Bruce Gilden Discusses His Coney Island Street Photos

For today’s street photography inspiration, we bring more Bruce Gilden stuff from his Coney Island adventures.

Whether you’re already familiar with the bold street photography of Bruce Gilden or still familiarizing yourself with his work, it’s always engaging to look back at some of his best known sets. There’s no one that can tell us the most interesting details and stories about his photos than the photographer himself, so we take once more to Gilden’s Vimeo page to revisit his snaps, this time to listen to his commentary on his Coney Island project.

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Luc Kordas Documents the Characters of Coney Island in Black and White

All images by Luc Kordas. Used with permission.

We’ve featured photographer Luc Kordas a number of times on our website, and his latest project features Coney Island. The popular Brooklyn tourist destination is iconic for a number of reasons, and in the past few years it has arguably become a hot spot for street photographers. Those looking to start out will have a much easier time honing both their ethical standpoints and their photography chops. At the same time, veterans will find a number of creative challenges that keep them coming back. For Luc, he’s been all about being an observer.

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Dimitri Mais’ Portraits of Strangers Show Vibrant Life on Coney Island Boardwalk

All images by Dimitri Mais. Used with Creative Commons permission.

Photographing strangers on the streets must be one of the top items most photographers want to tick off their to-do list. We’ve featured some helpful guides and tutorials to help photographers become more confident and decisive in shooting street portraits, as well as some impressive portraits of strangers inspirational photographers have taken. The latest to join our roster of favorites is a set taken by Brooklyn-based Dimitri Mais on Coney Island with the help of some photographer friends.

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Coney Island as a Pastel Wonderland Through the Lens of Salvador Cueva

All images by Salvador Cueva. Used with Creative Commons permission.

One of the many delights of a photographer with a passion for color is an opportunity to roam and shoot places with interesting hues that reflect its vibrant culture. It was evident in the approach of freelance photographer and filmmaker Salvador Cueva in photographing New York City. Those of us who truly enjoyed that series will also surely like how he portrayed Coney Island, another well-known icon of American culture.

Coney Island is especially known for its amusement park attractions, beaches, leisure spots, and events like the summer Coney Island Mermaid Parade. All these make it a prime destination not only for tourists, but also for travel, street, and documentary photographers. After looking at his set, it became obvious why Salvador had his eye on the iconic island-peninsula.

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August 21st: Join Us for a Photo Walk in Coney Island

Hey folks,

On August 21st, we’re doing a Photo Walk in Coney Island with the NYC Street Photographer Collective. This is going to be a special one limited to 25 people. This photo walk is going to be objective based and is designed to give photographers intent when they go out to shoot–which will also help them flex their visual muscles when shooting. Those who RSVP will be given instructions on where we’re going to meet and a whole bunch more info.

It’s starting at 1pm and it’ll go until 4pm. After that, we’ll grab food and hang out.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

ISO 400: Lauren Welles On Leaving Law for Photography

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All images are copyright Lauren Welles, and are being used with permission.

In this episode of ISO 400, we hear from Lauren Welles, a New York-based photographer. She left a 16-year-career in corporate law for photography about six years ago. The change was necessary, one that revived her. We spoke with Welles last year about her Coney Island series of photographs that was featured on The Fence at Photoville. She’s got an eye for street photography that she’s been developing since she started. In this episode, she tells us about the perils and benefits of leaving a comfortable job, realizing her own photographic identity and more.

The episode and a selection of her work are available after the break. You can see more of her work on her website, on Facebook, and on Instagram @laurenwelles.

As always, our music is provided by Yuki Futami, a New York-based jazz musician.

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Coney Island in Monochrome: The Photography of Lauren Welles

julius motal lauren welles coney island 06

All photographs by Lauren Welles are used with permission.

New York City is one of those few places in the U.S. where you can move through different cultures, cuisines and classes just by going on a walk. For Lauren Welles, a lawyer turned photographer, the streets of the city are an endless trove of photographs. For Lauren, however, Coney Island is the one place in the city where everyone comes together.

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