Press
ThePhoblographer
See the full article online here: https://www.thephoblographer.com/2024/03/28/greatest-street-photographers-alive/
Coming soon to Youtube, photographers can watch the film Fill the Frame for free on April 6th. The film, which came out in 2021, profiles the work of several street photographers. The list includes some of the greatest street photographers alive such as Dimitri Mellos, Jonathan Higbee, Julia Gillard, Lauren Welles, Mathias Wasik, Melissa Breyer, Melissa O’Shaughnessy, Richard Sandler, and Paul Kessel. and on that date, you’ll get to watch them in action. In our 15 years as a publication, we’ve featured five of those photographers. So we’re revisiting their work and sharing their insights.
All images used with permission from the photographers in our interviews. Lead image by Paul Kessel. For more, check out Fill the Frame on April 6th.
INSIGHTS FROM 5 OF THE GREATEST STREET PHOTOGRAPHERS ALIVE
Fill the Frame is a film that we think every photographer who is looking for inspiration should check out as there aren’t really many that delve into the minds. It seems instead that there’s so much emphasis on gear — which gets montonous. The one that does it really well is Paulie G’s Walkie Talkie. He’s talking to some of the greatest street photographers around right now along with those you really should be paying attention to. But if you want more then please check out Fill the Frame and check out insights from the photographers below.
Dodho
New York; From my window by Paul Kessel
Link to view full story: https://www.dodho.com/new-york-from-my-window-by-paul-kessel/
To read the rest of the story and see more of his From My Windows photos, please visit: https://www.dodho.com/new-york-from-my-window-by-paul-kessel/
FIELD OF VIEW
by Patrick Witty
In the winter of 1938, Walker Evans tucked his painted-black Contax discreetly under his overcoat and descended into the New York City subway, searching for something real, hunting for what he called “true portraiture.”1
Evans had grown angry, “irritated by the icy, alluring commercial portraits of Cecil Beaton, Yousuf Karsh, and Edward Steichen,”2 and decided to secretly photograph unsuspecting subway riders. “The guard is down and the mask is off: even more than when in lone bedrooms (where there are mirrors), people’s faces are in naked repose down in the subway,” Evans famously wrote.3
Alongside his accomplice, Helen Levitt, Evans collected people with his eyes, making roughly 600 photos without ever peering into the viewfinder, triggering the shutter with a cable release snuck down his sleeve into his right hand.
Evans’ brilliant, unsentimental photo of a mother and child (above) is a direct reference to his inspiration for the series: Honoré Daumier’s painting, The Third-Class Carriage......
..... Consider this 1979 photo by Neal Boenzi, photographer for The New York Times. It’s an intriguing echo of Evans’ photo, from a vastly different era.
Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to work with Boenzi, he’d retired long before I landed at the Times in 2004, but I was a fan of his work — newsy, wild and gritty, like the crazy photo he shot of a woman being attacked by a lion. Boenzi didn’t ask for permission to make that photo.
Likewise, Paul Kessel didn’t ask for permission when capturing this unguarded, lyrical moment of a mother and her children on the Q Train in 2019. A truly modern version of Evans’ photo.
Although Kessel’s Leica wasn’t hidden in his overcoat like Evans’ Contax, he wasn’t looking through the viewfinder either — it was resting in his lap when the woman and her kids fortuitously sat down across from him. “I looked up and there they were, in a perfect position,” Kessel explained to me. He guessed the distance and started shooting. “Somehow it came out ok,” he added.
The photo went viral and won several awards, eliciting both praise and criticism — largely because Kessel didn’t get her consent. But what if he’d taken the photo with his camera at his eye (something I’d label “implied consent”)? Or simply asked her for permission? It might have quelled some of the criticism but the magic would’ve been gone.
Despite its virality, the woman in the photo has never come forward or been identified. I asked Kessel what he’d say to her if given the chance. “I hope you like the photo,” he responded. “I would like to give you a framed print.”
The last photo in Many Are Called is an outlier, the only image that wasn’t taken from across a seated passenger. But it’s one of the most dynamic and speaks directly to this notion of consent....
For the full story, go to: www.patrickwitty.substack.com
AAP Magazine, 2023 Street Edition
Hardcopy magazine & online
"Marilyn" featured among the "Winners"
@pictorique
See the original post & full comments here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CyF-RQGg1N3/
CAPTION IN @PICTORIQUE POST:
"A composition masterclass in a single image.
Paul Kessel @streetskessel was raised in the bustling heart of New York City, he moved through careers in clinical psychology, psychoanalysis, and academia. However, in 2008, his attention turned to the world of photography.
Street photography became Paul’s muse. Similar to his days as a competitive amateur golfer, he approached it with a sportive spirit. Some days might start slow, necessitating a warm-up, but occasionally a pristine shot stands out from the rest. There are moments, reminiscent of being “in the zone,” where every click seems perfectly timed.
He got so good at this sport as to become into one of the most valuable players. This particular piece is a favorite at Pictorique. It’s worth delving into, as the image is a standalone masterclass in photography."
The Art of Seeing, A TDM Photo Awards Collection
by TDM Magazine
The book details can be found here: https://tdmawards.com/product/the-art-of-seeing-a-tdm-photo-awards-collection/
INTERVIEW EXTRACTED FROM BOOK
1- Thank you for asking me for the interview. I do not work in the photography industry. I am an amateur photographer but my involvement and immersion with photography is at the level of a full-time job (without responsibilities).
I began photography at a serious level at the age of seventy when I wandered into The International Center of Photography in NYC without a plan and stayed there for about ten years enrolling in as many courses as possible. After a few years focusing on portraits and studio lighting, I discovered street photography and realized that it was a perfect fit for me. As a child and quite some time thereafter, I was very shy and instead of being with others, I would walk around on the streets alone observing people. In a sense, I had begun street photography early in life but without a camera. I did have a camera and took a few pictures as early as age eight, but I never stuck with photography until over a half a century later. Once I began street photography about twelve years ago, I was totally addicted and have a constant urge to pursue it.
2- When I began street photography, I did street portraits with permission. That was followed by candid street portraits with context, and finally my style developed into street scenes with multiple people, interaction, and layers. I seem to be drawn to busy complex photos that fill the frame. I rarely achieve good complex photographs, but the quest is always there. It occurs to me that there is some history that may explain my attraction to “busy” photographs. I have no art education at all and have rarely been exposed to art (family dynamics accounts for this.) However, I arranged to have two posters of paintings hanging in my room as a child. One by Bosch and the other by Dali. Both were complex and full of stuff throughout the frame. I have a hunch that this informs my photographic preferences.
3- My greatest strength as a photographer is persistence. I believe that truly worthwhile photos are rare and the constant pursuit to achieve one is addictive. Street photography is mostly about failure and the possibility of a worthwhile photograph in the context of primarily failure, is a recipe for addiction. I prefer to call it “persistence”. Another strength is consideration of context. This “strength” may be a weakness as well because I sometimes get too involved with composition at the expense of content.
4- Choosing locations to photograph is simple for me as I rarely travel, and since the pandemic, I have not been anywhere except close to home in New York City. In Manhattan, where I live, I photograph in the usual haunts of street photographers. I believe that the subjects in my pictures find me, in a sense, rather than visa-versa. The more I actively search, the less I see things. I am a big believer in letting it happen.
5- Almost all my photos involve people. I love a good landscape or cityscape as much as anyone. However, I am constantly drawn to looking at people. I have always been fascinated by people, first as a child walking the streets and later in my profession as a clinical psychologist.
6- Somewhere along the way in my development as a street photographer, I started to lose interest in attending primarily to individuals and started to prefer broader scenes with multiple people involved. I believe that was always my primary interest, but I lacked the skill necessary to perceive multiple things at the same time. I believe doing so is a more complex perceptual act. Fortunately, the camera is a partner in achieving this sort of perception. I am constantly amazed at how frequently the camera “sees” things that I don’t see. To give myself a bit more credit, maybe my vision is largely unconscious (as opposed to attributing perceptual power to the camera). There may be a technical element that helps. I used a 35mm prime lens for many years. A few years ago, I started using a 28mm lens. The wider lens enhances the possibility of multiple people and layers in the photograph. Of course, altering vantage point can achieve the same thing.
7- Staying inspired and motivated to create new and unique images is built into the process. By this I mean that I am pulled along by the hope of creating an exceptional photograph and the possibility of a meaningful series. I will repeat what I said in a previous interview. (As with photos, writing tends to get repetitious).
In Ernest Hemmingway’s short novel, “The Old Man and The Sea”, the old fisherman says: “My big fish must be somewhere” and “It is silly not to hope”. I feel like the old man and the street. The hope of a worthwhile photograph around the corner keeps me going. The act of photographing may be a sufficient motivating force regardless of outcome. Looking and seeing something that perks my interest and the feel and sound of pressing the shutter are pleasant sensations and is an enjoyable activity in and of itself.
8- It is not for me to say what sets my work apart from other photographers. I often feel that I am merely one more street photographer creating photographic clutter. I do have a photograph of a family on the subway that has won lots of acclaim (“Q Train”, 2019). My subway series apparently is noteworthy too.
9- The biggest challenge I face is the tendency to take a variation of the same photo over and over. It is difficult to do something new and different. Another challenge which may be more unique, is that I began serious photography late in life and as I age further into the middle eighties, the physical aspects of photographing become more difficult. I can no longer chase after potential photos in the distance. Instead, I rely more on finding a spot with an interesting background and good light and waiting for the picture to emerge.
10- The photo “Soho” was chosen as a winning photograph by TDM in 2021. I try to title my work by location only so as not to plant ideas in the viewer. However, this image could have been titled, “Waiting for Kate Moss” The celebrity model was about to emerge from a hotel. Paparazzi gathered as their network revealed her location. I joined in but soon I realized that I couldn’t get close enough with my wide-angle lens among the long lenses of the hoard of photographers. I intuitively recalled that the great street photographer, Garry Winogrand, sometimes turned around to photograph in the opposite direction from the point of interest. I did that and pressed the shutter without more thought. The camera did the rest.
