Category: Tzen Xing

Update!

BULB, Street Core Photography and PHOS (Street Photography Days) joined forces. BULB (2015), SCP (2014) and PHOS (2018) have been founded by Michail and they very much evolved so that a scaling up was needed.

The new structure is run by our team of editors and organisers who ensure the daily management and feature talented photographers, while running at the same time our FB and IG accounts!

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12/22/2020

Black Lives Matter protests

images by Tzen Xing, with comments by Kim Toumia

In the darkness whose master of ceremonies is Trump, the survival of humans in this territory that no longer makes the rest of the world dream, light is the symbol of a struggle between the annihilation of this capitalist society and the fight for a humanism which can be will save the United States! At the heart of this necessary chaos, the photographer comes into action, heart and mind in symbiosis!

A feeling of dread in this country where carrying a weapon is legal and a symbol of freedom! The right to protest is also a citizen's right, but so dangerous, both in France and in the United States!

Against the propaganda orchestrated by the media including bad musicians who only put forward greed, thirst for power and racism. There is a weapon to counter this flow of stupidity! Counter propaganda using graphics and artistic inspiration! Here is a very good example of which you may also be an actor by framing in a relevant and impactful way!

The police armada brutally evokes the future of the legitimacy of violence in modern societies! They are no longer humans, but robots with an algorithm to define good and evil! To be or not to be an outlaw! No more human gazes but X-rays in the direction of people for an intimate inspection!
Kim Toumia

Set the Night on Fire
by Tzen Xing

The writing's on the wall
All empires and tyrants will fall
Too many of us have been killed
We don't need another wake-up call
Out in the streets we gave it our all
Justice and humanity are the truths that inspire
Our desire to set the night on fire

When the moms and dads, and military veterans, doctors, nurses, union workers, teachers, etc. joined the BLM protests, it made it harder for Trump, white supremacists, and all the BLM critics to demonize us all as "violent anarchists." But the police and federal thugs still attacked everyone, including the moms! This is America!
Tzen Xing

9/27/2020

Interview: Kim Toumia

conducted by Tzen Xing

What inspired you to be a street photographer?
I will not tell you about my love of photography, it would be too long. Child, the simple fact of having a camera in my hands, and diving my eye into the viewfinder was a crazy pleasure. Then travel to Europe and Asia, always with a camera (film camera). Very quickly I realized the multiple possibilities of choosing a visual language by combining the elements that are part of his field of vision and the relevance of using basic techniques to highlight an intimate point of view. What could be better!! what could be more democratic!! what could be more adventurous and enjoyable than street photography. Street photography is, in my opinion, what allows me to open up the photographer's sensitivity in the widest possible way! to acquire real skills, to optimize what the chaos of the street and the thousand and one expression of human life offers us, it is a long, painstaking work, millions of steps, a sense of observation that is sharp more and more in order for a more lively to create in a fraction of a second a composition! In this fraction of a second is in harmony the pulse of life on the street and all your intimate thought, your unconscious and your culture. There will never be enough words to express this intense pleasure, this continuous challenge. Step by Step, Shot by Shot.!!

What does it take to create a good image?
We can respond in various ways! First of all, when we are in the street, according to his physical form, the alertness of his mind and his freedom to choose not to seek in an urgent and vital way the great street photo! It is more interesting to leave your mind as empty as possible to be the most receptive to a magic moment that could escape us with a warrior spirit !! Sometimes I can walk more than 5 hours (ideally all day and all night). Know from experience that the magic moment can happen at any time, it is not only a question of timing to catch "The decisive moment", It is also to deeply feel the harmony of a place, or poetry between different elements. I intimately think that the culture not only of the history of photography (I do not have much culture in photography) but as much literature, poetry, anthropology, music are welcome to be even more sensitive to all the creative forms that the street can offer us !! We can therefore create a good image, but also simply pick it simply, as we pick a flower !! Simply! But to accomplish this simple act, the mind, the heart and the eyes must be well tuned. Like a musical instrument that amplifies a good sound.

