New works

New works - Blog-Beitrag von Fotograf Alex Coghe / 27.08.2021 14:15

My work on the street continues.

I try to connect myself with a new kind of energy I find in the streets of Mexico these days.

Irregular photos increase. And that makes me feel good. Sometimes the color pushes me to shoot. Arrives instinctively and instinctively snap, at the last useful moment. I operate according to logics that connect with a universe made of surreal. I still surprise myself as a child. My steps become slow as my gaze is sublimated by a moment that arrives and I recognize it as mine. My photography. My street.

AugenBlicke im richtigen Moment

AugenBlicke im richtigen Moment - Blog-Beitrag von Fotograf Thomas Füngerlings / 27.08.2021 11:28

Alle meine Bilder in dieser Selektion sind spontan und unvorhersehbar in einem "entscheidenden richtigen Moment" entstanden. Der Betrachter schaut bei allen Bildern immer zuerst in die Augen und vielleicht in die Seele. Wir fragen uns, was ist gerade geschehen, was denken sie? Ich liebe solche Fotografien, diese AugenBlicke von Menschen, die direkt in die Kamera schauen (candid). Das kann man lernen und ich finde es immer wieder interessant und erstrebenswert. Ich gebe euch sieben Tipps für eure entscheidenden Momente.

Candid Photography

Sie beschreibt die Kunst, spontane Aufnahmen im Alltag, auf der Straße zu machen und unbemerkt aus dem Moment heraus zu fotografieren. Man möchte, das was man sieht, spontan fotografieren und mit diesen Bildern deine Sicht der Welt zeigen. Ich persönlich möchte die Emotionen im Alltag festhalten. Dabei will ich nicht in die Szene eingreifen. Es ist ein tolles Gefühl, wenn ich den Bruchteil einer Sekunde einfangen kann, bevor die Person mich bemerkt oder reagiert.

Meine sieben Tipps für gelungene Candid Fotos

Ich habe ein paar Tipps, die euch helfen so nah wie möglich an die Menschen zu kommen, ohne dass sie es bemerken. Geh mit offenen Augen durch die Straßen. Du scannst immerfort deine Umgebung mit deiner Kamera in der Hand. Und wenn du "erwischt" wirst, dann lächle einfach und in der Regel wirst du überrascht sein, dass du die Leute mit deinem tollen Foto überzeugen kannst.

1. Schnelligkeit: ich habe die Kamera immer in der Hand (nicht um den Hals) und den Finger am Auslöser. Die Kamera ist die Verlängerung des Arms. Du kannst schnell aus der Hüfte schiessen, sie nach oben oder nach unten richten oder einfach die Richtung wechseln.

2. Ich nutze meist die 30mm Festbrennweite: der Vorteil ist, dass du (bei einiger Erfahrung) auch ohne in den Sucher zu schauen, intuitiv den Ausschnitt vorhersehen und das Motiv fixieren kannst. Mit Weitwinkelobjektiven kannst du noch näher ran gehen und gleichzeitig mehr von der Szene mitnehmen, außerdem sind sie kleiner und leichter und damit bist du unauffälliger.

3. Ganz oft stelle ich die Kamera in den P-Modus und überlasse die Blende und Belichtung der Kameraautomatik. Wenn ich eine geringe Schärfentiefe haben möchte (Fokus scharf und den Hintergrund verschwommen) dann öffne ich die Blende (kleine Blendenzahl, z.B. f2,8) und belichte entsprechend kurz.

4. Man kann nie wissen, was passiert. Auf der Straße ist immer Bewegung (du bist es und das Motiv auch), also muss es mitunter zackig gehen. Also dreh ruhig die Verschlusszeit auf Maximum und wenn es dunkel ist, dann kann man auch noch die ISO nach oben schrauben.

5. Ist das toll, dass die Kameras heute eine flinke Serienfunktion haben. Schon die Meister haben einige Auslösungen gebraucht, um das Entscheidende in einem von vielen Bildern einzufangen.

