Why Photography Festivals Matter

Watch on YouTube Photographer Nathaniel Paolinelli has a knack for ending up in interesting places. He’s photographed lowrider culture in his hometown of Albuquerque and halfway around the world in Thailand. He’s spent time with cowboys, bikers and people living along the U.S.-Mexico border. He’s been welcomed into homes for family holidays, photographed a motorcycle club funeral and, somewhere along the way, even managed to reunite a man fresh out of prison with his high school girlfriend after taking his portrait. Which is funny, because photography wasn’t even part of the original plan. Nathaniel picked up a camera in his 30s. It was an office Nikon, which accompanied Nathaniel (along with its instruction manual) on a trip to Mexico. From there, photography gradually became a much bigger part of his life. In this episode of the Street Photography Magazine Podcast, Bob and I talk with Nathaniel about where that camera has taken him since. A big part of the conversation centers on documentary and street photography in Albuquerque, the city Nathaniel has called home his entire life. Early on, he thought interesting photographs required traveling somewhere else. Eventually, he realized how much there was to explore right where he lived. That realization led him deep into Albuquerque’s lowrider community. What began with showing up, talking to people and making photographs slowly became something more. Today, Nathaniel says he doesn’t really feel like an outsider documenting the community anymore. He has become part of it in his own way. That experience also led Nathaniel to an unexpected book deal. On a whim, he spent three days making a small lowrider zine called Seventh and Central. Somehow, a copy found its way to the University of New Mexico Press. A phone call followed, then a meeting, then a publishing contract. This March, Seventh and Central: Lowiders became a full-length book about New Mexico lowrider culture. “The power of a zine,” as we decided during the conversation. We also get into Nathaniel’s trip to Thailand, where he sought out the country’s lowrider scene and discovered that a shared culture could bridge a pretty substantial language barrier. With translation apps, hand gestures and a camera, he found himself welcomed into a community thousands of miles from Albuquerque. There are plenty of other detours along the way in this conversation, some of which it would have been nice to spend a little more time on: getting caught in an earthquake, being confronted by the military while photographing near Juárez, whether social media is worth the effort, why (if?) Nathaniel owns too many cameras, and the Leica Q2 that got its sensor damaged by a laser. RIP. More than anything, though, this is a conversation with someone who genuinely enjoys going places, meeting people and seeing what happens next. A Selection of Nathaniel’s Photos Links from the show Nathaniel’s Website Nathaniel on Instagram Seventh & Central: Lowriders

What happens when you discover thousands of photographs your father made decades ago, including images you never knew existed? In this episode, Ashley Riffo and Bob Patterson talk with Andrew Baer about the remarkable story behind the work of his father, photographer John Baer. Andrew shares how four boxes of prints and negatives sat with him for 27 years before he and his wife, Megan, began uncovering what was inside. We talk about the years of scanning, research and detective work that followed, the extraordinary team that helped bring John’s photographs into book form, and what Andrew learned about his father along the way. We also hear about the creation of the John Baer Archive and Andrew’s hope that these photographs will continue to inspire new stories, art and interpretations for years to come. Learn more about the book and the John Baer Archive: https://johnbaerarchive.com/ Read our full feature on John Baer in Street Photography Magazine: https://streetphotographymagazine.com/article/john-baer-what-we-leave-behind/ ABOUT STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE Street Photography Magazine is the official journal of street and documentary photography. SPM is dedicated to sharing the stories, work and experiences of street and documentary photographers from around the world. Subscribe for more conversations with photographers, monthly features and stories from the street. https://streetphotographymagazine.com/subscribe/ ▶ HOW TO SELF-PUBLISH A PHOTO BOOK Andrew had the opportunity to work with an incredible team to bring his father’s archive to life. But you don’t need a publisher or an industry connection to turn your own photography into a book. Our self-publishing course walks you through the process, from shaping your idea and editing your photographs to design, printing and getting the finished book into your hands. Learn more: https://streetphotographymagazine.com/learn/ Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: HFVSIOPRJJ1D1HGW

Photographers Wayne Campbell and Wayne Crichlow join Bob Patterson and Ashley Riffo to talk about their new collaborative photo book, Carnival of Resistance, documenting the culture, history, joy and defiance of London's Notting Hill Carnival.

John Rosenmiller didn't set out to become a photographer. In fact, it wasn't until later in life that he realized something was missing: he'd done a lot of things, but he'd never done anything purely creative. Photography changed that. And Cuba gave him a place to explore it. In this conversation, John joins Street Photography Magazine's Bob Patterson and Ashley Riffo to talk about the many trips that have taken him deep into Cuban life and eventually led to his striking Carboneros de Cuba series. When John first arrived in Havana, its chaos, characters and raw energy reminded him of the New York he knew in the 1970s and '80s. He kept going back, building relationships, following his curiosity and learning photography along the way. Upon seeing his photos one photographer wrote in to tell us, “This is more than good, this is a labor of love.” John is refreshingly candid about that learning process. He talks about the years it took him to feel comfortable calling himself a photographer, why realizing his early work wasn't very good actually helped him improve, and why photographers should be ruthless about what they choose to show. We also dig into how he creates his nighttime portraits with surprisingly simple lighting, the value of honest criticism, photographing people without turning them into a performance, and the personal rules he follows when deciding whether a photograph should be made at all. But some of the most interesting parts of this conversation aren't really about photography. John talks about what years of returning to Cuba have taught him about people, generosity and community, and how a search for creative fulfillment became something much bigger than he expected.

