Can you tell us about your image on this issue’s cover?
This shot was taken in Manhattan at the end of the
afternoon in pouring rain. The steam system in New
York is always a fascinating backdrop. The original
intention was a photo walk around Wall Street, but
I had to go for a plan B and take some street shots
from the entrance of shopping malls.What is it for you that makes black-and-white
photography a preferred style?
Next to photography, I’m a blues performing artist
(much like Scott Kelby). To make an analogy with music,
I’d say that shooting in black-and-white is like playing
the blues in a minor key. Black-and-white can convey
such emotions and deep feelings in one shot, which
is difficult to achieve when using color.You predominantly shoot outdoors, waiting for
something to happen. What’s a typical day like
for you when you decide to shoot?
Indeed, most of my photography is outdoors because
I’m primarily a street and travel photographer. I do
some studio and indoor work mainly for models and
artists portraits. Concerning my street photography,
I’ve developed a number of thematic portfolios, such
as umbrellas, men@work, reflections, street animals,
street artists, street art, silhouettes, taxis, decisive
moments, etc., for a total of around 20. These themes
are always on my mind, but when I go out, I usually
prioritize two or three themes for the day, depending
on the location and weather. It keeps my brain alert
every second to find the shot that fits my objective.
And when I see a scene that’s not on my list for the
day, well, I shoot it anyway. In this way, I never have
a blank-page syndrome.Fine art and conceptual imagery are a great way
to add an extra dimension to your portfolio. Do you
shoot with a final image in mind, or take from what
you have and create something?
Conceptual photography isn’t an everyday thing; it depends
on when the idea strikes, or when I get the motivation to
conceptualize a feeling in a certain context. I have two
different approaches that you can find on my website:First, when I want to depict a concept, I usually do it
with a model in a studio environment and involve the
model in the idea, like an actress. The second approach
is to shoot subjects outdoors without yet knowing the
final context or idea. Such shots can remain on my drive
for months or years and then suddenly pop up. Fine-art
photography is mainly for sales and decoration of homes,
making people and my banker happy.You’ve been a KelbyOne member for several years now.
Why did you decide to join?
I started with the big boys’ version of Photoshop in 2011.
When I stepped up to CS5, I felt I was running in circles.
I bought a lot of magazines, and then I discovered the
existence of NAPP (the National Association of Photo-
shop Professionals) and subscribed. This was heaven
for finding the right educational tool. The quality of all
of the contributors is just superb. So I then decided to
attend the Las Vegas Photoshop World event in 2012
(or 2013) and that changed my approach, my motivation,
and my photography. I have since attended Photoshop
World in Las Vegas on several occasions. One of the
great things is meeting other photographers. I love it.Let’s talk gear. What’s in your grab-and-go bag for
when you decide to go out and shoot “life” happening?
Today, I’m primarily a Sony and Fuji shooter. I have a
Sony A9, A7R III, and the RX100 VII (always in my pocket).
Next to that, I have the Fujifilm XT-3. For street and
urban photography, I mainly use Sony full-frame with a
28mm and 85mm: two small and light, but high-quality,
lenses. All my shots are captured in RAW and processed
with Adobe Camera Raw at first.How has COVID affected your work in 2020?
Did you try anything new?
With the COVID confinement in early 2020, I purchased
a dozen manual-focus prime Russian lenses: Helios,
Industar, Mir, and Jupiter—all between $20 and $60.
During spring and summer, I discovered the nice art
photography possibilities these lenses provide. Lately,
I started a series (which I intend to publish ) about
“Are those Russian lenses any good for street and
urban photography?” nJos V. Desmedt is an artist living in Waterloo, a municipality in the province of Brabant Wallon,
Belgium. With a degree in Economics, Jos started his professional career with Kodak Belgium in
the ‘70s, where he learned all the science and tricks of photography and darkroom techniques. He
seriously started digital photography around 2009. This issue’s cover features one of Jos’s images.WHO’S WHO IN THE KELBYONE COMMUNITY
JOS V. DESMEDT
KELBYONE.COM KELBYONE COMMUNITY