A Master Class with Jamel Shabazz.
Brooklyn born Jamel Shabazz gained acclaim for his documentation of the emerging Hip-Hop scene in the Bronx and Brooklyn, in the late 1970’s and early 80’s complete with B-boys fresh style: shell-toe Adidas, fuzzy Kangol caps and thick black Cazal eyeglasses for added flavor. It ran deeper for me. As a 70’s child, I felt that Jamel Shabazz (along with Martin Scorsese and Spike Lee) helped document, create and recorded a history (as well as a mythology) of what New York was for me. And to think he performed this magic simply by taking photos of everyday people.
NB :What camera do you use?
SB : I use 3 basic camera's, a 35mm Contax G2 Range finder, a Contax 645 medium format and a Canon 5D mark 2 digital SLR.
NB : What is your favourite filmstock?
SB : I absolutey love ILFORD HP5 400 ASA, both for both for my 35mm and medium format cameras. The film is fast, sharp and versatile.
NB : For the photos submitted, why are they your favourite?
SB : The 4 photographs that I submitted are my favourites because they are decisive moments and reflect a style of my photography that is not often seen.
NB : You’ve been taking photos for over 30 years, and as an artist and activist, have been committed to chronicling urban life through your photography as well as exposing inner city youth to the arts.
SB : Having the ability to see is a divine gift, so I feel duty bound to share my knowledge with anyone who is willing to listen and learn in hopes that they will also embrace the beauty of photography. Being a photographer has given me great purpose and I am committed to capturing life around me and making sure it is preserved in institutions of higher learning for generations to learn from.
NB : With the advent of digital photography, how do you think street photography and documentary photography has changed?
SB : That is a good question, just the other day I was out documenting the various ways in which people celebrate Easter, and while I was in the process of capturing a decisive moment about eight individuals with cell phone cameras invaded the little bit of space I had to capture the same subject, I understood what was happening but, I realised then that so much has changed in this digital age. The success of both digital cameras and cell phones with photo applications has created a situation where the playing field is so crowded. One of the joys of digital photography today is that more people embrace taking images than ever before in our history.
NB : The general public is now more aware of the presence of cameras compared with the time you began taking photos. How has that impacted you and what if anything has changed?
SB : With the presence of so many people with cameras in the public, I find now when I approach a unique person who I wish to photograph, he/she often tells me "I had my photograph taken already, by a few people," years ago it was rare you would never hear that, now it is the norm. I now have resigned myself to become invisible and focus more on fine art and documentary photography, that doesn't entail me approaching people anymore.
NB : How do you feel about the slow death of film ?
SB : To be honest with you, I love digital and film. What I like most about digital photography is my ability to let my subjects see what I have captured in real time, the expression of satisfaction is priceless, however I still very much love shooting [black and white] film, especially for my fine art/ documentary projects.
With the slow death of film, I have no issue with that, for I have amassed a large body of images entirely using film during the past three decades. With the phasing out of film, I think that my work and the work of so many other photographers might garner some deeper appreciation.
NB : And I’m super curious, what film stock did you use back in the day, Ektachrome or Kodachrome ?
SB : I didn't use too much Kodachrome back in the days, my film of choice was Fujichrome, only because I was a rookie and didn't know better.
I am convinced after returning to Jamel Shabazz’s photographs and after our e-mail exchange, that yes he did create great iconic images, but what is more important and what remains is the sensitive eye behind the camera and behind the images. Thank you very much Mister Shabazz.