Do you travel a lot? What places fascinated you?
I specify that I am not full of money! I make a hard living by getting up very early in the morning. Some of my Facebook friends thought I worked in an art gallery, ah ah ah). I travel since my adolescence, my first trip in the countries of Eastern Europe (communists at that time), Netherlands, southern Europe and of course UK. I love British culture. And very quickly for reasons related to my origins, but also spiritual, I went to China! It was the beautiful time for a traveler with not a lot of money and a big desire to live the adventure! I learned a lot from life lessons in China. Incredible encounters with men and women of high human and spiritual quality. Chinese, but also Chinese from mountain ethies and what impressed me the most was the honor, the immense chance of having lived exceptional moments with Tibetans. Do not believe that Tibetans are all bonzes. I am talking about the Tibetan free people in the Qinghai, Gansu Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. I had at that time a film AE1 canon, another camera with the possibility of changing the film in color or in b & w! I have hundreds of photos of these magical moments! I remember during a traditional horse race, that it was very cold, and that I could not press the shutter button any more. And also for intimate reasons I have visited Laos and Vietnam a lot. Vietnam is a country that is a paradise for street photography !! And then a lot in Korea, a paradise also for street photography, and of course Japan, which for me is a Greek tragedy !! So beautiful, all the more beautiful that there is a feeling of Blues which is inseparable from this country so exotic, strong and fragile at the same time. I will return, for sure. You shouldn't talk to me about travel, Ha Ha ! It's vital for me. China has changed a lot and I fear that it will be impossible for me to relive the moments lived in the past. '' That's life ".

Beyond passion and talent, equipment is also part of the process. What are you using and why?
My first high-performance camera used only for street photography was the GX100 CAPLIO RICOH, very small, perfect for travel, I took the optional viewfinder which is pure crucial for framing and immersing myself in the moment. I think I bought it in 2007, I still had a film camera, but with this ricoh, I had this possibility to adjust the set camera with one hand, and I could instantly take a photo, anywhere, anytime. There was a radical change in my way of being immersed in the street. I do it with my film camera, but with less ease! And this little camera looked like a child's toy. It was very discreet and seemed not to scare the characters I was taking pictures. Not having a lot of money, of course I did not imagine then investing in a leica, Ha Ha. I specify that I do not have several cameras! And I obsessively use my camera until the end of its life, in my last two cameras, the fuji X100 series, I pressed my index and middle fingers so much that I broke through the texture of the camera! I am not very tender with my cameras !! I can use them under a very hot sun, in a torrential rain, with a strong wind and dust, the day, the night, in concert with the camera in the right hand and a pint of beer in the left hand. don't worry about me, i don't sleep with my camera, and i don't shower with. I think I would be a good tester, ah ah. Let's talk about my last camera, the Fuji X100 F! of course, I speak freely, no contract with Fuji, but this camera has the advantage of being not too heavy, possibility to adjust easily in manual, nice colometry, and a physical pleasure to have it in hand, and well heard the possibility of having reality and the digital screen in the frame. there are some options that can be improved, but it does not matter. As Elvis Jones, a great jazz drummer put it so well, when you're a good musician, you can make a good sound with any drum kit. It's the same with cameras…! You have to make the right adjustments to optimize. I specify that the lens is a 23 mm. Even without a camera I can draw a 23 mm frame in space. I think in the future to work with a wider lens, a 14 mm. But before I have to use my X100F end until he can't stand my frantic use of it anymore.

Please describe your workflow (post-processing, cropping, selection criteria, etc.)
With this question, let's talk about my big weak point. my pleasure is in practical photography on the street! Ideally I would like to stop working after taking the photograph. the number of clicks can be enormous in a photographic street stroll. I practice several activities outside of my work. music, I play modest drums and I listen to a lot of music, reading, visiting a museum, concerts, festivals, night outings in an urban environment, and the desire to live moments of vagrancy without objective! The pure pleasure of letting time fly away. I have thousands and still thousands of street photos in the huge belly of my computer. When an exhibition project or when I have time (I work a lot on my editing during this confinement period), I try to be efficient! I think I have enough interesting street photos to compose relevant series, edit a photo book. Regarding post processing, I adjust my camera directly according to my desire to have contrasting or saturated color images. You guessed i'm a color photographer, Ha Ha. And when I opt for b & w, it's by being inspired by screen printing. Very strong contrasts and density !! But spontaneously I irresistibly chose the color. Then on lightroom my setting is rather classic, by small touch. From time to time I straighten the lines, and I cut my frame to have a square format. But I try to be more and more faithful to the original framing.

