By Ashley Hunsberger John Hartley was finishing up a shift at the local coffee shop. As he hung up his apron and peered over the counter, he noticed something. That guy, the one who came in almost every day, was still staring intently at his laptop screen, immersed in...well, John wasn't sure what. True, it was normal to see freelancers scattered around the shop sipping their lattes without ever taking their eyes off their computer screen, "but this guy," John thought to himself, "his shifts
Reverie
It’s weird to shoot in a kind of reverie. Almost in a dream state. But that’s what the late afternoon sun can do. Put you in that state. That’s what I look for as a photographer. I find it on the beaches, piers, promenades of Santa Monica and Venice, California. In the late mystifying light that brings its own kind of shadow. The shot up above being like that. A midnight sun over a mysterious nighttime world. I remember shooting transfixed. I guess my dark filter and my camera settings did this
The Morocco You’ve Never Seen
Introduction by Ashley Hunsberger What comes to mind when you think of Morocco? If, like me, you’ve never visited the country but you’ve seen your fair share of photos of the place, you probably dream up colorful souks, gorgeous stacked residences just old enough to look beautifully aged rather than run down, blue walls for days – the perfect backdrop for your street shots, warm, friendly people and little cafes with tiny cups of strongly brewed coffee you can almost smell. European influences
In Search of Light
I started this project in November 2018 and I still have not finished it. I still don’t have a date for the project’s conclusion. In my project, I was not inspired by a single photographer but by all street photographers who are doing a fantastic job with lights. In fact, lately, I have felt inspired to make even more photos of this type. This series force me to leave my comfort zone and I am learning a lot from this ongoing project. I have seen some street photographers who forget the soul
Doing The Most
As a street photographer, and a native Californian, I have spent the past several years attempting to document different areas and cultures of the LA Basin. Documenting the people, the habits, and the fashion of different streets and neighborhoods. Motivated mostly, out of nothing more than my own selfish curiosity. As I was wrapping up a two year photo essay on Hollywood Boulevard, I had a chance encounter with a motorized bike crew from South LA that would spark new relationships and occupy
Salt Fever
The Bonneville Salt Flats is one of the most unique natural locations in the United States, stretching over 30,000 acres. The Salt Flats were formed when an ancient huge lake dried up. It eventually shrank below its outlet and so its water became salty. As water continued to evaporate, salt deposits were left over 10,000 years ago. Salt Flat Racing is a unique sport that consists of very determined people who drive hot rods, roadsters, belly tankers, lakesters, motorcycles, and stream-liners
Geometrical Saigon
“Geometrical Saigon” is a series of photographs taken in Saigon, now officially named Ho Chi Minh, in southern Vietnam. I’m not generally a fan of big cities, and as cities go, Saigon isn't my favorite city, I must admit, but the interest point of this city is its agitated and complex streets. In “Geometrical Saigon,” the geometry, colors, lights and shadows are the main protagonists. The people photographed, all Vietnamese I assume, are unequivocally essentials in the compositions as
Street View in Colour
Last month I fulfilled one of my greatest desires to visit the distant country of Cuba, which is situated on the other hemisphere, very far from where I live, my country, Greece. For this journey I had with me the new mirrorless camera, the Fujifilm XT3 camera and three zoom lenses, which helped me move quietly in the streets of Havana and Trinidad. I call this journey "a great desire " as I always admired the culture and the harassed people of this country. What I earned from my stay there,
Street Routine – Dogs of My Neighbourhood
Once again with the start of the day, my feet began their journey on the streets. I love these mornings as they are full of energy. Across the lanes, dogs witnessed my lens passing by. Day in and day out they reside there. Yes, right there on the pavement, the walkways, on the side of the street. They watch humans move around and react to the activity in their own manner. For dogs, the street is a routine. Each day's activities and reactions surround them. They are so very connected, yet aloof.
Sand Dunes
We had, until recently, on the beach near my home a series of large, hulking sand dunes put up along the shoreline. These sand dunes were created by local authorities to protect against flooding. To me they provided a fascinating backdrop to the countless folks out on the beach each day. I’ve shot these sand dunes as panels—long, narrow photos because they suggest the vast expanse of the beach. And when you shoot them this way they can take on a life of their own—look at times like
How to Change a Country, its People and its Environment
During my 55 years of street photography, I have never seen a deterioration and a change of the street in my country Venezuela, like the one that has happened in the last 20 years, not only in its urban plans, but also in its people and especially in their behavior. The city and its architecture show a deterioration. Not even the colonial houses and their history escape this destruction, caused by the attempt to change democracy for communism. My city Porlamar on the Island of Margarita,