This week’s Member Moment features work by Kevin Agbulos, who captures city life with a specific goal to emulate Edward Hopper. Scroll down to see his pictures and to read the interview!
PL: What got you interested in photography?
KA: I was traveling through Japan, riding a bus through the countryside in Kyoto, when I found myself completely absorbed in the view outside my window. The foliage, the light, and the quiet rhythm of the landscape made me feel deeply present in that moment.
When that moment passed, I wished I had a way to hold onto it.
After returning to the States, I bought my first camera and I fell in love with the process of trying to capture moments like that.
PL: What type of camera do you shoot with?
PL: When taking pictures, what are some objects or elements or feelings within a scene that inspire you to take a photo?
KA: I am heavily inspired by Edward Hopper, particularly his use of isolation and quiet intensity within a frame. His paintings often rely on high-noon light, where shadows bend sharply against buildings, and his figures are emotionally opaque, leaving their inner lives open to interpretation.
I’m drawn to that ambiguity. In my own work, I try to create images that feel similarly unresolved. Where details aren’t perfectly sharp, but are clear enough to form an impression. I want viewers to bring their own meaning to what they see, rather than being told exactly how to feel.
PL: Of the pictures you submitted, can you share an interesting story about one?
KA: The photograph outside Vessel Coffee was a fun one to make. I shot it on a tripod, and setting up in a busy part of town made me a little nervous. Standing there with a tripod, a release cable, and metering on my phone.
I ended up holding the shutter for six seconds instead of four after accidentally locking the release cable, but the frame held together. Fuji 400 has a lot of latitude and it handled the mistake gracefully.
It’s one of those images I keep returning to. The longer you look, the more details begin to surface. The figure standing against the wall in the background, the red object in the upper-left window, the streak of a passing car cutting through the center.
PL: What do you enjoy most about digital/film photography and what is challenging about it?
I also love the sense of presence film demands. Once I press the shutter, the moment is gone. I can’t review it on a screen the way I could with digital. That limitation keeps me engaged and allows me to move quickly, focusing more on the artistry of the image rather than the technical aspects of photography.
PL: Do you have any goals or ideas of how you want to grow this collection of photographs?
Through that process, I’m hoping to eventually discover a niche and develop a stronger sense of consistency in my work. Something recognizable over time, the way you can immediately tell when a piece belongs to Edward Hopper.
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