11- As I mentioned previously, candid street photography is primarily about failure. Achieving a handful of truly worthwhile photos in a year is the best that can be hoped for. I often compare street photography to a sport. In almost all sports, failure is more common than success even for world- class athletes. Slumps occur with the very best in their given sport. That is true for street photographers too. It is easy to get discouraged after a day of shooting results in zero photos worth showing. That is inherent to what we do though. What feels like a slump, is practicing street photography. Realizing that, enables me to go out with my camera day after day and that is essential for any kind of success.
I just used the word “success”. That can mean many things. So-called success can be enjoying being outside, enjoying the thrill of not knowing what may be seen at any minute, getting a good picture, the feeling of shooting, winning a contest, and not to be ignored, friendships made by belonging to a community of photographers.
ThePhoblographer
The blog post can be read in full here: https://www.thephoblographer.com/2023/08/08/a-look-at-how-famous-street-photographers-work/
EXTRACTED FROM FULL STORY:
It’s easy for photographers of a certain age to romanticize the ideals of those like Garry Winogrand or Bresson. Others instead might stray towards the questionably cult-like cliques formed by photographers like Eric Kim or Thorsten Overgaard. But famous street photographers know that this is a long game — and that it’s not just about making it on social media. They take this idea with them holistically through their journey onto the streets to capture their images worthy of being a blockbuster for their career.
All images in this article are used with permission by the photographers in our interviews.
Not every photographer goes out to shoot the most candid moments they can find. Street photography works in a very similar way to cinematic stories. The images are either character-driven or story-driven. You might have heard Bruce Gilden speak about characters while Joel Meyerowitz would try to tell a story instead. They’re two different approaches, and they formulate different stories.
INTENSE FOCUS AND THE HUNT
“Early on, I was often crippled by shyness when deciding whether to bring the camera to my eye,” says Melissa O’Shaughnessy to us in an interview. “As time went on, I overcame my fears by realizing that I wanted the picture more than I feared the consequences of taking it.” Conquering fear is a big part of being a street photographer. Finding a way to do it will often yield you some of the best photos, as she’s demonstrated. This mentality is prevalent with many street photographers. But Melissa also finds a way to do her subjects justice in the photos she takes. For example, the theme of the strong woman was big in her book Perfect Strangers.
Some photographers go out to shoot with a very specific thing in mind. But others, like photographer Dimpy Bhalotia, try to react as quickly as they can when they encounter a scene. In a previous interview with her, Dimpy told us that develop a sense of unconsciously moving with the subject. “You have to be very quick and invisible in the streets,” she told us. “To capture something natural, your subject shouldn’t know someone is watching them. You have to merge yourself in the crowd.” Dimpy likes capturing movement as it happens.
Looking at one of Dimpy’s images provided to us in our previous interview, we can notice several things. Firstly, she’s focusing on shooting only in black and white. This not only immediately draws the eyes to specific things in the scene, but it simplifies the photo to the human brain. Dimpy is also using natural light to figure out how shadows will affect a scene. As is evident in the scene above, she used reflections to tell a larger story within a small frame. All this, combined with specific framing and understanding of the culture around her, all work out well for her.
In fact, Dimpy tells us that she goes to a place and tries to understand the people and the culture before getting more into photographing what’s in front of her. This is a common tactic used by some of the best photojournalists as it helps people get used to the fact that a camera is in front of them. But Dimpy tries to more or less be a fly on the wall instead.
The idea of being the fly on the wall isn’t really a new one. If we analyze Paul Kessler’s “Q-Train” photo, which is the lead image of this article, we can notice many things that make it appealing across so many different fields of study. Just focusing on the idea of color theory, we can see various layers working in the scene. Steve McCurry tries to focus on three colors within a portrait to keep it simple. Though we can say that this is maybe more of a candid portrait, Kessel finds a way to make multiple layers of colors work and have them uniquely all stand out from one another.
More importantly than just the colors, there’s the candid moment. We are told multiple things about this portrait:
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Who: It’s about a mother being overwhelmed by her children
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What: The moment here is very relatable to several adults because they’ve either had children or they’ve had to endure hearing the results of someone else’s breeding.
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When: This is a relatively recent photo. But it’s something that can stand the test of time.
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Where: We’re in the NYC subway on public transportation. Many tourists and residents alike experience random moments on the subway.
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How: Paul simply took the photo when he noticed what was happening. Paul told us that he estimated the distance and got the shot.
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Why: This photo is so appealing to us because it’s holistically a beautiful moment around motherhood while also demonstrating strength within the chaos that is life and the NYC subway system.
Similar things can be said of many of Paul’s other pieces. His photos often show some sort of connection between people and work to tell a story within a larger frame. In cinema, it’s often said that New York can be a constant character in a movie. And clearly, we see that in many of Paul’s other images, such as the one above. Provided to us in our previous interview, the image shows how a family can find solace and peace while trying to get around public transportation. It’s a stark contrast to Paul’s other photo we previously discussed.
What’s evident in the work of both Dimpy and Paul is that they’re constantly looking around, gauging light, and being in tune with their environment. They’re probably both often taking breaks because it requires very deep concentration and understanding of what’s going on in front of them. More importantly, the photographer needs to connect their technical and artistic sides. Most photographers understand that this translation process can be very difficult.
Reclaim The Street: Street Photography's Moment
The book details can be found here: bit.ly/3qCQIzW
Image featured in book: Q Train
BOOK OVERVIEW
Featuring stunning imagery, this is a vibrant survey of the trends and talents fueling street photography today and a fresh take on what street photography can be.
A world tour of the very best street photography today, Reclaim the Street showcases work from more than one hundred contemporary photographers, from the established to the emerging, from all corners of the globe.
In Reclaim the Street, Stephen McLaren and Matt Stuart present a multilayered overview of street photography’s constantly evolving form. Together, they interweave individual photographer portfolios, in-depth case studies, and surveys of the hot spots where communities of street photographers are thriving today. Great photographic minds don’t think alike, nor are two streets identical: follow these photographers as they capture snapshots of people and places perpetually in flux.
Truly diverse in scope, Reclaim the Street pays long overdue attention to flourishing scenes beyond the West, including workby Indian photographer Swarat Ghosh, Thai photographer Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet (aka Poupay), and Brazilian photographer Gustavo Minas. The global, humanistic edge of Reclaim the Street is a love note to photography, as well as to the places and people captured through today’s sharpest lenses.
The book can be purchased here: bit.ly/3qCQIzW
The Highlands Currant
online version of the article can be read here:
https://highlandscurrent.org/2023/05/12/street-rules/
Garage Gallery, Solo Show Press Release & Website Listing
UP Collective Interview
WHO?
I began photography late in life. One day with little forethought, I wandered into the International Center of Photography in New York City and registered for the most basic photography course for beginners. I would turn 70 years old in a month and had been at a loss about how to spend my time after I stopped working as a psychologist and professor, coupled with my daughter now having her own apartment and no longer living with me. I had always owned a camera but, except for a few brief spurts of interest, rarely pursued photography. It never occurred to me that I would continue after this first course, but I never missed a semester of taking anywhere from one to three courses for the next ten years. The reason why I was so drawn to photography is multifaceted. When I first viewed a photo I took on a computer, I was amazed and excited about how the camera saw so much that was out of my awareness. It was a reflection, and I had never viewed a photo of a reflection before. My daughter was pursuing a career in photography, and that was another reason that spurred me on. Additionally, I suppose that there was always a latent interest.
After a few years focusing on portraits, I discovered street photography, and I almost immediately realized that it was a perfect fit for me. As a child and all the way up to my early 20’s, I was very shy. I spent a lot of time wandering the streets alone observing people. In a sense, I had begun street photography early in life, but without a camera. Once I began street photography about twelve years ago, I was totally hooked and have a constant urge to go out as much as possible to pursue it. A truly good street photograph is rare, and the constant pursuit to achieve one is addictive. Street photography is mostly about failure, and the possibility of a worthwhile photograph in the context of primarily failure is a recipe for addiction. Now at almost age 86, I have slowed down but there is never a time when I go out without a camera.
WHERE?
I have lived in New York City most of my life and almost all of my photographs were made there. During the CoVid-19 pandemic, a period of staying home was followed by a temporary move out of the city to a rural area. I like to tell myself that pictures emerge everywhere, and that location is not that important. However, without a busy city, my desire dissipates. I seem to need people to photograph. I consider that a shortcoming, but I accept that it is my need. Theoretically, I profess to believe that one can photograph anywhere at any time. Some street photographers are more conceptual and can make a photograph out of practically nothing. Others, like myself, require something outside of their head, to react to and take a picture. It is always a mixture of concepts and more intuitive immediate reactions with different photographers working more with one or the other.
In New York City, I photograph in the usual haunts of street photographers. Until the pandemic, I photographed in Frankfurt, Germany and Copenhagen, Denmark almost every year as well as Miami and San Francisco when I attended street photography festivals.
WHEN?
The short answer to “when” is “all the time”. I spend most of my waking hours (as well as frequent dreams) with street photography. Parenthetically, almost all my photography dreams are a variation of seeing unbelievably good scenes to shoot but the shutter will not engage. Please don’t bother interpreting this.
WHAT?
I will repeat what I said in a previous interview. In Ernest Hemingway’s short novel, “The Old Man and The Sea”, the old man says: “My big fish must be somewhere” and “It is silly not to hope”. I feel like the old man and the street. I am pulled along by the hope of finding my big picture. On a subway in 2019, I caught my “big fish”. The photo, “Q Train” has won many awards, much praise and criticism as well. It won events that I never dreamed of participating in, let alone, win. I suppose that I am sort of a “one-shot wonder”. I do have more photos and series that are good and others have liked, but none are in the same league.
