Andre D. Wagner’s photographs don’t just capture a moment, but also have the power to place you there. Each image resounding with a deep understanding of human nature and our relationships. Andre D. Wagner’s images are a joy to see – they’re all so good – so much so that you can help but find each one jostling for your attention. His black and white street photography being beautifully framed and sharp in contrasts, showing sides to life that we often take for granted.
His inspiration for shoots and why they turn out so well is that he uses his own life experiences; understanding what makes day to day, year to year, with his degree in social work bringing an open honesty, to a sense of help and the truth of life. Nothing is falsified, instead there’s a real reflection of the 21st Century; the images connecting from one to the next, and in doing so revealing different parts of life in New York, while connecting to a wider audience outside of it.
Untitled, 2017, © 2021 Andre Wagner.
The photographs have a sense of passing on messages to the viewers; appreciating what we take for granted, like family and friends, to not fading into oblivion in a crowd. The most apparent essence of Wagner’s work is how we are all part of a society, whilst also seeing within it class, race, age, culture etc. At times the images can be raw, making you question yourself; do you perhaps turn away from the stranger that smiles at you? Cross the street or put your head down to ignore what you don’t want to see? The photographs look at the divisions we place, but also where they meet. But for myself it’s the infectious and joyful images of children that Wagner catches so effortlessly that fill me with hope.
Using traditional techniques infused with the contemporary eye, Wagner develops his films from the negatives to silver gelatin prints, and though his themes and style are strikingly different from the famous Ansel Adams, his images evoke a sense of seeing another master of the monochromatic. Furthermore Andre D. Wagner doesn’t keep his skills to himself, sharing them instead to help others; from using light meters, developing black & white film, to most importantly how to do street photography – check out his tutorials on Skillshare; https://www.skillshare.com/user/andredwagner and maybe you’ll start to see the world a little more clearly.
Untitled, 2017 © 2021 Andre Wagner.
