Suspect Photography

January 26, 2026

From the Vault: “Definitive Erotica” and the Early Days of Suspect Photography

Looking at this video for the first time in 32 years—more than half my life ago—is an incredibly emotional experience. It unlocks so many memories, and as the faces walk into Suspect Photography, little details present themselves that I haven’t thought about in decades. I showed it to Juliette, and her immediate reply was, “We were babies!” This video was captured with a common compact Panasonic VHS camcorder I had on loan at the time, and because it was shot long before the age of smartphones, you can see how people really engaged with the art and each other without a screen in sight. The tape was recently transferred by Legacybox and has been lightly edited and titled.

The early days of Suspect Photography were filled with experimentation and a drive to get closer to both the medium and the photographers themselves. My gallery partner at the time was Susan Cicotte, a photographer from Port Angeles whose work centered on her daughter, Molly. Susan was a feminist who had an uneasy relationship with my early explorations into fetish photography. She flatly declared the work was “porn,” while I took artistic umbrage, and we would spend hours debating the distinction. That friction is where I came up with the name for the exhibition: Definitive Erotica. I wanted to showcase a curated range of work by contemporary photographers so that the viewer could understand the breadth of the genre and effectively build their own definition. We aimed to define and present evidence in a conclusive manner that would elevate the theme of eros.

The two living photographers chosen to exhibit were as diverse as their gender. I met both of them while they visited the gallery to share their portfolios. Karen Johanson, who went by Karin back then, was a local photographer with a disarming smile that granted her access to a wide panoply of young, hip Seattleites. I eventually came to understand that female photographers often have a level of access that male photographers have to work much harder to achieve. The resulting work Karen produced was honest and non-threatening, moving from studio setups to living rooms in equal measure. Regardless of the camera she used, she made her work with love. She is still producing work today, and you can find her at her website, karenjohanson.com.

Karen was a stark contrast to Michael Donnell. Michael was an educated African American artist who had served as a field medic in Vietnam. He was a complex, easily misunderstood man whom I embraced wholeheartedly. Under a tough exterior—complete with a dent in his head from a hit in ‘Nam (which sent him home)—he had a heart of pure gold and was always the first person to throw himself into a situation to help someone. His work was extremely well-crafted; he handled the entire process himself, developing and printing meticulous studio setups with mythological themes. His work was very “alt 90s” and reflected the aesthetic of fetish, shock, and hetero-explorative desire, heavily influenced by Joel-Peter Witkin. When considering his work, you have to remember that his youth was spent in the hell of war. The stories he told me while we drank scotch from his collection were brutish, and the fact that he could contain that darkness to produce the art he made was a testament to his strength. I used to call him the finest stallion in the Suspect Photography gallery stable, and I’m planning to call that old GOAT soon to catch up.

We also included work from an unknown photographer of the 1920s and 30s, printed from a collection of wet plates that English photographer Mark Palmer had acquired. Mark and I spent many nights in the Suspect Photography darkroom contact-printing a selection of those plates. Nothing written survived to give us clues about who this photographer was, but the work was vital to the narrative of the exhibition because it provided a historical anchor from sixty years prior. The resulting video has three chapters: the Installation, the Opening, and a catalog of the work. I should give a fair warning that the catalog of work may be considered NSFW, or however you wish to define it. I hope you enjoy this look back at a very specific moment in our history.

~David Brommer

January 19, 2026

Chasing the Decisive Moment: Reflections on our NYC Winter Workshop By David Brommer

There is a specific kind of silence that falls over New York City when the snow starts to come down. As a street photographer, you spend your life looking for those rare moments where the light, the subject, and the environment align perfectly. This past weekend (January 16–18), during our Passionate Street Photographer Winter Workshop, the city gave us exactly that.

Co-teaching alongside Steve Simon is always a masterclass in itself, but this year was truly unique. We were met with cold, biting wintry conditions, but the reward was a beautiful, magical snowfall that transformed the grit of the Manhattan streets into a cinematic dreamscape.