When I began street photography, I initially did street portraits with consent. I moved on to candid portraits and then candid street scenes. My goal now is a layered street scene with multiple elements and activities going on. I almost never achieve it but again, the quest keeps me going. I seem to be after complex busy photos that fill the frame. It occurs to me that there is some history to this. I have had no art education at all and have almost never been exposed to art (family dynamics explain this). However, I arranged to have two posters of paintings hanging in my room as a child. One by Bosch and the other by Dali. Both were complex and full of stuff throughout the frame. I have a hunch that this informs my photographic preferences.
WHY?
It seems that for me, whenever I pursue something, I become totally involved and I am satisfied to do only that one thing. That is so with making candid photographs in public places. I do it because I have reached the point in life where that is what I do. The alluring goal of finding or making better pictures is all consuming. It is a sport that I play all the time. I long for those rare times that I get “in the zone” where I easily see potential pictures and get them, undistracted by worry and other matters. I am aware that this activity is one of an almost perpetual “slump” because achieving an exceptional picture is so rare. On a day that I do achieve what for me, is a good picture, I love the feeling.
External factors pull me along also. Being accepted into a meaningful exhibition and being accepted by competent photographers, as a viable player are significant motivating factors. It is only recently that I have become aware of the most important reason I photograph. Since I began in 2008, I have accumulated friends and relationships that mean much more than any photograph or success in a contest. Although perhaps I have gone as far as I can go with photography, the friendships continue.
To read the interview online, please visit: https://upphotographers.com/interviews/interview-with-paul-kessel/
Weser-Kurier, Germany, March 1, 2023
Weser-Report, Germany, February 26, 2023
MIX, Germany, March 2023
Bremer, Germany, March 2023
The Cyprus Photographic Society – Pafos Branch organizes the contest The Wall 2022 aiming to exhibit large pictures in an outdoor public space for an extended period of time. Through photographers’ contribution both in Cyprus and abroad, a wall in the city centre will be covered with 30 colour photos. The event is part of the programme of events of the Months of Photography Paphos (MoPP2022) photo festival. This is the 7th edition of the event.
The photo installation will remain in place for 11 months and it is expected to be visited by more than 50 000 people.
International Jury Committee
To see all photographs featured and the original article, please visit:
By invitation, Dodho Magazine, 2022
New York City is considered as one of the best places to practice street photography. It has a history of being the breeding grounds of many of the finest street photographers over the years.
If one is proficient with the fundamentals of photography and puts in the time, interesting photographs will emerge. Individual talent and style mean a lot but in addition to this, persistence and patience are necessary. The more one is out with a camera, the greater number of lucky circumstances will happen and result in a few photos worth keeping. The project, “Street Scenes” represents an effort to cull out some of the better photos.
About Paul Kessel
After a career in clinical psychology and university teaching, Paul Kessel began photography late in life (one month shy of his 70th Birthday). On a whim, he enrolled in an introductory class at The International Center of Photography in 2007. He continued taking classes there every semester for ten years. About twelve years ago he discovered street photography and became immersed in it. He never goes out without a camera.
He has been in about 140 group exhibitions. Additionally, he has had 4 solo shows in New York Galleries. Kessel has been a finalist in many street photography festivals worldwide. He has been the winner of a few of them. Perhaps his most prestigious award is winning the Miami Street Photography Festival (2020).
His photographs have been reproduced in a few books and he has self-published eighteen books. The books represent the culmination of various projects. Kessel has been featured in a full-length documentary film (“Fill the Frame”) and has been interviewed a number of times by various photography organizations including “Street Photography”.
Before he began the serious pursuit of photography in 2007, Kessel always owned a camera since about age twelve. However, it was usually kept in a drawer and rarely used. There were brief spurts of photographing, but it was never sustained. A latent interest was always present. He dabbled in street photography for a few weeks in the 1960’s (He was unaware it was called “street photography”). There are old photos of the original Woman’s March and even one of Gloria Steinem.
A good part of Kessel’s education in photography involved portrait photography. This included studio photography, flash photography, and self-portraits. His early work in street photography was primarily street portraits with permission. This evolved into candid street portraits, and later street scenes beyond focusing on one individual. He favors more complex scenes with layers and multiple people interacting. Such photos are more difficult to achieve but every now and then such a photo emerges. It is the quest and elusiveness of a truly good photograph with some complexity that keeps Kessel shooting even in his mid 80s.
To view the online story: https://www.dodho.com/new-york-city-street-scenes-by-paul-kessel/
To see the original Instagram interview post, visit:
https://www.instagram.com/street_photo_pool/p/CY4GI3lvWxu/?utm_medium=copy_link
See photographs featured in the interview here:
The Sticky Issue of Consent in Street Photography
How a lovely family image became an internet controversy
Welcome to In the Flash, a weekly, behind-the-lens dialogue on photography. To join the conversation, Subscribe for free.
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A couple of weeks ago, a former student of mine, Paul Kessel, emailed me about a photograph he took on the subway of a young woman and her two children. The image has become the subject of fierce condemnation, unsurprisingly, on Twitter. Of all the thousands of street photographs taken in New York City, this one got singled out (after winning an award) for being utterly unethical and just all kinds of wrong. Creepy, disturbing, violent, gross – were some of the epithets thrown around. A photography podcast labeled him “a snake.” Incredulous, I kept on reading about all the possible ways people found to be offended by this photo. Besides accusing Paul of showing the children's faces and the woman's short dress, the ire largely concentrated on the fact that the picture was taken without the subject’s knowledge or consent.
Here is the photo (with permission)
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Before I go any further — I like this image. It's a quiet, candid moment that doesn't feel remotely disrespectful, gratuitous or sexual.
What am I missing? I thought.
I continued googling and reading. One thing stood out to me: every critical comment and article focused on the woman's “short dress.” I thought that rather strange because I have worn much skimpier outfits to family dinners. Nothing about the dress seemed too revealing. The narrative of the dress started to look some kind of inverted blaming of the woman for her wardrobe choice. I found that increasingly bizarre. Who is to judge if the dress is of an inappropriate length to be photographed? The notion that a photographer should decide if what I wear is too short sounds oddly paternalistic. We are not talking about upskirt photography, that's a different and valid issue that doesn't apply here. The photo is taken straight on and nothing is revealed by a trick angle. And unless the photographer finds a way to expose someone through such deceitful methods, the discussion of the “short dress” eventually lands at the woman's doorstep, in effect, shaming her for wearing it.
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That debate aside, I want to go deeper into the question of consent and the ethics of taking someone's image without their knowledge. Somewhat ironically, Paul was my student in a class that I designed and taught at the ICP called Voyeurism and Surveillance. And no, I wasn't teaching the students upskirt photography. The curriculum centered around the moral and legal nuances, questions of consent, power and ethics in art and documentary photography. I have discussed some of these issues in a previous post: Photographing Strangers, Part 2
To continue reading the full post, please visit: https://dinalitovsky.bulletin.com/312411763768865/
Street Photography’s Snakes on a Train?
An image of a young mother in a short dress on a New York City subway raised ethical questions and the ire of some commentators on Twitter. Some found the “award-winning” photo to be stunning, while others questioned the photographer’s methods – sitting across from the woman for 45 minutes while holding his camera on his lap.
Unlike the conversation around “newsworthy” images and the First Amendment, street photography often occupies a much creepier and ethically ambiguous space. But what exactly made this image so objectionable? And how does it differ from Tom Brenner’s image of Senator Mark Warner, or anonymous photos of New Yorkers and their dogs on the subway? Sarah and Allen discuss.
To read comments on this Reddit post, visit:
The Phoblographer
"The term “you’re never too old” has never been more fitting than with Paul Kessel. Once a psychologist and professor, Kessel’s path eventually led to street photography. On what drew him to the craft, he says, “A truly good street photograph is rare, and the constant pursuit to achieve one is addictive.” Well, we hope he doesn’t decide to go into street photography rehab because we love his work. So will you!"
We take plenty of photos but for most of us, it's pretty difficult to get good at it. No matter how hard we're trying. Others, however, can produce a spectacular image even when they're not.
The subreddit r/AccidentalRenaissance is the biggest online "gallery" for these works — it showcases photographs that inadvertently resemble well-composed Renaissance-style art.
"We recognize there are many related art movements between the 14th and 19th centuries, including Baroque, Neo-classicism, Romantic, Dutch Golden Age, etc. All of these styles are appreciated and welcomed within this subreddit!" the moderators of r/AccidentalRenaissance write.
Following up on our earlier publications (part 1, part2), we put together a new list of the best masterpieces the subreddit has to offer. Enjoy.
“A photograph does not succeed by content alone”, says Paul Kessel, a retired psychologist and professor from New York. “Photography is about vision, persistence, perception, memory, lots of practice, patience, and so many other elements beyond technique”. As someone who made his foray into photography a lot later than most people do, Paul’s street work has garnered various accolades in the USA and globally. His persistence to head out often to capture his next best street photograph won him 1st place at the 2020 Miami Street Photography Festival, among other global accolades.
Much like Paul used to be in his youth, I too grew up as a relatively shy person when it came to interacting with strangers. To an extent, some of this still lingers inside me and exhibits itself whenever I head out for street photography. I’m overly conscious of the world around me and what passersby might think of me and my camera. This has, on many days, prevented me from getting the best possible street picture that I could have snapped. Ironically, my large and noticeable 70-200 telephoto lens later on, became my preferred choice of lens for street photography as it allowed me to snap away from an unnoticeable distance. I suppose good street photography needs a lot of self-confidence, to begin with. Not just in your own technical skills but also in your ability to visualize an artistic frame in your viewfinder while you stand around a street corner or in an alley. During these moments, it helps to put aside the voices in your head that might be coaxing you to look around and see if anyone is staring at you while you frame your image. Paul might have been shy in his formative years, but he now actively pursues his addiction to spontaneously capture life on the streets with his cameras. He approached our interview questions in this manner too, noting that “This parallels my approach to street photography where I respond to what I see with minimum conception.”
