I had seen this reflection many times from a neon grocery store sign on rainy nights and knew that if i had a person in the scene I’d have a compelling image. One rainy night I grabbed my gear and went out to see what i could find. Using the street as my canvas I just waited for people to walk by. I lucked out with this figure and pulled the trigger at exactly the right moment. A fleeting moment in time; here one second gone the next . . . that’s what excites me most about street photography.
Bill
Bill is a retired psychologist who at the age of 80 decided that he wanted to pursue acting. After a portrait session he let us know that he was wearing bikini underwear and that “if we wanted to photograph him in them it would be alright with him.” How could i pass that up?
Women of 5th Avenue – 2
From my street photography series “Women of 5th Avenue” featured in aCurator magazine
Texas Road Trip
Ship Wreck, 5 in a series from a road trip.
Scotty the Blue Bunny
Scotty the Blue Bunny is one of the premier Neo-Burlesque show hosts in the country. As you might imagine, a 6’4″ blue bunny in platform shoes, he is not lacking in personality. Scotty is currently Artist in Residence in the home of Paula the Swedish Housewife, Seattle, Washington. Says Scotty : “The difference between a stripper and a burlesque performer is; a stripper will get upset if she doesn’t get money, a burlesque performer will get upset if she doesn’t get applause.”
Veruca Honeyscotch
Veruca Honeyscotch, “The Pint-Sized Powerhouse of Burlesque”, included this in her email newsletter recently:
“Portrait photographer Leland Bobbé has embarked on an ambitious and noble journey to document the neo-burlesque scene as it lives and breathes today in NYC. A project that has already gained him awards and recognition, and which he is looking to publish into a big FAT book (or as I have been fondly referring it as: “The NYC Burlesque Yearbook!” But, I’m sure he’ll come up with a sexier title.) All of the portraits are AMAZING, and in my opinion, are the most honest depictions of the cast of crazy personalities that live in this beautiful underground art form. I was humbled to be among them.”
Double Dutch
I wanted to create a shot capturing the energy and attitude of New York City teens. We cast these kids through the Police Athletic League in Brooklyn who sponsor an organized group of double dutch jump ropers and we shot in in a nearby park in Brooklyn. The hardest part was herding and directing all of these kids who only had one thing on their minds . . . going to McDonald’s. You go girls!
Women of 5th Avenue -1
From my street photography series “Women of 5th Avenue” featured in aCurator magazine.
Kathy’s Jewelry
This was the view from my loft on West 28th Street on a snowy winter night. For me, it’s all about the light.
Car Wash
I remember the first time I ever sat in a car as it was going through a car wash. Wow, was that ever cool. This is on 10th Ave and 24th street in Manhattan and has been there for years. This place is totally old school as are some of the characters that work there. One of those only in New York places.