Chasing the Steam
One of the highlights of this workshop was what I call “chasing the steam.” It’s a bit of NYC lore that many visitors miss: Manhattan is the only city in the world with such a massive district steam system running beneath the streets, allowing buildings to hook up directly for heating.

For a photographer, those iconic white plumes rising from the asphalt are pure gold. They provide layers, texture, and a sense of mystery that is quintessentially “New York.” We spent time teaching the students how to use that steam to back-light subjects and create atmosphere. It was a thrill to see them master the technical challenge of metering for those ephemeral clouds against the dark, wet city streets.

An Intimate Circle of Talent
While the weather and the steam were highlights, the real story of the weekend was the group. With a total of four participants, the workshop became an incredibly intimate intensive. I’ve led many workshops, but I have to say, it was a true honor to be surrounded by such talented students. In such a small group, there is nowhere to hide—and these four didn’t want to. They leaned into the cold, pushed their creative boundaries, and showed a level of technical proficiency and “eye” that made our critique sessions some of the most vibrant I’ve ever been a part of.

Three Days of NYC Soul
We pushed the group hard, covering a massive amount of ground to ensure they saw every facet of the city’s winter personality:

Day 1: The Highs. We kicked things off in Williamsburg before a high-energy shoot at Herald Square. We ended the day at the Edge Observatory and thawed out over a fantastic group dinner at Electric Lemon.

Day 2: The Heart. We moved from the curated art of MoMA to the raw energy of Washington Square Park. The snow began to work its magic as we hit Chinatown, eventually capping the night under the golden light of Grand Central Station.

Day 3: The Icons. We focused on the “Fearless Girl” and the skeletal beauty of the Oculus, wrapping up in the vibrant streets of Nolita and the Lower East Side.

The 10,000 Photographs
We often cite Henri Cartier-Bresson’s famous line: “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.” This weekend, I watched four photographers fast-track their way through that count, producing work that was mature, thoughtful, and evocative.

To our four students: thank you for your resilience in the cold and for sharing your vision with us. Seeing the city through your lenses reminded me why I love this craft. I’m already looking forward to our post-workshop Zoom session to see how those snowy, steamy frames look after a final edit.

Keep shooting.

Day One and Day Three images created using Nikon Z9, 24-120 and 14-24. Day two Fujifilm X100VI was used.

What do you think of making work like this in the deep of winter? Leave a comment.

~David

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January 13, 2026

Lives in Motion: Vera Hershenberg’s Photography Exhibition

Two years ago I received an email from one Vera Hershenberg asking questions about our NYC Spring Street & UN workshop. It took a little pushing and logistical maneuvers, but she joined us on our inaugural workshop. I spent some time working with Vera, making sure she was in control of the camera and getting what she saw in the files. That was Vera’s strength. She “sees” and she goes for it. Over the workshop she earned the nick name “Fearless” because when she raises her camera chasing what she sees, Vera knows no fear. So it was that we worked in the Bronx, Harlem, East Village and the rougher edged neighborhoods for over a year where Vera shined. Her fearlessness rubbed off on the other work-shopers and made them go a little further too. Vera has chosen street photography late in her life and I am honored to be her camera whisperer. She attended the first Suspect Photography Retreat In the Woods and took advantage of the wise instructors to show them her work and help her organize it for an upcoming exhibition. This past weekend was the opening of her show, Lives In Motion – Captured. The show was so excellent, that I’m going to compare Vivian Maier to Vera Hershenberg, albeit with a conditions. For now, let’s let the work speak for itself.

The gallery was located in the Cherry Hill Public Library. Excellent wall space to fill with work. Vera invested in quality framing and had a friend from the local photo group help with the printing (Canon Printers were used).

Vera’s work engaged the viewers.

Girl Talk was made on our spring NYC workshop. I recall discussing it with the class during our review sessions. While I liked the image then, to see it printed properly made the image sing. The geometry is stunning, the gesture beacons, and it’s a true Street Photo of the candid nature.

Gone in a Flash is perhaps my favorite image. It begs a long look and tells so much of a street story taking place across an elaborate composition.

