The Candid Frame: Conversations on Photography

When photographer Gerald Cyrus began photographing New York City in the 1990s, he was drawn to the streets of Harlem, its neighborhoods, its people, and the vibrant music scene that filled its clubs and lounges. Over the course of a decade, he created a remarkable body of black-and-white photographs that capture everyday life with an intimacy and sense of connection that goes well beyond traditional documentary photography. Cyrus's photographs are attentive to the people who give a place its character, finding beauty and energy in moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. Those photographs are now collected in his new monograph, Uptown Odyssey, published by TBW Books. The book brings together images made during the 1990s, moving from Harlem's streets and subway platforms to the jazz clubs and nighttime spaces where music and community came together. Many of the subway photographs had remained unseen for more than three decades. For Cyrus, the book represents the culmination of a body of work that has remained deeply personal while also providing an important record of Black life in New York during a transformative period. RESOURCES Gerald Cyrus https://www.geraldcyrus.com/ Uptown Odyssey https://charcoalbookclub.com/products/uptown-odyssey Gioncarlo Valentine https://gioncarlovalentine.com/ Altadena Photographers https://www.altadenaphotographers.org/ WEBSITES The Candid Frame Support Page https://www.ibarionex.net/support SPONSORS Charcoal Book Club https://charcoalbookclub.com/ Frames Magazine https://readframes.com/ EDUCATION RESOURCES Momenta Photographic Workshops https://momentaworkshops.com/workshops/ CANDID FRAME RESOURCES The Candid Frame Newsletter & Substack Blog http://ibarionex.substack.com/welcome FOLLOW IBARIONEX Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ibarionex/

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-68c5d9c1-5c7c-8328-b04a-8bb8efcca626-3" data-turn-id-container= "request-68c5d9c1-5c7c-8328-b04a-8bb8efcca626-3" data-testid= "conversation-turn-16" data-turn="assistant"> When artist, photographer, filmmaker, and curator Lee Shulman discovered a collection of abandoned family photographs, he began to see something more than a group of anonymous snapshots. The images became the foundation for The Anonymous Project, an evolving collection that explores the memories, relationships, and everyday moments preserved in photographs whose original subjects and stories have been lost. What began as a fascination with found photographs has grown into a much larger exploration of photography, memory, and the stories we attach to images. That interest in photography has carried throughout Shulman's work, whether through The Anonymous Project or through collaborations with photographers including Martin Parr and Omar Victor Diop. He also produced and directed I Am Martin Parr, a film exploring the life and work of the British photographer. Across these projects, Shulman approaches photography from different perspectives—as a collector, collaborator, filmmaker, and storyteller—while continually asking what photographs reveal about the people who made them, the people they depict, and the cultures in which they were created. Resources: The Anonymous Project https://www.theanonymousproject.org/ I Am Martin Parr https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33985496/ Martin Parr https://www.martinparr.com/ Omar Victor Diop https://omarvictor.com/ Altadena Photographers https://www.altadenaphotographers.org/ Workshops & Upcoming Education with Ibarionex Perello: X-Pedition Hanoi https://www.f8photographicworkshops.com/x-pedition-hanoi Websites: The Candid Frame Support Page https://www.ibarionex.net/support Sponsors: Charcoal Book Club https://charcoalbookclub.com/ Frames Magazine https://readframes.com/ Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops https://momentaworkshops.com/workshops/ Candid Frame Resources: The Candid Frame Newsletter & Substack Blog http://ibarionex.substack.com/welcome You can follow Ibarionex on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ibarionex/

