Documentary Photographer based in Mexico

alex@alexcoghe.com Phone/WhatsApp: 525611385038

street photography


Apr
11
2019
Why I am not interested anymore to be associated with street photography
Posted by alexcoghe on 11 Apr 2019 / 2 Comments

In the last day I published on my Italian blog fotoreportando an article where I take the distance from the street photography term.

My mistake  was to continue to want to use the term street photography for too long. A definition that doesn’t represent what I do. A definition torn by today’s trend, photos without content, visual overlaps that do not interest me and have never interested me. I’ve always looked and I’ve always photographed something else. And I don’t want to mix anymore. This is why I also started to avoid using the #streetphotography hashtag and all the similar ones for my instagram photos. I’m interested in reportage, I’m interested in photography as a document, and I don’t have artistic desires.
I do this and I teach it, for those who want. By now it seems clear that street photography has become no longer that of masters like Meyerowitz, Friedlander, Winogrand but a poor sister (very poor) and it is no longer convenient to identify with this genre if your ambitions are much greater. Mine is not a sort of snobbishness or resentment: I have the “street photographer” tattooed on my arm and that is my essence, but what it once was, not what is promoted today with that term.

All those who want a workshop with me  have clear ideas that with me you do that kind of reportage photography that allowed me to have 10K Euro contracts, working for NGOs and collaborations with news agencies, and that the I don’t care about jokes. With me, no chickens with laser beams or  tap-dogs, but real and serious photography. The useful one. Social photography. Empathic. Documentaristic.

 
Let me go deeper into my motivations. Take a look at these examples:
 
 
 
Do you think I can be interested to be associated with these…things? Of course not! And this is the trend of today when it comes to street photography. Visual puns, jokes effects, for themselves. Without any documentary value.
 
They push the trend through festivals and articles. For example these 2 stupid articles:
 
 
 
Yes, no joke: they are seriously using the word iconic for that. 
 
Now, let me clear because someone can think this is a rant and is not. The sense of this article is because I have an audience, and the audience of this blog buys my books, reads articles pretty different from the average, and follows very carefully what I have to say.   This year I celebrate my first 10 years as a professional photographer. I was included from FIAF in a article where is recognized my role in the diffusion of Street Photography. My readers need to know why I decided o no longer be associated with street photography, THIS street photography. 
 
Since I started I always declared as my focus is photography with a documentary value. I presented also to pestigious universities street photography as an opportunity fo a reflection of a social and anthropological nature. On the morning, befoe to write this piece, I read the question of Nick Turpin: why they want everything made with a camera in the street to be included as ‘Street Photography’?

 

My answer was: because street photography is the bandwagon of the weirdo nerd.

 
Hanging distances is necessary. The times of the pioneers in New York City and the old school are distant. but also the times of “Street Photography for the Purist” by Chris Weeks…today someone thought to rewrite what street photography is. The joke of Lensculture published a street photography guide inviting people to photomontages. Magnum is lost in the space following the same trend with a shoe in the flower and the example you can see above, or another one from Mr. Parr showing a man sleeping poolside. What is this? For sure is not something I am interested to investigate. I make breaking news, I realize social documentary, making an effort for society improvement here in Mexico.
 
I do humanitarian and humanist photography. I think photography is something serious.
 
Something requiring skills. Requiring visual culture. Visual knowledge. It is necessary content. And is necessary form. Form and content, in a perfect balance. I can’t see this happening in the most of today street photographs. When you think composition is not important, we can see it. And when you think all the content is a laugh, you know, the game can work 1, 2, 3 times, then I get boring soon.
 
It is therefore with serenity that through this post I declare not wanting anymore to use “street photography” term for my activity. Not even as an hashtag.
 
 

Mar
31
2019
My street photography in 2019 is pretty different
Posted by alexcoghe on 31 Mar 2019 / 0 Comment

I JUST UPDATED THE GALLERY WHERE I AM PRESENTING MY NEW STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

If you think street photography is just one, you are wrong.

I just updated my gallery of 2019 work in the streets. After 10 years of career, where people have known above all my black and white photos I embraced a new life switching completely to color. The color as I like. My color.

A courageous choice because not everyone is able to appreciate the changes. During all over these years I change a lot, passing different stages, questioning everything. Studying, analyzing, trying fustrations and getting a lot of satisfaction.

