Interested in photography or looking to learn more about street photography? A Tampa resident is bringing photographers together for a community meetup in downtown Tampa on May 30.
The Street Photographer Gathering will take place at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park beginning at 2 p.m., where attendees of all experience levels can explore the city, take photos and meet others with similar creative interests.
“Street photography is a great way to explore the city. It's a lot of fun. It gets you out walking, and I've met so many people just walking around and have created new friendships,” said event host and health care provider for James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital’s Alvaro Calvillo.
Calvillo said street photography became an important hobby for him while serving in the military. At first, he was unsure about the medium, but after exploring the art form and meeting people who shared similar interests, it quickly became a meaningful outlet for connection and creativity.
“There are a lot of people who want to do it but are anxious about getting out there and walking around and would rather do it with people to feel more comfortable and follow along. Then after a while, they kind of get the jitters out and can go on their own next time,” he said.
Street photography is a genre of photography that captures candid moments of everyday life in public spaces. Calvillo said capturing the emotions, activities and behaviors of everyday people is what drew him to the medium because there is always something new to photograph.
This is the first event Calvillo has hosted, and he said the response has been overwhelmingly positive. He expects more than 100 attendees.
Depending on turnout, Calvillo and other experienced street photographers plan to divide attendees into smaller groups that will walk throughout downtown Tampa for two to three hours capturing photos.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a camera, fully charged batteries, comfortable walking shoes and water. Those without a camera are also welcome to participate using their cellphones.
“You get to capture people and events that are etched in time forever. Then seeing the photos and how they came out is exciting,” Calvillo said. “You can take pictures of people inside eating, bicyclists, animals or your own reflection. Maybe you will see something in the background behind you, and it could be magical.”
Calvillo said the event is about more than photography and hopes it helps build a stronger creative community in the Tampa Bay area.
“I think it would be really cool to get a community of street photographers and actually start some learning groups,” he said.
The event is free and open to the public. Photographers can learn more on Instagram at unconventional_photograph. Calvillo also plans to expand the meetups with future events in St. Petersburg.
“There is creativity all around us,” Calvillo said.