What can street photographers learn from an independent filmmaker? Quite a lot, it turns out. In this episode of the Street Photography Magazine Podcast, we sit down with filmmaker and professor James Choi, whose recent return to South Korea after nearly five decades inspired both a feature film and a striking body of street photography. Discovered through Trope Publishing, James brings a unique perspective to photography, one shaped by years of visual storytelling through cinema. We talked about how filmmaking and street photography overlap, why simplicity often leads to stronger work (and why keeping things simple can be a challenge), and how creative limitations can become your greatest advantage. Along the way, James shares thoughtful insights on: • Returning to his birthplace after 46 years • Photographing the feeling of a place rather than simply documenting it • Why authentic art requires vulnerability • How simplifying your gear and your process can help you grow faster • Lessons filmmakers and photographers can learn from one another • Independent film recommendations that every visual storyteller should see

Watch on YouTube This month’s podcast guest might surprise you. Most street photographers thrive on unpredictability. They head out with a camera, trust their instincts, and let the world unfold in front of them. Kantaya New does that. She also spends days, sometimes weeks, carefully planning conceptual photographs where every element is intentional. On paper, those two approaches couldn’t be more different. But as you’ll hear in this conversation, each one has made her better at the other. Kantaya, who is also a newly minted X-Creator with Fujifilm, joins Bob Patterson and me to talk about balancing street photography with conceptual work, using humor to explore serious subjects, and why some of her most personal projects have resonated with complete strangers. One of my favorite moments is hearing how her husband became the reluctant star of her ongoing series A Modern Day Affair, and the lengths she has to go to keep him motivated during shoots. If you’re looking for a conversation about creativity, curiosity, and finding your own voice as a photographer, I think you’ll really enjoy this one. A Selection of Kantaya’s Photos Outdoor Closet Backstage (2025) Long Wait (2021) From the series “Dare to Be You” Where to Find Kantaya Website Instagram Current & Upcoming Exhibits 7th Annual FujiFanBoys Best of Show Touring Exhibition — Hong Kong,15 July to 14 August 2026, Fujifilm House of Photography Ecos Cardinales Vol. V — San Luis Potosí, Mexico, 6 August 2026, Galería Germán Gedovius RPL26 — Streets of the World, RomePhotoLab Festival, 2 to 4 October 2026, Villa Altieri Museum Complex, Rome

When Sandra Catanio Adorno picked up a camera for the first time, she was 60 years old. She had no photography background, no formal training, and by her own admission, took "horrible" photographs at first. But a workshop with Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb sparked something that would completely reshape the way she experienced the world. Today, Sandra is an internationally recognized street photographer, the author of four acclaimed photobooks, and the creator of a stunning solo exhibition at the 61st Venice Biennale. Before we even began recording, Sandra insisted on giving me a tour of her exhibition. As she walked through shimmering silver prints, a fragmented mosaic, and fabric installations overlooking the canals of Venice, it became clear that her work isn't just about photographs. It's about curiosity, experimentation, and inviting people to see familiar things in new ways. In this conversation, we talk about discovering creativity later in life, collaborating with artists and publishers, new ways of seeing, and why Sandra believes we all have far more potential than we realize. Whether you've been making photographs for decades or are still waiting for the "right time" to begin, Sandra's story is a reminder that it's never too late to discover something that changes your life. Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: WNIAYRXERNI7IJSK, DG8RDKJBNFDFSCWJ, 3C7DR8CJAKJYRS9J

Creating a photo book taught us far more than we ever expected. Creating a course about it taught us even more. In this episode, Bob Patterson interviews Street Photography Magazine publisher Ashley Riffo about the making of our new self-publishing photo book course. We talk about why the course exists, some of the challenges of book making & course making, the lessons we learned from publishing "Where the Streets Lead", and what we'd do differently next time. Along the way, Bob shares what he's been up to since retiring as SPM's publisher, offering up stories from his recent trip to Japan, a glimpse into his new Substack, "Beyond Street Photography", and reflections on creating a personal travel zine. We also share thoughtful feedback and advice from a few photographers who have self-published books includeing Craig Litten, Debby Cole, and Wayne Campbell. They all agree: Self-publishing a book is a lot of hard work, but totally worth it. If making a photo book has been sitting on your "someday" list, this conversation is for you. Learn more about our self-publishing photo book course: https://streetphotographymagazine.com/learn/ Read Bob's Substack: https://beyondstreetphotography.substack.com/ Guests: Craig Litten - https://www.craiglitten.com/ Deborah Cole - https://www.deborahcolephotography.com/ Wayne Campbell - https://www.acelebrationofdemonstration.com/ Subscribe for more conversations with photographers from around the world. Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: 4VJ8G2ENZ3NXC9BB, BY6JGQD8ZFZEZECP #streetphotography #streetphotomag #photographypodcast #photographyeducation

In this episode of the Street Photography Magazine Podcast, Bob Patterson and Ashley Riffo sit down with the photographers behind Three Cities Photography: Christer Björkman (Sweden), Jane Dee (Scotland), and Kitty de Jong (Netherlands). They told us how what started as a conversation during a Peter Turnley workshop in Paris grew into a years-long creative collaboration spanning books, zines, newspapers, countries, and countless photography discussions.

In this special episode, Ashley Riffo explores that question by speaking with photographers who attended four very different events: Dublin Street Photography Festival, Raw Photo Fest, Eyes on Main Street, and Photo London. Along the way, conversations about exhibitions and portfolio reviews quickly turn into something deeper: community, inspiration, and the joy of meeting the people behind the photographs. Whether you've attended dozens of festivals or never been to one, this episode offers a glimpse into why photographers keep coming back year after year.