 
Not everyone can afford to change and evolve so much. I am not afraid. And I always do what I want. I don’t do things for the others. I am a professional photographer, and part of my job is having clients satisfied, but if if I’m not satisfied first, there is no chance I can accept. I’m lucky enough to be able to afford it.
I decided to become a professional photographer to be master of myself, of my will and my time, and this is an imperative that I imposed on myself: I just follow my vision and my way to appoach photography. For this reason I don’t get that speech of many that make photos especting the actual trend. It is a no-sense to me. We, as photogaphers, have to speak with our life and our inner voice, not of the others, not of current trends…
 
Now you can see my recent street photography work here:
 
https://www.alexcoghe.com/street-works-19/
 
 
 
 

Mar
26
2019
Ultimi giorni per iscriversi: ITALIA DOLCE VITA e l’esperienza della street photography
Posted by alexcoghe on 26 Mar 2019 / 0 Comment

Il 31 Marzo si avvicina. L’ultimo giorno utile per iscriversi ai miei workshops di ITALIA DOLCE VITA che dal 2013 porto con successo nelle città Italiane. Quest’anno le date sono:

BOLOGNA 11 MAGGIO

PALERMO 18 MAGGIO

CATANIA 25 MAGGIO

ROMA, DISPONIBILE PER UN SOLO ONE O ONE WORKSHOP

In Sicilia dunque starò oltre una settimana dove resterò a disposizione dei miei allievi per il loro racconto visuale. Vi ricordo che i partecipanti saranno pubblicati in libri stampati ed edizioni elettroniche.

Questa la pagina da dove effettuare il pagamento per l’iscrizione:

ITALIA DOLCE VITA WORKSHOP

 


Mar
25
2019
Issue 51 of THE STREET PHOTOGRAPHER NOTEBOOK available
Posted by alexcoghe on 25 Mar 2019 / 0 Comment

THE ISSUE 51 IS AVAILABLE

Arnold Despy and Fréderic Mahy in this new issue.

Get this issue and all the others:

Purchase




To know more:

Street Photographer Notebook


Mar
2
2019
The game goes on with intent (and fortune)
Posted by alexcoghe on 02 Mar 2019 / 0 Comment

What is the meaning of street photography if anything is calcultated and too perfect?

I don’t like perfection and not even the pursuit of perfection.

I fix everything according to what happens in moments and I can’t of course pretend that everything is strictly right. The street photograph works in accordance with the urgencies of the moment and makes a virtue of necessity. That’s it.
Sometimes the animated elements on the street are things that suddenly appear. My way of working is to respond to whatever comes up for me at that precise moment and place.

It can be nearly meaningless and ordinary, sometimes stupid o boring or something I will not consider after for a publication, but  it doesn’t matter. Photogaphy is about the moment in my opinion,  in a given instant I decide ti pess the shutter and I can’t be sure anything worked as I hope. I need to deal with it. Any street photographer deals with it.

When it worked, anyway, is a precious gift.

In this case for example. The shadow of the arrow makes the photo.

This is street photography to me. Without being excessively complicated. Direct. Straight. Based on instinct. Grabbed from the magical gift of chance.

The game goes on.
 
And it’s really fun.
 

 


Feb
28
2019
The secret of Street Photography
Posted by alexcoghe on 28 Feb 2019 / 0 Comment

I was going through the archive for today’s blog and I found this. I took this picture in Oaxaca,on 2016 07 29.

If you ask me I thinks is not a great image, just a everyday photograph, as many I do to stay sharp on the street. But is perfect to talk about something very important to me. 

In fact: I believe this is the secret of Street Photography.

Hey, listen to me…

Today many think to take a workshop because they need to have the clearest ideas on photography to do. It is a mistake.

Since you bring the viewfinder to your eye there’s you and only you. And there is no workshop in the world that can help you with this. A workshop can be helpful for other things, for other goals.
 
The secret of street photography is called practice.
 
And practice goes with yourself. Only with yourself.
 
A mentor is useful for the “day after” and he can give to some photographers a direction, in respect of your inner voice, but he can’t give you the photograph. The ones doing that, pretending to do that ae the worst educators. If a student imitates the teacher, the teacher is a bad educator.
 
