Photography

00:00-04:00, Occupy Wall Street

Jaka Vinsek — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:17:16 +0000

On 15th of October 2011 we witnessed the global protests around the the world. I was experiencing and participating in NYC with my friend Reed Young who worked on an interesting story that day. I have to say I had goose bumps the whole time, seeing people having enough, hearing people screaming and chanting. It was definitely one of the most interesting experiences in my life. The whole world was out on the streets through the day, lots of media coverage. But what I was interested was, what this people do through the night. I decided to do a portrait story about people in Zuccotti park, NYC from midnight and on. I arrived there at around midnight and left 04:01. I was surprised what I saw as I thought more people will be asleep and I will even have problems finding awake ones. At first I was shooting all black and white. Images were great, very nice portraits, lots of contrasts that felt great for the situation etc.. but at the end, checking the material I did at home, selecting it.. somehow the black and white didn’t fell as real as I wanted to. It almost felt unreal and that was far from what I wanted to be. Here are some people, on the way to go to sleep after an amazing day we witnessed in NYC and around the world that I’m showing you. Total strangers united in an amazing idea. I am definitely big, big supporter of the movement and will do the best on my end to do something towards the better world. We all should !

Dumbo at Night

Jaka Vinsek — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:57:55 +0000

Recent photo shoot with James Marcolin, who just went on a path of becoming a Movie Director after finished New York Film Academy. Man with great ideas and strong focus. Photos were made for his upcoming web page that will be online very soon www.ajamesmarcolin.com
Plan was to make cityscapes where he would show up in some corners or being smaller, so he wouldn’t be the main thing on photos. Was a great shoot where I was testing some alternative light sources, and was very surprised with how little you can make so much.

dfd idria lace

Jaka Vinsek — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 01:26:46 +0000

After a year of being away from home this was a great relaxing summer shoot with very small but fun team..
Images for fashion show for fashion designer Damiana B. Logar. I was playing around with lots of backlight and some fog on some images. Great working with everyone again, model was awesome !

Fashion Designer: Damiana B. Logar
Model: Neza, Model Group
Make up: Natasa Logar
Hair: Andrea Vrhovec

Exhibition – River

Jaka Vinsek — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:30:33 +0000

Slovenia, with its beautiful rivers, is a paradise for everyone: those looking to relax and the ones wanting to have an active adrenalin adventure. The river and fun around it, is one of Jaka’s favorite subjects to photograph. He has been constantly returning back for more. Being above, in and under the river’s surface with a camera in hand, brings the viewer the most authentic and close experience possible. The series of images exhibited are works from last five years from all over Slovenia.

National Geographic

Jaka Vinsek — Sun, 01 May 2011 21:18:57 +0000

National Geographic Slo. recently published 4 pages about me. Arne Hodalič made a selection of photos and Meta Krese wrote great text after short email interview we had. It is a great short story about my start in New York and a little bit about what to expect in the future. I am very proud to see it in NG, especially because street photography is a big part of my daily life here in NY..

PHOTO JOURNAL / JAKA VINŠEK

Jaka Vinšek is a photojournalist and a studio photographer, who has mastered strict craft possibilities that photography offers. But wandering the streets of New York, he yields himself to spontaneity and changes into a relaxed chronicler, marked with his story.

“Photography is my life, and the camera my best friend that accompanies me just everywhere,” says Jaka Vinšek. These words could sound pathetic or be said carelessly but owing to his photographs, I take them seriously. “I do like dealing with artificial light in artificial environment, however, street photography provides me with more satisfaction and adrenaline,” he adds, putting together the pieces of his attitude towards work, his visions that took him from his native Kranj to New York. He calls it My New Home.

Ever since his high school years he had been dreaming about moving to another continent. “I was about to board a plane to Australia on two occasions but I abandoned the idea after madly falling in love,” he explains. In the meantime, he had a full-time job with Bobo photo agency, crisscrossing Europe and part of Asia and realizing that his boss had been probably right when he refused to buy him a larger camera bag with the explanation that the camera should be worn around the neck, not in a bag. And also that moments in photojournalism are evasive and unrepeatable. “Covering the participation of Janez Drnovšek at Davos World Economic Forum, I was waiting for ages – I don’t know why, really – to catch a glimpse of Bill Gates. And then I just went into the rest room and missed the event.”

He has been in New York for two years now. “In Slovenia, it was easier, more fun, carefree. But here I am surrounded by the best in the photographic industry. It is estimated that in an area, not larger than Slovenia, there are 150.000 photographers.«
Fighting, fighting, fighting for work, he also points out. Currently, he is working as chief assistant and producer for Frédérico Lagrange and is about to finish photographing for a book by an established designer and antiquities dealer. With a camera around his neck he is beginning to understand New York – a cruel city, as he puts it, where you need to have the right people around you: “Everything is moving too fast. It’s too loud, too big… In no time you can find yourself in a situation that is not pleasant by any means, sometimes very depressive.” His street photography reveals and conceals stories of anonymous New Yorkers, and – as appropriate for this type of photography – without knowing it we are drawn also into his personal story. – Meta Krese

Photo caption:
/first spread/
-A view of Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge attracts many newlyweds to Dumbu park, especially in summer. A Korean couple is posing for the photographer during walk.

