"In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present." - Francis Bacon

"Character, like a photograph, develops in darkness." - Yousuf Karsh

In this episode, Antonio and Ward welcome back Australian photographer Gavin Libotte for a wide-ranging conversation about street photography, travel, sequencing, and the pull of printed work.

Gavin talks about photographing Japan with his family, moving between color and black-and-white approaches, and how Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Mount Fuji, rainy streets, cherry blossoms, and strong light each shaped the work he brought home. He also shares plans for two Japan zines: one gritty, black-and-white, flash-driven project, and one color zine built around light, contrast, and the visual beauty of the trip.

The conversation turns to Gavin’s zine Passenger, a dark, contemplative body of work made on Sydney’s ferry system. Antonio and Ward dig into the mood, sequencing, negative space, and emotional quiet of the images, while Gavin reflects on public transport as both a literal journey and a metaphor for the human condition.

They also discuss influences including Ray K. Metzker, Trent Parke, Alex Webb, and the physical experience of photography in print: zines, books, gallery walls, paper, ink, pacing, and why printed work still matters in a social-media world.

Links

Gavin Libotte: Website | Instagram

Gavin’s Passenger: Street Attitude feature | Paris International Street Photo Awards listing

Gavin at Head On Photo Festival: Wanderland | 42 Days

Mentioned: Trent Parke | Ray K. Metzker | Alex Webb

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Antonio M. Rosario's Website, Vero, Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook page

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