Practice is the “secret” of street photography because practice sharpens your eye and at the same time sustains your curiosity about life, about the world around you, about you. Because photographing is a way to explore the world and the world inside yourself.

The photograph above is a general portion of a day in the street hustle in a Mexican city. The moment is filled with energy, something I’m always careful to record with my camera. As I said is nothing special, but maybe exactly for this is a photo I would propose to accompany this text. We need of photos like this when we ae on the streets to make our practice, because it keeps us awake and ready to react in this sight game called Street Photography.

 

Feb
25
2019
The Street Photographer Notebook 50 is a special issue!
Posted by alexcoghe on 25 Feb 2019 / 0 Comment

A special issue celebrating 50 issues of the electronic magazine.

You can get it now. Become a subsciber or buy your favs!

Street Photographer Notebook

 

 


Feb
22
2019
The Street Photographer proud
Posted by alexcoghe on 22 Feb 2019 / 2 Comments

WITH THE PUBLICATION OF THE STREET PHOTOGRAPHER BOOK WE SHOW HOW A FACEBOOK GROUP CAN ACHIEVE TO REALIZE A GREAT PRODUCT JOINING FORCES

La mia foto “Dreams” inserita nella pubblicazione “The Street Photographer Notebook” curata dal fotografo Alex Coghe  soddisfatto. – MARIO FILABOZZI

Emanuel Galimberti: Thank you sooo much Alex!!!! I’ve just ordered my copy! 🙂
 
Ignacio Vara: Muchas gracias. Un honor.
 
Luca Corvino: Grazie…mi fa molto piacere essere insieme a tanti fotografi che stimo e apprezzo. 😊
 
 
Helge Jørgensen: Great book – it just arrived today… So many good photographs…
 
Eric Davidove: My book is on route and I look forward to viewing the amazing street photographs.
 
 
Deborah Swain: My copy just arrived! Great work everyone…excellent print quality too!
 

Domenico Cammarano: Vi propongo una collection di autori, tra cui me medesimo, curata con grande impegno dall’amico fotogiornalista Alex Coghe, che ringrazio. Una vision collettiva di ottimi autori. La potete acquistare a un prezzo oserei dire “proletario”.

Pietro Spedale: È appena uscito The Street Photographer Book! Un progetto editoriale che vi consiglio di non perdere. Curato dal fotogiornalista e street photographer Alex Coghe, che da anni si occupa di cultura e divulgazione fotografica, approfondendo in particolar modo il vasto e variegato mondo della street photography. All’interno del volume troverete anche qualche mio scatto, insieme a diverse foto di altri validissimi autori.

Buone notizie in casa So-fineart: Emanuel Galimberti e Luca Corvino sono stati selezionati con un loro scatto per far parte di “The Street Photographer Book” di Alex Coghe!!
Congratulazioni ragazzi, e grazie ad Alex!!!

Andrea Ratto: I buyed the book because i’m in and because i like the photographers featured… Thanks to Alex Coghe

 

PHOTOGRAPHERS FEATURED:

ZRI MARIO CONTI – JOCHEM SCHMIDT – ALESSANDRO RIZZITANO – JOSEPH ROTHSTEIN – GREG TAIG – SASCHA DUENOW – ROGIKA – VICTOR BORST – HELGE JORGENSEN – DANIELE MELE – JEFF CHANE-MOUYE – ALESSANDRO BOCCHI – FABRIZIO ICCIO ARGINETTI – BRUCE MARTIN – PIETRO SPEDALE – EMANUEL GALIMBERTI – STEFANO MARCOVALDI – MARIO FILABOZZI – NIC SALMON – ANDREW WEBB – CARLO MACCHERONI – BULENT SUBERK – FRANCESCO PORCHEDDU – DOMENICO CAMMARANO – ARNOLD DESPI – IGNACIO VARA – JASPER TEJANO – ANDREA RATTO – UMBERTO LUCARELLI – MARCO LAMBERTO – OSCAR ARRIAGA SALAS – MASON RESNICK – ALEX COGHE – FIAMMETTA RUBINI – GIUSEPPE D’AMICO – YURO DE IULIIS – ERIC DAVIDOVE – LUCA CORVINO – MICHELE CIMINI

This is just the start up and we will launch monographs where we will pay the photographers a percentage on sales. 

