Faces, Frames, and City Tales: The Best of Our Street Photography Contest

Get ready to hit the pavement—virtually, at least! In this article, we dive into the stories behind the incredible photographers who stood out in our Street Photography Contest. These winners captured the raw, unfiltered essence of life on the streets. Join us as we explore what inspired their shots, how they approached the challenge, and what makes their work truly unforgettable.

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EDOARDO GENOVA

I started taking photographs as a child, when my father put a camera in my hand during a Sunday lunch and asked me to take pictures of our family eating together. I enjoyed the task and carried it out diligently, with my father's enthusiastic support. For me, it was a mixture of observation and interaction that transformed the rather dull experience of Sunday lunch. When I returned to my place at the table, however, I discovered that my lunch had disappeared as my father had gobbled it up. Fortunately, there is always plenty of food at a Sicilian table and I was not fasting.

In fact, I started taking pictures not only to document but also to make up for the impossibility of remembering everything. Soon it became an obsession that led me to carry my camera with me everywhere, not only to photograph friends and family, but also to spend hours in the field taking macros of the amazing world of bugs and in nature to try some astrophotography. I grew up more self-confident and eventually discovered what has become my favorite type of photography - roaming the streets.

My relationship with photography, in fact, changed as I grew up, from a tool to freeze time and shape memories to a medium to practice the art of observation. I see photography as an exploration of what is interesting in the ordinary - a practice that has little to do with 'what' you see, but with 'how' you see it. As Leonard Freed said, "Ultimately, photography is about who you are. It's the seeking of truth in relation to yourself. And seeking truth becomes a habit".

Photography has the power to lead you through doors you would not have noticed otherwise, either into contemplative, introspective spaces, or into instances full of interaction and genuine laughter, depending on where we are in relation to the world and ourselves at that moment in our lives.

It has been 12 years since I left my hometown, Palermo, Italy, and 6 years since I moved to Brussels, some of which were spent photographing loud music gigs, beautiful pieces of architecture and Eurobubble events. After a few years of working as a full-time photographer, I am now back behind an office desk, while my photography focuses mainly on the street.

If you are interested in checking out my work, you can find it on my Instagram.

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PEDRO PERIM

I am an amateur photographer from Brazil, currently living in Rio de Janeiro. Engineer as a profession, my career has taken me to explore interesting places such as the Amazon region and parts of Africa. My camera and photography has always been part of this process, helping me to maintain the connection with my essence, even in challenging situations.

My journey into photography began in my late teens when I got an enlarger and, along with friends, set up a darkroom in my backyard.

At 62 years old and with over 40 years of shooting, photography has become my means of expression and a counterbalance to the rigidity of my profession. The joy I feel when shooting is what I wish to continue nurturing in my life.

My passion lies primarily in street and travel photography. For me, these two genres often intertwine, as I enjoy capturing people and their customs, seeking to tell stories through my images. When I’m on the street, I try to be almost invisible, although that’s not always possible. In those moments, I value the interaction with my subjects and seek to obtain permission in some way, which has led me to explore street portrait photography, a practice I find quite rewarding. This contrasts with candid photography, which was more challenging during my time in Africa.

My initial inspirations were Henri Cartier-Bresson and Sebastião Salgado. Over time, I have come to admire Robert Doisneau for his whimsical view of the streets, Fan Ho for his mastery of light and shadow, and the colorful street photography of Saul Leiter and Ernest Haas. Recently I have been interested in the photography of Trent Parke, Daido Moryama and other Japanese photographers, mainly due to the subjectivity of their work.

In recent years, I resided in Mozambique, where I had the opportunity to experiment with wildlife photography. I noticed a similarity between street photography and wildlife photography, especially in the joy both bring me, despite the differences in equipment and interaction with the subject.

I prefer to shoot in black and white, a passion that dates back to my darkroom days. However, I am gradually incorporating more color photography as I study and refine my technique.

At 62, I am gradually transitioning from my engineering career, allowing photography to take up more space in my life. I have participated in exhibitions, contests, courses, and workshops, striving to improve my technical skills and break free from some creative constraints.

You can learn more about me and my work on my Instagram!

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TAMATI TE OKA

My journey started with a Casio Exilim EX-S2 pocket camera and an open flame. I was 19 years old at the time and can vividly remember trying to figure out how to photograph this moment with the tools I had and how I could adjust the settings to improve my photograph. From that moment on, I educated myself with countless magazines, blogs and books. Enlightened with new knowledge I hit the streets of Melbourne to practice my craft. At this moment in my life I really just wanted to take photos without any pressure or expectations, I wanted to enjoy the art of photography. Of course this all changed and went from amateur photographer to my first professional job as a sport photographer, then later moving onto real estate and architecture work.

Working as a professional photographer brings a whole new level of education and whist being paid to do what you love is great it can come with a lot of stress. I’ve since retired from professional work now. I wanted to travel, so we sold everything and travelled all through Southeast Asia as a family. Doing this allowed me to get back on the streets again and do what I truly wanted to do creatively, which was black and white street photography.

I have been a photographer for more than half of my life now. The industry is forever evolving; there is always something new to learn or new to explore, and I think that is what keeps me going besides the pure enjoyment of taking photos unique to my style. When i'm out with my camera I am usually looking for contrast in the way of shadows, strong light or some interesting reflections. For me when I’m taking photos it’s about capturing that unique moment in time that nobody else has seen and most street photographers would know this moment in time could take a split second to capture or hours to wait for! 

You can take a look to my Instagram if you want to know more about me.

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Don't forget to take a look to our other open photo contests for more opportunities to showcase your skills and creativity. Explore them here: www.theartistgallery.art/open-contests.