#intothestreetwith

[opticnervecollective]

Alexandra Avlonitis

Photography, which I began to study and practice about seven years ago, was never on my artistic radar. I had been a fine art painter for years, but at one point found myself stuck without inspiration or direction. A friend told me about the class she was taking at the International Center of Photography here in New York City. I was open to something new, thinking this might ignite a creative spark and so, in short order, I enrolled. 

I quickly came to realize that the fundamental elements of painting–light, composition, and color–were identical to those of photography. And that whether inside the studio or out, the artistic tool box was the same.

My street photography class at ICP was a revelation and set me on a course that was deeply personal and satisfying. As a native New Yorker, I was always captivated by the never-ending human drama unfolding in the public sphere. Immersing myself in that world with a camera in place of a paint brush, I am guided by a quote from the photographer Brassaï: “Photography has one leg in painting and one leg in life but the two things must be combined.”

You can see more of my work at: Instagram:  www.instagram.com/alexandraavlonitis

Website:  www.alexandraavlonitis.com

[opticnervecollective]

B Jane Levine

I was raised in the suburbs of New Jersey, a short bus ride from New York City. I trained as a biochemist to be an observer and a practitioner of rigorous qualitative and quantitative methods. Yet my creative mind is inspired and nourished through storytelling in the creative arts. Photography is my own attempt at a creative expression. I took an interest in photography and began taking classes at ICP in 1999 after leaving research. I began to hone my photographic vision through many trips all over the world. My photography spans many genres including landscape photography, long exposure cityscapes and infrared black and white photography. In 2017, I decided to focus exclusively on shooting on the streets in color, refining my compositions and getting closer to the action. It has taken years of practice and surrendering some control to discover how shooting scenes on the street provides the perfect setting to observe and explore the beauty, the rhythm, and the drama of everyday life. I approach the street with a curiosity, looking for moments that either intrigue my sense of place or remind me of internal moments which I find to be familiar yet confusingly unknown to me. I make an image of a moment that I observe, with no other intent other than to memorialize the moment, which I recognize is real for the subject as well as myself. Experimentation keeps me in the moment. The creation of a candid image on the street has been a reawakening or a rediscovery of parts of my life that were taken away through loss or just simply forgotten. Here are some of the early street images I shot in 2017 during my walks around New York.

To see more of my work:

Instagram   @bjanelevine Instagram   @bjlevine_everywherebuthome Website       https://www.bjanelevinephotography.com