I think we showed a different vision, with…different visions of street photography because street photography is not only one or the one pushed on festivals and awards. I open the group with this intention: to make something real. Otherwise is always the same thing with posting on a group and then what? With the community I ceated we are focused to realize something together and this makes sense. 

This is exactly my spirit. To make something for street photography and for photographers. And I do this with ethic, respect and honesty. I am a street photographer too and I am sick to see people exploiting the wok of street photogaphes to make their own business. When someone is making a a magazine gain ing for this should pay the photographers for their work and not with the stupid idea of exposure. Also because exposure is given by the photographers to the magazines most of the time. We ae seeing even magazines asking money to photogaphers to get featued: this is not fair at all, in fact, in my opinion is a fraud. Not a mistery by the moment there are charlatans acting like vultures. We have to say STOP to this. We, the photographers, have to say NO, IF YOU DON’T PAY  ME, I DON’T GIVE YOU MY WORK. It doesn’t matte the level you are, if you are going to give for free you work you will place your price. 

In this book anyone contributed voluntarily  and the book is non-profit. In future with the monographs price will be different and we will popose a percentage to the photogaphers on the sales. If you want to be pat of this, please contact me.

You can buy the book here:

THE STREET PHOTOGRAPHER BOOK

 

 

 

 
 
 

 


Feb
21
2019
The street photography dance
Posted by alexcoghe on 21 Feb 2019 / 0 Comment

Deliberate chaos.

Lines and geometric shapes. Signs.  And then, suddenly, she.

Game. The game of street photography. Previsualization. An event that recalls other photos. 

 
If I put titles I would call it DANCE PLANET.
 
If I had to explain why I will never leave street photography, I would show this one.
 
 
 
 

Feb
14
2019
Street Photography, approach and goals
Posted by alexcoghe on 14 Feb 2019 / 0 Comment

SO, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM YOUR STREET PHOTOGRAPHY?

Yesterday I walked 3 hours, crossing several barrios. I lost myself in order to find moments interesting to me. I found myself in places I knew for the first time. 

When last year I directed the photowalk in Orvieto for the FIOF many of them confessed they were surprised. Surprised because I, unlike all those who had preceded me in giving a lesson in street photography, I had not dispensed rules, I had not put stakes or constraints, I had not gone there saying that they had to use one camera rather than another or follow certain visual impositions.

Here, this anecdote is exemplary to present my philosophy and my didactic approach. And it also helps to clarify with certain voices, totally infodate, on my stiffness in front of the concept of street photography. Voices generated by those who have every interest in presenting me in a way rather than in what I am as a photographer and as a photography teacher.

During all these years my growth as a photographer has inevitably influenced my courses. The evolution of the teaching formula has gradually strengthened, refining itself in the workflow proposed to my students, leading them to increasingly important results.

On street photography, I have very specific ideas, but open to discuss and exchange ideas with anyone. I believe that rather than a genre it is an approach and a mindset that allows you to solve certain situations. I think the street photographer tends to think in a more unconventional way, compared to the orthodox photographer, and that this is reflected in his way of photographing.

 
I also believe that street photography is also a method that can be applied to different types of photography. I have seen in my career up to now how sometimes the “way of doing” of the street photographer emerges, subtly or more evident depending on the cases, and how this definitely helps to resolve certain shots, both from the strictly content point of view and of that of the form. For this reason, in my workshops I declare that street photography represents an important school that can be useful for photographers who specialize in quite different genres.

My idea is that street photography should not be excessively placed and defined, since we are talking about something deeply connected to the photographer’s personal experience. The orthodox rules of photography are useful as a basis for knowledge, but the road and its imponderableness do not allow you to work on excessively rigid calculations. I believe that every street photograph carries with it its own justification and it is up to the photographer to solve a certain visual equation in such a way as to make a good photograph. All this goes through a process of study that never really ends.

 
And here we also enter the discourse of the purpose of street photography. We do it not because we are dealing with a commercial genre. In fact, the opposite is true. Street photography is essentially a passion that often turns into a kind of addiction. We can not help but go to the streets and test ourselves. So we understand, therefore, how the street can also be a system to become better photographers, and to keep us in training.