The obligatory old guys sitting behind a bike photo. I think this show hit a number of high notes and many mid-highs, it’s images like these that are the brick and mortar of a show.

And then a Blind Eye is presented. A perfect street photo worthy of a Magnum photographer.

I lead workshops through Williamsburg Brooklyn into the Orthodox enclave. Vera inserted herself into this world with zero hesitation and made compelling work. It’s interesting how the subject reacts to the gender of the photographer. Vera being jewish meant she understood the basic layers of the orthodox, but was also surprised at the depth of religion that plays out in this neighborhood of tennements and storefronts.

Then there is Smoking Dude. This photograph has a long story behind it, and you’ll have to take a street photography workshop from me to hear it or ask in person. To me, this photo is everything that happened leading up to it’s making, and down the block after it’s making.

I believe any exhibition can lead to a meaningful experience. The highest goal is to be featured at MoMa, but until then, start with local libraries, cafes, bars, and shops with nice walls. From there, aim for gallery representation or art shows. If you want to try this world, look for a group show; it lets you enjoy opening night with low costs for printing and framing. If you’re bold, go for a solo show!

You can’t mention Vera with out mentioning Bernie. Bernie is Vera’s loving husband of many years. He may very well be the most reasonable man I know and is a keen photographer as well. Vera keeps him on his toes, and they have a relationship to admire. At the opening Bernie read a touching testimonial to Vera’s accomplishment.

To me, an exhibition of work is the highest form of artistic fulfilment. Websites, Social Media while all playing a part, nothing beats a printed, matted and framed photograph. Yes, I am a traditionalist. But I feel it’s simply the best way to enjoy an image. To complete an exhibition of quality is a major undertaking from a logistics and artistic standpoint. Vera activated her network, set the goal and reached it with aplomb.

I’m not big on birthdays or other “automatic” celebrations. To me, if you want to celebrate, I’d be much more impressed if you celebrated what I did, and so a show is true celebration on accomplishment. To see Vera among her freinds, family and strangers showcasing her work was very warm and well deserved.

My Granny was cool in a horse racing sort of way, but she didn’t make the work that Vera makes. Her children and grand children were in attendance and I wonder how the show will impact them. Certainly Vera has shown them that she is not your average Ma- but a talented, strong, smart and defining exemplar of street photography. Earlier I made a comparison of Vivian Maier to Vera Hershenberg and I’d say that had Vera spent her life in a near hermetic state she would have produced a body of work very similar to Vivian. Except no selfies, Vera is all about the world around her, not about her in that world.

Follow Fearless Vera on IG

If the goal of a photo show is something that attracts you, stay tuned for more inspirational photography from Suspect Photography Education or book a private one hour review to discuss your work.

-David

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December 12, 2025

When is a Photograph Truly “Done”?

DJI Mavic Air 3 Tele Lens, Processed in Camera Raw- Ready to print

We’ve all been there: the meticulous packing of camera gear, the careful selection of lenses, and the anticipation of chasing light. We scout locations, wait for the perfect moment, and then, click. The shutter fires, the photograph is made, and a fleeting piece of time is frozen. But is that precise moment, that initial capture, when a photograph is truly “done”? Hint, it’s not.

For many photographers, the creation process of an image is far from over when the memory card fills. The initial capture is merely the spark, the raw material, a digital or analog negative holding immense potential. The process is a creative continuum that extends well beyond the field, into the necessary and transformative stage of editing. The digital darkroom is where your vision truly takes form; here you refine the light, enhance the mood, crop for impact, and bring out the crucial details that tell your story. This stage is essential in translating what you saw with your eyes to what you felt with your heart. It is the critical step of giving emotional intent a physical, visual language that speaks clearly to others.

Edward Weston’s Darkroom

The final act of creation is the output, the moment you publish, print, or post your photograph to its audience. This is when the work moves from potential energy to a tangible reality. Is it a gallery-quality print, carefully matted and framed, ready to hang on a wall and command attention? Is it a thoughtfully placed image on a page in a book or zine, contributing to a larger narrative? Or is it meticulously prepared and uploaded to the web or a social media site, destined to connect with a global audience, spark conversation, and inspire? Once you put it out there, it’s essentially done.

