Episode 24: Photographing Strangers with Valérie Jardin

Valérie Jardin is a legendary street photographer, author, workshop leader and podcaster. In a moment of lapsed judgement, she agreed to join us to talk about the joys and challenges of photographing strangers.

Mason Marsh's avatar Mason Marsh on September 14, 2022

Valérie Jardin pulls no punches when talking about photographing strangers, and she’s made a career out of helping people capture the world around them with respect, kindness and audacity. In this episode we explore our apprehension around taking photos of strangers and Valerie steps in to offer some of her tips, tricks and even a few secrets. If you want to truly experience a place, even your home town, you need to get out there and make photos of strangers. If you’re like us, that sounds daunting; but with Valerie’s gentle prodding, enthusiastic coaching and inspirational images you’ll leave this episode ready to hit the streets.

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        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">Valérie Jardin by gingersnapsbackphotography.</p></div>
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Some of Valérie’s Incredible Images:

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            <img src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a67a894fd36665ebe2d3fd/bc823767-c2a1-4fd1-abae-2e486fdcad4b/Copyright+Valerie+Jardin+-+Paris+2021-1.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="1200" style="display:block;object-fit: cover;width: 100%;height: 100%;object-position: 50% 50%" loading="lazy">

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        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">Paris 2021 by Valérie Jardin</p></div>
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        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">Normandy 2022 by Valérie Jardin</p></div>
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        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">Normandy 2022 by Valérie Jardin</p></div>
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      <figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper">
        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">Normandy 2021 by Valérie Jardin</p></div>
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        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">NYC 2022 by Valérie Jardin</p></div>
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        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">Copenhagen 2022 by Valérie Jardin</p></div>
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        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">Paris 2021 by Valérie Jardin</p></div>
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        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">Rome 2022 by Valérie Jardin</p></div>
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        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">Copenhagen 2022 by Valérie Jardin</p></div>
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For more of Valérie’s images, along with information about her incredible workshops and books, visit her website.


valeriejardinphotography.com

 

A couple of Mason’s street images:

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            <img src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a67a894fd36665ebe2d3fd/998280a3-0ec7-4216-a1f5-778503bdddb8/MJMJuly+29%2C+2019.jpg" alt="" width="2500" height="1801" style="display:block;object-fit: cover;width: 100%;height: 100%;object-position: 50% 50%" loading="lazy">

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        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">Copenhagen 2019 by Mason Marsh</p></div>
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      <figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper">
        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">Copenhagen 2019 by Mason Marsh</p></div>
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        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">Copenhagen 2019 by Mason Marsh</p></div>
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A couple of Jeff’s street images:

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            <img src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a67a894fd36665ebe2d3fd/c705b2d6-397d-4a3e-8820-ebab5794ddd7/_JLC1542.jpg" alt="" width="2966" height="1977" style="display:block;object-fit: cover;width: 100%;height: 100%;object-position: 50% 50%" loading="lazy">

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        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">by Jeff Carlson</p></div>
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        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">by Jeff Carlson</p></div>
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            <img src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a67a894fd36665ebe2d3fd/3ae2ffe0-c1ba-4f38-b21e-694731d6c411/_JLC4384.jpg" alt="" width="4896" height="3264" style="display:block;object-fit: cover;width: 100%;height: 100%;object-position: 50% 50%" loading="lazy">

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        <div class="image-caption"><p class="">by Jeff Carlson</p></div>
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Some things must be seen to be believed.

We produce minimally-edited video versions of our episodes on our YouTube channel. If you’d like to see us gesticulate like carnival barkers, here’s your chance.

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Published by Mason Marsh

Mason Marsh is a Portland, Oregon-based photographer and educator who specializes in not specializing. He's been a newspaper photojournalist, aerospace museum educator, tall ship captain, tour guide and chimney sweep. When he's not busy taking care of his kids Cooper and Claire, he works in The Arcanum, writes, and leads photo workshops. He is never bored.

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