Interview with Blake Andrews

Blake Andrews. One of the most interesting and famous street photographers, member of In-Public. I thank Blake for his exquisite availability. I asked him to make this interview and within two days here it is. His street photography is often funny, with compositions researched and never dull. His name is also known for his blog. I am very pleased to present you this interesting conversation.

Hello Blake, this is a site focused on street photography, but I will not question this kind of photography is. I have seen that there are too many interviews on the web that you have done and I do not want you to always the same interview. Let's see if I can.
Introduce yourself to our readers...

I'm married with three kids.  I live in a medium sized college town known more for its anarchists than its photo scene. I've been photographing for almost 20 years, and I've made about 400,000 exposures on film so far...



You don’t like the labels to your photography, but what does it mean for you to be part of a collective as IN PUBLIC, that howewer in its manifesto declares to be a home for street photographers?

In Public has been great as a community of colleagues for feedback, and also as a platform for getting my work out there. I doubt most people would care about me if I weren't in In Public. I probably wouldn't be doing this interview. So it has created some opportunities for me.

Speaking of your colleagues in this group who are your favorites? Can you tell us?

I'm going to get myself in trouble if I pick and choose. I will say that ever person in the group is very talented. When I look through In-Public portfolios, or anyone's portfolio for that matter, I tend to be look at b/w images before color. I think b/w is more revealing of how a person puts a photo together. And b/w is mostly what I shoot. So I'm probably drawn to those portfolios most.




Street photography is really only a fact of a simple faith in serendipity?
I think the key word here is faith. Or optimism to use another word. If you walk around thinking you're not going to see anything, it'll become a self fulfilling prophecy. You won't see anything. But if you walk around with the expectation that a photo can be anywhere, that one will pop up around the next corner, you will see things. The environment is exactly the same in both cases. It's the mental outlook that matters. Every single time I go out shooting I see the potential for at least one world-class photo. They are always out there. But being in the right mental state to capture them is sometimes difficult, especially because street photography can involves long periods where not much happens. So developing that faith and keeping it with you at all times is important. The world will provide if you trust it to.

You are a successful blogger. Without taking anything away from your greatness as a photographer, you believe that the blog has helped you to become more famous?

I wouldn't use the word famous but I think more people probably think of me as a blogger than a photographer. I don't post many photos online. I have a handful of old ones on my web site and various other places but I shoot so many pictures I've given up trying to keep them current online. Keeping current with the blog has been easier. Writing has always been a daily habit, and I think it translates well to the internet. So my blog is more current than my photos and probably better known.



One thing that impressed me greatly is your site. Really different from anything that is in circulation, it seems an immense amusement park of photography. In particular, I also like the section snapshots where we can see not real snapshots but brilliant photos that I like to call “life shots”.
Glad you like the site. It's all ancient history at this point. I can't even remember what's on it. I need to go through and totally revamp it but it's too much trouble. I'd rather make new photos.

I quote you: street photography can happen anywhere. It's "making unplanned photos in an unpredictable environment." I am agree with you. You are living proof that this is true living in a small town like Eugene, Oregon.

I can make photos anywhere, so Eugene is fine for that. What Eugene lacks is a nourishing photo community. I doubt I would've become a street photographer if I'd grown up here, but as someone who's already learned the habit it's a fine place to live and shoot. I have Portland nearby when I need a city, and sometimes I make trips to larger cities for shooting.


What do you think of an event such as The London Street Photography Festival? Do you think that could improve anything ... you have ideas on how it could improve an event like this?

I've never been to the festival so it's hard to give advice about improving it. I think London seems like a very vital street photo community, so it makes sense to have such a festival there. I spent a week there in 2010 and had great fun shooting the city. There are many visual possibilities.

I was in Los Angeles in October, for the event “you are here” sponsorized by Leica. This experience has enriched me a lot as a photographer. For the first time in the U.S. I found a country where there is freedom for the street photographer, at least much more than Europe. Is it really so? Or Los Angeles is only a part of reality?

I can't speak for LA and I haven't spent much time shooting in other countries, but my general sense is you're right. Shooting in the U.S. is very well protected legally, at least at this point. It's part of our country's Libertarian streak. I know it's worse in some other places, and I suspect the U.S. will enact more restrictions in coming decades. The creeping Police State is perhaps inevitable, and ironically cameras have become part of the security mechanism. But until stricter laws are enacted these are the glory days of street photography. So enjoy them!


From what are you most attracted when you take pictures?
It sounds simple but Winogrand's motto holds true. I photograph to see what something looks like in a picture. I don't care what the subject matter is. I'm curious how it translates visually into a 2D bounded image. I have a saying on my web site "Shoot First, Ask Questions Later," which pretty well describes my approach. I think you've got to deal first of all with how an image looks. You can't have some idea or project in your head first. You can't even have the scene in your head. The photo takes priority.



At this point in your life, what's the photographer Blake Andrews looking for?

I am busy making new work now, but at some point I hope to actually edit and distribute my photos. Of course I've been saying that for years but I've never done it. But perhaps when I'm old and feeble I will have some down time. I think my photos have a lot to say to the world but very few people have seen them so far, so I'd like to remedy that before I die. But I don't really know how.

All images courtesy by Blake Andrews
You can see more of his works on his website.
Check out his blog.