A photograph isn’t merely “taken”; it’s made. It’s a process that begins with your intent as you pack your gear and culminates when it takes its final, finished form, ready to be seen, experienced, and remembered. Shared. It is done when you’ve expressed your vision to its fullest and prepared it for its intended destination, whether that’s a single discerning eye or the whole wide world.

Warning, continuing with this blog post might contain NSFW images.

A few nights ago my wife Barbara and I attended the Whitney Museum of American Art’s holiday member’s night. When we were about to leave I reached for my Fujifilm X100mkVI and then thought better of it, we’d be going to dinner at Pastis afterwards and the camera would be a lightweight burden, besides, I have my trusty Iphone 16 Pro. What is the best camera? Yea, you know the answer to that if you’ve read this far into the article.

As we walked through the galleries, past surreal camels, we came upon this scene and I pulled out the iPhone and ran to frame and make this photo. The subject was standing still, admiring the piece and my usual luck is “get in position, subject moves out of position”. But not this time. I was able to make a few photos fast zeroing on composition.

Crooked horizon, poorly cropped feet.. my first shot was off.

Made some corrections and then she began to walk away. The window for this photo was over. However, due to all those years of making bad photos I was able to capture a good photo. Later that night I sat in bed editing the image in Apple’s proprietary editing suite and adjusted to this final image.

Was it done? Not quite yet, I then uploaded to my instagram and now….

The photo is done. See more on the Suspect Photography Instagram.

-David

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November 11, 2025

Exploring NYC’s Fall Colors: A Photography Workshop

The Inaugural NYC Fall Colors and Shades workshop was an absolute triumph! Our class of five intrepid photographers crossed islands and boroughs, immersed in the brash display of predominantly yellow and deep red foliage that defined the season. This workshop was designed to challenge you to see the city in a new, integrated light, focusing on city parks (both large like Central Park & Governors Island, and micro-sized). We spent our days mastering two distinct and powerful aesthetics: the timeless drama of black & white and the stunning visual feast of fall color, capturing the narrative of the city through graphic lines, stark contrast, and the warm, rich hues of autumn.

Brandon Remler showed up and did our class picture in infra red

What an amazing three days! We concluded our journey through NYC’s most beautiful and compelling locations with a gallery-ready collection of stunning images. Our core focus on blending landscape and street photography allowed us to capture the quiet, timeless grandeur of Central Park’s massive oak trees, only to pivot and frame the fleeting, human moments of urban life. The assignments were met with incredible dedication, showing students expertly incorporating experimental techniques like ICM (intentional camera movement), Pans and specific concepts like thinking in triptych.

Day One: Park Elegance and Museum Inspiration

Using the Nikon Z9 14-24 f2.8 & 24-120 f4 made it easy to nail the “postcard” shot

Our first day was a study in classic New York elegance, beginning in Greenly Square and quickly immersing us in the golden light of Central Park. We circumnavigated the lakes, explored the iconic Bethesda Terrace, and captured the classic New York vistas. After a restful lunch, the Man Ray show at the Met provided profound inspiration, shifting our focus to stark contrast and surreal narrative. The evening culminated in capturing the warm, directional light of sunset at Cleopatra’s Needle, ending the day with dramatic, silhouette-ready images.

Day Two: Water, History, and Greenwich Village Grit

Govenors Island is a photo composition paradise

We kicked off Day Two with a nautical adventure, sailing out from the Battery Maritime Building to Governors Island. This provided essential, clear-air perspective on the Lower Manhattan skyline and Lady Liberty—a powerful exercise in urban landscape photography. Massive oaks with turning leaves in a maritime enclave was explored with an eye for ruinism. After returning, the focus shifted to “urban park” street photography in the Village. From the vibrant life inside Washington Square Park and across the village to Tompkins Square park’s skater haven, we explored the rich character to these parks, pushing our cameras to capture the fleeting moments that define New York’s personality on a perfect fall day. After dinner at Momofuko, we all began the task of editing for the next day’s critique session.