What do you hope to achieve in your photography in the future? Do you have any regrets or something you would like to change?
I think today that I have enough experience in the practice of street photography, to be able to find magic moments again, and therefore to do good things again. Among my inspirations, there is great Japanese writer, Haruki Murakami, who evoked the metaphor in a simple way to understand and in a very deep and poetic way what a Metaphor is. I think that in the future I will compose visual metaphors again with a meaning linked to what inspires me, what fills my mind and my heart. This is essential, and what still makes me want to continue my photographic adventure. You know like me Tzen, that it is useless to feel regrets. A great traveling writer wrote "We are not going on a trip! It's the trip that makes us what we are. In photography, it's a bit the same !! When there is a strong and intimate relationship between what we are and what we do, we do as much photography as photography makes us what we are! There is a form of intrusion interaction from one side to the other, from thought, to the act... I don't want to change anything, besides, in life we don't master much.

In the avalanche of images posted on social media (FaceBook, Instagram, etc.), how do you make your photos stand out?
Ha HA Ha. I may be expressing thoughts that will irritate some photographers or at best make them laugh. In the past, I deleted my first facebook space! after a while I suffered the dictatorship of facebook having a lot of virtual friends, ah ah ah. I could have reached 5000 friends. for reasons of consistency and honesty I deleted this space. I realized very late that I was certainly among the rare users who only used the computer to show my photos and to look carefully at the photos of the other photographers. I have recently had a new facebook space with 200 friends !! It’s a lot, but it can be worked up to maintain relationships and for a few months now, I have had a FLICKR space. More interesting from a qualitative point of view to exhibit your photos and watch in better conditions the work of other street photographers! I stopped posting on Instagram! I say it sincerely, Instagram is a horror and a pure illusion. I am convinced that it is only business and that photography loses its nobility by being exposed strategically by the gurus of photography. And that everyone lies by saying that it is ideal to show their work. I know, I know, I'm going to get shot. I specify that I do not have a mobile phone, I do not watch TV and it is essential for me, not to fill my mind too much with my eyes with too much image. If you are not part of a street photographer team, if you do not work with a brand of camera, it is not easy to be taken seriously. So as far as I am concerned, I am in contact with photographers for whom I have great respect and who have worked with photographers esteemed for their talents. and from time to time I have a good review of my work. That fills me up and whatever the vagaries of the virtual world that decides what is good or not good! I exhibit from time to time, I also sell my photographs. It is a great pleasure to please. I have two next completely crazy projects that go against what the gallery offers, and how to estimate the value of the photographer's work. To give you clues. I am an absolute fan of Banksy and I still believe that it is possible to share Art for the greatest number of citizens.

6/30/2020

Interview: Gustavo Minas

Interview conducted by Tzen Xing on Oct. 12, 2016 (updated in June 2020)

How are you photographing during the corona virus pandemic? I noticed that you are still actively photographing out in the streets. Brazil is one of the countries hardest hit by the pandemic. How are you keeping safe when you're outside?
So, about the pandemic, I've been photographing my daily life since the beginning. I'm a journalist too, and have been working from home since March 12th.

In the first month, I photographed mostly at home, my family, and our surroundings and neighborhood. Brasilia, the city where I live, has plenty of empty and green spaces, so we can still afford to take some walks to sunbath.

After 40 days or so, I decided to take some walks through the city, which was very empty back then. I used masks and lots of alcohol gel, and avoided busy places. These long walks made me deal better with the situation.

Then I decided to go a bit further, still taking health measures. I'm not taking public transportation as I used to anymore. I always drive and then walk, trying to avoid getting too close to people.
I think health should be our priority, but the fact that we're going through a historic moment also makes me want to go out and document what I see, through a personal point of view.