The Essential Photo Gear of Paul Kessel
Photo of Paul Kessel by Dimitri Mellos
Paul told us:
“I like the look and feel of the Leica M10 or Q2 a lot as well as the minimalistic controls. I do believe that if one likes his or her camera, even for superficial reasons such as appearance, it helps getting better photos.”
The Phoblographer: You began photography when you were nearly 70. After many years of being a psychologist and university professor, what drew you to capture images?
Paul Kessel: I began photography late in life. One day with little forethought, I wandered into the International Center of Photography in New York City and registered for the most basic photography course for beginners. I would turn 70 years old in a month and had been at a loss about how to spend my time after I stopped working as a psychologist and professor, coupled with my daughter now having her own apartment and no longer living with me. I had always owned a camera but, with the exception of a few brief spurts of interest, rarely pursued photography. It never occurred to me that I would continue after this course, but I never missed a semester of taking anywhere from one to three courses for the next ten years. The reason why I was so drawn to photography is multifaceted. When I first viewed a photograph I took on a computer, I was amazed and excited about how the camera saw so much that was out of my awareness. It was a reflection, and I had never viewed a photo of a reflection before. My daughter was pursuing a career in photography, and that was another reason that spurred me on. Additionally, I suppose that there was always a latent interest in photography.
The Phoblographer: Does having a background in psychology help you to understand which people are better suited to be in front of your lens?
Paul Kessel: My background in psychology doesn’t seem to have an impact on photography beyond an interest in people. I gravitated to portraits and later street photography. I never pursued landscape photography or anything without people in the frame.
The Phoblographer: What makes the street photography genre so appealing and special for you?
Paul Kessel: After a few years focusing on portraits, I discovered street photography, and I almost immediately realized that it was a perfect fit for me. As a child and all the way up to my early 20’s, I was very shy. I had close friends, but I spent a lot of time wandering the streets alone observing people. In a sense, I had begun street photography early in life, but without a camera. Once I began street photography about ten years ago, I was totally hooked and have a constant urge to go out as much as possible to pursue it. A truly good street photograph is rare, and the constant pursuit to achieve one is addictive. Street photography is mostly about failure, and the possibility of a worthwhile photograph in the context of primarily failure is a recipe for addiction, at least for me.
The Phoblographer: ‘Q Train’ has won multiple awards at various competitions around the world. How did you happen to chance upon this renaissance painting moment? Tell us about the story behind this image and the accolades it has received.
Paul Kessel: My “Q Train” photograph has achieved quite a bit of acclaim. As with any street photography situation, it was a combination of skill and luck (mostly luck). Sometimes I feel that I should have “retired” after that photo. It has won numerous awards and an amazing amount of discussion and praise. I probably will never come close to getting a comparable picture again. That is a negative aspect of pulling off a photograph which is definitely in the category of over achievement. Of course, the positive outweighs this. Winning best individual photograph in the Miami Street Photography Festival was way beyond my dreams. It seems like yesterday that I first went to the event and when I viewed the photos of the Finalists, felt that this was far out of my league. Third place in Lens Culture Streets was almost equally as incredible to me as was winning a Los Angeles event. Many other awards followed and although I loved the acclaim, the annoying question in my mind was always “what has he done lately?” The quest is what it is all about and not the achievement.
‘Q Train’
As to how this photograph came about, I had been at Coney Island, a street photographer’s mecca, all day and felt frustrated as I entered the subway to go home because I realized I had no photos worth keeping. I was looking at my failures on the back of the camera when I glanced up and saw this mother and her two young daughters, dressed in matching outfits and totally color coordinated including hair and skin. They appeared to be Scandinavian and stood out drastically from others on the subway. I wanted to take candid shots of this good fortune a few feet away from me but realized that I had the Leica camera without autofocus in a fairly dim subway car. Zone focusing was out of the question. I estimated the distance, set ISO to 3200 (much higher than I have ever used), and over the next half hour pressed the shutter many times with the camera haphazardly aimed from my lap. Somehow, I was never seen and somehow the pictures were straight enough and exposed well enough and focused adequately to make decent pictures with some help from Adobe Lightroom in post processing. I chose one of the shots to print, although any of them would have worked out. It was remarkable luck coupled with skill I never knew I had, to get the result.
For the full interview, please visit: https://www.thephoblographer.com/2021/07/04/paul-kessel-found-his-love-for-street-photography-after-turning-70/
"TALES OF THE UNWRITTEN" BOOK
featuring the below five images
for more, visit www.exhibitaround.com
PHOTO.COM
FOTOGRAFIAMO
How did you start taking up photography, and when?
I started photography at about age 13. There was an initial interest followed by almost 60 years of keeping a camera in a drawer at home and taking it out on relatively rare occasions. I started a genuine sustained interest in photography one month short of my 70th birthday when I took a beginning course at The International Center of Photography and thereafter continued studying there for over ten years. I began with an interest in portraits but discovered street photography and became immersed with it ever since. Now, about 14 years later, I never go out without a camera with the exception of now during the pandemic.
New York City seems like the perfect city for street photography. Every corner seems to tell stories, at least so it seems from your work and that of many illustrious colleagues. Do you think it is important to live in a large metropolis to make street photography or can it also be done in the backyard? Is it still possible to do street photography since the pandemic started?
I have lived in New York City most of my life and the majority of my photographs were made there. During the past ten months of the CoVid-19 pandemic, a period of staying home almost all of the time was followed by a temporary move out of the city to a rural area. I like to tell myself that pictures emerge everywhere, and that location is not that important. However, without a busy city, my desire dissipates. I seem to need people to photograph. I consider that a shortcoming, but I accept that it is my need. Theoretically, I profess to believe that one can photograph anywhere at any time. Some street photographers are more conceptual and can make a photograph out of practically nothing. Others, like myself ,require something outside of their head, to react to and take a picture. It is always a mixture of concepts and more intuitive immediate reactions with different photographers working more with one or the other.
Your photo of the mother on the subway, which is part of the Underground project, has been called one of the best photos of 2020. Could you tell us why you think that image works and why it speak so well to people of different ethnic backgrounds?
My photograph, “Q Train”, a picture of a young mother and her two daughters on the NYC subway has had more acclaim than any other of my pictures. It was taken in 2019 when the pandemic still had not reached the Unites States, it was total luck that they sat across from me. I had finished shooting after a long day at Coney Island (a beach, boardwalk and amusement park in Brooklyn). I was looking at the back of my camera to see if any photos from the day were worthwhile. None were noteworthy and I felt annoyed that I couldn’t come away with at least one photo worth saving. When I looked up, I saw the family and began to press the shutter as unobtrusively as possible. I guessed at camera settings including focus. I made multiple shots over time. Here is why I think the picture works: First, they are a striking subject, dressed alike with matching colors and attractive in many ways. Secondly, their expressions and interactions are interesting. Third, the composition works and surprisingly, the light is not bad for the subway. Moreover, the mother’s expression in the picture I chose, is ambiguous and open to differing interpretations. Finally, I had given up for the day and was not “trying” to come away with a good picture. It all just happened without interference from my own mental state. As for why it may appeal to people of different ethnic backgrounds, my guess is that it speaks to something universal about being a busy mother.
To read the full story, please visit: https://www.fotografiamo.net/post/interview-with-paul-kessel
FRAMES
To read the full story, please visit: https://readframes.com/the-deep-fleeting-moment-review-of-fill-the-frame-a-film-by-tim-huynh/
ALL ABOUT PHOTO
To see the full post, please visit: https://www.all-about-photo.com/all-about-photo-contest.php?cid=22
DailyMail.com
To see the full post, please visit: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9118575/Breathtaking-images-winners-AAP-Magazines-15-Streets-competition.html
Sud-Est Forum
GENERAZIONI
Book, DotArt / Exhibit Around, Trieste Photo Days, 2020
To see the full post, please visit: https://sud-est-forum.ro/wp/2020/12/one-of-the-best-2020-photo/
Generazioni
Book, DotArt / Exhibit Around, Trieste Photo Days, 2020
Focus on the Story
CALIFORNIA LOVE, A Visual Mixtape
Featured photo in book, "Hot Cookie"
THE PICTORIAL LIST
Paul Kessel is a street photographer from New York City where he was born and has lived most of his life. With a previous career in clinical psychology, psychoanalysis and university teaching, Paul started his photography journey just before his 70th birthday, enrolling into photography classes at The International Center of Photography. Over the course of his studies he developed a strong interest in candid street photography. Now thirteen years later, Paul has been in over eighty group exhibitions, has had four solo shows, has won a number of awards and has had his work published.
Paul's style has evolved from asking people to photograph them, to candid portraits, to candid street scenes. He once was a competitive amateur golfer and he treats street photography as a sport, comparing the similarity to playing golf. "Usually a warm-up period is required, then some momentum is established, and there is a good shot among many forgettable ones."
Until the pandemic, Paul rarely missed a day of photographing. That has essentially stopped in recent months. He has partially satisfied his itchy shooting finger by doing a self-portrait project at home. But he is very eager to get back out shooting on the streets again.
Paul shares with us his photography series 'Hauptbahnhof', about the main train station in Frankfurt, Germany which is a major hub for travel in Europe. It is a place that Paul has spent a lot of time there and some of that time was personally meaningful to him. All his photographs are candid, each telling a story, isolating his subject among layers of commotion of the main train station.
Tell us more about your project 'Hauptbahnhof'.