When photographer Amani Willett turns his attention to American life, he does so with a quiet precision that reveals both its poetry and its contradictions. Working primarily in black and white, Amani's photographs explore themes of history, memory, race, and belonging—often focusing on overlooked spaces and moments that carry deep cultural resonance. His work invites viewers to slow down and consider how the past lingers in the present, shaping both personal and collective identity. That approach has defined a career rooted in long-term observation and thoughtful storytelling. Whether photographing landscapes marked by historical trauma or everyday scenes charged with social meaning, Amani resists easy narratives. Instead, he creates photographs that ask questions rather than offer answers—encouraging reflection on what it means to inhabit America now, and how photography can serve as a tool for inquiry, witness, and understanding. Resources: Amani Willett https://www.amaniwillett.com Altadena Photographers https://www.altadenaphotographers.org/ Workshops & Upcoming Education with Ibarionex Perello Los Angeles Center of Photography Timeline: Los Angeles A guided photographic exploration of Los Angeles that encourages participants to engage deeply with place, history, and personal narrative. https://lacphoto.org/events/timeline-los-angeles-with-ibarionex-perello/ Nobechi Creative Japan Spring Workshop 2026 An immersive photographic and cultural experience in Japan, focused on visual storytelling, observation, and creative growth. https://www.nobechicreative.com/ibarionex-perello-spring-workshop-2026-japan f8 Photographic Workshops X-Pedition Hanoi A destination workshop centered on street photography, culture, and daily life in Hanoi, Vietnam. https://www.f8photographicworkshops.com/x-pedition-hanoi Support Ibarionex & The Candid Frame GoFundMe BuyMeaCoffee eBook Purchases Websites The Candid Frame Patreon Page The Candid Frame PayPal Contribution Link Sponsors Charcoal Book Club https://charcoalbookclub.com Frames Magazine https://readframes.com Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops https://momentaworkshops.com/workshops/ Candid Frame Resources The Candid Frame Newsletter & Substack Blog Contribute a one-time donation to the show thru Buy Me a Coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/thecandidframe Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing to our Patreon effort. You can do this by visiting patreon.com/thecandidframe or the website and clicking on the Patreon button. You can also provide a one-time donation via PayPal. You can follow Ibarionex on Instagram and Twitter.

When photographer Ben Geier first began making images, it was his Midwest upbringing and a fascination with abandoned places that set him on a path of visual discovery. Over the past decade, Ben's work has led him across the United States in search of once-vibrant theatres, roadside restaurants, neon signs, motels, and storefronts—places that carry the texture of America's cultural and architectural history. What distinguishes his photography is not just what he shoots, but how he sees: with a design-informed eye for composition, color, and the quiet beauty in forgotten spaces. Trope Publishing Co That journey has culminated in Viewing Hours, Ben's debut book, which brings together more than 150 images from 15 states, capturing the fading allure of America's vernacular architecture and roadside culture. Rather than simply documenting decay, Ben's photographs evoke nostalgia, solitude, and a reverence for the stories embedded in these places—reminding us why these spaces matter and why they are worth remembering before they disappear entirely. Trope Publishing Co+1 Resources: Ben Geier https://www.bengeier.com/ Viewing Hours https://www.bengeier.com/pages/viewing-hours Bengeier Altadena Photographers https://www.altadenaphotographers.org/ Support Ibarionex & The Candid Frame GoFundMe BuyMeaCoffee eBook Purchases Websites The Candid Frame Patreon Page The Candid Frame PayPal Contribution Link Signed Editions of "Making Photographs: Developing a Personal Visual Workflow." Sponsors Charcoal Book Club https://charcoalbookclub.com Frames Magazine FRAMES Magazine | Because Excellent Photography Belongs On Paper (readframes.com) Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops https://momentaworkshops.com/workshops/ Candid Frame Resources The Candid Frame Newsletter & Substack Blog The Candid Frame Alexa Skill Making Photographs: Developing a Personal Visual Workflow The Candid Frame Flickr Pool The Candid Frame YouTube Channel Contribute a one-time donation to the show thru Buy Me a Coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/thecandidframe Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing to our Patreon effort. You can do this by visiting patreon.com/thecandidframe or the website and clicking on the Patreon button. You can also provide a one-time donation via PayPal. You can follow Ibarionex on Instagram and Twitter.

