Meet the Photographer Benjamin DeVenezia: Voice and Intention
Meet Benjamin DeVenezia, also known as StreetPhotJournals, a lifestyle and touring musician photographer. Initially from Northern New Jersey, Benjamin has lived all over. He spent time at an international school in Antwerp, Belgium, along with a small fishing town in the Northeast of England, and even went to school in San Francisco, where he got kicked out of the French catholic school he was attending. Now located in the San Diego area, let's look at some of Benjamin's work and learn more about his history, photography experience, and more!
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
WHEN AND HOW DID YOU GET INTO PHOTOGRAPHY?
"I love movies. My favorite movies are where every frame is composed as if it were a still. Pausing a movie and appreciating the imagery and composition was huge for me. I still do this. I recently watched a movie called Trainspotting (warning: this movie is not for everyone), but there were countless moments where I paused and felt so inspired and in awe of the composition. I love life. I constantly find myself looking around while walking, at friends' houses, or just sitting alone and imagining how I could capture what I am feeling at that moment. That is the beauty of this craft for me. Trying to capture an emotion or feeling of a moment with just one image. That pursuit is what got me into photography. Noticing. We are all surrounded by so much beauty, life, and emotion, and just the act of noticing and appreciating lends itself to figuring out what you want to say. This started for me in early high school, where I would make short films with a GoPro and then buying a crappy camera for road trips. My grandparents were big scrapbookers, and I loved the documentary style of a scrapbook. It's a brief glimpse into history and experience. It is hard for me to determine the exact 'how' because I grew up in the inception of social media and the surge of image sharing. I have been doing this thing since I was in middle school, and I think everyone should try. I blink as fast as I can while I walk or just sit somewhere. After a few seconds, where you are becomes deconstructed, and an image produces itself in your head and in real life. I know this is super weird, but honestly, it helps me compose an image and become present where I am."
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
YOU SPECIALIZE IN A WIDE RANGE OF PHOTOGRAPHY, INCLUDING STREET WORK, PORTRAITS, LIVE MUSIC, AND TRAVEL. DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TO PHOTOGRAPH?
"I think it is important to try various aspects of art because they all inform each other in one way or another. Right now, I am obsessed with street photography. In today's culture, it seems that everything is perfectly curated and fine-tuned, and street photography provides a unique raw exposure to life as is. There is no filter, no curation, just the moment that exists in frame. This lends itself to attempting a unique style of shooting because the focus is not on technical proficiency (although composition, lighting, and subject is very important) capturing the moment is the primary importance."
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK IN THREE WORDS?
"I think that any form of art is open to interpretation. How I see my photos and the words I would use to describe a frame may be the opposite of the person standing next to me. So, the words I pick are the intention I set prior to shooting, but you may feel different."
Benjamin then states his three words are; "Honest, uncomfortable, descriptive."
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST ARTISTIC INFLUENCE?
"Alexey Titarenko, whose seminal work demonstrated the Russian population post-fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. His use of long exposures in 'City of Shadows' has so much feeling and metaphorical composition that has had a huge impact on what I want to capture in society. Personally, I do not experiment heavily in long exposure, but the messaging behind his frames has had a large impact on me."
CHECK OUT ALEXY TITARENKO BY CLICKING THE BUTTON BELOW.
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
HOW HAS YOUR STYLE CHANGED OVER TIME?
"I hope for a continual evolution in style. Experimenting, learning, and adapting are necessary components of accuracy. Currently, I primarily shoot in black and white with prime lenses. This provides a challenge of subject definition. Today's technology enables us to capture every moment whenever we want. This is a beautiful aspect of society. We are all documentarians of our own lives and it lives in our pocket instead of in a million dollar production studio. With this saturation, aspects of technical photography have been a bit lost. Our phones are fantastic at capturing the reds, yellows, and blues, but pretty colors do not mean a picture is good. Black and white forces the eye to capture a moment, emotion, or feeling because there is no distraction. This will probably change, and I think that there are amazing photographers who shoot in color, but currently, black and white is what excites me."
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING A PHOTOGRAPHER?
"The truth is we are all photographers. The idea of being a photographer was once predicated on the technical ability to operate a film camera and capture a moment while physically tweaking the aperture, shutter, and iso of a camera. This niche has had extreme gatekeeping, superior financial position, and higher education. Now, we live in a wonderful world where we all do this every day. Whether we understand what an exposure triangle is or not, we all access the ability, resources, and platforms to do this. The effect is an endless pool of inspiration. Instagram, YouTube, Blogs, or whatever your platforms are- you will have an endless amount of beautiful images to deconstruct and take the aspects that you like. When I think about shooting events, I look at just any old Instagram page to understand what pictures people are sharing; this informs a general concept of compositions that are popular. The thing that a photographer should provide is the technical understanding to construct the image in a way that brings that concept to life. My favorite part of being a photographer is the idea that I am never finished. I will always find things that challenge and inspire me. There is nothing more fulfilling than not being able to do something and then being able to do it."
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
WHAT DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH MOST AS A PHOTOGRAPHER?
"Self Promotion. There is a level of marketing and sales that goes into this profession that was unexpected. Posting, curating, and demonstrating technical ability on every and any platform is a must. At times, I just want my images to speak for themselves, but without the promotion, you may as well be speaking to a wall. I am still understanding, learning, and adapting to the forever-changing aspects of social media and communication. The struggle then becomes time management. The time spent editing for posting means less time on the street, at a concert, or in a studio capturing beautiful images and moments of life. This is just what it is and not something to run from, but to harness and make your own. I am late to the social media game, but dedicated to its reach and effectiveness."
Photo taken by Ben DeVenezia.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR OTHER ARTISTS LOOKING TO GET STARTED TAKING PHOTOS?
"Voice and intention. Figuring out what you want to say is everything. Even though someone else might interpret what you are saying differently, if you are honest and true to what you want to say, it will show. There are traps everywhere. Social gesturing, algorithm hacking, and the dopamine associated with public attention. Individually, there is nothing wrong with those components, but the influence they can have on art can be detrimental. Understand what is going on; know the rules, trends, and narrative, but don't lose your voice. Yet, still, be adaptive. I once listened to a great interview with John Mayer where he said he makes songs for three people: His audience, other musicians, and himself. They vary in technical ability, sound, and message. All three still contain the essence of John Mayer and his 'voice,' but the intention is different. This applies to photography and possibly any art form. Don't resist or be intimidated by other artists and their styles, but appreciate, learn, and take what you need from them. I have many friends that are in this industry, and when we take pictures at the same place and time, they all end up different. This is amazing. Never stop learning and take risks."
