How Fujifilm X Photographer Jens Krauer Explored Bed-Stuy

Through his ongoing Bed-Stuy Project, photographer Jens Krauer explores the history and culture at the heart of a historic Brooklyn neighborhood.

The people and history behind the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant are deeply entwined with Hip-Hop and African American culture. It is a rich tapestry that kept Zurich-based photographer Jens Krauer coming back time and time again. Through his long-term documentary series, aptly named Bed-Stuy Project, Jens explores the human stories behind the neighborhood’s rich history.

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I’m a Photographer Who Took a Year Off of Instagram; My Business Didn’t Suffer

Today’s reality for photographers on social media, revolving around immediate reward and recognition, might fool you into thinking that your primary challenge is attention.

It’s a trap, don’t fall for it. The world of digital noise makes it easy to lose focus and blur your vision. It was never so tempting to mistake publicity for value. Facebook and Instagram do not care about your photography when they set or change rules. As useful and important as these platforms are, their sole purpose is a purely commercial operation specifically designed to make you come back as often as possible to spend more time there. I did not fall in love with photography to satisfy an algorithm whose primary purpose is to create more advertising revenue. I am the owner of the process and the purpose.

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Jens Krauer: On Realizing You’re a Street Photographer; Not Becoming One

All images by Jens Krauer. Used with permission.

Photographer Jens Krauer is a documentary and street photographer based in Zurich. “Speaking three languages makes it easy for me to move between countries, and I travel as much as possible,” he tells us. “For nearly two years I lived in Kiev, Ukraine, watching the 2014 Revolution unfold, and I was in Hong Kong during the Umbrella Revolution.” So of course, he’s got quite a variety of work and both him and his photography have evolved over the years.

Jens’ work has been widely exhibited in Europe. He became a pro Fujifilm X-Photographer in 2016, with a love of black and white candid street portraiture. Under the Instagram handle @urbanframes, he shares a number of his candid captures; and he’s of the belief that you don’t become a street photographer; you realize you are one.

And he’s got a great argument for it.

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