composition | Suspect Photography

August 23, 2026

Jay Maisel: A Legacy of Visual Clarity in Photography

Jay Maisel (1931-2026) was an absolute force, a photographer whose impact was measured not by a single iconic image, but by an undeniable commitment to seeing the world with relentless clarity. You don’t pin his legacy on one famous frame the way people do with Cartier Bresson or Avedon; instead, his monument is the sheer weight and consistency of his entire body of work, a lifelong testament to light, gesture, and color.

For decades, Jay shaped the landscape of editorial and advertising photography, proving that commercial work did not have to compromise artistic integrity. He brought fine art sensibility, bold color theory, and geometric precision to major magazine covers, high stakes commercial campaigns, and cultural milestones like his iconic cover photograph for Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue in 1959. That moody, blue drenched portrait of Miles blowing into his trumpet became an indelible symbol of jazz history, proving how a single frame can capture the exact mood of a sound.

The most profound lesson Jay imparted to me was uncompromising in its discipline: “You are responsible for every millimeter of your view.”

That single phrase changes how you stand behind a camera, demanding total ownership of the frame. There are no excuses for a distracting element in the background, a soft corner, or a sloppy edge. If it exists inside the four borders of your viewfinder, you put it there, or you allowed it to stay there. Jay forced photographers to stop taking snapshots and start constructing compositions with radical intentionality.

One of my students who was a good amateur photographer once had a portfolio review conducted by Jay and was famously told by Jay, “Stick with the camera clubs kid”. That was the brutal honesty that Jay imparted. He did not suffer the fool, and told it like it was. He was painfully honest, like it or not.

Beyond frame ownership, Jay left us with several other foundational principles that every working photographer carries into the field:

Gesture Trumps Subject: Jay consistently taught that a mundane object illuminated with energy and gesture makes a far better photograph than a famous landmark captured flatly.
Color as Content: He treated color not as a decorative accent, but as a core narrative element capable of carrying emotional weight on its own.
Protect the Work: Decades after shooting Kind of Blue, Jay fiercely defended his copyright against unauthorized adaptations, showing that a creator must protect the integrity of their work just as intentionally as they craft the frame.
Always Be Looking: Up until his final days, documented so movingly in the film Jay Myself, Jay walked out the door with a camera around his neck. He lived the philosophy that inspiration is not something you wait for, it is something you actively hunt by staying present.

His presence in the medium showed the world what it truly means to live a life devoted entirely to visual awareness. His legacy lives on in every photographer who pauses before pressing the shutter, steps back, checks the edges of the frame, and takes full responsibility for the picture they are about to make.

Thank you, Jay, for your contribution to photography and for being that voice in my head every time I compose an image in my viewfinder.

Hail the traveler.

~David Brommer August 23rd, Milan

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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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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

May 20, 2024

Suspect Photography Assignment- Street Photography in the Tradition of Henry Cartier Bresson

Peter Pickering added as editor! Read below for details!

The Britannica Definition:

“Street photography, a genre of photography that records everyday life in a public place. The very public nature of the setting enables the photographer to take candid pictures of strangers, often without their knowledge. Street photographers do not necessarily have a social purpose in mind, but they prefer to isolate and capture moments which might otherwise go unnoticed.”

Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French artist and humanist photographer considered a master of candid photography, and an early user of 35mm film. He pioneered the genre of street photography, and viewed photography as capturing a ‘decisive moment’.

I have been contemplating the relationship between Travel Photography and Street Photography for a few years now. Traditional travel photography that bases itself on “Sense of Place” (as explained by my mentor Bob Krist), benefits tremendously from the addition of “Street” technique. By imbuing “Rhythm of Place” (as stated by Steve Simon) with a human element, you achieve a high level photograph. I also believe that a stern practice of both Street and Travel will produce an extremely interesting body of work! Essentially, placing the human condition into the city/landscape and capturing the perfect exposure that requires timing and command of Bresson’s “Decisive Moment”.

This year, Steve Simon and I have been teaching many Street Photography workshops, and I’m very excited to share what I’ve learned by critiquing your images. This assignment, will also present an excellent primer for those who are unfamiliar with street photography.

Instructions to submit an image to the review:

You may upload ONE image that fits the above criteria as Street Photography in the Tradition of HCB.
Upload ONE 2-5 mb jpeg. Images must follow this naming convention: firstname_lastname.jpg ie: david_brommer.jpg and not have a water mark. Images will only be used for a one time recorded critique. By following the naming convention you will receive credit for your work in the form of a shout out during the review.

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT IMAGE IS JUNE 14TH.

The reviewers will choose their “Best in Class” and the winner will receive a $150 Discount to any of the upcoming Suspect Photography workshops.

Submit Image

Peter Pickering, the Australian Photographer who is the founder of the popular street photography Facebook group, “Street Photography Cartier-Bresson Inspired” has agreed to come on as a photo editor of the upcoming Suspect Photography Assignment/critique. Peter Pickering will be choosing 10 submitted images for Steve Simon and David Brommer to discuss live on Zoom and recorded to Youtube.

Learn more about the Spring 2025 NYC United Nations Street Photography Workshop

October 16, 2014

The Aesthetic of Compositional Perfection and Post Production

The fog was thicker than pea soup at the Dickey Ridge Lodge.

I’m one of those odd people who throw on a heavy backpack and hike in the woods for days. I have been doing it for a long time now, at least 25 years. I have a dwindling network of friends who I go on these hiking trips and we fancy to call our selves Trailpounders. Among all the miles I have hiked in pristine wilderness across many states I am reluctant to carry a cameras, or serious one at least. The reason being weight, and getting the picture right. Cameras can weigh quite a bit, and add to that good lenses so that you can make high quality photographs is daunting when you’re crossing mountains and pushing every fiber of your body to keep moving up switchbacks.

