Hit The Streets 112: Barbie and Ken in the Spotlight with Nicole Houff

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In This Episode…

Valerie met Nicole Houff at a local art fair recently and was struck by the originally of her work. Nicole sets up some very creative scenes of everyday life with the iconic duo Barbie and Ken. Her talent, creativity and passion shines through in this conversation. Her work will bring a smile to your face, guaranteed. Enjoy!

Nicole’s Biography

To put it simply: I’m a Minneapolis photographer with a mild Barbie obsession. Influenced by imagery from the 50s and 60s, I create scenes with the dolls in studio that have a sense of whimsy mixed with a little sarcasm. To me, Barbie is a positive, strong and empowering figure and I try to utilize her to create conversation. And to answer your question, I only have around 40 dolls.

Once I have a scene visualized in my head, I go on the hunt for all the components that need to go into the image, due to the fact I don’t add anything digitally afterwards. I only use Photoshop for color/density editing and retouching. I set up the diorama with the dolls, props and backgrounds and design studio lighting around it. I take an incredibly technical approach to my work; each shoot is a multi-hour event comprised of fine tuning lighting and great attention to detail. I’ve always felt that my Barbie series is the perfect hybrid of my BA from Macalester College with a major in Studio Art and a minor in Political Science, and my Associate Degree from Minneapolis Community and Technical College in Photography and Digital Imaging.

My work has been shown at a variety of galleries, festivals and exhibits including: Mpls Photo Center, Gamut Gallery, Intermedia Arts, Nash Gallery, The Knockdown Center, Robbin Gallery, MN State Fair, Uptown Art Fair, Edina Art Fair, and the Twin Cities Pride Festival.

Links to Nicole’s Work

Website: http://nicolehouff.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/nicolehouff/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Nicole-Houff-Photography-257480368904/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NicoleHouff

Examples of Nicole’s Work

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Hit The Streets 111: The One Project with Bryce Evans

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This episode is made possible thanks to your support of my webinar series. Get quality education and support your favorite podcast at the same time, it's win-win. A new webinar is offered almost every month. Check the class of the month at on the webinar page.

In this Episode…

This week on Hit the Streets, Valerie talks with Bryce Evans. He is the founder of The One Project, using the healing power of photography for mental health.

Bryce’s Biography

Bryce is an award-winning artist who’s always looking to level up, gain valuable insights on life, and make a positive impact. He’s worked with top international brands, created projects with a global reach, and exhibited his artwork around the world. In 2010, he founded The One Project as a new language and community around mental health using the healing power of photography. Since then he’s become an expert in therapeutic photography for mental health through his writing, teaching, and speaking, including the TEDx talk, How Photography Saved My Life. His mission is to impact one billion people.

Links to Bryce’s Work

The One Project - https://theoneproject.co/   

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theoneproj/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theoneproject/ 

Ted talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuJhTfxd0gY

Examples of Bryce’s Work

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Hit The Streets 110: Between Girls with Karen Marshall

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This episode is made possible thanks to your support of my webinar series. Get quality education and support your favorite podcast at the same time, it's win-win. A new webinar is offered almost every month. Check the class of the month at on the webinar page.

In this Episode…

This week Valerie shares a conversation with NYC documentary photographer Karen Marshall on the show. If you’ve been involved with ICP or Maine Media workshops, her name is most likely familiar to you. I invited Karen to discuss her special 30 year project titled Between Girls: A Passage to Womanhood.

Karen’s Biography

New York photographer Karen Marshall documents social issues. By focusing on the psychological lives of her subjects, she has worked on a series of visual stories that contemplate familial relationships and convey ideas about people and place within the cultural landscape.

Her seminal study, Between Girls: A Passage To Womanhood, articulates the coming of age of a group of urban middle class teenagers, following them from high school into adulthood 30 years later. Her interest in establishing new frameworks for the documentary genre has led Marshall to create an exhibition based on this project that uses traditional black and white photographs, book making, video and audio in conjunction with community programing. 