-Moments of happiness after an excellent concert by Carla T. Bosnjak, a leading member of New York-based Serbo-Croatian group Bad Buka, on the streets of the Lower East Side neighborhood.

/second spread/
-A hawker in Broadway is selling soap bubble blowers for 5 dollars each in front of the Chase bank which equally easily offers loans with devastating small print which only a few will read.

-The New York City Marathon is an inspiration in itself: when you see one-legged runners, legless wheelchair-users,… covering the 42-kilometer run you realize that anything is possible.

-Newark area, where the photographer’s friend Alen used to live, is a conglomerate of huge shopping malls and family houses. Life is made difficult by low-flying aircraft due to the nearby airport.

-Biking the East Village neighborhood can be dangerous at times but for short distances, bicycle remains an ideal means of transport, used by Jaka Vinšek and his friend Reed whenever possible.

Summer Fairytale

Jaka Vinsek — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:58:53 +0000

Everyone that knows me personally, knows how much I love rivers.. I grew up next to very cold, but at that time very clean river Kokra.. And I spend the whole summer on that river with my best friend Spela.. We would jump from cliffs and trees around the river into very small but very deep spot. It was awesome.
A couple of years ago I was participating on a photo journalistic work shop in Novo Mesto.. FotoPub www.fotopub.com
I told my mentor what I want to work on and when he saw first images that I brought back he was thrilled. I remember him saying.. “This looks like a fairytale”.. I spend a couple of days on this great spot on river with this boy named Domen. He was a very short guy among tall friends, but was the bravest one. He would jump from a bridge ten times higher than him. He was a great guide around. I had great time that couple of days. It was like going in the past and seeing myself growing up.

Fashion Week NYC – young and ng

Jaka Vinsek — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 07:39:40 +0000

Every Year during the Fashion Week I have to go somewhere far from NY and miss all the excitement in the city, in the back stage and on the stage itself.. This year I had a chance to be a part of at least one show, before I had to travel. It was very interesting show that was happening at famous BODIES exhibition in NYC.. Girls body painted with lots of shades were part of the main room, heart. Of course I was more interested in the backstage than the main show.. but both at the end was great.

7 days in Tibet

Jaka Vinsek — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 20:46:03 +0000

Tibet.. Roof of the world they say.. Got call from Frederic, how many rolls we need, how many cameras to bring and I was on my way.. Conde Nast Traveler is sending us to a beautiful trip again.. To a beautiful luxury hotel St. Regis in Lhasa.
I have to say I was warned that oxygen in winter is a big problem, but I didn’t want to believe it. It was ! First 6-7 hours of excitement lead to a very strong headache, feeling like walking on the moon and being very very tired. Next day I was on an oxygen mask for at least 4-5 hours, also spent the night with oxygen in my nose.
They say the energy in tibet is among the best in the world, because all of the monasteries, all the prayers, all the believing that is up there. It truly is an amazing place 3700 m above the sea level. You eat breakfast with a view of mountains up to 6000 m.. Gorgeous !
Last day I had a chance to spent 4 hours by myself, visited 1400 years old Dalai Lama’s temple Potala, home of all previous Dalai Lama’s.. Beautiful place with walls 2,5 m thick, with 13 floors and 999 rooms.. Photos are not allowed unfortunately.
7 days went fast, I had to leave, had a quick stop in Beijing for a friday night and than back to NYC where I got to a half meter of snow.. Thank good I’m going to Hawaii in two weeks !

New York City 2010

Jaka Vinsek — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 04:46:48 +0000

Set of photos made in New York City in year 2010.
New York is exciting city where everyday you find so many crazy things around you. On the train, on the streets, outside, inside… I carry my camera with my 20mm lens on it and extra 50mm in my bag, everyday. Sometimes I leave it in my bag and every minute I see crazy moment that would make great photos. 10 years ago when I started my first job, my boss Ziga didn’t want to buy me a photo bag.. He was a smart guy, knowing, good photos are made in a split seconds. Having camera in your bag doesn’t help.
I wish that this year we would enjoy those missed seconds from past years, and make hours out of it. Wish everyone crazy year, just make sure you work on that… it’s not going to come by itself :-)

84th Macy’s balloon parade

Jaka Vinsek — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 21:47:13 +0000

The 84th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC.. Last year I’ve missed it.. and was super sad.. This year my friend Matjaž was visiting and we decided to go.. It is absolutely something to see.. but I’ll be ok if I don’t see it for next 5 years..
We got there too late to get good position, so we were just walking around trying to get a shot or two from aside.. from different streets.. They said there was around 3.5 million people that came to see it.. huuuh ! :-)