MPB Meets: Street Photographer Gulnara Samoilova

Former Associated Press photographer Gulnara Samoilova won international awards, including the World Press Photo contest, for her coverage of 9/11. Following trips to China and Cuba in 2012, Gulnara branched out to fine art and street photography—and has since traveled to Brazil, Myanmar, Argentina, Mexico, and Russia. She is now the founder and curator of Women Street Photographers, a community providing support and amplifying the work of women artists.

Podcast presenter Neale James, in partnership with MPB, spoke to Gulnara Samoilova. In the interview, they discussed the definition of street photography and the women street photographers who inspired Gulnara.

NJ: Let's talk about street photography and the definition of it. Now, I know you were a fine art photographer and you make portraits and you're a photojournalist. But, as a street photographer, how do you see it? What does the term mean to you?

GS: to me, Street photography is not a term—it's a feeling. Street photography, for me, is a way to unwind. So that's why I appreciate so much a different genre within street photography. I had no idea that there's street abstract, like the work of Linda Hacker—she does street abstract. And it’s fabulous, I am a huge fan of it. I personally don't do abstract, but I'm very inspired by her work because it's different. Or Olga Karlovac. Her photographs are blurry, dark, and moody, and they're like a borderline between fine art. But I consider it street photography. And the other thing, I don't want to define street photography per se. I think it should be free of any definition. I don't want people to be like “Okay, street photography is only taken in the street of a metropolitan city”. No! If you live in a small village, in the middle of India, and you have a phone and you go outside of your home on a dirt road and you're taking pictures, in my opinion, it is street photography.

NJ: Who are the women who've inspired you?

GS: So, there's a couple of women who inspired me very much. When I moved to New York in 1992, I came across a work by Helen Levitt and I immediately just loved her photos so much. I couldn't afford her photos, and I was gifted a first-edition book of hers. And I remember I asked the gallery who was representing her if I could see Helen so she could sign the book. And it was a highlight of my life! I still have that book.

Another woman who completely changed my life was Mary Ellen Mark, whom I first met in the mid-90s at her exhibition opening. And I bought her book and she signed it for me. Later on, I took her last workshop in New York—and it was life-changing. After the seminar, she sent me a big letter where she encouraged me. The phrase she used was “You own it to yourself to continue to produce your own body of work”. Because, at the time, I had a very successful wedding photography business and I was very, very busy. And I did street photography too—for fun. And when she said “You owe it to yourself to work on your own photography”, I took it as a call for action. Every person, I assume, goes through a period of time when they have doubts and their self-confidence—they're questioning their photography abilities. So I was going through the same things. My confidence wasn't as strong. And receiving that letter was transformational for me because she assured me that I should continue—that I have talent, I have the ability and I should focus on something that I've been passionate about for almost 40 years. So it really changed my life and gave me the strength and motivation to do what I'm doing.

When I curated my first exhibition, Women's Photographers in New York City, in 2018, I dedicated that exhibition to the memory of Mary Ellen Mark. And I have a printout of that letter. I read that letter all the time. So I folded that letter and put it in my pocket during the opening. And I was so proud of what I did, you know, that I put together a work of 75 women photographers. I had that letter in my pocket and I knew that she would be so proud of me as well. It still makes me so emotional.

If you enjoyed this article you might like to read our guide about how to do New York street photography.

Looking for more street photography content?

This article is part of the MPB Guide to Street Photography, our comprehensive look at how to create street photography, with camera recommendations, advice and interviews with experts.