A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure to meet and chat with @samhorine, a self-taught photographer from Brooklyn. Having learned the ropes from his grandfather, Sam was always artsy and dabbled around in different forms of photography; after finding digital was the most practical medium and the best way to have documentation of everything, in his words: “it was all about developing a style and figuring it out”. Sam’s colorful feed consists of everything from graffiti to vintage cars; you’re always in for something new… And be sure to check out his other works on his website, samhorine.com.
What’s the best non-cliché NYC spot to shoot from?
Tribeca. There are a bunch of cool alleyways and cobblestones, and there’s a bit of old industrial left there too. I’ll call it the less stylish cousin of Soho. Also, anywhere in Brooklyn.
How do you go about location scouting to come across all of these cool shots?
It’s a mix of both; I definitely return to the same spot over and over. You don’t want to get too comfortable, but you can use the same locations and make it different each time. Find something new about it, and the whole becomes more interesting than the parts or the pieces.
Speaking of which, I love your Brooklyn rooftop shots – what are some other interesting places in Brooklyn to shoot from?
Anywhere I can get above stuff. Rooftops + bridges, waterways, Red Hook. I grew up by water and always have had an affinity for water. I lived here for ten years, but now all the areas are so different from how they used to be. So I look for under utilized and under exposed places.
Your sunsets are so vibrant and have great color. Any editing tips you can share to make the most out of sunset shots?
Most editing is done in Snapseed, and shot in the native camera because it’s so quick and easy. Play around with exposure in the camera. Set focus and lock exposure to your compose shot; I tend to underexpose because it’s easier to pull details forward when editing. You can’t take that out of the clipped highlights. So, I usually tune image with the dark parts of the photo, then bring it into details, where I play around with structure and sharpening, and then back into tune image if necessary. Then I use VSCO to make it more muted; sometimes it’s too processed and extreme. Sometimes I like the loudness; other times it’s too much. And don’t forget to use the HDR setting on your camera!
Name just one:
Person to follow on Instagram: shahkashani, reedreeder, cucinadigitale, drsmoothdeath, croyable, dirka, dankhole, bklynbird, alice_gao, hokaytokay, ikedani, jr_artist, ocarinaofrhyme, softcircle. Is that enough?
Photo editing app: Snapseed
Filter to use: NO, but if I had to pick: Valencia, least vignette, less nuance. Also, they can really get rid of the frames now.
Burger joint in NYC: Lot 2 in Brooklyn.
Last stop, fool proof bar: Mayahuel in the east village. Tequila bar.
Parting wisdom:
Don’t overthink it too much. Instagram is something you can just do for fun and create content; it’s how I step away from what I do on a day to day basis. You don’t need to be interesting. Just find your voice and vision.