I hope that the intention is not to make us say good by someone. And not even to get some medals. If only that, after a while the game would become boring: this spike the abandonment after a few years by some. The street leads us to become more aware photographers, able to solve in fractions of a second something that presents itself in a given moment. This is the value, the great virtue but also the immense difficulty of this way of understanding and experiencing photography. Not everyone can understand it, but it’s not our case.

 
When in 2011 I went to Los Angeles to participate in You Are Here, everyone was there with his own identity. What has changed since then the perception and intent of street photography! Fashion and social groups, including also the festivals have simply encouraged a race for homologation and it seems to me that the goal of many today is to resemble the other, something that would not exist in photography and in any communicative expression.

Yet decades have not passed.

 
2011. They were undoubtedly setting the stage for what would have been a revolution. In 2010 I was among the first to bet completely on mirrorless. Selling all the Nikon equipment and replacing it with the Olympus E-P1 and a single lens, a 17mm pancake that corresponds to a 34mm full size. In Mexico I worked with that and with the Panasonic Lumix LX3.

In Los Angeles, there were photographers of different kinds. A little bit as we also see in the film Everybody Street, where there is not a single way of living the street. Different identity and sensitivity. It was all new and exciting. The street was a long time ago and we knew it, we did not think it was born the year before. Surely there was not the presumption we see today. A presumption most often unjustified, because it is not that if you photograph a type at close range or go to spot metering and close the blacks, makes you a better photographer.

 
I am the same of that time. Yesterday I have been taking pictures in several barrios in Mexico City. I went from the gray and pale sun to the scorching heat and a very strong sun. I walked for three hours, without a break. I lived the street as always, and I enjoyed it as always. To this I don’t give up. This is street photography for me. No vainglory on the internet. Not what today they think is street photography. I got tired and regenerated. I photographed in never beaten places. I got lost and thanks to this I explored the city in a fantastic way. If it were not for street photography, I could never do it.

I have several workshops on the agenda. You know with me you will live a real experience as a street photographer. I will not teach a method, and I will focus the work on helping you to find your inner voice, expressing yourself through photography, in order to obtain important results. Look at me after 10 years: I work with prestigious agencies, I am not constrained to make photography that I don’t love, essentially I photograph for myself, producing mostly artistic projects, and I achieved to make a living with this. And I have my own role in the photo biz. This is why I still enjoy every single day of my profession. 
 

NEXT STREET PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS DATES:

 
 
 
 
 
 
INFO:
 
 
 

 


Feb
9
2019
Yesterday I made this…
Posted by alexcoghe on 09 Feb 2019 / 0 Comment

I don’t make anymore many “encounter street photos”. But yesterday I was in Downtown and I found this. 

My attention was attracted by the two ladies, and the Frida Kahlo bag. I am always looking for elements that make me recognize the culture of a place: they help contextualize the scene, defining the place and so I don’t have a simple street but also a document. 
 
The first lady is pretty interesting for her look and that arm raised. That is another reason why I took the photo. While I was perfectly aware I was including also the girl on the left, my brain totally removed the man on the right side of the frame…my error…but sometimes I can’t make otherwise. It is a infinitesimal of second situation, I was walking too. I pressed the shutter button hoping to catch some energy I recognized.
 
The result is everything but perfect.
 
I have a feeling that the man’s yawn kills the scene. But I am sharing it here because I don’t hide myself and because this blog is not about presenting only the good shots. I photographed with the 28mm and I was close. They didn’t notice me.
 
 
 


 

Feb
2
2019
Hey, Mexican Street Photographer, I have something for you
Posted by alexcoghe on 02 Feb 2019 / 0 Comment

Saturday 23 February I will give a group workshop in Mexico City.It is an event because I don’t give many group workshops during the year, so I hope you can enjoy it.
My students already know to take a workshop with me is not the usual workshop: it is a real experience, and you will enter in a particular club where you will have discounts and you can join my communities.
 
Don’t worry, the workshop is proposed in Spanish language.
 
You can read all the info and reserve your spot here:
 
 
 
 

Jan
31
2019
TSPN AWARD 2019 officially started!
Posted by alexcoghe on 31 Jan 2019 / 0 Comment

THE FIRST SUBMISSIONS ALREADY PUBLISHED IN THE SINGLES GALLERY LAUNCH THE 2nd EDITION

Check out the gallery here:

TSPN FEE SINGLE CATEGORY SUBMISSIONS

The Award 2019 will be even more successfull.

