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Table of Contents

Interview with Phil Koenig

Typewriters that Never Run Out of Ribbon

Road 65 – Life on the Wadi Ara Route

Hong Kong Streets

Street Shooters of July 2017

Interview with Phil Koenig

Phil Koenig is an authentic street photographer who really puts in the work. He spends 4 to 6 hours most days walking about 20 kilometers of city streets and shooting the people of New York City.

Phil’s classic approach to street photography and his decades spent shooting in NYC, has given him some fascinating insights and opinions into what street photography should be about and what’s going wrong with street photography today. One thing we talked about specifically is the effect of technology on humanity. People are becoming more and more enveloped in technology and Phil finds that this translates into people spending most of their day with their ‘faces planted in their iPhones and wires sticking out of their ears.’ This “progress” has left people disconnected, making real life interactions harder to capture. This is perhaps part of the reason why recently, Phil began focusing on making portraits of people who work in the area.

We also talked about technique, practice, approach and post processing. And film. You’ll find it quite interesting, maybe even eye-opening, to hear the perspective of a real-life photographer who was shooting before digital and has no interest in the “trendy factor” film carries these days.

Click the audio player below to hear our conversation, with all the gritty details:

https://spm-media.s3.amazonaws.com/interview-with-phil-keonig-final.mp3

A Selection of Phil’s Images

(click to enlarge)

Jack the Greek
Jack the Greek
Men in Red
Men in Red
Ironworker
Ironworker
Hiltiman
Hiltiman
Dancing Clown
Dancing Clown
Broadway Dancers
Broadway Dancers
Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
Street Performer
Street Performer

Phil’s Gear

  • Nikon D750
  • Nikon 20mm lens
  • Nikon 35mm lens
  • Nikon 180mm lens
Phil Koenig

Phil Koenig

Phil Koenig began making photographs at the age of 14. A year later, he was a working photographer. In a career that has spanned over 50 years, he’s worked for architects, ad agencies, magazines, and every imaginable type of designer. His work has included still life, portraits, industrial, food, cars, and airplanes. As if that wasn’t enough, he has owned a manufacturing business, is a self taught machinist/toolmaker, worked for NASA, and has parts on several machines on Mars. Currently he is pursuing his two great loves, architecture and environmental/illustrative portraiture. He resides in Brooklyn, NY and can be contacted at phil@philkoenigphotography.com

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Articles
July 2017

Interview with Phil Koenig

What's wrong with street photography nowadays? Get a new perspective, one that might be a little more real, from Phil Koenig, a street photographer in NYC who spends 4 - 6 hours every day shooting the streets. (You read right - every day.)

Typewriters that Never Run Out of Ribbon

Arindam Thokder shows why typewriters are staying relevant in India's judicial system, despite technological advances.

Road 65 – Life on the Wadi Ara Route

Amir Lavon tells the story of an Arab country road where people prove that we are first of all human, even when political programs put a strain on those they govern.

Hong Kong Streets

Eric Davidove takes us on a trip to Hong Kong, exploring some of the country's social issues as well as what makes street photography there quite different from street photography in most Western Countries.

Street Shooters of July 2017

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