Bruce Gilden’s Take on the Meaning of Photography

“I’m not into clichés, I’m not into one line jokes,” says Magnum photographer Bruce Gilden. “I think there’s a deeper vision than I’m interested in.”

In TIME’s latest First Take video series, which examines the art and craft of photography, Gilden reveals the process behind his candid and, at times, controversial portraits. “I’m photographing myself in my pictures,” he says. “That’s me, you know. Some people don’t put themselves in the picture.”

Watch Gilden’s interview now and view past interviews with Donna Ferrato and Elliott Erwitt.

Bruce Gilden is a photographer based in New York City. He is represented by Magnum Photos.

First Take is an ongoing video series curated by TIME’s photography editors.