Jeremy Greenberg and Kirill Voloshin: Hong Kong's New Wave of Urban Photographers
Christopher KL Lau
The ethereal world of Hong Kong has given rise to a new generation of urban photographers. Amongst the speed and frenetic pace of the city, their eye for detail captures a whole range of human emotions ranging from joy to sadness to the dramas of everyday life.
The very talented and creative duo of Jeremy Greenberg and Kirill Voloshin are amongst this wave of photographers whom use the streets of Hong Kong as their canvas and playground. Their vision and creativity can transform every corner, building and person in Hong Kong into a poetic art-form that radiates both life and energy.
Both Greenberg and Voloshin have compiled an impressive body of work which encompasses all that Hong Kong is renowned for; the hustle and bustle yet moments of silent dignity, contemplation and reflection. With its unique position as a meeting point between east and west, Hong Kong is a hub known for its diversity and contrasts which means there are ample opportunities for meaningful and defining photos at all hours of the day.
The people of Hong Kong are also constantly changing through the passage of time and every moment, however fleeting, can be captured. Even the mundane can be transformed into something truly special and of lasting beauty; this means photographers like Voloshin and Greenberg are never without the chance to be spontaneous.
Jeremy Greenberg and Kirill Voloshin took time to answer questions about their work, their muses and what it means to be a photographer.
Interview
How would you describe your individual styles? What inspires you and do you have a muse?
Jeremy Greenberg - My photography story began in secondary school when I borrowed my Father's Nikon F SLR (made in 1959) and I used it in a black and white 35 mm film class. I was hooked. I shot on and off from then on. In the last few years I've become very passionate about photography almost to the point of being obsessed. It takes many years (decades) to define one's style and I think it is the sort of thing that emerges from one's work over time rather than is the result of some deliberate or forced actions.
I definitely gravitate more towards and enjoy making portraits, urban landscapes, and street photography, the later being arguably the most challenging of all of the genres within the discipline. Street photography is so wonderfully challenging and yet so rewarding when something works. I mostly photograph street scenes, people, and mostly in black and white. Simplicity is one of my guiding principles.
Life inspires me. I simply love making photos, the process and the final image, all of it. My muse is very probably my wife, Christine. I view her as a person with impeccable style and good taste (after all, she married me).
Kirill Voloshin - I hardly have any style - at least, I have no idea how to describe it. I may get spontaneously attracted by what I see or I may pre-plan an image (the former is much more frequent). My photographic moments are created by the subject and the light and how they are interacting with my current sensations. The very same image may excite me on one day and pass unnoticed on another. This action is too ephemeral to be precisely described.
If I work on a project, I usually go hunting. I don't know in advance what trophies I will get. They just come into my view by themselves. The rest is determined by my perception and reaction.
My Muse is Mr Jeremy Greenberg. He pulled me into photography almost by force and that's what I am really grateful to him for. I respect his passion and love what he is doing.
Hong Kong is a huge mix of sights and sounds so how can you truly capture a moment amongst all the frenzy of this 24/7 city?
Jeremy Greenberg - Ah ha! Therein lies the challenge, and what a wonderful challenge it is. To truly capture the decisive moment one must be present with all senses firing. To make pleasing images (for myself and sometimes others) I need to be very critical and selective. I try to avoid cliché images such as people on mobile phones, or walking in front of billboards, and photos that are too busy. Hong Kong is such a dense and beautiful city that there is never a lack of material to observe and document.
Kirill Voloshin - Very true, Hong Kong is extremely energetically charged and polarized. That is why this tiny plot of land is so much spoken and thought about. You have asked a good question because you mentioned sounds. I think I grasp sounds first and images second. As everyone else who happened to live in Hong Kong for a while, I have my favourite sounds and sights that are descriptive of certain districts, streets, parks - and whenever I have a chance this is where I go to take photos or simply to observe. My destinations may include Admiralty with its glass sky-scrapers, Tai Tam Country Park with its century-old dams and pump stations, back streets of Soho with their hawkers and art galleries, Tai Mei Tuk village with its breathtaking hiking opportunities, Cheung Chau, Tai O village - just to name a few.
You both seem to photograph many individuals. Are they receptive to you and your intentions?
Jeremy Greenberg - These days, people on the street are accustomed to seeing a lot of cameras out and about be they smart phones, compacts, or massive DSLRs. It is perfectly legal to photograph anyone and anything in a public place in Hong Kong. Occasionally, I ask permission, and usually give a polite smile, nod, and "Thank you" if noticed. There this one guy in Kowloon somewhere off of Nathan Road that got really pissed that I made his photo and chased me for a whole city block clutching on to my camera bag insisting that I "cut" the image. There was a language barrier since he didn't speak English and my Chinese is 我識講小小呀 (ngóh sìk góng síusíu a). I couldn't explain to him that I was shooting with film and was not about to tear out my entire roll because he was having a bad day. Eventually, we got out in the open and I brushed him off. I felt really bad about upsetting this guy, and especially because I couldn't even really apologize. When you spend hours and hours each week wondering the streets as I do, you're bound to encounter some less than hospitable subjects, I suppose. Stories like this are rare for most people, thankfully.
