WNYC Street Shots: Jake Dobkin

[noseqponer0808]

I think that in photography as in most arts you just have to make a name for yourself, after that, no matter what you shoot, it will be considered "art", otherwise you'll just have hundres of people just acting like professional critics and shitting on your shots. keep the good job.

[KosherHoweyWon]

And I just saw another movie with "KH" in it called "Holy Rollers." went on his tour and he could not answer any of my questions.

KH1-357 JAO !

[KosherHoweyWon]

I like how Jake Dobkin called me a "spot jocker" when I have my name in classic movies and Mtv music videos such as "Welcome To The Dollhouse", Sonic Youth's "Kool Thing" video and more besides being up in both Jersey and random spots in NYC.

[deadkrusty6]

Come on, stop hating! Everybody have the right to enjoy photography the way they want!

KeepUp your work!

[djamorpheus]

Williamsburg... says it all...

[wikct2]

come on you definitely are not the first person who is takes the pictures of warehouse district.

[krs48]

it always amazing to me that so many people are so critical of someone else's pursuit around here. This video has 53,000 views which is quite a few people cruising this subject. The constant mindless critique is just that mindless. Like any of you have even the foggiest idea of what you are talking about. Criticizing the critic that is what I am doing.

[taraskovaliv]

As long as this guy is nice to old people and doesn't kick puppies, etc..... I guess.

[photoallergic]

A big step forward in the life of any dedicated ameteur photographer: Not taking shots of old walls any more.

[idkmybffjv]

"here I am... trying to draw beauty out of these harsh places, like surely I must be the first person who's ever thought of doing this..."

Yes. You invented juxtaposition.

[jamescracksthesky]

you need a lot more interesting landscapes if you're going to even use subjectless scenes. i liked the photo with the new york is dead tag though.

[keeperofthecheese]

"as good as any of the abstract expressionist work you find at MOMA"

No.

[xBabyDragonx]

I understand and appreciate your motive for your photographs. Just because some people do not appreciate the value in them does not mean they have no value ! The inability to appreciate color, texture, form, patterns or history seems to point out that they are missing a large part of what photography stands for. Keep shooting for those of us that want to remember the past. :)

[RetroGamer1990]

Not gonna lie, I pull better pictures out of my ass. His idea is alright, nothing special, but the pictures definately aren't that great.

[saalikr]

Photography is subjective and a personal thing. If you enjoy it GOOD. Ignore the negativity..

[idkmybffjv]

"As good as most of the abstract expressions we find at MoMA"

No, you snapshooting derivative hack. No.

[MrJumbolegz]

hipsters are douchebags

[ranirani1976]

what happen in Russia?

[pmkns]

his stuff is really not that epic people... 

[Goodwynn]

Jake Dobkin is scum. By night he pretends to be a photographer, and by day he will steal your photographs and post them on his websites without compensation. Then, when confronted with this, he blames someone else that "didn't know any better" and begs you not to sue him because he is "poor and doesn't have much money" He is the worst kind of leech in the new media world.

[baxcarias]

Cool, this is what I like - good work

[writerman242]

I LOVE your work but even if i hated it, i wouldn't BS on here or somebody else's youtube. at least yo uhave the guts to get out there and shoot stuff....the fools being nasty and critical are just that ...nasty. pathetic losers. keep it up man..you're actually doing society a favour recordihng these changing places..well done!

[marcoferraz]

KEEP THE GOOD WORK !!! DON'T LISTEN TO SOUR AND EMPTY WORDS.....LIKED THE COLOR OF YOUR PHOTOS....CHEERS FROM BRAZIL

[Whatevah232]

You could get so much more out of your pictures if you'd use a view camera, seriously.

[KARBONIZM]

why does he keep bringing up Ansel Adams?

[michaelkecki]

@KARBONIZM they been beefing for a while

[nannivena]

WTF?

[waytoosquirrelly]

I really enjoyed your video and the few photos you show in it. I can see how an exhibit of your work might be a lot of fun to see, how it might be successful commercially. Thanks.

[mbogdanvv]

This dude is afraid of people, and mostly he is a geek with a camera, walking around, taking pictures. Nothing special. We won't see him around too much.

[JABUSTWOREK]

Nice work !!! good job

[jjjjjenkins]

To all the critics - go out and do it your way but stop running this photographer down.

Great work!

[poorperson]

i think i toked in front of that wall once

[Yarbols]

yeah... ansel adams was a pussy. no way he could navigate my menus... i'm just like him, only better. I have tech. I am the photographic Neo.

(i also have no idea how embarrassed I should be with myself)

[haflife84]

Love your passion and your shots Jake. Some of the haters here just make no sense. Keep it up and good luck!

[JeanAlan72]

Poo Poo to the haters comments here. Good stuff Jake. Loved your photoblog!

[primoguyz]

people wouldn't talk as much shit if he was using a view camera.

really nice stuff.

[lolmac2001]

Your images are really good you have something to say thats the important thing, The boundary between pro + non pro these days is totally blurred . If some people dont like your stuff tell them what Picasso used to say to his crtics " **** em " .So keep on keeping on, good luck..

[DBentham65]

Enjoyed the video, street photography is one of my interests. Having my interesrt boosted after visting New York last year, I'am longing to go back and shoot some more.