Over the past fifty years, I have been to Frankfurt Germany almost yearly and I also lived in the city for two years. Of course, over all of that time, many life events occurred including highly emotional ones, particularly divorce and child custody issues. Countless times, I have passed through the main train station. It is called 'Hauptbahnof'. After I began candid street photography, about eight years ago, I became more aware of light and this venue has an interesting skylight. Because of that, I went there to photograph. I had no project in mind beyond photographing people that interested me and doing it fairly close up. Eventually, I had enough photos to think of it as a project.
You mentioned that you went unnoticed. How did you do go about achieving this?
My camera has a flip down back screen, and I looked down at it after I spotted a potential subject walking through or standing in decent light. I pretended I was fiddling with the camera.
What drew you to photography or is it something that you were always interested in?
I always owned a camera and had a latent interest in photography. However, it was put away in a drawer almost all of the time. There were relatively infrequent periods of photographing until I decided to pursue it seriously in 2008. The primary reason I began, is that my daughter started a career in photography at age 23. Her mother had an MFA degree in video and prior to her video interest, she studied photography in college and photographed my daughter a lot. My daughter eventually became a prop stylist and frequently works with photographers.
Where do you find your inspiration?
I am inspired by my enjoyment of the process, the quest for the elusive exceptional photograph, the sense of belonging to a community of street photographers, friendships with others pursuing the same goals as myself, and probably the hope of making enough good pictures to have a published book.
Is there anything you want to express through your photography? And what are some of the elements you always try to include in your photographs?
The aesthetics of light and composition coupled with a lifetime fascination of people and how they present themselves is sufficient. In more recent years, I have become more interested in how the photograph will look than the people in the photograph. Occasionally, a social issue may be part of what I am trying to express.
To read the full interview and see more photos featured in the story, please continue on: https://www.thepictorial-list.com/post/interview-paul-kessel
EYESHOT 2020
CANDID | Garry Winogrand once said: “Photography is not about the thing photographed. It is about how that thing looks photographed”. This quote coincide with the original motivation for this visual research. As he says, he is more interested in how the photograph will look than in the people he is photographing. People are primarily visual elements for a picture, and he observes their appearance, gestures, and how they interact with the background and the quality of light. All of this translates into a photograph, which has the peculiar feature of reflecting the author’s perspective. Conscious of the role chance and luck play when being in the field, Paul Kessel says that much of his observation is out of his full awareness. The photographs deployed in «Candid» are culled from various projects or are random shots representing well the original concept. The location is irrelevant: most are on the street, and some are at a beach setting. A few are devoid of people. All are candid.
COUNTRY | United States
BIO | Paul Kessel was born in New York City, where he has spent most of his life. He had a career in clinical psychology, psychoanalysis and university teaching. Just before his 70th birthday, he began taking photography classes at The International Center of Photography. He developed a strong interest in candid street photography. Now, thirteen years later, he has been in over eighty group exhibitions, has had four solo shows and has won several awards. Most recently he was the winner of the 2020 6th Annual Street Shooting Around the World Exhibition at the Los Angeles Center of Photography for best individual photograph.
He was a competitive amateur golfer for most of his life, and he treats street photography as a sport. Usually, a warm-up period is required, then some momentum is established, and there is a good shot among many forgettable ones. His style has evolved from asking people if he could photograph them on the street, to candid street scenes. Until the pandemic, he rarely missed a day of photographing. That has stopped in recent months, but he partially satisfied his itchy shooting finger by doing a self-portrait project at home. He is eager to be on the street again.
To see the photos and read the actual story: https://eyeshotstreetphotography.com/paul-kessel/
PHOTO PLACE GALLERY
Cover of PhotoPlace Gallery catalog for the “Finding Joy”
exhibition, 2020
LITTLE BOX COLLECTIVE
The full text from the Instagram guest post by @dimitrimellos on the @littleboxcreative account is below:
"Hello, this is @dimitrimellos again, on my second day of this takover. Today I am presenting a great New York street photographer and dear friend of mine, Paul Kessel @streetskessel. Paul has the distinction of being a very active street photographer who is in his 80s, but it is not his age that makes his work so impressive. This is great street photography, and it would be valued as such no matter the photographer's age.
What makes this work even more impressive is that Paul only started photographing when he was 70 years old. He has self-published many books which are available on blurb, and his work has been exhibited widely and garnered many international awards, including being the 3rd place winner in this year's Lensculture street photography contest.
On a personal level, Paul is a warm person with a wonderful sense of humor, and a real youthfulness of spirit. He also remains very modest about his achievements. In his own words: "I treat street photography as a sport and I have yet to hit a homerun, a hole in one, or a 3-pointer from mid-court. It is the quest and the elusiveness of a truly good photograph that keeps me going." Check out more of Paul's great work on his instagram or website."
To see the original post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CCJM3g3H3M6/?igshid=1mm8no1v0zjeh
LIFE FRAMER
“It is hard to know if this is truly my favorite image because it has recently won a lot of awards and that may influence my opinion. The title is “Q Train”. I had spent the entire day at Coney Island (2019) with the hope of coming away with a decent photograph. At the end of the day, I realized I had nothing at all worthwhile. Feeling a bit frustrated, I entered the subway to return home. When I looked up from my seat, I saw that this mother with her two daughters, dressed alike and appearing to be Scandinavian had sat down directly opposite from me. I couldn’t believe my luck. I find it interesting that on several occasions, when I am done shooting for the day and headed home (more often walking), a good picture emerges. I believe that when I stop trying to get a good picture, the mental state of “not trying” and giving up for the day, contributes to this phenomenon.”
To see the full story: https://www.life-framer.com/street-life-favorite-shot/?fbclid=IwAR2lVw8F0CoyOHXYTSHmze16gIJ_aHK-eNrXj7-8YDHm5wQYtdGCIm68eCQ
THE GUARDIAN
The Guardian featured several of the photographers recognized in the LensCulture Street Photography Awards 2020. The "Q Train" was among the photos they shared with their international readership.
To see the full story:
STREET PHOTOGRAPHERS
Street Photographers Foundation
After a career in clinical psychology and university teaching, I began photography late in life. (one-month shy of my 70th birthday). I always owned a camera before this time but rarely used it. In 2008 I started photography courses at The International Center of Photography in NYC and never stopped until ten years later. Originally, I was interested in portrait photography but discovered street photography and became immersed in it. I became a street photography workshop junkie and I feel that I have learned from some of the best. Now when I am outside, my camera is always with me and ready. I worked on projects for a number of years. All culminated in self-published “Blurb Books”. There are 18 of them. More recently, I shoot randomly with the hope of finding an interesting image. My random street photography is self-published in the Blurb Book, “Never the Final Edit, version 6”.
I have been in about 85 group exhibitions. Some are by invitation and most are from contests. In addition, I have had 3 solo shows at NYC Galleries. I have been a Finalist in the Miami Street Festival twice (2017 and 2018), the San Francisco Streetfoto Festival, the London Street Festival, and I was the winner of the most recent Los Angeles street contest (“Shooting Around the World_LACP 2020). I was a Lens Culture Street Finalist (2016, 2020) and won 3rd place award in 2020. I have also been the winner of a few other events, nationally and internationally.
I treat street photography as a sport and I have yet to hit a homerun, a hole in one, or a 3 pointer from mid court. It is the quest and the elusiveness of a truly good photograph that keeps me going.
About the Collection
The twenty pictures included here are mostly relatively recent and are not necessarily part of a particular project. Most of them are culled from a project I had worked on, but many are random photos in public places, typically the street but sometimes on the beach, subway, or elsewhere. Most of these photographs have appeared in exhibitions. Some may appear to be portraits but all twenty are candid. I prefer to photograph multi-layered street scenes, but I often settle for a candid portrait with a bit of context.
To see the full story:
EYESHOT
"Sandstorm / Coney Island"
Featured in the FLORA AND FAUNA issue
PHOTO.COM
Click here to see the featured here: https://www.all-about-photo.com/photographers/photographer/882/paul-kessel
Paul Kessel
American Photographer | Born: 1937
I began photography late in life. Previously, I had a career in clinical psychology and university teaching. My interest is candid street photography which I practice almost every day. I studied photography for ten years at the International Center of photography. I have self-published 18 books and have appeared in about 80 exhibitions, including 3 solo shows. I have been a Finalist 4 times in major street photography festivals. My work has been exhibited in Europe and Asia as well as the United States.
Paul Kessel is a passionate street photographer from New York City. He began photography in 2007 and from last seven years, he is doing candid street photography. Paul had a previous career as a clinical psychologist and university professor.
Just before his 70th birthday, Paul began taking photography courses at The International Center of Photography. He studied there for ten years. He developed a strong interest in candid street photography. He shoots on the street almost every day. Now, twelve years later, He has been in over forty group exhibitions, has had three solo shows, and have won a number of awards. Paul was a Finalist in the Miami Street Festival in 2017 and 2018 and Streetfoto San Francisco in 2018. Also, he won The Soho Photo Gallery National Competition. His work has been shown in Europe and Asia in addition to the United States.
Thanks, Paul for accepting our invite. Please read on…
Hi Paul, thank you for joining us here today! First of all, Could you please introduce yourself?
Thank you for finding and inviting me. I am flattered. I am from New York City. I have been doing candid photography on the street for about seven years. I began photography in 2007. Portraits were my original interest. I learned how to do studio portraits, moved on to portraits on the street, followed by candid street portraits, and then candid street scenes. I had a previous career as a clinical psychologist and university professor.
Please share some of your childhood memories towards the art?
I have owned a camera since about age twelve. I was always aware of photography as my father took family pictures and when I was old enough, I looked at pictures in Life and Look magazines. I “owned” a camera but rarely used it except in brief spurts until I became immersed in photography when I was almost seventy years old.
When did you start shooting and how did this love for photography happen?