Kirill Voloshin - As a rule, no. If I take pictures of people I don't want them to be aware that they are photographed. Unless I have a certain purpose, I want to remain unnoticed, invisible. People are so different and each of them is a big mystery. An individual's hidden world rarely reveals itself and this state of openness is so fragile that I am always very careful not to ruin it by aiming my camera into someone's face. But frankly, I am not at all good in photographing people, this is a high-level magic for me.
As it seems anyone can be a photographer these days; what can distinguish an amateur from a professional and how can people improve their skills?
Jeremy Greenberg - Anyone and everyone is a photographer these days, this is true. I heard a recent statistic that there are two billion smart phones in the world. The average smart phone user uploads about two photos per day to the internet. That's a massive four billion photos per day, shared! What's the difference between an amateur and a professional you ask? School. When I got serious about making great images I began to pursue formal study. Over the following six months, I completed a professional course from the New York Institute of Photography. I saw a rapid and dramatic improvement in my images. My formula for success is: formal study, lots of practice, peer critique, and a healthy dose of patience is needed for anyone serious about improving in the art of photography.
Kirill Voloshin - The difference between a professional and an amateur photographer is just a question of definitions. Professionals do a paid job, and I will call someone a pro if a considerable part of his or her income comes from photography. As for myself, I am an amateur, a hobbyist, a dabbler. I mostly take photos for my own pleasure.
As in every craft, the best way to improve one's skills is to practice. There are tons of free educational stuff for photographers of all levels on the web but without practice they are of no use. Grab your camera, or whatever you use to record the light and practice. Practice and experiment.
Who are your photographic heroes or role models from history or even at the present time?
Jeremy Greenberg - In terms of inspiration, I study a lot of the masters such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Bruce Davidson, Joel Meyerowitz, Alex Webb, Daido Moriyama and other Magnum Photographers as well as modern artists such as Trent Parke. I am constantly reading and studying others' works.
Kirill Voloshin - Of course, my answer to this question may change with time but, if taken from the top of my head, my current heroes from the past are the American Alfred Stieglitz and the Russian Alexander Rodchenko. I am very inspired by their photography, and their lifespan evolution as artists. Moreover, they were never just purely photographers. They did not limit themselves to one genre and were always open to new ideas, forms of expression, points of view. Be confident, never be ashamed of what you are doing or have done and never stop experimenting. Their stories say it all. Stieglitz, who became famous as an upholder and teacher of pictorialism - a genre of photography based on the romantic painting traditions and crafts - later abandoned this style and ended up being a straight photographer and even introduced European modern art to the New York audience. Rodchenko, whose career coincided with the Russian revolution and the dramatic changes that followed, gave up painting in favor of modern design, architecture, street advertisement, book illustration, photography; he easily caught up or invented new ideas and trends, promoted them; his heritage is vast and multifaceted.
What projects are you working on now?
Jeremy Greenberg - There are a number of projects that I am currently working on. I can't really list them all since my list of projects changes through the year. Projects get added, subtracted, and every once in a while, completed, and sometimes revisited.
After recently completing a Project 365, I am working on a weekly themed photo project along with a group of photographer friends. Other projects include: abstract nightlife, concrete jungle, distant figures, and a project titled The Wall where I am making images of the same large stone wall near an MTR station and treating it like a blank canvas. I watch this wall, and wait for life to paint a different picture using different commuters across a long period of time like many months.
Other projects and activities include making prints, and my newest project is co-teaching a 35 mm film photography course through an international school where I work as an educator and administrator. This will be a fun and challenging project with the goal of inspiring others and teaching the younger generation anything and everything that I know about photography. Wish me luck!
Kirill Voloshin - One of my strongest inspirations these days is the sky and how people and things are reflected in it. I have discovered many miracles while diving into this theme and I am trying to visualize my multiple observations. In parallel, I am finalizing my "Tai Tam Water" photobook, running a photo-journal at ksikappa.net, constructing photomontages, and making slide shows that bring together imagery and music. All my other projects are still too young to be unveiled or are less related to photography. I try to keep my eyes, ears and mind open :)
Thank you!
For more of both Jeremy Greenberg and Kirill Voloshin's work then please see their portfolios below:
Jeremy Greenberg Portfolio
jeremyhgreenberg.zenfolio.com
Kirill Voloshin Portfolio
https://www.flickr.com/gp/kvoloshin/59708G
ksikappa.net
facebook.com/ksikappa
instagram.com/ksikappa
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