Best in Documentary & Street Photography
February 26, 2024
Founded by Thomas Koskialho and based in Finland, DocuLabs is a small independent publisher producing publications (Docu Book and Docu Magazine) in print and online showcasing documentary and street photography. In 2023, I was lucky enough to have two of my black and white photographs along with a short interview included in Docu Book: Vol 28—Best of Documentary & Street Photography.
Interview as it appeared in the book:
Tell about yourself a little bit… How did you become a photographer?
As a designer, photographer, and a creative thinker, I’ve had a long-time interest in photography, and have been shooting environmental, documentary-style, and fine-art photographs for 32 years. I enjoy traveling and making images of beauty, but also can find the beauty in things close to home. Using a Kodak Instamatic camera borrowed from my parents on a grade school field trip, I started noticing the world around me through the viewfinder of a camera. That camera—and those early images captured—have long since disappeared.
What has been the biggest lesson you have learned as a photographer?
“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”
—Ansel Adams
As a photographer and a visual creative, storytelling through photography is an important concept. It allows me to capture captivating moments and tell stories in a way that words alone cannot. Through the use of photographs, I attempt to create powerful images that evoke emotion and convey meaningful messages.
What advice would you give to a young amateur photographer, who wants to take their photography to the next level?
When beginning to shoot, it’s less about the image and more about the process. Explore the world around you. What do you respond to? What made you capture that image? And just as important, why didn’t you capture other moments? Photographers may cover the same ground and respond to the same things. But even through a shared response, the photograph can be wildly different. From perspective, light and shadow, or depth of field—all of it showing varying degrees based on how the photographer captures it. And, taking it a step further, it may be good advice for all photographers, not just those starting out.
In your opinion… What is a good photograph?
By combining composition, lighting, and other elements, a photographer can create captivating images that draw the viewer in and take them on a journey. In my opinion, a good photograph can evoke emotion and convey meaningful messages—to the viewer or the photographer. And if you’re lucky, both. And, when images are combined with words they can be used to tell a compelling stories.
How do you feel about social media today? Is it good for photographers, bad for photographers…?
There are many positives to social media. Photographs can now be seen by hundreds—if not thousands—of people depending on ones following. But the amount of content out there is staggering, and some great work can get drowned out or lost. Social media concentrates on the quantity, and not necessarily on the quality of work.