I started shooting in a sustained way when I wandered into The International Center of Photography and registered for a beginning course. My motivation was vague and not strong at all. When I viewed a photograph that I took the second day of class (a reflection of myself in front of ICP), I was amazed. The picture included loads of elements that I was unaware of seeing myself. This ability of the camera to “see” things that I don’t see, was fascinating. That one picture got me going and I have been immersed in photography ever since that time. Of course, other factors contributed to my interest as well. That was twelve years ago. I took courses every semester for ten years at ICP as well as many street photography workshops elsewhere.
What makes a street or candid photography so special for you?
My interest in candid street photography probably has its roots in lots of time spent looking at people on the street during adolescence and early adulthood. I was very shy and for a period of time instead of dating and socializing, I would wander alone on the street and observe people, including a young woman that I wished I could meet.
Jumping ahead to my early phase of street photography when I asked permission to make portraits, I enjoyed my 1/250 second interactions and that included my very brief “dates” (some as long as 1/50 seconds). Later and until the current time, I scanned the street for people that interested me but there is no conversation. In fact, in spite of being only a few feet away, I was rarely seen. I much prefer people when they are unaware of being photographed.
Now, for me, people I see on the street are primarily visual elements for a photograph. I am more interested in how the photograph will look then I am in the people being photographed. I observe their appearance, gestures, expressions, and how they interact with the background and the quality of light. I am now more involved in photographing relationships among people in layered and dynamic street scenes. However, I often settle for a candid portrait with a bit of context. There is another major element that makes candid photography preferential. I miss playing a sport and street photography feels like a sport to me. Perhaps that is the primary reason why I enjoy candid photography.
What is a good photograph for you?
A good photograph for me ideally combines interesting content, structure, and light. Achieving any one of these elements is not difficult. To combine all three well is a rare feat. “Content “usually refers to a person or people that stand out in some way. “Structure” refers to filling the frame and doing it in a well-balanced manner where the composition leads the viewer’s eye to what counts most. This involves the color palate as well. The use of light contributes so much to the aesthetics of the photograph and can enhance or negate the other two elements. For myself, I also prefer a layered photograph from foreground to background.
Could you please share one or two photographs from your portfolio and the story behind it?
This photograph was made at a bus stop. I had an appointment unrelated to photography and as usual, my camera was with me and ready. It has reached the point where wearing a camera is as essential as wearing clothing. I feel naked without it. I noticed the pink cane and the other pink elements in the scene. I also thought that the woman seemed to carry the cane as a fashion accessory. Her appearance for various reasons stood out to me. I took her photo from a few different vantage points and settled into a position that seemed most compatible with the direction of the light.
Fortunately, I had plenty of time. I tried to separate the young woman from signs and people in the background and achieve some balance between the left and right sides of the frame. Because the people were waiting, I was able to attend to these things. Most often, it is a less than a fully conscious process. The photograph has flaws, but it achieves most of what I am after. It would have been better if the central subject was not looking at her phone and if the quality of light was more dramatic.
What do you do to keep motivated, and not lose your passion for photography?
I was told by Bruce Gilden that I am lucky that I began photography so late: otherwise I would be burned out by now. Street photography is characterized by frequent failures and occasional success. When I am in a slump, I try to remind myself that street photography involves an almost perpetual slump with a few delightful breaks. Nevertheless, I do find it hard to maintain positive feelings about my work. Getting into shows or exhibitions helps as does positive reinforcement from social media “likes”. I am aware that “like” usually means that I am liked and not so much my photograph. Most important though, the quest for a “good” picture keeps me going. As I previously stated, for me, what I do is a sport and failure is inherent in all sports and it makes success all the more enjoyable.
Which photographers have inspired you?
I have been inspired by many photographers. Henri Cartier-Bresson and Alex Webb immediately come to mind. If I could only find locations and find the right moment like Cartier-Bresson and make layered complex photographs in beautiful color like Webb! It makes me realize that I am only beginning. There are many teachers and photographer friends that have inspired me as well. I cannot mention them all. Likewise, there is a long list of well- known street photographers. I am not well-versed in the art world. I was discouraged to appreciate art as a child (for various reasons). I do recall though hanging prints of Bosch and Dali in my room. I loved the complexity of the paintings. I still like complex photographs and I often error in the direction of attempting to make my photos too complex without a specific central subject or indulging in too much irrelevant context.
What camera and lenses do you use the majority of the time?
I use a Sony A9 mirrorless full frame camera with a prime 35mm lens. I have sometimes used a Leica M10 with 35mm. I occasionally use a 28mm lens. I find it useful indoors in a crowd. 99% of the time I use a 35mm lens.
Any favorite photography books?
My favorite photography books are too many to mention. One relatively unknown one is “Letting Go of The Camera” by Brooks Jensen. Mostly, I look at books of street photography by the usual suspects and contemporaries.
What does Paul do when not behind the lens?
When I am not attempting to photograph, I often think about photography. I have become a bit of an Idiot Savant. I have a daughter. Spending time with her is by far, my favorite activity.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My daughter has turned out to be a fine person. If I have had anything to do with that, it is at the top of the list. Perhaps my second greatest achievement is reinventing myself into a photographer so late in life and going at it full bore. Achieving an entire new set of photographer friends is part of that.
Apart from photography, tell me about your hobbies and interests?
I currently have no other favorite hobbies. I do have other interests. Although I am no longer working as a psychologist, what makes people behave as they do still interest me.
Thanks again for providing 121 Clicks with this opportunity to interview you. Any final thoughts for our readers?
Thank you for your interest in me. The interview has made me think and attempt to express myself.
42 pictures in Photographic Mercadillo (Portugal)
Curated by Jose Manuel Pinheiro
For more, visit the Facebook page @PhotographicMercadillo or visit:
INTERVIEW WITH PAUL KESSEL
2018 - 07 - 09
Who?
I am a man too old to begin street photography at the age of seventy-three but that is what I did after starting photography itself one month shy of my seventieth birthday three years earlier.
My father took pictures of me as a baby and up to my teenage years so I was always aware of photography. I was given a camera as a child, perhaps about age ten. I have saved a few of the childhood photos I took. I can recall using flashbulbs They became extremely hot and couldn’t be touched after igniting. My photos were not bad but I was definitely no Jacques Henri Lartigue (The French prodigy).
All of my life thereafter, I owned a camera and I would use it in spurts, often not taking a picture for many years. I never learned anything technical except to set the camera to F8 if shady and F11 if sunny. Somehow I managed to take indoor pictures of relatives and friends with a flash. In the 1960’s I dabbled in street photography for about a month. I did not think of it as street photography but as I look at a few old photos, I realize that is what I was doing. The very sparse intermittent photography continued until I pursued it seriously in 2007.
I had a career in clinical psychology and university teaching and in addition I was a serious competitive amateur golfer from age seventeen to seventy-one. I mention golf because I treat street photography as a sport and often compare it to golf.
After I retired and stopped playing golf as well, I have been immersed in photography. For ten years I took classes at the International Center of Photography every semester. In addition, I enrolled in many workshops and studied individually with a number of photographers. Fundamentally, for ten years I was a full time student. I have only recently shifted my identity to “photographer” in place of “photography student”.
Once I started focusing on street photography, I rarely go out without a camera. It has reached the point where if I don’t have a camera with me, I have a distinct feeling that something important is missing.
Where?
I was born in New York City and have been there most of my life. The vast majority of my pictures are from NYC. I have spent a lot of time in some of the usual venues for street photography including Coney Island, Fifth Avenue, Soho, and Williamsburg Brooklyn. In addition, I travel to Frankfurt Germany, San Francisco, and Miami every year. My photographs from these places usually culminate in projects that end up in the form of self-published books and inclusion in exhibitions.
When?
I spend most of my waking hours (and frequent dreams) with street photography. Most days, I go out with the intention of shooting until late evening. If I am busy with other matters, I always have my camera with me to be sure I don’t miss anything that may turn up.
What?
In Ernest Hemingway’s short novel, “The Old Man and The Sea”, the old man says: “My big fish must be somewhere” and “It is silly not to hope”. I feel like the old man and the street. I am pulled along by the hope of finding my big picture. Occasionally I come close and I am still hopeful.
Why?
It seems that for me, whenever I pursue something, I become totally involved and I am satisfied to do only that one thing. That is so with making candid photographs in public places. I do it because I have reached the point in life where that is what I do. The alluring goal of finding or making better pictures is all consuming. It is a sport that I play all of the time. I long for those rare times that I get “in the zone” where I easily see potential pictures and get them, undistracted by worry and other matters. I am aware that this sport is one of an almost perpetual “slump” because achieving an exceptional picture is so rare. On a day that I do achieve what for me, is a good picture, I love the feeling.
External factors pull me along also. Being accepted into a meaningful exhibition and being accepted by competent photographers, as a viable player are significant motivating factors too.
© Paul Kessel / instagram
PDN
January 2018 Issue
It’s not easy to be a street photographer. It takes great concentration, split second instincts, and the ability to see many things at once. Photographer Paul Kessel has those abilities, as his work reflects layered seeing of tableaus of every day life–small moments of complexity that reveal one story after another and keep the eye moving. A native New Yorker, for the past decade Paul has traversed the city for hours each day in search of visual inspiration–he looks for light, for intimacy and the big picture. For this series, he concentrates on Coney Island and while the work feels very contemporary, it is steeped in the history of street photography of that region. Paul has recently opened an exhibition of this work, curated by Harvey Stein (who has his own legacy of making work in Coney Island) at the Umbrella Arts Gallery in New York City. The exhibition runs through September 30th.
Paul Kessel had a career in clinical psychology, psychoanalysis , and university teaching. Just before his seventieth birthday in 2008, he began taking classes at the International Center of Photography in New York City. He stayed for nine years, taking over fifty classes in addition to numerous workshops elsewhere and private consultations with a number of photographers. Since 2011 he has been immersed in street photography with over twenty group exhibits and three solo shows. He has won numerous awards including being named one of Lens Culture’s top 100 street photographers and Popular Photography featured his “True Believers” series in the June 2016 issue. He is the winner of a national competition and won jurors choice in an international competition.
