The Alchemy of Urban Street Portraits, with Jamel Shabazz
05/22/2025When it comes to his iconic street portraits, Jamel Shabazz is all about building relationships and spreading joy. Yet, beyond the rich tapestry created with both the neighbors and strangers, friends and rivals he’s encountered across New York’s five boroughs, Jamel’s most meaningful role might be that of a street teacher, touching the lives of the people in front of his lens and inviting them to mark their place in history.
Above Photograph © Jamel Shabazz
In today’s podcast, we learn from the master while tracing his career path, from early observational learning at the side of his father—a professional photographer in his own right—to his first street portraits of classmates and friends. Jamel also shares how his singular vision was shaped by outside forces, including three years overseas in the Army and 20 years as a New York City corrections officer.
Incredibly, Jamel was able to take his camera along inside, and he describes the fine line he walked in our chat. “So, it was illegal,” he admits, “but I was known to have done it throughout my entire career. As time went on, I became known as that photographer within the department that photographed everybody. You know, the brass, the officers. And I gave everybody the photographs. So, yes, I killed them with kindness.”
Guest: Jamel Shabazz
Episode Timeline:
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2:34: Early memories of Jamel Shabazz watching his father organize the family photo albums, and how this made him fall in love with photography.
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7:47: Jamel’s first portraits—from snapshots of family members and school friends to pictures he made after returning from three years in the Army in Germany.
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15:51: Jamel’s strategy for sharing prints with his portrait subjects to build and strengthen relationships.
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21:30: Situations that stop Jamel in his tracks and inspire his images, the influences behind his group portraits, plus how he adapted these poses on the street.
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29:41: How Jamel prepares for going out to photograph on the street.
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Jamel’s 20-year career as a corrections officer, plus documenting every aspect of this job with his camera.
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46:30: Episode Break
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47:26: Jamel looks back on his career, the books he’s published, and what his portraits have meant to his community.
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53:46: What Jamel learned from his portrait subjects and the people he mentored, plus an insightful theory connecting Vietnam vets and prison inmates.
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1:00:18: Differences to Jamel’s approach when photographing on the street today, changes to the world around us, and a shift of focus to working with images in his archive.
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1:05:22: Jamel’s current photo gear, from an iPhone to a Sony R7 to a Leica Q3.
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1:10:44: Jamel talks about his process in working with publishers in putting together his many books.
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1:17:48: Jamel’s recent work with fans of his photography in countries around the world.
Guest Bio:
Jamel Shabazz is a documentary, fashion, and street photographer from Brooklyn, who has spent more than four decades capturing the cultural shifts and struggles of New York City through iconic photographs. His pictures have been exhibited worldwide, are permanently housed in prestigious institutions, and currently featured in nine monographs, along with more than three dozen other photo books. A recipient of the 2018 Gordon Parks Award and the Gordon Parks Foundation/Steidl book prize in 2022, Jamel is also dedicated to education, having instructed young students through programs at the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Schomburg Center, and the Bronx Museum. As a member of the Kamoinge photo collective and a board member of En Foco, Jamel’s artistic mission remains centered on preserving urban history and culture through powerful, intimate portraits and nonprofits.
Host: Derek Fahsbender
Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens