TONY LE
Surreality (Series)
DESCRIPTION
All these photographs are of strictly candid moments I happened to chance upon in real life.
When I’m out doing street photography, I aim to have a blank mindset. By having no preconceived notion of what I want to capture, I hope to be as open as possible to the photographic potential of whatever it is that I come across. This stage of my process is purely about lighting, form, and aesthetics.
However, a curious thing happens when I go home and reflect on the photos I’ve collected from my outings. Topics I care deeply about somehow creep into my images; issues I contemplate and struggle with inexplicably seep into my frames. It could be that what happens on the street is a microcosm of what is happening in the world. Or maybe it’s my subconscious coming to light. It could just be serendipity.
Whatever the case, I can’t help but feel that these moments are personally meaningful and somehow a reflection of my emotional state.
Wherever I go, apparently, there I am.
AUTHOR
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, I’m a collector of odd and surreal moments.
I bought my first camera in 2010 and spent most of the following years making photographs of otherworldly coastal scenes. Although my first forays of taking photos in the city can be traced back to 2013, it wasn’t until the end of 2018 that I finally dedicated myself to capturing candid moments of everyday life.
Street photography has been my religion ever since. Still no word on what holidays we celebrate. Lots of walking meditation, though.
I’m also a founding member of the Candid City Street Photography Collective.
In 2023:
• I was a finalist for Livorno Photo Meeting, KAAF, and PSPI.
• I was also a Selected Photographer for Urban Photo Awards, and Honorable Mention for the Paris International Street Photo Awards.
• My photos were shown in three galleries in San Francisco (five separate shows). One show was a group show curated by my street photography collective with a personal gallery.
In 2022, I was a finalist for the Urban Book Award (part of the Urban Photo Awards) with jury president and Magnum Photographer, Susan Meiselas.
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