Current exhibits include: winner of Juror’s choice PH21 Gallery, Budapest; group exhibit and publication South x Southeast Photo Gallery and Magazine, Georgia; Portals on PhotoPlaceGallery and recently Aviary curated by Paula Tognarelli, Director of The Griffin Museum, MA.
I began photography late in life when I wondered into The International Center of Photography in New York City in 2008. I stayed for nine years taking what may be a record number of classes, perhaps more then fifty. Additionally, I took numerous workshops elsewhere and studied privately with several photographers.
Previously I had a career in clinical psychology, psychoanalysis, and university teaching. I always had a camera and now and then over the years would take a few pictures but I knew nothing about photography or camera operation.
At some point I became interested and immersed in street photography and that is how I have been spending my time for at least six years. I began by asking permission to photograph people, moved into candid portraits, and now, candid street scenes. I use only a full frame 35mm lens.
I began entering contests and I have been in about twenty group exhibitions as well as having three solo shows. I won a national competition and juror’s choice in an international competition. My work was featured in Popular Photography a year before the demise of the magazine. I don’t think there is a connection between the two events.
http://lenscratch.com/2017/09/paul-kessel-the-last-stop-portraits-of-coney-island/
– Paul Kessel
Paul Kessel: The Last Stop
Photographs of Coney Island
posted by Foto Care on September 06, 2017
Paul Kessel: The Last Stop
Summer is coming to a close, but Paul Kessel memorializes New Yorker’s favorite summer wonderland, Coney Island in his new exhibition The Last Stop: Photographs of Coney Island. Opening on Thursday, September 7thand on view until September 30th, Kessel’s energetic street style photographs capture the excitement, commotion, and joy of the iconic amusement park.
Before Paul Kessel became a photographer, he was a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, and a university professor. Inspired by his classes at the International Center of Photography, he’s been a street photographer since 2008. Since then, he’s shown work in over 20 group exhibitions, winning many awards and publishing many of his images.
Many photographers take to the streets and boardwalk of Coney Island in attempt to capture the unique magic contained there. From Freak Shows to Mermaids, Tattoo Conventions to Burlesque shows, Coney Island is a welcoming oasis to those of us that live life on the fringe of society. People from all over the city flock here in the summer to ride rollercoasters, take a spin on the wonder wheel, and play a myriad of arcade games. The beach is free for all, and many soak up the sun, take a dip, and blast music on the beach while chowing down on Nathan’s Hotdogs. It is a photographer’s dream.
Kessel’s pictures display the commotion and elation of Coney Island in his crowded frames. Each image is brimming with a story; grinning children being dragged along by their mothers, rainbow haired rebels embracing their lovers, swarms of seagulls and the marching bands of Brooklyn. This body of work is a unique documentation of a unique place. Don’t miss it.
Paul Kessel: The Last Stop opens Thursday, September 7th from 6-8pm at the Umbrella Arts Gallery. The exhibition is on view until September 30th. Learn more here: http://www.umbrellaarts.com/exhibitions/
http://fotocarenyc.blogspot.com/2017/09/paul-kessel-last-stop-photographs-of.html
PRESS RELEASE: PAUL KESSEL’S
THE LAST STOP AT UMBRELLA ARTS GALLERY
by Andrew Sweigart - Sep 2, 2017
Umbrella Arts Gallery in New York City’s East Village is about to unveil it’s second solo exhibition with Paul Kessel, who was named one of Lens Culture’s Top 100 Street Photographers 2016!
The Last Stop: Photographs of Coney Island, is the latest exhibition from Kessel, who’s True Believer series was featured in Popular Photography’s June 2016 issue. The exhibition is curated by Harvey Stein, Director of Photography at Umbrella Arts Gallery, award winning photographer and instructor at the International Center of Photography. Stein selected over 24 images for the exhibition covering several years of Kessel roving the storied boardwalk of Coney Island.
Kessel has worked all his life as a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst and university teacher. However, just before his 70th birthday in 2008, he began taking classes at the International Center of Photography. The native Manhattanite has been pursuing his passion for street non-stop from that point on. Since 2011 Kessel has been a street photographer with over 20 group exhibitions, winning numerous awards. Kessel’s current exhibits include: winner of Juror’s choice PH21 Gallery, Budapest; group exhibit and publication South x Southeast Photo Gallery and Magazine, Georgia; Portals on PhotoPlaceGallery and recently Aviary curated by Paula Tognarelli, Director of The Griffin Museum, MA.
“With camera in hand, Kessel spends about five hours daily traveling the streets of New York City in search of images. Sometimes it happens randomly, other times he will stake out an area that has the right elements of close proximity, multiple layers and captivating lighting. That moment when the elements align with a subtle context, he intuitively takes the shot. Kessel’s photographs often invite the viewer to engage in the experience of the image,” says Umbrella Arts in their exhibition announcement.
“I consider street photography a sport and not so much art. I am constantly longing for the big catch, the home run, the great round of golf. I know it is out there. Every day I want to get it. I almost never do but that desire keeps me going,” said Kessel in an interview on his site, https://www.paulkessel.com. Looking at Kessel’s galleries on his site proves the photographer wrong: he’s hit quite a few home runs in his short “career” shooting street!
Kessel brings high praise from some renowned photographers as well.
Jack Simon, street photographer and member of Burn My Eye Collective, has said,
“Paul manages in his Coney Island photographs to capture spontaneous moments within an elegant composition that often provide the viewer with the emotional experiences of the subjects.”
Jeff Mermelstein said,
“Paul Kessel’s compassionate, dogged pursuit of his voice as a street photographer gives me great joy as I see sparks of clarity and beauty emerge.”
Elizabeth Avedon, Independent curator and correspondent for L’oeil de la Photographie, said,
“Paul Kessel, one of my favorite street photographers, chronicles situations that otherwise would be familiar scenes, bringing the viewer into the drama unfolding through his unique framing. His work reminds me just what I think photography is all about.”
Street photographer Michelle Rick sums up Kessel’s Coney Island work simply and accurately,
“Paul has a gift for photographing those magic Coney Island moments when energy, idiosyncrasy, and beauty collide.”
The Last Stop: Photographs of Coney Island opens Thursday, September 7 with a reception from 6-8 PM. The exhibition runs through September 30th. Umbrella Arts is located at 317 East 9th St, New York City and the hours are Thursday – Saturday, 1-6pm & by appointment.
https://www.streethunters.net/blog/2017/09/02/paul-kessels-the-last-stop-at-umbrella-arts-gallery/
Interesting links
http://www.umbrellaarts.com
https://www.paulkessel.com
https://www.instagram.com/streetskessel
https://www.flickr.com/photos/10900365@N06
Hi Paul thanks for doing this. Can you start off by telling us a (brief) story on your background and how you first picked up a camera?
I grew up in New York City and have lived here most of my life. My father took pictures of me as a baby and up to my teenage years so I was always aware of photography. I was given a camera while my age was barely in double digits and perhaps even earlier. I have saved a few photos I took while I was age nine. I can recall at that age using flash bulbs. They got extremely hot and couldn’t be touched after igniting. However, I definitely was no Jacques Henri Lartigue (The French photographer prodigy beginning at age seven.)
All of my life thereafter, I owned a camera and I would use it in spurts, often not taking a picture for many years. I never learned anything technical except to set the camera to F 8 if shady and F11 if sunny. Somehow I managed to take indoor photos with a flash. In the 1960’s I dabbled in street photography for a few months. I did not think of it as street photography but as I look at old photos, I realize that is what I was doing. The intermittent photography continued until I pursued it seriously starting in 2007, one month shy of my 70th birthday.
I had a career in clinical psychology, and university teaching and in addition I was a serious competitive amateur golfer from age 17-71. I mention golf because I treat street photography as a sport and often compare it to golf.
How has being a clinical psychologist helped in any way with your photography?
I am not sure if being a clinical psychologist has had a significant impact on my photography. I believe that I am more suited for photography then psychology and regret not beginning photography earlier and instead of psychology. (I find myself often confusing the two words, which have phonetic similarities). Almost all of my photography teachers have assumed that my psychology background informs my photography. I am interested in photographing people. That may be as far as it goes.
Since you’re retired, how often do you hit up the streets of NY? Or do you just bring your camera everywhere with you?
After I retired and stopped playing golf as well; I have been immersed in photography. I have had classes every semester at The International Center of Photography for ten years. Most of the classes were of ten-week duration. Altogether, I have had over fifty classes plus numerous workshops and consultations with a number of photographers. I began focusing on street photography about seven years ago and I rarely go out without a camera. Most days I have the intention to spend a good part of the day shooting. Other times, I carry the camera with me so as to be sure not to miss anything that may turn up. It has reached the point where if I don’t have a camera with me, I have a distinct feeling that something important is missing.
How do you have so much energy? Where can we get the fountain of youth potion?
Tim, you asked how I have so much energy. I don’t. I have to overcome lethargy every day and I am afraid that I am slowing down as age eighty is around the corner. However, I feel distinct unease if I go through a day without taking pictures.
Do you have a ritual before you head out?
I have no ritual or routine that I do before heading out. I use only a prime 35mm full frame lens so I have no equipment decisions to make. Maybe I do have a ritual each time. It occurs to me that I almost always consider bring a 28mm lens with me but then decide against it. It is strictly a weight issue. I try to travel as light as possible.
You’ve been shooting for 10 years and counting, what is it about street photography that keeps you wanting more?
As I said, I consider street photography a sport and not so much art. I am constantly longing for the big catch, the home run, the great round of golf. I know it is out there. Every day I want to get it. I almost never do but that desire keeps me going.
