The BFA Capture to Print ll class, with Mr. Kennedy, went on a shooting practicum to the Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles to shoot street photography with their 35mm film cameras. The class had already been there about two hours and the students were gathering their equipment to return back to school when an older man and his assistant walked up and pointed at all the our cameras. One of the students quickly reacted, saying, “I know that guy; he’s a famous photographer.”
The student ran after him to introduce himself and let him know his fondness for his videos on YouTube. The gentleman came back and was reintroduced to the group where he began talking about how we’re all photographers and we shouldn’t let him get away like that since we all have cameras in common. The gentleman was world famous street photographer, John Free. Free carries around his Nikon F3, and shoots primarily with film. He is a social documentary and street photographer based in Los Angeles. In the past 30 years, he’s covered everything from Railroad Tramps in California to photographing the streets of London and Paris.
Free gave an extremely inspirational and impromptu talk about how our students should go out and shoot real-life people and use the photographs to tell their stories — from bus drivers, our neighbor’s children, to people in the hospital. He also mentioned how we should compensate people for taking up their time and gift them the images we take of them, or just get on the bus, buy the driver lunch and take a record of his humanity. He talked about how to get closer with subjects, so they are comfortable; and that way we could see the power of the camera.
According to John, “Street photography means having to deal with time, which requires the photographer to quickly notice the various details, elements and factors that are present in the potential subject.” John has been an inspiration to photographers worldwide.