Photography sometimes requires us to embrace the apparent contradiction that life can be beautiful even when it isn’t pretty. This is something that Serbian-born photographer Boogie understands all too well and is reflected in his raw and unflinching photographic style.
Art is often associated with beauty, but we also look to the artist to show us beauty in the things that seem devoid of it and in the places where we might not think to look for it.
The photographer Boogie was born and raised in Belgrade in what is now Serbia, and would grow up to witness the period of violence and turmoil that led to the destruction of his country—the former republic of Yugoslavia—and its eventual disintegration into a group of separate ethnic states. Out of the war and devastation that surrounded him as a young adult, Boogie evolved a stark and often fearless photographic style that sought to find and reveal the beauty in the desolation around him, and he was not afraid to point the camera into some of the darker corners of human life in order to do so.
In this latest video from Tatiana Hopper, she introduces the amazing street photography of Boogie, who, after moving to the USA from his native Serbia, is now based in Brooklyn, New York. As in all of her videos, Tatiana, who is a photographer herself, brings her artist’s perspective to her review of Boogie’s work and creative process. In her discussion of the deep sense of authenticity that pervades Boogie’s incredible body of photographic work, she describes the importance for him of being fearless and unafraid of getting up close and personal with the people he is photographing. Boogie’s use of wide angle lenses makes this a practical necessity while also creating a deep feeling of intimacy in his photographs.
Over the course of her video, Tatiana showcases a number of arresting and often stark images from Boogie’s portfolio, mostly in black and white, but also with a nod to his color work. If you’re a fan of street photography or black and white photography, there’s plenty here to inspire you. I thoroughly enjoy Tatiana Hopper’s YouTube channel. As I’ve said before, it is one of my favorites, and I definitely recommend subscribing to it and following it if you’re a photographer yourself or somebody interested in the visual arts.
Gordon, this was a great exploration of Boogie’s immersive approach to street photography. His ability to reveal beauty in desolation is a powerful reminder that photography isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about truth. His work carries an unfiltered authenticity that few photographers achieve, and I appreciate how Tatiana Hopper breaks down his process with an artist’s perspective.
As someone who works in fashion and editorial photography, I’m always drawn to the idea of intimacy in an image, whether it’s in a controlled studio environment or the unpredictability of the street. Boogie’s fearless use of wide-angle lenses creates an immediacy that pulls the viewer right into the scene. It’s inspiring to see how proximity and perspective shape the emotional weight of an image.
Have you seen Harry William's work in the streets of San Francisco https://www.harrywphoto.com
Paul Tocatlian
Kisau Photography
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