Today we’d like to introduce you to William Karstens.
Hi William, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Street photography started early on while traveling around the world. It became evident that it captures a moment in time and holds it. It was mainly my way of cementing my experiences and was something I looked forward to. One of my earliest intended street photos was of a Russian Sailor in Singapore. It’s continued over time, with a renewed interest starting in 2014. San Diego is inspirational in the vast amount of street photography available to capture.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There are obstacles, but I assume that I am only along for the ride. Of course, day-to-day taking photos on the street comes with a challenge. People sometimes become hostile. Business owners get upset. Timing can be critical based on light, people and what’s going on. Covid changed things, but not in a good or bad way. It simply adjusted how images were captured.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Street photography is my focus. I capture, with minimal edits, what happens in San Diego. Pride is a weird adjective to use for what I do. I’m very happy that I stick to my own internal compass, that I keep with it, and that I do so without a lot of technological manipulation. There are a lot of far better street photographers who capture San Diego. A LOT. If anything sets me apart, it’s perhaps just the dedication to be out, capturing moments consistently and not giving in to the urge to capture what’s trending at the moment.
How do you think about luck?
Luck is huge. You need people, the sun (or lack of sun), angle, distance, cars, trucks, ect all to line up at the exact moment. Or rather, you need to be there in that spot when that lines up. Those moments don’t come back.
Contact Info:
- Email: mundaneskirmish@gmail.com
- Instagram: @mundaneskirmish
