This week’s Member Moment features work by Film Club member Sami Aziz (aka South Street Sam), whose work focuses on street portraiture. Scroll down to see his pictures and to read the interview!
PL: What got you interested in photography?
SA: Photography has been a lifelong passion of mine; I've had a camera in my hands since I was about 10 years old. I started because I needed something to do after school when I was done with my homework. Since then, it has grown into a career of connecting with people of all different backgrounds.
PL: What type of camera do you shoot with?
SA: My current setup is a Canon R3, Zeiss Otus Prime Lenses (28/55/100mm), and a Canon RF 85mm f/1.2.
PL: When taking pictures, what are some objects or elements or feelings within a scene that inspire you to take a photo?
SA: Usually, I'm looking to capture joy in my portraits. You just can't go wrong with happiness!
PL: Of the pictures you submitted, can you share an interesting story about one?
SA: The photo of the mother wearing a hijab & holding her son's hand was truly a beautiful moment. It was actually New Year's Eve and I was walking back from the Penn's Landing/South Street pedestrian bridge area, after watching the fireworks and taking portraits of people around there. I was pretty much done for the night when I saw them, and it just ended up being such a heartwarming, spontaneous expression of childhood happiness.
PL: What do you enjoy most about digital photography and what is challenging about it?
SA: What I enjoy most about digital photography is, as I've mentioned, connecting with people of all different backgrounds. Photography is almost like a universal language, and as a street/portrait photographer, I get to have so many rich, authentic interactions with people & spread joy one photo at a time. It can be challenging to keep up with social media, but it's what allows me to do what I love.
PL: Do you have any goals about how you want to grow this collection of photographs?
SA: Since completing a year of portraits on South Street (every single day), my goal has been to grow & evolve as a photographer, and also find a home for my body of work. I took over 100,000 portraits in a year, so it would be awesome to have some sort of gallery/studio space, and also publish a coffee table book. Will keep you posted!
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