LomoGraflok Instant Street Portraiture at Picture Man Bob's Brooklyn Office in the Park

Offices aren't just important for 9-5 workers. For photographers like Bob Greco, a.k.a Picture Man Bob, a designated workspace is a necessary part of his work in fostering community and creativity. In his self-declared section of New York's McCarren Park, you can find Bob situated with his 4x5 camera, against a red brick wall that features hundreds of instant photos (all of which are manually set up each day by Bob). These instant photos are all magically taken with our very own LomoGraflok 4x5 Instant Back, which turns large format photography into physical keepsake memories.

On one chilly November evening, we visited Bob in the park to check out what he's been up to with the Lomograflok! Read on for Bob's words and see some of his instant street photos.

Hi Bob and welcome to Lomography Magazine! Can you start off by telling us a bit about yourself and your work?

Hey Lomography! My name is Bob Greco and I am photographer based in New York City. I love to shoot mostly film in different scenarios, but I really love street portraiture, live music, and experimental photography. Instant film is definitely my favorite medium to work with, and I have some pretty fun plans in the future with that.

How long have you been photographing strangers in the park? What is your favorite part about it?

I have been taking photographs for people in the park for about as long as I have started photography, which is about four years. At first, it was me just walking around catching natural moments, offering people a photographic moment and either keeping the instant photo for myself, or passing it on for them to keep. This last year was the first time I decided to set up stationary and have people come to see what I was doing, standing around with this crazy camera from the 1940s. Some of my favorite moments are being able to connect and interact with the community; there are so many incredibly talented and passionate people I have been able to meet! I also love when I am able to take precious family moments that I know people will hold onto for a lifetime.

What are some of the challenges you face while shooting daily in the park?

Luckily, there haven’t been too many challenges. Besides the weather forecasts not being in my favor, and the weather getting colder, everything has been going great! It’s been really nice even on a slower day when I don’t take as many portraits, because I get to talk and interact with people on a more intimate level and get to hear about their passions, and how our energies feed off of one another. The ability to connect and resonate with somebody through art and experiences is personally very satisfying and fulfilling for me, so I love when I have the time to be able to do that with the people that come to get their portrait taken.

What made you choose McCarren Park, and more specifically, what made you choose your spot?

McCarren Park has always been a special place for me. I was living in Greenpoint before I was let go from my job and had to move back with my family this year in New Jersey. Some advice that was given to me few years back by street photographer Jean Andre Antoine was that it's important to have an “office”. A place where people know where to find you, and be able to feed off the environment that’s already provided, while creating your own atmosphere as well. I overlooked that advice for the longest time because I love to bounce around to different parts of the city, but since setting up in McCarren, the past few months have shown me that I should have listened to him a long time ago!

McCarren Park is a great office for me because I love to be able to take portraits for families, people with their dogs, friends who are visiting from outside of NYC, artists, babies, cute couples, people with great fashion, tourists... and there’s always a lot of that happening in the park. I chose my spot because it’s an empty wall space, and it has been amazing to set up a pop up gallery of my work for people to check out!

Do you have a favorite shot you've taken in the park?

Hmmm, I don’t think I have a favorite, but I love when I’m able to have an interaction with someone that has a vision and we get to collaborate and execute the experience together! It’s super satisfying to have the photos come to life and see the look on their faces when their vision was seen through my photographs. I also really love the opposite experience as well, when someone approaches me not necessarily feeling super confident, and we get to work together on making a beautiful photo together! To be able to show someone themselves in a different light is truly such a beautiful thing that I get to do. You never know who is struggling through something, and to be able to potentially get them on a path to better sprits through art is so powerful.

How long have you been shooting in large format and what do you like most about it? What first inspired you to shoot using the LomoGraflok Instant Back ?

I’ve been shooting large format for a little over two years now. I was working at camera store, and my friend, Nick Collingwood, taught a 4x5 workshop in the studio. I’ve always been curious about large format, and although I was working, I peeked my head in whenever there was a slow moment. At the end of my shift, everyone was taking portraits on the rooftop when I asked Nick if I could give the Lomograflok a try. He gave me a quick rundown and allowed me to take a stab at a few portraits. As soon as I pressed the shutter, I instantly fell in love, and when I saw the results, I was sold.

Instant film is definitely my passion, and to be able to take complete control of how you’d like your photograph to come out had me over the moon. To be able to use a camera from the 1940s and use modern technology has been such an incredible way to bring life back into a camera that can shoot sharper than digital cameras.

Do you have any tips or tricks for shooting with the LomoGraflok?

Sure! I recommend purchasing an ND filter for your lens if you are shooting outside, because the Fujifilm Instax film tends to gobble up the highlights sometimes. Also, because you have full capability and control of your camera, go ahead and experiment! Try shooting at slower shutters, playing with flash, or taking multiple exposures. Don’t forget to put your dark slide back on if you end up shooting a multiple exposure and have to put the ground-glass back to recompose and focus your shot. Also, I love to be able to take multiple photos quickly and create a story through emotion – as long as you make sure your subject doesn’t move too much, the photos stay sharp!

Do you have any upcoming projects that you can share with our community?

I feel like there are always so many things I'm working on or trying to get off the ground! I will be back at McCarren park next year when the weather is nicer, and I really would love to launch my office as an open invitation to any artist that would like to share space in a public place. I’m also working towards getting a mini school bus that I will convert into a photo studio and eventually travel all around NYC creating a massive body of work surrounding the Lomograflok back. On the short term end, I just released my first photo book through Barnes & Noble’s self publishing service, and have a few more ideas for books and zines in the near future.

Anything else you'd like to share?

Trust yourself, trust your art! Passion will always find passion. If you truly believe in something, just do it. There will be tons of sacrifices along the road, but if you truly find the thing you were meant to do, don’t ever give up. Stay curious and allow time for rest and play. Don’t be afraid to inspire others while still being inspired yourself. Keep it simple and keep it you.

Typing all these out sound super cliche, but at the same time, it’s the most important advice I can pass along. If it wasn’t for all the amazing people I’ve met on this journey, none of this would have been possible, so thank you to everyone I’ve crossed paths with, and thank you to everyone I will meet in the future! Thank you for allowing me to be a part in documenting your story.

Thanks for sharing Bob! If you'd like to stay connected, you can find him on Instagram or in person at McCarren Park in Brooklyn, NY. For those who aren't able to make it to see Bob's wall gallery in person, he's made a LomoHome album to share it virtually.

written by alexa_alexiades on 2024-01-11 #people