How did you first come across Camera of the Month Club, and what made you want to join the collective? Was there something about the community or mission that resonated with you as a street photographer?

I saw an ad for CMC on Instagram, and had been looking for a place to show my work and get feedback from other photographers. I think Instagram, Reddit, and social media in general can end up feeling very depersonalized, and looking at three-inch wide photos for ten seconds on your phone isn’t ideal for viewing any sort of art. Printing my photos and bringing them to actual other photographers to discuss and critique felt like a welcome change from that. The open and welcoming vibe of CMC made me feel right at home, and seeing everyone else’s work was equally as inspiring. Getting insight into how others work as well as the important discussions of shared challenges and speed bumps is something you can really only get via an in person connection.

Your street portraits have such a distinct energy. Can you walk us through your process when you're out shooting? How do you decide who to photograph, and what draws you to this way of working at this point in your practice?

It’s hard to say. I generally just shoot things I find interesting, beautiful, or out of place in some way. Mostly I go with the flow and try not to think too much, but lately I have been trying to be a little less “obvious” in my composition and explore outside my comfort zones. My shots can have a lot of dead space, so I’ve been trying to create more flow across the entire picture. Sometimes I’ll set a goal for the session of “layering,” “filling the frame,” or even just finding an interesting subject and not focusing at all on composition, but when you’re in the moment, it can be hard to actively think about anything. It’s most important for me to let go, and try to “live” in the street as much as possible. I tend to see and feel so much more when I’m in that space.

There are also many days when I feel completely uninspired, and that everything I shoot is a dud…but the funny thing is that when I get the rolls back from the “good” days and the “bad” ones, I can’t really tell the difference. That says something about continuing the practice even through periods of low motivation. I think the low points are disheartening but important, because when we bounce back from those, we’re usually different or evolved in some way.

How has being part of CMC shaped your perspective or influenced your work? Have there been any memorable prompts, collaborations, or critiques that pushed your creativity in a new direction?

I’m still fairly new to CMC, but the community vibe is what I really love. It can be daunting to print and show art, which is by its nature incredibly vulnerable, especially in a forum that invites criticism. Breaking the ice of showing at CMC has given me more confidence to explore and share aspects of my work I’m still figuring out, and has shown me that everyone goes through challenges and evolution. There are many photographers in CMC whose work I admire, and seeing their process has been incredibly valuable and inspiring. There is a great balance between folks uplifting others and also providing critique and insight.

Can you share 3–5 images from a recent series or street project you're excited about?
We’d love to hear more about what inspired these photos and any stories behind them.

Honestly, at this point in my “journey” I don’t really have a series or even project - my only goal is to shoot as much as I can. These are five pictures over the last three months I’ve been happy with. They feel tender or important to me for some reason, though to be honest I couldn’t tell you more than that!

Member Spotlight: Nick Grinder