6. Manche sagen, verhalte dich wie ein Tourist oder schau einfach durch die Leute hindurch, dann denken sie du knipst etwas anderes im Hintergrund.

7. Die tollen Momente schwirren immer herum, habe Geduld und die Ernte wird süß sein.

Der "entscheidende Moment"

Laut dem Jahrhundert-Fotografen Henri Cartier-Bresson ist es ganz easy, nämlich "das Drücken des Auslösers zur richtigen Zeit“. Aber das heißt natürlich den "richtigen" Moment erkennen und die Kamera (perfekt eingestellt) parat zu haben. Gewiss spielt auch das Glück und eine guter Schuss Instinkt eine Rolle, um am Ende einen Hingucker zu erzielen. Wie bei allem hilft Erfahrung und das stetige Training. Die Bilder werden besser werden, dein Auge wird geübter, weil du vorher ein paar wichtige Dinge überlegst.

welche Perspektive und welchen Ausschnitt nimmst du

wie ist das Licht – sind da Schatten

was ist mit dem Vorder- und Hintergrund

gibt es bestimmte Linien

Eigentlich ganz … einfach … spannend.

Mehr unter https://www.weekly52.de

Streets of Oaxaca

Streets of Oaxaca - Blog-Beitrag von Fotograf Alex Coghe / 19.08.2021 15:32

I am at home in Oaxaca, a city and a state in Mexico that I have elected as the city where I will one day go to live.I usually go to Oaxaca for my photographic expeditions, the Guelaguetza one in summer and the Dia de Muertos one in October / November.In Oaxaca I also worked for NGO, documenting the human condition of inhabitants of the central valley and Mixteca region. This means that my work there is largely documentary and journalistic.

However, I happen to take some street photos, and I think in particular Oaxaca de Juarez, the capital of the state of Oaxaca is great for street photography. For this reason now I am providing street photography experiences also there.

The images you see here are just a small example, and not even the best made there. All made in 2019, the photos reflect a little bit of what the charming Oaxaca can give us. Some of them realized in villages around Oaxaca where emerges the rural nature of a magic land.

Vote for the Cover of STRKNG Editors’ Selection – #54

Vote for the Cover of STRKNG Editors' Selection - #54 - Blog-Beitrag von  STRKNG / 11.08.2021 18:27

Please help us to find the next cover image for our issue »STRKNG Editors’ Selection – #54«

1) For no one – © Ed Wight

2) Natalie – © Doreen Seifert

3) Heliya – © Mehdi Mokhtari

4) La Femme au portrait – © Marta Glinska

5) Sunshine – © Bogdan Bousca & Irina ludosanu

6) Ents – © Michal Magdziak

7) prayer – © Photographer Tetsuro Higashi

8) watch me fall apart. – © inner destruction

9) FIRST LIGHT – © RRR DIAZ

Use only one number in the comment.

Only one vote per person. Thank you!

Voting ends Wednesday 18th August 23:55h MET

Publication covers so far….

https://strkng.com/en/publications/

Teilnehmer: Fotograf Bogdan Bousca / Fotografin Doreen Seifert / Fotograf Ed Wight / Fotograf gxlgentxnz / Model Irina ludosanu / Fotografin Marta Glińska / Fotograf Mehdi Mokhtari / Fotograf Michał Magdziak / Fotograf Photographer Tetsuro Higashi / Fotograf RRR DIAZ

Street Photography ES

Street Photography ES - Blog-Beitrag von Fotograf Alex Coghe / 08.08.2021 16:02

Let me introduce myself. While many of the street photographers here know me, I figure maybe I should let others in on who I am.

My name is Alex Coghe. I am Italian, born in Rome but I moved definitely in Mexico City in 2010.

I shoot Mexico City since 12 years ago so this means that I know enough this city. As a professional photographer I do photojournalism and portraits, specializing in books for models. I worked also for Leica Camera Ag on assignment and for Burberry. That was my debut in fashion photography.