Fishermen in silhouette with Lady Liberty in the background. How much more NYC can you get?

Day Three: Chelsea and the Hudson River Canvas

Little Island is a city treasure- in all seasons but Fall is very special

Our final morning began with bagels, coffee and an inspiring critique session, where the group submitted 12 final images, demonstrating huge leaps in editing confidence. Afterwards, energized, we took to the streets of Chelsea, documenting the architecture, townhouses, and creeping foliage. The afternoon was devoted to the waterfront, starting at the modern, organic architecture of Little Island and concluding with a walk on the High Line. This blend of nature and modern design provided the perfect final challenge, allowing everyone to synthesize the week’s lessons and complete the workshop with a fresh, comprehensive portfolio.

One of the assigments was to present a triptych of the days locations.

WORKSHOP GALLERY

I was pleasantly surprised at the adoption of color to my vision. I’ve been living in a black and white photography universe exclusively for the past decade when I swore off color. I really enjoyed seeking out the color of the landscape, as opposed to the contrast. I think this workshop has opened me up to a softer stance on making color work.

Washington Square Park Legend, Joey Chess

If you were concerned about my satisfaction with working in color, I did make a series of images in black and white during the three-day workshop. Yes, black and white does have its place in the fall colors. Long live the B&W image!

Having the Man Ray exhibit anchor day one was key, because one of the assignments for day two was to make an image in homage to Man Ray. It proved to be very difficult, but the class pulled through and leveled up.

We are repeating this workshop in 2026. I’m sure it will sell out, so if the above tickels your aperture, then hop on over the NYC Fall Colors & Shades 3 Day Workshop Home and seize your spot. Limited to 6 and will sell out as it’s priced with a good value.

Learn More & RSVP 2026 Workshop

November 6 – 8 2026

October 20, 2025

Mastering Photographic Styles: Insights from a Five-Day Workshop

I recently taught the “Finding & Developing Photographic Style” workshop for the second time, and it was a very positive experience. With only three students, the personalized instruction and individual feedback were exceptional, making it feel more like mentorship than a regular class. I am amazed by the students’ work over the five days.

Highlights of the Content and Structure:

The structure of the five-day workshop was superb, perfectly balancing inspiration, practical application, and in-depth review. The daily profiles of master photographers, such as Andre Kertesz, Helen Levitt, and Sally Mann, provided essential historical context and tangible examples of established photographic styles. This foundation made the field assignments feel more purposeful.

The itinerary was meticulously planned to maximize both learning and shooting opportunities. From the practical “Rock Leaf Tree” assignment on day one, designed to immediately engage with editing and style deconstruction, to the stunning outdoor locations like Elmer’s Barn, Beauchamp Point, the Rusty Truck Quarry, we were constantly applying new concepts in varied settings.

Every Student got a turn at the control sticks of a DJI Mavic to explore Drone Photography.

Sending out the Drone past Beuchamp Point unlocked hitherto unavailable vistas to photograph like a Seagull at flight.

The full-day devoted to The Narrative Morning & Model Session at Vesper Hill was particularly invaluable for learning how to direct a subject while maintaining a personal vision. Some would say, the work with famed Maine Media Character Model, Peter Patton was out of this world (yes I brought up a space NASA space suit that I’ll be recycling on Halloween).

A Culture of Constructive Growth:

The most significant takeaway was the focus on real-time feedback. The regular editing and review sessions and the rigorous final edit leading up to the mini gallery showing on the final evening, instilled a strong sense of accountability and professionalism. This process helped the students hone the top images and articulate the style we were developing. I was very proud of the work in our class that the students made.

We took a deep dive into Brommer’s Six Points of Photographic Style; Attitude & Emotions, Genre, Technique, Treatment and Presentation.

For anyone serious about moving beyond technical competence to creating work with a distinctive voice, this small-group workshop is an outstanding investment. The high level of personalized attention, refined curriculum, killer locations all make for a great time while achieving photographic style.

