Chicago is a tapestry of cultures and every summer they celebrate in the street. Every weekend, festivals honor neighborhoods, foods, authentic dress, music and the patchwork melting pot that makes up this great city. Pick any summer weekend, and a few blocks away you´ll find another country and another celebration.
It´s the shortest, quickest trip ever to China, Poland, Italy, Africa, Mexico, Spain, Ireland and parts unknown. Street Photography is stronger when you document all kinds of people and cultures. I try to honor them all with my street photographs. Street photographers become cultural historians and ambassadors. It´s a small world with Medium Format photography.
I do travel every year to different parts of the world, but alert street photographers can see the world in every city, a block away or a continent away. Last weekend, I “traveled” to Japan, two miles away at the Ginza Festival in Lincoln Park outside the Midwest Buddhist Temple.
Tucked inside their vest pocket backyard park were Taiko drummers, Hawaiian ukulele players, Minyo dancers, traditional basket weavers, Shakuhachi flute players, raku potters, charcoal grills smoking with barbeque chickens, and at least one Medium Format street photographer who was so honored to capture the details.
I’ve become so accustomed to using my larger camera and lens, that I move around the crowded, busy festival almost effortlessly. I know that I’ll capture nuances and details I might miss with a different camera. The longer I work with this camera, the more I enjoy it.
When at a cultural event, I´m always so honored to be part of it all. It´s the least I can do, to document the celebration, color, diversity, life and joy of Medium Street.
Short Stories on Medium Street
Walk and watch. There are small plays all around you on Medium Street, if you learn to see like a street photographer.
Dark Shadows on Medium Street
What better holiday than Halloween to discuss dark photography. An evening dining al fresco. A rainy night stroll. A walk down a
Walking With Vivian
What is street photography? Depends on who you ask! It’s a metaphor, it’s a memory, it’s a frozen moment, it’s a document
Old Friends and a New Lens on Medium Street
Sweaters? Dark mornings? How did that happen!? Chicago is grudgingly surrendering its idyllic 2024 Summer. As the smell of pumpkin spice crowds
Just Breathe On Medium Street
Electric fusion of Mexican Latino rhythms, tacos, tiny magical alebrije dogs and frogs, carved from wood and whimsically painted. Families in flag
Artistic Skinship on Medium Street
Twice a year Chicago hosts the largest “Call to Arms” in the country. The Villain Arts Chicago Tattoo Festival fills a cavernous
Dog Days of Summer
Dogs, dogs, dogs. You meet many interesting people during photo walks and dogs are some of the most interesting “people” that you
A Multi-Cultural Medium
Chicago is a tapestry of cultures and every summer they celebrate in the street. Every weekend, festivals honor neighborhoods, foods, authentic dress,
The Museum Is the Medium
Street photography belongs in the museum, and not just in frames, hung on the walls. Museums are temples of art, color, geometry
The Big Medium
When life is big, bright, and popping with color all around, you’ve just turned onto Medium Street. There is nothing small-format about
Hot and (Medium) Heavy
I just tell myself “He ain’t heavy, he’s my….camera!” walking with my big Fuji in the sweltering heat of a surprise Summer
Oh, The Places You´ll Go, When You Go Medium
You might worry about using a medium format camera for street photography. It´s bigger. It´s out there. You are Out There. Do