In her documentary journey Marshall also has witnessed the struggling identity of a group of Navajo Indians and the demise of their earth-based culture in Caretakers of the Earth: Navajo Resistance and Relocation. She often directs her camera at family life, including her Pennsylvania Dutch in-laws’ clan in a series titled Pennsylvania In-Laws. In Still, Standing, a series begun in 2013, she explores the Polish landscape that her grandparents left behind when they emigrated to the United States in the early 1920's. 

 Marshall is the recipient of artist fellowships and sponsorships through the New York Foundation for the Arts, as well as grants and support from private foundations. Her photographs have been exhibited in the United States, the Philippines, British Columbia, Israel, Colombia, and China, and are part of several collections, including the Feminist Artbase at The Brooklyn Museum. Her images have appeared in publications in the United States, Europe, and Asia. 

Her work as a freelance photographer spans many genres. Marshall’s distinctive style captures meaningful moments within a narrative frame. She has photographed for editorial, corporate, non-profit, and advertising clients for more than twenty-five years in Europe, South Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Marshall is an expert at visual storytelling with a thriving consulting business assisting photographers, foundations, and small companies in the creation of visual narratives. 

Marshall is the Chair of the full time Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism Program at The International Center of Photography where she has been on the faculty for the past 20 years. She is an Associate Professor (Adjunct) at New York University, mentors MFA candidates at the Maine Media Workshops, and teaches independent workshops in the United States, China, Germany, Italy, and Columbia. Marshall who holds an MFA in New Media (Transart Institute/Donau Universitat Krems, Austria).

Links to Karen’s Work

Website Link: http://www.karenmarshallphoto.com

Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/kmphoto/

Between Girls Project: http://www.karenmarshallphoto.com/betweengirls_apassagetowomanhood#0

Specific to exhibition and media links:  http://www.karenmarshallphoto.com/2059278-more-about-between-girls

Examples of Karen’s Work

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Hit The Streets 109: Tender Souls with Brenton Gieser and Felix Uribe

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This episode is made possible thanks to your support of my webinar series. Get quality education and support your favorite podcast at the same time, it's win-win. A new webinar is offered almost every month. Check the class of the month at on the webinar page.

Summary

I share a conversation with Brandon Gieser and Felix Uribe. The two men are using their cameras and documentary skills to help tell the story of the Tenderloin Neighborhood of San Francisco.

Brenton Biography

Brenton Gieser is a photographer, filmmaker, documentarian, and visual storyteller originating from Half Moon Bay, California and currently producing the majority of his work in San Francisco. He approaches his work as a personal mandate to help raise questions about social and economic injustice with a desire to move us towards deeper community understanding and social equity. His first short documentary film, Tender Souls, has been screened live for thousands of San Franciscans at SF DocFest, SF Urban Film Festival and at companies like Twitter, Salesforce, Wells Fargo, Zendesk, amongst others. His current project, The 50, unveils the story of the first 50 men to become California certified drug and alcohol counselors while serving either life or long-term prison sentences.

Felix’s Biography

As a Bay Area native, Felix Uribe has been documenting life’s in between moments for the past 12 years. Felix is currently based in San Francisco where he’s an artist in resident for City Hope a nonprofit based in the Tenderloin. Felix’s work displays a sensitivity for true human authenticity and uniquely beautiful aesthetics. Felix portrays people as they are while simultaneously pulling back the layers often revealing more about the subject than text or video would be capable of sharing.

Links to Brenton & Felix’s Work

https://www.tendersoulsproject.com/

https://vimeo.com/238410662 (Tender Souls the Film)

Brenton’s Website: https://www.brentongieser.com

Brenton’s Instagram: instagram.com/brentongieser/

Felix’s Website: www.felixuribe.com

Felix’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/felixjr1

Examples of Brenton’s Work

Examples of Felix’s Work

Hit The Streets 108: Q&A and Photo Challenge

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Sponsor

This episode of Hit The Streets is brought to you by WHCC. I've trusted WHCC with all my printing needs for over 15 years and I couldn't be happier with their awesome service. 

See the WHCC quality for yourself and receive free prints when you open an account by clicking on the banner pic below.