2026 Date is Live! This time we’re heating things up with the class from July 13-17. Unlike the quiet fall workshop at the Maine Media Campus, the summer vibe is lively with many students and renowned instructors. Join us; this workshop will fill up quickly—Mid Coast in July is beautiful.

Book Your July 13-17 2026 Workshop Here

July 11, 2025

Exploring the TTArtisan Tilt 50 Lens: A Hands-On Review

As many of us, I’m a gear freak and love optics. I was poking around the Nikon Z lens options on the B&H Website and came across this lens, the TTArtisan Tilt 50. It’s part of this wave of ‘cheap cost’, but ‘not cheaply made’, Chinese lenses. The 70’s were a hey-day of weird, wide, and tele lenses from oddball companies; and then in the 2000’s Lensbaby hit the market. Now with the rise of easy manufacture (barring tariffs) lenses, and manual film/video lens needs, there is a plethora of this type of equipment to try out. Long story short: I bought the lens on speculation, and was pleasantly surprised on all fronts!

I slapped the lens on a Nikon Zf with focus peaking turned off (I found it hard to “see the image” with the shimmering distraction), auto iso on, aperture mode, B&W switched on, Raw. Making sure “ok to shoot without lens” setting is checked. I took a morning stroll on the Highline excited to try out this fine feeling lens.

The lens has two unique controls, one for the tilt and the other direction of the tilt axis. By strategically turning these two, in tandem with the manual aperture, you gain access to a “strip” of in focus view. You can “spin” the lens to make that strip go anywhere. The lens also has a wonder full depth of field bokeh and close 19.7″ / 50 cm minimum focus.

The actual sharpness of the lens is questionable, it’s not a view camera, but that’s not the point. Straight on at F8 it’s sharp, but it falls off the more wide we open. However I found it sharp enough to certainly buy and keep in my gear bag. It’s fun to use and produces unique results.

The lens likes height to give it perspective. Walking the Hhighline was actually perfect with its vantage points and strong horizontal lines.

We cruised out to celebrate the fourth of July out in the Hamptons in the Buick and I grabbed the same combo.

Couple of notes, you have to have deft and strong fingers to maneuver the tilt and rotation functions. A tripod couldn’t hurt, but I used it handheld during my exploration of the lens.

My favorite wall north of MoMa. Vintage camera wall by Brandon Remler.

Shot this one at f16 amined up into the sun through the trees. I wanted to see how much wackadoodle the flare would cause. The result, enough!

Shooting the Tilt 50 at f. 2 to 4 seems best. Shooting wide open at 1.4 makes the circle very tight. Opening up two stops is the “sweet spot”. It’s the dreamy effect. I dig it. Is it gimicky like full frame fish eye? yes. But the Tilt 50 does have its place. I’m thinking a start and finish workout project, shot only with the Tilt 50. The tilt effect makes things tiny and if used correctly, can help telling the story by highlighting via focus on subjects.

I don’t recommend it for straight shooting. Not having the effect makes it less desirable, but still, the bokeh is outstanding and for the cost… Certainly less than Eisenhower’s collar.

That’s the great night photographer Gabriel Biderman and the president of the Duran Duran fan club, Nancy (only kidding, Nan is one of the finest people I call a friend). But in all seriousness, this image illustrates the way the tilt 50 can assist story telling.

It’s a heavy weight lens at 15.9 oz / 452 g. The focus is smooth as well as the click less aperture ring for those who might consider using it for film making. Which by the way, I suspect would be outstanding. Like a way to shoot a memory or a dream sequence. The lens also has satisfactory knurled rings if you were to use with a follow focus device.

Here’s my plan. I’m keeping the lens. At $229 using a payboo card it has great potential with insignificant investment. In the spring I bought the 14-24 2.8 S lens and love it, but at it’s hefty 2k price it doesn’t do what this little extra nifty fifty can do. It comes in all the mounts including Fuji X, Canon, Sony and micro 4/3. Go buy it at B&H and tell me how you like you it.

~David July 2025

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