1. Please introduce yourself. Who are you? What do you do?
My Name is Wandy Sosa. I’m a full-time IT engineer, which makes it very challenging to find spare time to take pictures. Nevertheless, my passion for photography has made me come up with other ways to overcome that challenge. For example, I carry a camera with me at all times, which is why most of my photos are often taken during commuting hours.
2. How long have you been into photography, and what drew you to it?
I’ve been doing photography since 2007. What drew me to it was watching Bob Ross’ painting TV show. Since I live in NYC, it was a bit difficult to find inspiration for landscapes so, instead, I picked up a camera and started taking pictures around the city.
3. In one sentence, please describe what you captured in this shot.
A man stopping at a liquor store on his way home.
4. What style of photography would you describe this as, and do you typically take photographs in this style?
This is what I consider urban & street photography, which is my preferred style since I get to enjoy the process of scouting for opportunities, lighting and compositions.
5. When and where was this photo taken?
This photo was taken in Midtown Manhattan, NYC, on a cold night in November 2022.
6. Was anyone with you when you took this photo?
I was alone, which is how I often prefer to be when taking pictures. This gives me an interrupted opportunity to maximize my time taking pictures during my short commute to the train station.
7. What equipment did you use?
I used a Canon R6 + Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 and Lightroom + Google Snapseed for processing.
8. What drew you to take this photo?
What drew me to taking this photo was the liquor store, as it was one of the few businesses still open on such a cold night.
9. How many attempts did it take to get this shot?
I spent about 4 minutes waiting for the “right subject” to come into frame. I took a total of 7 frames at this particular scene.
10. Did you edit this photo?
Yes: Color and Exposure adjustment.
11. What encouraged you to share this photo online and with others?
I’ve been noticing that for many people, especially other photographers who don’t live in large cities like NYC, photos like these are quite fascinating and inspirational. So, I like to share them, hoping that it will inspire someone to go out and take pictures.
12. Did you learn anything in the process of taking, editing, or sharing this photo?
If anything, I learned while taking this particular photo, how reliable “people and face detect” are on modern cameras. Even though the lighting was very challenging, the camera was able to keep up with the moving subject at all times.
13. Do you remember what you had for breakfast (or lunch or dinner) the day you took this photo?
I prefer not to have any food or liquids when I’m taking pictures on the streets to minimize the need for breaks.
14. What would you like people to take away from this photo?
That no matter how busy of a day we might have at work, there is always time to treat ourselves. Whether this is a good glass of wine at the comfort of your house, or simply walking on the streets while taking pictures of our surroundings.
15. Is there any feedback that you’d like to get on this shot?
I embrace feedback. It’s what makes us better at what we do.
16. How can anyone reading this support your work?
Best way to support me is to visit my Flickr page and leave any constructive feedback or simply leave a comment to say “Hi”.
Wandy Sosa is a full-time IT engineer with a passion for photography. Inspired by Bob Ross, he first started as a painter, but then transitioned to photography. Being exposed to painting helped develop a set of skills that he always uses when framing his photographs.
Check out more of Wandy’s street photography here and enjoy the views of NYC through his camera lens.
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