Kantaya New on Balancing Street & Conceptual Photography

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This month’s podcast guest might surprise you. Most street photographers thrive on unpredictability. They head out with a camera, trust their instincts, and let the world unfold in front of them. Kantaya New does that. She also spends days, sometimes weeks, carefully planning conceptual photographs where every element is intentional. On paper, those two approaches couldn’t be more different. But as you’ll hear in this conversation, each one has made her better at the other.

Kantaya, who is also a newly minted X-Creator with Fujifilm, joins Bob Patterson and me to talk about balancing street photography with conceptual work, using humor to explore serious subjects, and why some of her most personal projects have resonated with complete strangers. One of my favorite moments is hearing how her husband became the reluctant star of her ongoing series A Modern Day Affair, and the lengths she has to go to keep him motivated during shoots.

If you’re looking for a conversation about creativity, curiosity, and finding your own voice as a photographer, I think you’ll really enjoy this one.

A Selection of Kantaya’s Photos

Where to Find Kantaya

• Website
• Instagram

Current & Upcoming Exhibits

• 7th Annual FujiFanBoys Best of Show Touring Exhibition — Hong Kong,15 July to 14 August 2026, Fujifilm House of Photography
• Ecos Cardinales Vol. V — San Luis Potosí, Mexico, 6 August 2026, Galería Germán Gedovius
• RPL26 — Streets of the World, RomePhotoLab Festival, 2 to 4 October 2026, Villa Altieri Museum Complex, Rome