Photo Essay: The Old City, by George Voulgaropoulos

IPA PROJECTS, Street Photography 7 Comments

The Old City It is claimed that Damascus is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, with traces going back as far as around 7,000 years ago. It has seen much of the world history of the past millennia, it has seen Persians, the Greeks and Alexander the Great, Romans, Muslims, Mongols, Ottomans, Mamluks and the French. Inside the souq of Damascus, as soon as you enter into the old town from any of the entrances from the modern city, you dive into a maze of alleys. A labyrinth of small streets with arches, shops, restaurants hidden behind small …

Rangefinder Cameras: A History & Introduction (Part 3)

IPA Craft & Tools 7 Comments

Beyond manual focus and the popular 35mm film format. Continuing from the world of interchangeable M mount lenses, there were many cameras that were offered as fixed lens 35mm rangefinder cameras by several manufacturers, mainly Japanese. Being extremely small, compact, and with great reliability, cameras like the Olympus 35 and XA, Canon Canonet and the Yashica GSN have all become cult classics today. Modern offerings in the form of high-end compact cameras also made their way into the market. These include the Contax’s T series, Ricoh’s GR21, Nikon’s 28Ti and 35Ti, and Minolta’s TC-1 amongst others.

Invisible Interview: Jonathan van Smit

IPA Invisible Interviews 21 Comments

Some of you asked for it – here it is. An exclusive interview with Jonathan van Smit also known as K_iwi. Referred by some as fearless, Jonathan hails from New Zealand, and is a Gweilo (as he proudly carries the label) street photographer in Hong Kong. His photographs are a stream of stark, grungy, noir-ish beauty. To accompany the interview, Jonathan has also compiled an exclusive essay of his choice photographs. Invisible Photographer Asia: Firstly, what’s a Gweilo Street Photographer doing in Hong Kong? Jonathan: I came here in early 2008, moving from New Zealand where I lived next to …