes, animals and other subjects that catch his eye. He dreams of one day traveling the world with his camera. Currently, you can find his work on Instagram @Leo.Logee
Links:
Mike Branch @Leo.Logee on Instagram
Steve Brokaw's website, Instagram
Send us your case study for an upcoming episode!
By contacting Valerie here
Hit The Streets 76: Dancers in the City with Omar Z Robles
This week I invited Omar Z Robles on the show. I had the chance to meet him a couple of times and co-host a photo walk with him in NYC in 2016. You’ve all seen his work with dancers. Today I invite you to get to know the man behind the lens and learn about the passion that fuels his creativity.
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Eyes of a Stranger ©Valérie Jardin
Hit The Streets 75: 28 Minutes with Valerie
Take a listen here or on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, etc.
This is a monologue episode as I have quite a few announcements this week... I also answer a listener question about anxiety on the streets.
Call For Entry
I am excited to be the juror for a new Call For Entry with the Minneapolis Photo Center. To enter, please visit the Mpls Photo Center website
Theme:
The Eyes of A Stranger - Street Portraits
Making a good portrait of a complete stranger is a challenge that all serious photographers must eventually face. It is an acquired skill.
It's one thing to take a picture of a pedestrian or stranger on the sly, and quite another to actually make a portrait of them.
We can choose to engage them or not, but each encounter should result in a positive experience for the subject and the photographer.
The desired end result is a strong photograph that does reveal the brief connection that we shared.
The eyes don't lie. Nor does the camera.
Timeline:
February 22: Call for Entry OPENS
April 22: Call for Entry CLOSES
May 1: Judging completed and 60 exhibitors announcements are made
June 1: All exhibit photographs are framed and ready to hang in the gallery at MPC
June 8: Opening night at Mpls Photo Center for The Eyes of a Stranger and #DoSomethingForNothing NYC-Paris
Webinars
Coming soon! Sign up here to get notified when registration opens
Hit The Streets Worldwide Photowalks
Find all the details on the Hit The Streets Worldwide Photowalks FB Group
Workshops
1 spot open in NYC March 1-2
1 spot open in Normandy, France Oct. 24-30
Hit The Streets 74: The 24HourProject with Renzo Grande
This week on Hit The Streets I talk with the founder of the 24 Hour Project, Renzo Grande. Find out all there is to know about this fun project and how you can get involved this year!
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New photo challenge: SEASONS
Summer day at the beach ©Valérie Jardin
Hit The Streets 73: Q&A and Photo Challenge
This week, my guest co-host is German photographer Kai Behrmann. Together we answer questions about consistency in producing photo series and useful steps you can take to improve your photography today. The questions were submitted by Elizabeth Gray and Chantal Mougel.
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