Summary

In this episode of HTS, Valerie invited Patrick Ludolph to cohost. Together they answer questions from Mark Farrington and Mic Warmington about personal style becoming an artistic straight jacket and the frustrations of your subjects on the streets always being occupied with their mobile phones. Patrick was a guest on a show a few weeks ago, here is the link to that episode.

Guest Co-Host Biography

Patrick Ludolph is a photographer from Hamburg, Germany with a focus on people, reportage, and travel photography. After studying computer science and working in online marketing, he decided to make his hobby a profession and started a business as a photographer in 2010. 
Besides working as a photographer he writes the photography blog Neunzehn72, runs the Liveshow Fotoschnack, produces video tutorials and organizes workshops and photo travels.
He is also publisher of his own magazine named Hashtag Magazine. In 2017 he published his photo book SEAFARERS where he was documenting the life and work on container ships.

Link's to Patrick's Work

Personal and fun: https://www.instagram.com/paddy.lu/

Business and Reportage: https://www.instagram.com/patrick.ludolph/

Homepage: patrickludolph.de (German)

Blog: neunzehn72.de (German)

Link to book in shop: https://shop.neunzehn72.de/produkt/seafarers/

Patrick’s new book: https://shop.neunzehn72.de/produkt/buch-manche-fehler-muss-man-selber-machen/

Link Chief-Mate camera straps: https://www.chief-mate.com/

Q&A

Mark Farrington asks: “Many photography educators recommend developing a personal style, but doesn’t that risk becoming an artistic straightjacket?”

Mic Warmington in the UK asks: “bonjour valerie - I don't call myself a street photographer but a photographer who happens to be on the street occasionally - and I find myself being increasingly frustrated...and it's all to do with the ubiquity of the mobile phone, or cell phone as they call it in the states...you're looking for gesture, for human interactions and what do you get? The mobile - it's as though people cant do anything with their hands any more because they're permanently occupied!
 un petit rant - excusez moi - but do you find the same?”

And The Winner Is....

Mindaugas Vasiliauskas https://www.instagram.com/mindvas/

Winning entry for the ‘Panning’ challenge: Mindaugas Vasiliauskas

Next Photo Challenge

You are playing for a chance to win Chief-Mate camera strap this month!

Next challenge: Film Noir photography on the streets, show us you best Moody, Dark and Dramatic photographs.

Enter your best shot in comment section below before November 8th, 2018.
 You are playing for a chance to win Chief-Mate camera strap this month https://www.chief-mate.com/

Book Pick

https://feyzidemirel.com/produkt/bildband-istanbulum

Hit The Streets 107: The Malawi project with Paul Vincent

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This episode is made possible thanks to your support of my webinar series. Get quality education and support your favorite podcast at the same time, it's win-win. A new webinar is offered almost every month. Check the class of the month at on the webinar page.

In This Episode…

Valerie shares a conversation with Paul Vincent. Find out how football, photography and serendipity brought a visual storyteller from London to work on a documentary project in Malawi.

Paul's Biography

Paul is a married father of two from Hertfordshire, England. Having originally trained as a photographer in the 1990s, he slowly gravitated towards graphic design and now runs a small London based agency called Stone Creative Design. He worked with Valerie and Joshua Coombes, designing the New York and Paris #dosomethingfornothing ebooks.

Since picking the camera up again a couple of years ago (He now considers himself a fully fledged Fuji-holic) he’s integrated photography into his family life and enjoys brightening up his commute with street work on the London Underground in particular. It’s also lead to a wide range of interesting projects and experiences through his business including shooting live theatre and recently a short film for a soccer school using the Fuji X-T2. 

Earlier this year, his passion for documentary work took him to Malawi where he worked with the charities Kit Aid and Friends of Mulanje Orphans. Images from this project have been entered into this years Lens Culture Emerging Photographers award.

Links to Paul's Work

www.paulvincentphotography.net

insta: @paujlkvincent

twitter: @pauljkvincent

www.stonecreativedesign.com

Examples of Paul's Work

Hit The Streets 106: Case Study 4: Passion, Talent, Determination and Team Work with Joshua Simmons

Take a listen here or on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, etc.

