Introducing: Street Photographer Tina Leggio
Let’s face it, New York City is a photographer’s dream. From the towering architecture of Mid-town Manhattan, to the streets of the Lower East Side, there’s so much culture, so much history, so many unique and authentic places to see and explore. This was the inspiration for one of NYC’s hottest Street-Photographers in the game right now, Tina Leggio.
Proving that it’s never a bad thing to have a hot chick taking pictures of stuff, the LES-based photographer has been creating quite a ‘buzz’ as of late with her dope camera work. Tina has been involved in photography since 2005; she was hooked ever since she bought her first ‘point-and-shoot’ camera, eventually graduating to the Nikon D80 DSLR. She now shoots with a Canon T4i. Tina specializes in street photography and loves the realness that comes from capturing candid situations instead of ‘posed’ shots. She is currently putting together two E-books, based on two projects that she has been working on about graffiti/street art in the five boroughs, and urban life in New York, which she hopes to publish by the end of 2014.
Recently GoodFellaz TV’s own Tommy Gunz got a chance to sit down with Tina Leggio at an undisclosed coffee-shop in the city, where we talked about everything: Photography, Pharrell’s “Happy” song, and her ‘eye-paranoia’ (lol). Check out our exclusive interview, as well as her photography below. Enjoy!
Tommy: So when did you first get into the photography-game?
Tina: I would say around 2005.
Tommy: Nice! So tell me me one random fact about you that nobody knows.
Tina: Hmmm, a random fact. Ok, I am paranoid about my eyes (laughs).
Tommy: Your photography is very ‘New York’. Where are you from?
Tina: I’m originally from Brooklyn, now I’m living in the LES (Lower East Side).
Tommy: Where do you find inspiration for you photography.
Tina: Honestly, I just walk and stuff catches my eye.
Tommy: Give me one quick piece of advice for an upcoming photographer.
Tina: Hmmmm, it’s all about the ‘Lighting’. Bad light often leads to a bad picture. Good lighting usually makes for a good picture, no matter what type of camera you are using.
Tommy: What are some of the things that you like to shoot in the city? What catches your eye?
Tina: Whatever catches my eye really. Bright colors, weird hair styles, different colors.
Tommy: For all my aspiring photographers out there, what editing programs do you use for your photos?
Tina: Ehhh, if I do need to use some type of editing program, I use Apature editing. I generally don’t like editing my photos. I like my shots to be ‘real’.
Tommy: Pharrell’s latest song “happy” makes you want to _____?
Tina: Honestly, it makes me want to cover my ears. It was kind of catchy when it was being shown in that commercial, but then the commercial started to be played so much that it was annoying. Then, it started being played everywhere, over and over again that it was overkill. It’s the kind of song that you sing it to yourself without realizing it at first, and then once you do, you get mad at yourself (laughs).
Tommy: Best place in NY for street art is ______ ?
Tina: It sounds cliche, but either Union Square or Times Square. There are so many people that you are sure to walk away with something interesting. You always see interesting people, or sidewalk artists selling their paintings or photographs. My personal favorite place is Union Square. There is a lot going on, but it’s not so crowded as to be overwhelming like Times Square.
Tommy: Best part of living in NY is______?
Tina: I’d definitely say how accessible everything is. There are plenty of places that are open all night, and everything is a short walk of a few blocks. As much as I’d love to live someplace quiet on a few acres of land, NYC definitely has convenience going for it.
Tommy: Most annoying thing about living in NY is _______ ??
Tina: Without a doubt, crowds and noise. I’ve heard plenty of tourists say that NYC is great for a visit but not to live, and I agree. As convenient as it is that things don’t stop, it’s also annoying that things don’t stop. You can never just relax and unwind. People say that New Yorker’s are rude. We’re not. We’re just going on little down-time in a city that never stops moving.
For more from Tina Leggio, check her out online at:
Blog: tinaleggiophotography.blogspot.com
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tinaleggio/
Instagram: TinaL100
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