We don’t spam your inbox and we know what street photography is. And we have some cool prize waiting you.

And please note: this is an anti establishement indipendent prize.

We are simple but we are honest. We will reward only the photos we consider to deserve the Award.

We changed the rules: there is no limit to submissions. We have fee of 1, 5 and 10 Euro. At 5 and 10 the participants will receive issues by thei choice of THE STREET PHOTOGRAPHER NOTEBOOK immediately after the payment.

Submit today:

TSPN AWARD 2019

 



Jan
28
2019
A WALK WITH A STREET PHOTOGRAPHER
Posted by alexcoghe on 28 Jan 2019 / 0 Comment

Recently I back to photograph in Downtown. It has been for a while not working there because I am focused on the barrios. C’mon, follow me on this walk. 

2019:01:25 08:59:37 When I am on the microbus I always I look out the window. I observe the light of day and the possibilities it will have to offer me. It is inspiring fo the hours of work on the streets.

2019:01:25 09:26:18 As soon as I get out of the bus I take a test shot to evaluate the light. I say this to myself, but I think is also a way to warm up.

2019:01:25 09:33:54 In this part of Reforma Av. the light thanks to the buildings create an interesting effect on the floor.

2019:01:25 09:35:05 I am always fascinated by the structures and the feeling of matter that certain buildings in Mexico City have.

2019:01:25 10:00:33 A couple…or bette, 2 couples, 2 yellow shop shutters, FOTO BRAVO, the man in the van looking at the couple. OK, I have sufficient reason to click.

2019:01:25 10:02:45 Sometimes I pess the shutter because I am attacted by the movements on the street of people. The distribution and the energy given by dynamics is something always gets my attention.

2019:01:25 10:11:42 Zocalo. I made plenty of photos there. I always find something interesting deserving a photograph.

2019:01:25 10:36:33 In the smallest Chinatown of the world I found this. Mannequins always are an inteesting subject in my opinion. In this case I found a vey funny trio.

2019:01:25 10:43:33 Sometimes I photogaph to take memory of a place, with with the intention of returning and finding some different, more interesting situation. The Metropolitan is an old, important theatre in Mexico City.

2019:01:25 10:44:29 Possibly the shot of the day. I photogaphed in the face of the foreground lady. I find interesting to have out of focus an important element of the image. I repeat often this choice in my photography.

2019:01:25 10:45:04 Lines, poles, shadows, and where the human element is there, it communicates but at the same time it is part of the scene without prevaricating.

2019:01:25 10:56:42 Clichè, improvable composition, not much to say with this encounter photo.

2019:01:25 11:11:20 Murales are a part very important of the story of this country. I am fascinated with the big ones, and fortunately hee in the city we have a lot.

2019:01:25 11:12:40 Just befoe to take the bus to back at home, I photograph this scene, it is a rotisserie.

2019:01:25 11:24:18 For my project AMERICANA I am interested to document the urban landscape. I have already photogaphed the eagle on the buiding, but now I wanted a more airy scene to descibe the human condition. This is another “barrio bravo” called Guerrero.

I like to share with you my feelings and thoughts about the photogaphy experience.  In less than 2 hours this has been my back to downtown, Mexico City.

 


Jan
28
2019
Issue 49 of the Notebook is already available
Posted by alexcoghe on 28 Jan 2019 / 0 Comment

YEAR 5 IS OFFICIALLY STARTED FOR THE STREET PHOTOGRAPHER NOTEBOOK

The only e-magazines paying the photographers featued are mine.This is a fact. And we want to change the rules of the game, because in my opinion photogaphes deseve to be paid always fo their work. The ones promising you visibility are joking, and better not talking about the ones asking you money to get featured. Stop guys to feed all these vultures exploiting your work.

Here you go with a new issue while I am working to the printed edition project.

You know, the magazine is always proposed to a cheap cost and by supporting the editoial poject you support our photogaphers.

Get this issue and the others here. It is available also the subscription and the complete colletions.

Purchase




Get all the info here:

Street Photographer Notebook