Hand Me the Camera is Jan’s first offering of her work in a book. It includes many of her favorite images spanning more than five decades of curiosity, passion, art, and “street magic”. It has been thoughtfully presented in a pairing of complimentary images from page to page in an attractive 9.5” x 8” format.
The following is an excerpt from the book’s foreword:
My passion for street photography was inspired in early childhood one day when I stepped off a city bus. A gentleman with a camera approached my mother and asked her to bring me to a little man seated in a miniature car on the sidewalk. I was encouraged to talk to this funny looking fellow, so I carried on quite an animated conversation.
Several days later my father was reading the Sunday newspaper when he called me over to see something special in it. I was quite surprised to see a picture of myself talking to the little man. That black and white picture in the newspaper had captured a moment of me. I was in awe of this magic of a photograph.
I have continued over the decades to pursue “street magic” – ordinary moments and often more dramatic ones. There is so much energy, motion, and context in what a photographer sees on the street. Capturing that in the pure contrast of light and shadow, in classic black and white, allows complete focus on the essence of the image.
I consider my work as giving witness to the world by documenting experience – from the ordinary to the unique – encompassing people and places wherever I go.
There will always be time for one more shot – just hand me the camera.