When photographer and educator Mark Comon talks about photography, his passion is unmistakable. As the owner of Paul's Photo in Torrance, California, and founder of the Creative Photo Academy, Mark has spent decades helping photographers at every level discover their creative potential. Through economic downturns, digital revolutions, and even the pandemic, he has kept Paul's Photo thriving—one of the rare family-owned camera stores to endure and grow in an industry transformed by change. Mark's philosophy is rooted in community and education. He believes that photography flourishes when people learn, share, and make images together. Whether teaching composition, lighting, or visual storytelling, he focuses on empowering others to connect with their subjects and themselves. His enduring dedication to the photographic community has made Paul's Photo and Creative Photo Academy not just places to buy gear, but true centers for inspiration and learning. Resources: Mark Comon Paul's Photo Creative Photo Academy Altadena Photographers https://www.altadenaphotographers.org/ Support Ibarionex & The Candid Frame GoFundMe BuyMeaCoffee eBook Purchases Websites The Candid Frame Patreon Page The Candid Frame PayPal Contribution Link Signed Editions of "Making Photographs: Developing a Personal Visual Workflow." Sponsors Charcoal Book Club https://charcoalbookclub.com Frames Magazine FRAMES Magazine | Because Excellent Photography Belongs On Paper (readframes.com) Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops https://momentaworkshops.com/workshops/ Candid Frame Resources The Candid Frame Newsletter & Substack Blog The Candid Frame Alexa Skill Making Photographs: Developing a Personal Visual Workflow The Candid Frame Flickr Pool The Candid Frame YouTube Channel Contribute a one-time donation to the show thru Buy Me a Coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/thecandidframe Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing to our Patreon effort. You can do this by visiting patreon.com/thecandidframe or the website and clicking on the Patreon button. You can also provide a one-time donation via PayPal. You can follow Ibarionex on Instagram and Twitter.

When photographer Jonas Paurell set out to explore the relationship between humans and the natural world, he embraced a practice that moves fluidly between art, documentary, and environmental storytelling. His images are rooted in a deep engagement with place—whether remote mountain landscapes or fragile ecosystems—and they reflect both an aesthetic sensitivity and an ecological urgency. Jonas's work doesn't simply document the environment; it raises questions about belonging, responsibility, and how our presence shapes the land we inhabit. That journey has led to long-term projects that blend collaboration with communities, careful observation, and a visual language that feels both timeless and immediate. Rather than leaning on spectacle, Jonas turns toward intimacy—capturing the quiet tension and beauty that emerge when people and nature meet. The result is a body of work that challenges us to reconsider not only how we see the world but how we live within it. Resources: Jonas Paurell https://www.jonaspaurell.com Altadena Photographers https://www.altadenaphotographers.org/ Support Ibarionex & The Candid Frame GoFundMe BuyMeaCoffee eBook Purchases Websites The Candid Frame Patreon Page The Candid Frame PayPal Contribution Link Signed Editions of "Making Photographs: Developing a Personal Visual Workflow. Sponsors Charcoal Book Club https://charcoalbookclub.com Frames Magazine FRAMES Magazine | Because Excellent Photography Belongs On Paper (readframes.com) Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops https://momentaworkshops.com/workshops/ Candid Frame Resources The Candid Frame Newsletter & Substack Blog The Candid Frame Alexa Skill Making Photographs: Developing a Personal Visual Workflow The Candid Frame Flickr Pool The Candid Frame YouTube Channel Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download it for iOS. Click here to download it for Android Contribute a one-time donation to the show thru Buy Me a Coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/thecandidframe Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing to our Patreon effort. You can do this by visiting patreon.com/thecandidframe or the website and clicking on the Patreon button. You can also provide a one-time donation via PayPal. You can follow Ibarionex on Instagram and Twitter.

