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The City That Never Sleeps: New York Photographer Lindsey Trimble

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It’s easy to see why we fell in love with the work of Lindsey Trimble. The New Yorker has an impressive body of work resembling a look-book meets candid photo album, a true collision of reality and beauty. His subjects walk the streets of New York City while he snaps photos, doing what most photographers these days try their hardest to mask -showcasing people in their realest form. This may be the true beauty behind Lindsey’s work. Seeing the personality of each individual he catches. Who they are in that moment immortalized by his lens.
This collection of work is not only inspiring but extremely entertaining to view. Check out the latest feature of Lindsey’s work in SOCIAL the Lifestyle Magazine’s Winter issue and our exclusive interview with him here.
Lindsey, I know you best for your amazing street photography but all in all, how do you summarize what you do?
I would say that I am a photo journalist/style reporter. I showcase new and interesting looks through my social platforms, but ultimately its not about the clothes but the people wearing them. Their attitudes and the interesting stories they tell me, or who I assume they are by what they are wearing that day.

Can you tell me a bit about how you got started in photography? Were you trained in photography or self-taught?

I’m completely self taught. Mostly everything I know, I learned from YouTube and real world experience. I began shooting less than a year ago. I first started by taking pictures of graffiti and random stuff, but I quickly learned that walls don’t talk back or appreciate your hard work. I needed feedback, so I started shooting people. I didn’t know anything about street style.

What’s your typical workday routine?
I wake up, read my emails and check my Instagram feed to see what the other top street style guys shot. This is how I get inspiration and motivation. If I have any good shots I will post 1 or 2. Then I get dressed and hit the streets (if I don’t have any paid gigs). I love Soho of course because that’s where you can dress how you want and be whoever you want to be. I get a lot of great shots there. I also love the Meatpacking District and Madison Ave. for higher end fashion looks. After that I come home, I upload my shots and edit for a while and work on my website SohoMafia.com.
What magazines have you previously been featured in?
Z!NK, BellaNYC, NYLON guys for print. Vogue.com, Complex.com, a lot of other smaller blogs and now SOCIAL. I have also worked with Glamour, Reebok and Bebe.

What’s one thing you think is integral to the work of an artist?

I think you have to be ambitious and self driven. You have to be patient and humble, but you also have to know your worth and accept nothing less.

What role does the artist (like yourself) have in society?

Artists play a major role in society. We express ourselves through art (acting, photography, dance, music). Art can mean whatever you want it to mean, so it opens the imagination up to explore. Something may look or sound sad to one person and inspirational to another.

How has your photography changed over time?

I feel like it has definitely progressed from when I first started. I made so many mistakes in the beginning. I messed up or missed a million amazing shots (laughs). Now I study other photographers that I like in my field like Adam Katz Sinding (Le-21eme.com), Michael C. Dumler (OnAbbotKinney.com) and Nabile Quenum (Jaiperdumaveste.com) Those guys are the best at what they do. I don’t feel like I am too far behind them in quality but, they all have a lot more experience than me and great eyes for street style and fashion photography.

When did you decide to take it to the streets?
February 2014. That’s when I got fired from my stupid retail job and decided that I should work for myself. I’m a creative person and I was dying inside, wasting my life away at a job where individuality was looked down upon. I encourage everyone to surround themselves with fun creative people. We make the world go around.
What kinds of reactions do you get from your subjects when they see their images later?
They love them. I have a lot of people on social media tell me they have never gotten so many likes on a picture before or clients sending me thank you emails. I love to make people happy with my pictures. Sometimes I take pictures of someone’s dog or kids and email it to them just because. People see me with this $5000 camera and say “Hey can you take my picture (with their camera phone), and I say “I’ll take one with my camera and email it to you.” They love that and it makes me happy to make other people happy with a great picture. One model girl asked me to take one picture down because her agency wouldn’t like it. I was mad at first but then I understood.

What themes do you pursue when creating a new piece?

I’m looking for something kind of edgy with attitude. A lot of models have attitude. I like that. It’s a challenge to shoot models on the street because they do it for a living. You have to win them over.

What’s your favorite photo thus far?

The one I haven’t taken yet.

Can you describe a real-life situation that inspired you?

The first time I saw my work in print was amazing. To be able to go to Barnes and Noble and see a physical magazine with my images in it was amazing. What was even greater was sharing the magazine with the people whose pictures I had taken. That day was one of the best days of my life. I felt like I had succeeded and wanted to experience that feeling again and again.

What memorable responses have you had to your work?
I was introduced to a woman at an event I was shooting for as a street style photographer. I heard the event coordinator tell the woman as I walked away “He has an amazing way of capturing details.” I thought that was awesome.
What’s the funniest or strangest thing that’s happened to you on the job?
This really weird guy kept asking my to take his pic so of course I ignored him. He followed me like three blocks and after I got home and began editing my pics I noticed him standing in the back flipping a bird in like 3 of my pics. Only in New York. I have to give him credit, it was clever because I didn’t see it until I got home. He won.

Do you think art should be funded?

No not necessarily. Art comes from the lack of money I think. People trying to find ways to have fun and express themselves without money. Starving artist should really be starving. That way the art comes before food.

What role does arts funding have for photography and photo journalism?

It doesn’t hurt. I mean obviously my camera wasn’t free but like I said before, art is personal. I think funding for schools is great because kids can at least see at an early age if they want to work in a creative field or if the posses talents early on. That way if they discover those talents they can harness them and build on them. We need those kinds of creative geniuses because they create the new technology that people like me use to be creative. Wow that’s a lot of creativity in one paragraph (laughs).

What is your dream project?
Nobody has ever asked me that before. I don’t really know. Making money taking pictures was my dream only 6 months ago so I guess I’m living my dream now. I guess my next goal/dream is an editorial spread then a campaign, and a Magazine Cover. I really want to get signed to an agency and shoot models everyday.
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Photos by: Lindsey Trimble www.sohomafia.com

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