I have been tasked by B&H & Sony to create a program on the RX10. The focus of the program will be, “Travel Composition with the RX10”. To prepare for the program I have been shooting exclusively with the RX10 and pushing what it can do while learning what it cannot do. I’m familiar with the camera, and those who follow my blog will recall the initial review of the RX10 I wrote and shot a little under a year ago.

Elderly folk appreciating the park. They moved slow, but stuck a cord inside me. America’s National Parks are for everyone, every age.

This past weekend the Trail Pounders planned a four day hike in the beautiful Shenandoah National Park. Since I was working on material for the presentation, I figured this would be the perfect place to shoot with the RX10 and put it to test doing some nature photography. I would suck up the weight (1.79 lb / 813 g with battery and memory card) and stuff the camera in my trusty Moutainsmith Frost Fire pack.

The trip was excellent and pretty heavy duty. I’m not getting any younger and that pack isn’t getting any lighter. I felt I could have reached for the camera more often, but hiking (especially in a group) is an act all of its own. We managed to traverse about 17 miles in three days which didn’t afford me much lens time. On the trail we crossed a pine covered mountain top (Neighbor Mountain) and ran the ridge. I came across these interesting pine cones that had survived a fire, called a pack break and took some photos. I did my “composition dance” and moved around trying to find that perfect angle to capture the pine cones, you know that angle, the one with a perfect background and every branch facing the right direction? Well I couldn’t find it. I just couldn’t get the lens, the pine cone, and what I wanted to capture groove.

Pine Cone as it was shot- no editing.

As I sat editing I thought, “I was so close… but darn those extra branches”… I saw them when I shot and figured they would not cut my mustard. It was then that I figured I’d work them in post and try to rescue them. This wouldn’t be retouching per sey , but more compositional rescue. I busted out my trusty Wacom table and set to it. After the image was cleaned up I ran it through Silver FX and finished it to my personal standards.

Did I succeed? Did I just polish a turd? I always joke that I have taken so many bad photographs that when I do shoot now, it’s with a great intensity to only shoot what is decent if not compositionally perfect. But now, when the world is simply not cooperating it might be safe to shoot the best you can, and then do some very heavy post to get it right. Ethically I’m not 100 percent behind this, but I do feel good that at least the option is open. What do you think?

Here are a few more from the first edit. I shot in jpeg and used the creative modes that are built into the RX10 such as “Autumn Leaves” and “B&W”. Each image is taken into Photoshop and massaged.

Home and Shelter. I have had this tent since 1993.

Hiker JA- one of the Trail Pounders founders. Note, a circular polarizer was used to clear up the water behind Joe.

SHAZAM! Joey V, he was a Trail Pounder for years and didn’t even know it.

Fall Leaves straight up.

The lone tree sits in the fog.

I’ll post a link to the RX10 Presentation when it goes live. If you don’t live near NYC, we will be recording the presentation and I’ll post that too.

Till then, this Trail Pounder is signing off!

The three last Trail Pounders.

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February 16, 2014

Climbing the Mountain – Thoughts on Finding Photographic Style

Rancho Los Cruces, Baja California Peninsula, Mexico. Sony RX10

The Mountain. No, I’m not talking about a character form a George Martin novel or a Janes Addiction song. I’m talking about a vast project and desire to create something amazing. The Mountain is all the work ahead of you, all the plans, the complications, the raw effort. The Mountain soars in front of you, its height is dizzying and when you are in the shadow of the mountain the temptation to do nothing, to not try to move forward freezes you. Letting the mountain daunt you will be the equivalent of rolling over and going back to sleep, thus condemning you work to photographic mediocrity. But you are stronger; you will climb the mountain and figure out how to let your photographic voice soar in an orgy of style that will define your photography!

Adapting to the brutal winter of 2014 in NYC. Fujifilm Xpro1 18 mm f2.0

The way to go over the mountain of work ahead of you is actually quite easy. Take one step at a time and keep moving. I would now like to introduce you to something everyone one of us has in their pocket, The Goal Compass. Every great person who achieves something wonderful sets their goal compass and moves in that direction with little deviation. This doesn’t just apply to photographers, imagine Christopher Columbus and the mountain he had to climb to discover the new world. He needed ships, he needed sailors, he had to break a history of convention that stated what he wanted to do was impossible. The planning took over a decade, but he stayed the course and made his spot in history. He could not be deterred and every movement he made was aimed towards his goal. We are not explorers seeking the New World, we are photographers, and fortunately our goals are easier than Columbus.

However the Mountain does stand before us and it can be daunting. By setting the goal compass on plateaus to traverse you will be amazed at the creative ground you will cover. Here is style deconstructed and that which reveals a simple formula serving as a map to travel over the mountain in the most expedient way.

Master the camera and lens you are utilizing. Use a specific technique to create the image and perform specific post process treatments.
Find subject manner you want to explore deeper. This is idea made reality in the camera viewfinder.
Create a body of work around the subject and place by using the same camera and techniques.

The Euclidean triangle that is the base to developing photographic style. At what point on the triangle are you?

Note: This is an exert from my upcoming book on Finding and Developing Photographic Style. Want to learn more? Come to Brommer’s Style and Composition in NYC Workshop in April.

Tag: composition

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Master the camera and lens you are utilizing. Use a specific technique to create the image and perform specific post process treatments.

Find subject manner you want to explore deeper. This is idea made reality in the camera viewfinder.

Create a body of work around the subject and place by using the same camera and techniques.

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