Sponsor

This episode is made possible thanks to your support of my webinar series. Get quality education and support your favorite podcast at the same time, it's win-win. A new webinar is offered almost every month. Check the class of the month at on the webinar page.

Summary

During this special case studies episode, Valerie shares a conversation with Texas based photographer Joshua Simmons. It's all about passion, talent, determination and team Work. His journey will inspire you.

Joshua's Biography

I was born and raised in the Silicon Valley of California. I am the youngest of 4. Joined the Army at 19 in the Spring of 2006 and continue to serve on Active Duty. I met my wife in El Paso, Texas and was married in February 2007. We have 4 sons. I began my foray into photography in 2016 out of a desire for a new hobby and it wasn't until October of 2017 that I began working on studio portraiture. My wife and I are currently in the midst of building a portraiture business specializing in Fine Art and Magazine style portraits. 

Links to Joshua's Work

Website: https://joshuasimmonsportraits.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuasimmonsportraits/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuasimmonsportraits/

Instagram for Ashley’s Fine Art Backdrops: https://instagram.com/fine_art_backdrops?utm_source=ig_profile_share&igshid=d51mqsg7a958

Examples of Joshua's Work

Hit The Streets 105: Life in a Frame with Wayne Crichlow

Take a listen here or on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, etc.

Sponsor

This episode is made possible thanks to your support of my webinar series. Get quality education and support your favorite podcast at the same time, it's win-win. A new webinar is offered almost every month. Check the class of the month at on the webinar page.

Description

This week David Julian sits in for Valerie and interviews London based photographer Wayne Crichlow. Enjoy!

Wayne's Biography

Born in London’s East End to West Indian parents, Wayne’s passion for street photography grew in the early days with a modest bridge camera. Capturing everyday life events as they happen, and at every opportunity, he is intrigued by the creative freedom which photography brings as a creative outlet.

Wayne’s style of street photography takes inspiration from icons such as Vivian Maier, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Martin Parr, Mary Ellen Mark, Mark Asnin and Zack Arias.   His visual storytelling aptitude enables him to provide an honest and yet thought-provoking insight to the world’s dynamic surroundings and the complexities and struggles of daily life.

Wayne has a unique ability to observe and represent life unfolding in front of him by showing the connection between the subject he sees in their environment. His visual language has evolved from candid street photographer to that as a humanist story teller.  From the poverty stricken townships of the Western Cape South Africa to living with the challenges of mental health, Wayne is an advocate for those voices whose story needs to be told.

“To capture an image is to capture the very essence of life itself and of that moment in time that can never be repeated."

Links to Wayne's Work

https://www.waynecrichlowphotography.com/

https://www.instagram.com/chasingthelight_67/

https://twitter.com/WayneRC67

https://www.facebook.com/chasingthelight67/

http://masterofphotography.tv/en/photographers/wayne-crichlow/

Examples of Wayne's Work

Hit The Streets 104: Giving a Voice with Ed Kirwan

Take a listen here or on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, etc.

Sponsor

This episode is made possible thanks to your support of my webinar series. Get quality education and support your favorite podcast at the same time, it's win-win. A new webinar is offered almost every month. Check the class of the month at on the webinar page.

Summary

We often talk about the power of the still photograph to raise awareness and how each one of us can use our storytelling skills to make a difference in the world. Today I invited Ed Kirwan on the show. Ed uses stills and a unique word to bring the attention of the viewer on social media and bring attention to homelessness. This is an important conversation, please share it.

Ed's Biography

There are lived experiences out there that can put our own lives in context. Often they are too far away or too far removed from our experience to feel relevant. I want to connect people with these amazing rich experiences of distant lives to help see their own in a new context and with this new insight, do their little bit to change the world. I capture these through photography, videography and storytelling. 

My perception of other peoples lives was shaped by teaching teenagers in North London for 3 years. It ultimately opened my eyes to the huge injustices in the UK; wealth ultimately deciding education, health and success; it also showed me the power of words. Students, once I gained their trust, would take the words I said very seriously and literally. This is a huge responsibility and I decided to take advantage of this to ensure that these children left school as better humans and real members of society.

