Up Close and Personal – A Photo Exhibit by Wrolf

As displayed at the grand opening of Hekate, on Avenue B, East Village, NYC. I got lucky, one of these is of Editrix Abby, before I knew her. She saw it on social media, and invited me to do this for the opening of Hekate.

I learned photography during the Trump era, photographing and videoing so many protests, so many banners and signs and chants. But what always interested me was the people, their passion, their commitment, their determination.

So now I have moved on from protests to portraits. Most of these are at Lucky, a bar in the East Village in New York City. My method is literally personal, I start talking to people (not always easy for an introvert like me), and as I talk I prepare my camera. We start to talk about photography, how I started in it, what their experience is with photography, perhaps we share some images on Instagram. As we talk I ask if I can take their picture, and take a couple of shots that I will never use of them posing for the camera. Eventually they relax, and are just having a conversation with myself and their friends, knowing that I am there but no longer paying attention to my snapping away.

Soon after, I see it. The decisive moment. The image, the look, their stance in that moment. If the camera gods are in my favor, I have my shot. I generally share it with my subject for their social media.

I hope you enjoy these images. I would like to thank my teachers Leanne Staples (Shoot New York City), Stacy Mehrfar (School of Visual Arts), and Natan Dvir (International Center of Photography).