TITLE: Always Be Yourself

As if taking a cue from the sign above, a barista at a cafe in Ravenna, Italy, brings warmth to the morning with her heartfelt, abundantly radiant smile. Unfortunately, the business has since succumbed to the pressures of Covid-19 but presumably her smile lives on elsewhere, welcoming people and boosting their spirits.

AUTHOR: Jim Lustenader (United States)

"What I like most about photography is the moment that you can't anticipate." Martine Franck

Street photography has a special cinematic character, combining photojournalism, documentary and pure surprise. Spontaneity, immediacy, empathy and luck: all are part of capturing human nature in action. But to me what makes a street photo truly special is visual tension, even a measure of incongruity.

Tension lends intimacy and depth, inviting viewers to pause and connect according to each person’s unique perspective and experience; it offers a glimpse of intention while providing opportunity for imagination.
I focus on moments that evoke the humor, beauty, irony or absurdity of being human. People's expressions, dress, body language and relationships to surroundings are some of what I look for to create a story line that resonates. And catching those unguarded bits of theatrical business is where the fun is.

I shoot black and white film and use a minimal kit: Contax G2 rangefinder with Zeiss 28mm and 45mm, or Contax T3 with Zeiss 35mm.

Publications: Black & White; Don't Take Pictures.
Solo exhibitions: Soho Photo Gallery of NYC; Griffin Museum of Photography; Umbrella Arts; In An Instant Gallery; Dartmouth College.
Gallery representation: Soho Photo Gallery; TheCommotion.ca, (limited edition prints)
Juried group exhibitions: Over fifty, including MonoVisions; Soho Gallery; Salmagundi Art Club; Your Daily Photograph; Spider Awards; APA National; The Photo Review; Center for Fine Art Photography; Analog Film Photography Assoc.; New York Center for Photographic Art; Black Box Gallery; WPGA Pollux ("Photographer of the Year"), Charles Dodgson and Jacob Riis Awards; Texas National Art Competition; Camera USA; Boca Raton Museum.
Permanent collections: Three photos in the Municipal Museum of Malaga, Spain.