Teaching is where I found my passion for inspiring and influencing others to do good. I now focus on giving a voice to particularly rough sleepers in the UK as well as those trying to help them. Showing the person beyond the stigma, the motivations they have and the life they live. Once this public perception changes, homelessness can truly be ended. It seems an impossible up hill struggle but one which someone has to attempt. 

I hope in future to focus on other lives, bringing influence to a variety of causes as well as becoming a credible, reputable public speaker - my biggest aspiration.

Links to Ed's Work

Website: www.edkirwan.co.uk

The Homeless World Cup 2018 Prequel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrIdDJ7V9W0&t=21sHomeless

World Cup Foundataion: https://www.edkirwan.co.uk/mexico-homeless-football-world-cup

Trailer of the project: https://www.facebook.com/edjkirwan/videos/926043154242467/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edkirwan/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edjkirwan/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EjKirwan

www.givingstreets.com 

www.changeplease.org

www.wearebeam.org

www.linkey.org.uk

www.streetskitchen.org

www.wemakechange.org

Examples of Ed's Work 

Hit The Streets 103: Q&A and Photo Challenge

Take a listen here or on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, etc.

Sponsor

This episode of Hit The Streets is brought to you by WHCC. I've trusted WHCC with all my printing needs for over 15 years and I couldn't be happier with their awesome service. 

See the WHCC quality for yourself and receive free prints when you open an account by clicking on the banner pic below.

Summary

In this episode of HTS, Valerie invited David Julian to cohost. Together they answer questions from Frank Meffert and Andrew Raff about the weirdest thing that's happened to them on the streets and how to define street photography.

Guest Co-Host Biography

David Julian is a Seattle-based photographer, photo-illustrator, speaker and educator. He divides his time between assignments, travels and teaching. He has led workshops for Maine Media Workshops, Santa Fe Workshops, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Un-Cruise and in Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Canada, Europe, Cuba, and soon in India and the Far East.

His images and interviews have appeared in Communication Arts, PRINT, NY Times, LA Times, Islands, Outside, National Geographic Traveler, Audubon, Rangefinder, Outdoor Photographer, Digital Photo Pro, Fujilove, and in all media on the arts. He has been awarded by The Art Director’s Clubs of New York and Los Angeles, the Society of News Design, the Society of Photographic Educators and World in Focus. 

Dave is also a Fuji-X Delegate photographer, an expert in Lightroom and Photoshop, and enjoys helping others develop vision and skills to reach creative goals.

Links to David's Work

David's work: DavidJulian.com
Cuba workshop: https://indd.adobe.com/view/eaaaf0f8-7a47-4919-96f1-c84916536e7b

Q&A: 

Valerie and David answer the following questions:

Frank Meffert: "What was the weirdest thing that happened to you on the streets?"

Andrew Raff : "Hi, I am a keen Street Photographer. […] I have not been doing this for long but the one thing I have found most frustrating is the extreme variations on what constitutes a "Street" image and what one can and cannot do with an image. For example, is a Portrait that shows no context of their surroundings...but (to me) is purely a Portrait; this may have been taken on the streets..but would you class it a "Street" Photography. Should it be 'purely' "Casual". Should, or can a shot be "set up". Can one manipulate or just use one colour in the final image. Should images be cropped to show just the focus or people of the image; and many other questions I continually ask......with vastly differing answers. May I ask - your opinion; your parameters of do's and do nots, or should and should not. I am with a small Camera Club and would like to impart some knowledge for this fascinating Genre of Photography. I hope you can find the time to send me a short reply to my questions."
 

And The Winner Is...

Winners of the last street challenge "When it's all about color" are
Nigel Brunsdon 1st place and Robin Chun runner up. Nigel will receive a beautiful camera strap by AFShoot.com, Robin will receive an ebook of his choice from our friends at Rockynook.com

Nigel Brunsdon 1st place

Robin Chun runner up

Next Photo Challenge

Panning on the streets
Listen to the tips on the show, go out, practice and enter your best shot in comment section below before Oct. 4th.

Book Pick