ABOUT
WRONG SIDE OF THE LENS
WRONG SIDE OF THE LENS is a documentary series exploring the lives of street photographers. Here, we get a rare chance to turn the camera on those not used to being on that side of the lens. We begin to answer the question of why they are so obsessed with taking images of complete strangers. They come from a variety of backgrounds yet are drawn to this same calling: street photography. This is a relatively new, and often misunderstood, art form which leaves ample room for these hard working artists to push boundaries. This series captures many of these moments.
We spend time with both the current crop of progressive artists as well as their predecessors who helped lay its rich foundation. We see them roaming the streets looking for beautiful, funny, bizarre, and stunning moments. They talk about life as a creative and why their candid photos hold any cultural or personal value. They speak of the connections formed from these interactions, if any, and how the unavoidable threat of physical altercations keeps them light on their toes.
With the camera pointing back at the photographer, most are surprised at how much they have to say about this otherwise solitary activity. They give us viewers rare glimpses into what went into making some of their favorite images. They mostly agree that giving and withholding context to their work is a superpower to provoke imagination in their work. Despite knowing this, they still seem compelled to reveal at least a few of their magic tricks. In WRONG SIDE OF THE LENS, we’re given a chance to learn about these artist amazing life’s work and answer the question of on which side of the lens they are best suited for.
PHOTOGRAPHERS INCLUDED
Jill Freedman, Daniel Arnold, Richard Sandler, Michelle Groskopf, Estevan Oriol, Ray “Hamburger Eyes” Potes, Matt Weber, Victor Llorente, Valerie J Bower, Julian Master, Sean Maung, Aaron Berger, Chris Voss, Jorge Garcia, Sebastian Siadecki, Mathias Wasik, Mark Beckenbach, and Josh Ethan Johnson.
SHOW CREATOR
JOSH ETHAN JOHNSON is an award-winning creative based out of NYC. Josh has been a street photographer since 1999. His work has shown internationally and been published with outlets such as A24, NY Times, Rizzoli Books, and Vice. In 2017, Josh was named “Top 12 Street Photographers In The World” by Huffington Post. To make this extensive series, Josh has tapped into the photography community around him and began a conversation about what draws everyone into this thing called street photo. In addition to Wrong Side Of The Lens, Josh has also created an ongoing video series called FACES with over 26 short films which have won various film festival awards.
Josh’s Personal Site
WSOTL PRESS
LIFE FRAMER part 01
LIFE FRAMER part 02