Fill the Frame: a New Street Photography Documentary

Fill The Frame, directed by Tim Huynh, follows eight contemporary New York City street photographers. The film takes an in-depth look at their work as a photographer but also individually as a person and their journey up to this point and beyond. The main cast are: Dimitri Mellos, Jonathan Higbee, Julia Gillard, Lauren Welles, Mathias Wasik, Melissa Breyer, Melissa O’Shaughnessy, & Paul Kessel. But also features some of the very best to give their insights on the genre as well. There are also interviews with Jeff Mermelstein, Richard Sandler, Matt Weber, Meryl Meisler, Colin Westerbeck (author of Bystander), and Sandra Philips (SF MOMA Curator of Photographs).
Jessica Gallegos is the talented Director of Photography on this project who helped make completion of all the interviews possible.
Ayden Byrnes has shot and provided a bulk of b-roll footage to specifically use for the film.

With the continuing rise of the digital age and the popularity of social media, the genre of street photography has propelled as we’ve never seen before. Still, there is more opportunity for street photography to be recognized and appreciated by the masses.
Photography is a vehicle for storytelling; capturing a moment in time yet allowing for endless possibilities of interpretation. Fill The Frame is a feature documentary telling a story not only within the frame of photographs but of the people behind the camera, following eight esteemed street photographers in New York to get an exclusive look at their work and their own unique journey over the years.
In the summer of 2019, the Kickstarter campaign raised the $17,385 needed to bring this film and these stories to life.

Fill The Frame is available for rental or purchase on Vimeo. The film is also screening at several prominent international film festivals throughout 2021.

About the Director

“Born and raised in Hawaii, I have always enjoyed a good story. As a graduate of the Academy of Creative Media at the University of Hawaii, my background is in film making and production. But after spending some time in Chicago, I learned about Vivian Maier and fell in love with organic and raw nature of street photography.

A portrait of Tim Huynh

For me it was something different than what I was used to seeing back home; crystal clear beaches, tropical foliage, and gorgeous sunsets. I knew I wanted to share this with Hawaii and other cities where consumption of street photography might not be the norm.” (Tim Huynh)

Melissa O’Shaughnessy (left), Tim Huynh (center) and Jessica Gallegos (right)
Dimitri Mellos
Jonathan Higbee
Julia Gillard
Lauren Welles


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