When multi-media artist Javiera Estrada speaks about her work, it's not just about aesthetics or technique—it's about transformation. Born in Acapulco, Mexico and raised in the United States after emigrating in 1989, Estrada brings a rich cultural memory of vibrant color, ritual, and mysticism into everything she creates. Whether working with photography, photograms, textiles, or mixed media, her art bridges the seen and unseen—merging earthly material with spiritual inquiry. Her work doesn't divide the physical and metaphysical, the beautiful and the chaotic—it unifies them. Philosophically, Estrada rejects the idea of separation. Artistically, she explores this through layered, immersive processes that slow time and call her deeper into presence. From sculptural explorations of the female body in communion with nature, to cosmic fields of ink and color that evoke the prima materia of existence, her pieces are meditations on unity, consciousness, and becoming. Estrada describes her process as both frenzied and laborious, embracing mess and unknowing as necessary steps to uncover what lies beneath the surface. In a world defined by speed and distraction, her work is an invitation to move differently—to let intuition guide and to give the sacred a place in the mundane. It's bold, beautiful, and deeply human. Resources: Javiera Estrada https://www.javieraestrada.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/javieraestrada/ Altadena Photographers https://www.altadenaphotographers.org/ Support Ibarionex & The Candid Frame GoFundMe BuyMeaCoffee eBook Purchases Websites The Candid Frame Patreon Page The Candid Frame PayPal Contribution Link Signed Editions of Making Photographs: Developing a Personal Visual Workflow Sponsors Charcoal Book Club https://charcoalbookclub.com Frames Magazine FRAMES Magazine | Because Excellent Photography Belongs On Paper (readframes.com) Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops https://momentaworkshops.com/workshops/ Candid Frame Resources The Candid Frame Newsletter & Substack Blog The Candid Frame Alexa Skill Making Photographs: Developing a Personal Visual Workflow The Candid Frame Flickr Pool The Candid Frame YouTube Channel Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device Download for iOS Download for Android Contribute a One-Time Donation Buy Me a Coffee Support the Show Monthly on Patreon You can also support the show via PayPal. Follow Ibarionex on Instagram and Twitter.

When filmmaker Ilie Mitaru first discovered Serbest Salih's Instagram feed, he was struck by the power of the photographs—vivid, intimate images made by children from displaced and marginalized communities across Turkey. These weren't typical snapshots. They revealed a bold visual instinct and emotional clarity that defied the children's limited experience behind the camera. Ilie saw not just compelling photographs, but a powerful story of self-expression—one that urgently needed telling. That story became First Frames, a film that shifts focus away from trauma and instead highlights the playful, curious, and complex inner lives of its young image-makers. Rather than treating the children as passive subjects, Ilie embraced their perspective—amplifying their imaginations and voices. The result is a vibrant, deeply human portrait told through the children's own lenses, reminding us that some of the most resonant stories come from those who are so often overlooked. Resources: Ilie Mitaru https://iliemitaru.com First Frames Film https://wepresent.wetransfer.com/stories/first-frames-film Serbest Salih's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fotohanedarkroom/ Altadena Photographers https://www.altadenaphotographers.org/ Support Ibarionex & The Candid Frame GoFundMe BuyMeaCoffee eBook Purchases Websites The Candid Frame Patreon Page The Candid Frame PayPal Contribution Link Signed Editions of "Making Photographs: Developing a Personal Visual Workflow. Sponsors Charcoal Book Club https://charcoalbookclub.com Frames Magazine FRAMES Magazine | Because Excellent Photography Belongs On Paper (readframes.com) Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops https://momentaworkshops.com/workshops/ Candid Frame Resources The Candid Frame Newsletter & Substack Blog The Candid Frame Alexa Skill Making Photographs: Developing a Personal Visual Workflow The Candid Frame Flickr Pool The Candid Frame YouTube Channel Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download it for iOS. Click here to download it for Android Contribute a one-time donation to the show thru Buy Me a Coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/thecandidframe Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing to our Patreon effort. You can do this by visiting patreon.com/thecandidframe or the website and clicking on the Patreon button. You can also provide a one-time donation via PayPal. You can follow Ibarionex on Instagram and Twitter.