Kenneth Wajda: How a Classic Camera Breaks the Ice

Kenneth Wajda, a commercial and editorial photographer from Colorado, enjoys making street portraits in his spare time. His outgoing and friendly nature helps him approach strangers for permission to take their portraits. His secret weapon? A classic Rolleiflex TLR camera, which he describes as the perfect icebreaker.

Kenneth has written an article about his experience with the Rolleiflex camera for Street Photography Magazine, set to appear in the June 2024 issue on Sunday, June 23.

In today’s discussion, Kenneth shares his approach to street portraiture using the Rolleiflex and Ilford HP 5 film, his settings for different lighting conditions, and his preference for shooting in sunlight. He stresses the importance of engaging with people on the street, sharing experiences from various locations like flea markets and small towns.

A key insight from our conversation is Kenneth’s mantra, “The muse exists, but she has to find you working.” This means that inspiration will come when you start working.

Kenneth, also involved in movie production, uses a copy stand and a Nikon DSLR to photograph negatives for digital use, finding this method more effective than dedicated scanners.

Kenneth recently founded the Rolleiflexers Collective to showcase the work of photographers documenting street life with the Rolleiflex camera. The group aims to share their work and inspire each other.

He strongly believes in the value of meetups, events, and competitions as platforms for photographers to showcase their work and build community. Kenneth also emphasizes the importance of printing your work and finding ways to publish it, even if it means self-publishing through a zine or book.

Quick crappy snapshot by Bob Patterson

Links from the show

• Kenneth’s Website
• Rolleiflexers Collective
• Kenneth’s Street Photos