Then in mid-June Businessweek magazine approached me to do a story in São Luís, Northeast of Brazil, the first capital to declare lockdown in our country. The city was already reopening some stores and services.
I spent only 24 hours there, but could see a lot of people on the streets, working or just having fun:
- www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-06-24/coronavirus-pandemic-brazil-faces-worst-case-scenario
- www.instagram.com/p/CB28Y1hhC4c/

What does it take to create a good image?
I wish I knew! For me good light it's very important - I mean, sunset or early morning light. But artificial light mixed with natural light at dusk can be great too.　
But actually, it's a lot to do about yourself. If I go out thinking that I won't get anything, then I get nothing. You must be open to the world and for chance, you must believe. Otherwise you'd better go home. Also, being relaxed is important. Being focused is good, but sometimes I feel I'm too tense chasing the perfect image, then it never happens. So, for me the state of mind is really important.

What inspired you to be a photographer, especially a street photographer?
This guy called Carlos Moreira (www.carlosmoreira.com.br). I attended a year-long course under this master in 2009, and he showed me all the photographers I must've seen: Atget, Kertész, Cartier-Bresson, Frank, Lee Friedlander on the first semester, then Haas, Eggleston, Gruyaert, Pinkhassov and Webb on the second. I owe a lot to him. He's been photographing São Paulo, where I used to live, since the 60s, and his work and attitude towards photography were essential for me.

In an era over-run by so many photographers, what makes your images stand out?
Well, it's hard for me to answer this. There are many photographers around, we all have similar tastes and influences... what I can say is that I'm a very passionate amateur, I shoot every single day if I have the chance, so it's natural that after some years I have some good photos to keep. I hardly get tired of shooting, if there's light. Brasilia, where I've lived for 2 years now, is a dull city, not so many people on the streets, no patina in the buildings, but at least we have great light here most of the year. And living in a boring city can be challenging, you really have to push yourself. It's been a good exercise so far.

Which are your preferred places for shooting (even if photography can be done anywhere), and what makes them special?
Currently, as you noticed, it's the Rodoviaria (our central bus terminal in Brasilia). Brasilia is a planned city, a bit boring as I said, but this place has some energy, chaos and enough movement, besides great light, that make it perfect to photograph. I love being in the flux of people going to and from their daily jobs, I'm one of them myself.
But I also love water parks, for example. Or beaches. Or busy streets with lots of shop windows and reflections. As long as there's people and some light, it's great for me.

Beyond passion and talent, the gear also is part of the process. What do you use and why?　
Some weeks ago I was loving my Fuji X-Pro1 with a 27mm lens (40mm in full frame). But then I attended this workshop with Magnum's Pinkhassov and he told us to use zoom lens, so I've been trying a 18-55mm and it's been good for a change. Most street photographers have some prejudice against zoom lenses, but they actually enhance your possibilities, so why not?

Please describe your workflow (post-processing if any, selection criteria, cropping, other).
Well, I shoot, generally on a 16GB SD card, then I upload them as soon as I get home via Lightroom. I go through them quickly and I mark the ones I like, at first with 4 stars, then I go back to this initial selection and mark the ones I'd like to export with 5 stars. I generally apply a preset I made for contrast, enhanced colors and sharpness, then do some adjustments, that's it. I hardly use Photoshop now. I hardly crop either.

How do you see your photography in the future. Any regrets, anything you missed?
I´d like to keep it as honest and personal as I feel it is now. And I'd like to make books of them. I've made some via Blurb, but I'd like proper books too. They're my favorite way of looking at photographs. And no regrets yet. :)

Last but not least, which picture(s) of yours is/are significant and why?
Well, of course I must love all my work, it's all part of my life, my journey. But then, this set (http://www.gustavominas.com/ O-Parto) I made about my girlfriend's pregnancy and the birth of my daughter has a different level of meaning for me. It's still about my life, but it's about our lives together as well. It was the most thrilling day of my life, and I'm glad I could record and keep it.