To learn more about Paul, Bored Panda reached out to the photographer, who kindly answered our questions.
First of all, Paul shared that he compares photography to sport. We asked him to explain how this comparison affects the way he takes photos.“The sports analogy is strictly in my head. I played competitive golf at a high level for many years and I feel that street photography is a substitute for my engagement in golf (all pre-Trump!). The analogy includes rarely but occasionally getting into a zone where shots flow without effort, analyzing conditions and setting the camera appropriately, many mediocre or 'OK' shots and every now and then something more exceptional, and much more, including competition in contests,” wrote Paul.
Paul’s photos often show people interacting and moving. We asked him to share how he manages to capture these dynamic moments.
Paul responded: “I am by no means a Zen Buddhist, but I often feel that the photos find me if I can remain open-minded and alert enough to let it happen. At times, I run into an interesting scene or interaction. Other times, I find a good spot., imagine it as a stage, and wait for the actors to enter. This is what all street photographers do. I always use a wide-angle prime lens. For a long time, it was a 35mm lens until I switched to 28mm. I hope to see gestures, expressions, or anything a bit out of the ordinary in ordinary everyday situations.”
We were wondering how winning the Miami Street Photography Festival in 2020 and other awards affected Paul’s career. He shared: “Winning Miami was a big surprise. I was happy to be a finalist and never dreamed of winning. I suppose I suffer somewhat from imposter syndrome and believe that luck played a major role, I was in the right place at the right time. Skill and technique were secondary. Fortunately, I have won a few other events with various photos so I am sane enough to recognize that I must have some ability.
I was offered quite a few opportunities after winning Miami. However, it was at the height of the pandemic, and I turned them down. I also found it interesting that I received loads of negative criticism about the photo that won. It affected my career in two ways; a boost in confidence and a tendency to reject my own photos much more because they were merely adequate.”
Furthermore, we wanted to know what Paul hopes his audience takes away from his photos.
“I hope that people take the time to linger on some of my better photos and that there is sufficient room or mystery so that if they do linger, they can create their own story about the photo. I rarely attempt to convey a message,” wrote Paul.
Lastly, Paul added: “I do believe that street photography must be a full-time engagement. If there is a chance of getting a few exceptional photos, the camera must always be with you every day and all day. The odds are always against you so unless street photography is a passion and an addiction, it will rarely be worthwhile. That is true for me. One thing that my career in psychology has taught me is that there are great individual differences in how people optimally function. Thank you for including me in your publication.”