I have been providing street photography workshops for quite a few years now.

My workshops are real experiences and usually I work with small groups or private one to one for all levels. My workshops in Mexico City are a success with students coming from any part of the world. Recently I added Oaxaca as city available for my masterclass street photography workshop. I propose also photographic expeditions in Oaxaca, for example in October&November during Day of the Dead celebrations.

For STRKNG I decided to focus on street photography but I reserve in future to show part of my work with models.

On my website alexcoghe.com you will find a lot of resources and I am publishing a small guide to street photography.

About Street Photography I can say that is part of me every single day. It doesn’t matter if I’m in my barrio or in downtown: every time I go out I have to do it with a camera, digital or film.

I ask my students what their motivations are. Because I believe that they have to be strong if you want to be a street photographer. There is a difference between being and doing it. I don’t want to go into too much depth here on the ontology of being street photographers but let me tell you that for me it’s about being willing to bleed. I mean not literally but willing to really pour ourselves into the work we are going to do.

When I am on the street I certainly do not hide what I am doing, or photographing. I am in an open and positive attitude, I smile because I love what I do and in all these years I must say that even shooting in places considered difficult if not dangerous I have never had excessive problems.

I photographed also with flash, it happens often to get very close to people, using lenses between 28mm and 35mm. The goal for me is a photograph showing gestures and that special humanity that you can find in a shot.

What I do is to interpret what has always been my curiosity towards other people. I do it and I did it as a writer and I don’t turn it off when I have the camera with me.

About making photos with a theme in street photography

About making photos with a theme in street photography - Blog-Beitrag von Fotograf Alex Coghe / 30.07.2021 14:24

To photograph on the street is most of the time we can find. And usually photos arrive to us. There are so many variables and it depends on the day, but this doesn’t mean we can’t make projects.

A unique theme for a street photographer is an important challenge and a way to learn to start thinking for projects that will take you to the next level.

Photographers like Garry Winogrand showed us how to make photos with a theme can bring you to realize books. Think about his work about business men, or about the women, or the zoo. Joel Meyerowitz in 1983 published his book Wildflowers, because by looking his archive he discovered there were a lot of pictures including flowers. So he back on the street to make other photos to add for the book.

To my students I recommend them to start thinking about themes. Maybe also by looking to their archive. The work with the photos already made is important because you can discover a lot of you as a photographer, your attitude and your interests. It is an important experience with yourself and with your photos, always with the focus to let your inner voice emerge.

As an example I show here some photos I made some years ago about men shoes.

EDOMEX, Street Photography and approach

EDOMEX, Street Photography and approach - Blog-Beitrag von Fotograf Alex Coghe / 25.07.2021 14:59

To photograph in EDOMEX (state of Mexico) is a total different experience. In fact you can’t think to go and simply start to make photos. You need to prepare yourself. It is not like photographing in downtown. The State of Mexico faces a critical situation of citizen security, being one of the most violent states in the country and the one with the most crimes per 100 inhabitants, with 93 (when national average is 41).

To try to make street photography is "cosa de loco" and despite not any place in EDOMEX are unsafe or criminal areas you have always to consider where you are.

The fact is that I live in the north side of Mexico City. And just on the border with EDOMEX. I am used to trespass. Next week I found myself in the state of Mexico for a book fair and, as always, I was with my camera (I always carry one) and I started to make some photos. You can see a selection here.

What I do on the street

What I do on the street - Blog-Beitrag von Fotograf Alex Coghe / 20.07.2021 16:43

I would define myself a concerned street photographer.

I consider myself belonging to old school street photography, the one that still considers it important that the photograph taken on the street is a document of the era and of society and not a form of showing my photographic eye. To visual games and optical effects I prefer gestures, expressions, how the human being fills the public space, the interaction with the urban context.

The new breed of street photographers is focused often on the wow effect: this is because today with instagram and the social networks the attention is only 3 seconds as maximum.

I prefer to focus the attention on things that will have value to see in 20 or 50 years.