[djkross123]

nothing great at all... they just have nothing that draws me in. i appreciate the dedication though.

[MadameBeekeeper]

@djkross123 I think your opinion may change if you spent time checking out the photos on his blog. Many of them truly are astounding.

[StuartHughes2990]

@djkross123 They're the kind of photos people look back on. These photos are like a time capsule.

[ballihothi88]

the work is great , great respect for you but photography best viewed at 900 X 600 pixels and internet as its prime medium scares me though its true but nothing beats see photography in books and prints,clicking a picture and just seeing it on computer monitor is not satisfying for me .

[troppofiato]

Like your work a lot. Some of the criticism here sounds like sour grapes to me.

[lloplop]

boring.

[drix01]

Ansel Adams !comparisons should not be made.

[ichirootaniguchi]

great shots

but he holds the lens and camera like an amateur..........

[afterthebeep]

how do you hold it professionally?

[renebruunphoto]

Blue Jake, enjoyed the video very much.

[Carterofmars]

I was looking a street photography vids on You-tube and discovered you on on NYC Street Shots. There is a wonderful structure on North 8th. street between Bedford and Driggs on the Northside. It's a red brick building; no windows but definitely dominates that block. I've loved it since a boy. Also there is an old bank structure on Grand street between Berry and Kent (somewhere in that two block stretch). One story and strong. Anyway, I like what your doing.

[Domowoi2]

pretty boring....

[WhiteyRavensTH]

pretty usual pics for me...but the most important is that he's satisfied with them. There is not "true photography".

[Paranoidish]

great attitude but not talented

[DMVFreshSOB]

This is nice!

[shane6003PQ]

He compared his silly wall picture to work you find at MoMA? what planet was he shat out of? His "hipster clothes" -somehow he's connected to being raised in the ghetto.

[fodera6]

Well aren't you a humble chap? "The same hipster clothes?" WTF? You WANT to be a hipster? In that case, you're documenting your own hand in the destruction of these neighborhoods. Anzel Adams? This is too much.

[fenceless]

Who contributed the music for this video? I don't see the music credited anywhere (as of 5-21-09). Thank you.

[shane6003PQ]

It's funny but he's a typical beginner using the XT or an XTi entry level camera.

also ansel doesn't need a computer to make incredible prints, he did it by hand, with tens of thousands of pictures...

[therealjacegrones]

Tens of thousands? Where did you get this number? So you are saying that Ansel had over ten thousand finished prints, fully dodged and burned? As well, if you actually knew anything about Ansel Adams you would know he was totally open to computers, and was excited that students of photography would be able to re-develop his works using computer technology down the road.

[shane6003PQ]

You'd know he made over 1300 unique prints, and duplicated them over and over in the darkroom if you knew much about him yourself...

When he died computers capable of imaging let alone photo quality imaging didn't exist (he died in 1984 by the way), he did a fine job in the darkroom, why care what others are doing with digital imaging? In the 80s and earlier, people would mass produce photos with actual negatives (original or dupes) not digitally scanning until 1985 when they came out.

[specialkboi34]

he's a ill photographer. i vist his website all da timee. he 's got me wanted to go back to boston and do what he is goin.

[juanktru]

Your photos are great!

[Kaneblind]

oh i am ansel adams ghost

just kidding youre great man

[mrdre1019]

interesting

[sgs5000]

lol, he's comparing himself with ansel adams...

anyway, thank you for sharing!

[slimshaded]

Jake I must say I find this video very motivating. I visited your website once it ended and I must congratulate you for your great job. Updating so frequently must be though, that's way I appreciate most of your pics. Keep on shooting mate. Great job.

[pboscophoto]

good work.

[paul78p]

i'd find this inspiring if i worked in an office 9 to 5 and didn't know a thing about photography and/or art.

[dyl479]

you should be careful before you believe that your photos bear any resemblance to paintings in the museum of modern art.

you might also want to wait for the light to become less boring. its not like the subject matter is carrying the photos.

[Chibs]

He says it himself, people take the same shots he does. That should've been a sign to check with yourself what you're doing wrong. Unoriginal shots of buildings that in every shot recycle the same composition, is perhaps nicer for a short series if nice at all, but seriously limiting yourself if you call yourself a photographer. If you call a wall an abstract, you don't quite know what an abstract is. If you frame your shots within three seconds, then maybe you should think some longer.

[paul78p]

photos are no good

[spoier]

What an insightful critique, paul78p, thanks so much for sharing.

[thetttttttttttt]

neither are you, suck my dick

[NomadFlavor]

Nice to see you doing what you do. At least we are on the same wave length with the same idea/motivation. Thanks for the Chronicle!

[foggie]

The bit about seeing another hipster on the street with the same camera and clothes made me laugh. I admire people who know what they are and know how other people perceive them and are OK with that. Although I must admit I am not an admirer of his work.

[Sefardisafran]

Jake, congratulations! I am an old admirer of your work not only because the meaning inerests me but because as a "casual" SP is a way to learn and notice what yeterday I didn't see.

Again, congratulations, you are super-guy my friend!

Sefardisafran

Hoboken NJ

[traclayton]

I got some serious inspiration from watching this video. I need to dust off my Canon 20D and revive my photoblog. I'm sure I'll be referring to this video often.

[PaulLeary]

Life is so interesting - I loved this piece - very inspiring.