Looking back, what’s one subject or event would you document from the 60s-90s that really resonated with you and why?
I was there when the Woman’s movement began. I have a picture of Gloria Steinem in the first major Woman’s march on Fifth Avenue. I only shot on one day and have two photos. This was a major movement. I was at the right place at the right time and I only pressed the shutter twice (before I photographed the woman’s marches in response to Donald Trump’s election and policies.) That movement resonates with me and I missed my chance to be part of it and photograph it. However, photography was not really part of my life at that time.
Your photos that have exhibited and won in numerous festivals, were they captured off of instinct? Or did you just happen to point and shoot, and then realize afterwards you potentially have something when you were post processing them?
When I am shooting; it feels good to be working on a project. The project could be as simple as a place (e.g.: Coney Island or Williamsburg Brooklyn) or an event such as Fashion Week. I have had several such projects and they all culminate in a self-published book (I have about fifteen such books). When I have a project it feels like I have a job and a mission. My motivation and desire goes up. However, in recent years, more often then not, I am striving for random decent photographs. That is adequate for me but it doesn’t pump me up nearly as much as a more cohesive project.
When I achieve what for me is a good photograph, it comes about in various ways. Sometimes I see something out of the corner of my eye and without composing at all, or even clearly seeing what I am shooting, I luckily end up with something I like. In such instances, the picture finds me and I am alert enough to see it. In other instances, I may find a good spot with light that is favorable and a background that is pleasing. I hang around and look at the stage in front of me and wait until enough interesting elements enter the set. I am very aware of composition and the edges of the frame. These pictures are more made then taken. I know immediately if I have something decent and I can visualize the print. (I print all photos that have the potential to be good.). Perhaps my very best photos more often then not, are derived from a third approach. I may see an interesting person or an interesting scene. Then I may follow or wait until I am at a good vantage point. I then work the scene as much as possible by taking numerous shots from slightly different angles or distances. I keep shooting as long as possible and later in post processing and editing, I look for the best version of it.
Usually none of these three approaches or variations of them work. I have come to realize that really good pictures are rare and that it is within the nature of street photography to usually fail. I believe that a good street photographer may achieve five to ten exceptional photos a year if he or she is lucky. Unlike most other photography, factors beyond one’s control are operating that makes street photography particularly difficult. With experience and technical skill it becomes easy to go out and get loads of OK pictures. However, the really exceptional worthwhile photos are far and few between.
How would you describe your style within your photographs?
I have come to realize that my style may be a bit different then that of most street photographers. I see that the majority of street photographers working today are after a decisive moment that looks quirky or humorous. Further, most work is shown online. I am after a good-looking photograph that can be printed and hung. I too, admire an odd moment but I am equally or perhaps more interested in light and composition. This is both strength and a flaw as far as I can tell. Too often, my photos have good lighting, decent composition, but lack compelling content. A photographer friend has described some of my photos as all context and no content. I am as interested in context as much as content: perhaps too much so.
I looked at Alex Webb’s work for the first time about six years ago. I admire its complexity. I keep striving for pictures like his with multiple layers, disparate and compelling activities going on in the foreground, middle ground, and background. This is Ernest Hemingway’s Great White Marlin that I am after. I have never achieved it but I keep trying. If I fall short but still have a layered photograph, I am pleased. All to often, I have to settle for a candid portrait within good context and light. I am beginning to think that Alex Webb himself can rarely make “Alex Webb-like” photographs. The pictures with multiple activities and different activities within multiple layers probably are relatively rare for him too.
Almost all of my work is in color. I don’t view color as a distraction. The world is in color so why not show it? Yes, most of the history of photography and its great photographs are in black and white. However, technology has changed and color is now a more viable option.
Whose work do you admire?
I admire so many photographers. I would put, Alex Webb, Garry Winogrand, Joel Meyerowitz, and Robert Frank at or near the top of the list. These are some of the established “stars” There are so many good street photographers including a lot of younger people working today.
I ask everyone this question. If you could have one street photographer shoot your wedding who would it be?
I have no plans to marry so I cannot personalize the answer to this question. Immediately, Larry Fink pops to mind. His event flash photography is candid and he makes little attempt to glamorize anyone. I would prefer real expressions to posed and he would be good at that. I don’t seem to like too many posed pictures or “happy” smiling pictures.
Be a member of Magnum today or go back in time and document the 60s all the way until 2007 when you started shooting street.
The “right” answer to this question in to document the 60’s all the way until I started shooting street. However, if Magnum would want me, my need for prestige would overpower me and I would take that.
What’s one goal on your bucket list in relation to street photography?
One goal on my bucket list in relation to street photography would be something that is probably beyond my reach. I would love to have a published book of my best street photos.
Any personal street photography tips or advice you have to those out there?
I don’t have any advice that others more experienced and accomplished then myself have not already offered.
I do have a blog in my website about photography slumps. The gist of it is that it is in the nature of street photography to be in an almost a perpetual slump because truly good pictures are rare. In other words, a slump is not a slump. It is street photography. This applies to experienced street photographers. Too many inexperienced street photographers have little idea of what is a good photograph and they settle for too many mediocre pictures and show too many of them. Editing out all but the best is necessary. Show only your very best work. I need to take heed of that myself.
Check out Paul Kessel’s work below!
a. Blurb Books can be found in the “Books” section of my website.
b. To see all Blurb Books one can go to www.blurbbooks.com and search for Paul Kessel
Instagram @streetskessel
TIM HUYNH PHOTOGRAPHY "Interview with New York Street Photographer Paul Kessel"
July 2017
"Veil"
FABRIK Magazine, Fabrik Photography Awards
"On The Street: Showcasing Street Photography From Around The World"
June 2017
"True Believers"
Popular Photography " SHARE: My Project, DIVINE REFLECTION "
June 2016
2017 GANYC APPLE AWARDS NOMINEE: PAUL KESSEL
by Derek Chan on Monday, 02/13/2017
Each year, GANYC proudly honors organizations and individuals that encourage and promote New York City tourism, culture and preservation, while supporting the work and contributions of professional New York City tour guides. The 2017 GANYC Apple Awards is coming up, on Monday, March 6, 2017. This year there are 44 nominees. Below, is an interview with one of them.
Nomination: Paul Kessel, Coney Island 10, Outstanding Achievement in New York City Photography (singular image, published October 1, 2015 - September 30, 2016)
New York-native Paul Kessel had another career spanning over 30 years as a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst and university professor. After taking a photography class in 2008, he began his more recent journey in the world of street photography. Another one of his photos, “Looking at Self, Times Square” (True Believers) was nominated for the 2016 GANYC Apple Awards for Outstanding Achievement in NYC Photography. There’s no place like home, and Paul is certainly right at home here in New York.
What is the main source of inspiration for your photography?
My daughter. She began a career in photography after graduating college (She is now a prop stylist). I am always trying to get a photograph that she may like. In addition, I am inspired by the great street photographers of the past and present. Internally, I am inspired by the relatively small possibility of getting an exceptional picture.
Please describe, briefly, what your process is like for creating your work?
I am out searching for pictures on the street as often as possible. I treat photography like a sport, aware that performance fluctuates depending on many factors. Some days, I get nothing worthwhile. Other days, I may save one or two pictures from 50-100 shots. I process them on the computer in Adobe Lightroom and print the better pictures at home.
What’s been a highlight of your work or a particular event or happenstance that has kept you motivated to continue doing it?
Anytime I get a significantly good picture, it keeps me going. I suppose one highlight has been an article about my work (a particular project) in Popular Photography Magazine. Another highlight was winning a national competition. I often feel that I cannot take any decent pictures, but the occasional success or accomplishment pushes me forward.
For our professional GANYC tour guide members, what things about your work might we share with the thousands of visitors to NYC we meet every year?
As a street photographer, I am out "touring" alone almost every day. The vast majority of my pictures were made in Manhattan. I also go to Williamsburg and Coney Island in Brooklyn a lot. My self-published books on Williamsburg, Fifth Avenue, Times Square, and the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center, among other books, hopefully show what these places are like (with the emphasis on people and not the place, per se.) All books can be viewed on my website.
Favorite tour you've taken in NYC, or if you haven't taken a tour, where in NYC would you next like to have a tour (preferably led by one of our GANYC members)?
I think the only tour I have been on is the Circle Line (boat tour). I was very impressed by the knowledge as well as the style of presentation by the guide.
What is your favorite place in NYC and why?
Williamsburg, Brooklyn. My daughter lives there and wherever she lives, feels like home to me.
If you could be any one of the five NYC boroughs or a particular store/restaurant in NYC, what would you be and why?
In spite of Williamsburg feeling like home because of my daughter living there, I may choose Manhattan because I have lived there most of my life. I would not be a store or restaurant. I would be Central Park - in my opinion, the best part of NYC.
Interview online on: http://www.ganyc.org/blog/2017-ganyc-apple-awards-nominee-paul-kessel
TAKE FLIGHT!
Featured / What Makes It Great? / May 31, 2017
Wild birds are hard to catch, both physically and photographically, which makes “decisive moment” images exhilarating. Rick Ashley captures an astonishing sky full of starlings rising over Rome in a breathtaking and paradoxically minimalist composition while Paul Kessel’s street scene seizes upon a singular millisecond of fluttering pigeons, superbly framing three figures in an avian frolic.
Intriguing are the birds somewhat harder to see, obscured by windows, reflected in ground water or appearing as mere pinpoints in a vast terrain, imploring viewers to search more carefully for both subject and meaning... read the rest of the blog post by Elin Spring here.
TBMPN
"Photographer Spotlight"
October 2013
Bedford + Bowery
"In the East Village, an Upper West Sider's Vision of "Williamsburg: Old & New"
February 2014
Adobe Lightroom and Blurb Books
Advertising Campaign
2014