documentary

My Considerations Photographing the Military in Washington DC

While on assignment in Washington, D.C. in late January earlier this year, I had to think very carefully about the situation I was documenting. The events around the Inauguration of Joe Biden had swung the global spotlight around, and I knew that there would be scrutiny of any historical artifact that was produced in this space at this time.

How a Wildlife Photographer Rescued Four Baby Red Squirrels

Wildlife photographer Dani Connor was photographing red squirrels in Sweden last year when she discovered four baby orphaned squirrels. In this beautiful 30-minute short film she made, titled The Squirrels & Me, Connor shares how she rescued the baby squirrels and then befriended a family of them.

Photos Document Remote Learning at a Chicago Elementary School

As COVID-19 began spreading through the United States in 2020, Chicago Public Schools, like many school systems around the country, decided to have all of its 350,000 students attend class remotely from home. Chicago-based photographer Ludvig Perés picked up his camera and began documenting this radical change to the lives of students, teachers, and their families.

ER Doctor Documents COVID-19 Battle in a LA Hospital with His Camera

There have been some dramatic images coming out of the coronavirus battle around the world and stateside as well. However, when a doctor attending on the patients is himself the photographer, there is a greater intimacy level involved as he understands what the caregivers and patients are undergoing.

Shooting Portraits Inside a London COVID Hospital

I first came to the hospital back in June, having decided that the stories and experiences of the front line staff shouldn’t be forgotten. We’d all seen inside the Italian hospitals, but when the virus hit the UK, there was nothing coming out of the UK, so I made it my mission to gain access and document the life and death struggles going on behind closed doors.

Documenting the Life and Culture of Traditional Shepherds in Hungary

Photographer Zsolt Repasy describes himself as a photographer of "folklore, traditions & forgotten values," and nowhere is that passion more obvious than in his images of Hungarian shepherds. After discovering that traditional shepherds are still alive and well in Hungary, he set out to immortalize their lives in a spirit of curiosity and openness.

How Kodak is Seeking to Reinvent Itself After Failing to Adapt

The Wall Street Journal recently released a mini-doc that tells the entire story of Kodak—a story of a once-dominant company that made its name in film, and is now seeking to reinvent itself as a drug company after struggling to adapt to a future they, in fact, helped to bring about.

Capturing Kindness and Raw Humanity Inside the Minneapolis Protests

As someone who is used to going around the world and capturing scenes of humanity among social situations, I knew I had to go immediately to the Minneapolis protests to get the real story. When I saw the news showing only negativity and destruction, I knew far too well that it couldn't be the entire story.

Quarantine Baby: Photos of a Life Born Into Social Distancing

Our daughter Kira came into the world on March 31st. Little does she know it is a much different world than the one we all came into. This is a photo story I put together document her first month on this pale blue dot in the cosmos.

The Photographic Phases of Depicting COVID-19

In many parts of the U.S. the reality of social distancing policies have only been in place for about a month. Yet during that time and the few weeks that preceded it, photographers have already churned through a number of phases to document and depict the outbreak.

The Red Prison: My Photo Exhibition in a Saddam-Era Jail

When people ask me my favorite places on Earth, typically I respond like this: the best food is in Ethiopia, the best historical sites are in India, but the best people are in Kurdistan. For that reason, I have been pulled back to Kurdistan as a photographer again and again.

Prioritizing Concept Over Aesthetic in Street and Social Documentary Photography

There seems to be a trend in current photography goals to achieve a “look” to one's work. I feel this is a short-sighted goal, and that a consistent aesthetic is more the result of careful curation of a large body of work, rather than something that ought to be deliberately achieved.

I Photographed the Surreal Week Coronavirus Gripped My City

Two weeks ago Prague was thronged with tourists and businesses were humming as the city headed into a long-awaited spring. Today the lanes and famous squares of my adopted town stand virtually empty, nearly all businesses are shut, locals are confined indoors for all but “essential” trips outside, and facemasks are mandatory for anyone who steps into public transport.

Martin Parr: A Leading Documentary Photographer of Post-War Britain

“I can’t shoot street photography where I live. My city is just so boring. I need to travel more to explore exotic places to be able to shoot more.” Those are sentiments I had some time ago about my photography. In this video and article, I would like to challenge these views by looking at one of the world’s most famous and successful documentary photographers. Let’s talk about Martin Parr.

US Filmmaker Arrested While Documenting Pipeline Protest in Canada

US documentary filmmaker Melissa Cox had a run-in with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) this week while trying to document an indigenous protest in British Columbia. Despite the fact that she is a member of the press, the RCMP chose to arrest Cox, allegedly using "undue force" and tampering with her camera equipment in the aftermath.

Sangoma: Photos of Traditional Healers in South Africa

Traditional healers are, even in today’s modern times, still highly respected and frequently consulted members of South African communities. Instead of referring to Western, mainstream health, and healing practices, they practice traditional African medicine.

Documenting the Fate of the Northern White Rhino

My fascination with documenting the last two remaining northern white rhinos at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya began in April 2019 as I launched my personal project Kindred Guardians. The project tells the stories of people who have dedicated their lives to helping animals. The caretakers of the rhinos felt like a perfect way to launch the project.

Photographer Captures Eerie Images of Venice Underwater

This past November, Venice experienced its worst flooding in over 50 years, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency. But while news of the flooding caused thousands to cancel their travel plans, photographer Natalia Elena Massi did the exact opposite: she packed her bags and drove to Venice.

Are Street and Documentary Photography Art?

I think the question of whether something is or is not "art" is a bit disingenuous, often used more as a tool for gatekeeping than true analysis or critique. There is no objective standard for what makes something enjoyable as a piece of art, whether that's a photograph, music, sculpture, or a blade of grass in a field.

Photographing the Demise of Martin Tower

For those not from a certain area of Pennsylvania, you likely have never heard of Martin Tower or knew that it was imploded in a spectacular way earlier this year. But for those in the Lehigh Valley, the third-largest metropolitan area in PA, Martin Tower served as a symbol of many meanings, from the fall of one of the greatest steel companies in the world to a landmark whose relief stood out in stark contrast to the surrounding landscape.

Why Shoot Documentary Photography on Film?

Shooting a long term project, whether personal or professional, is a wonderful way to explore areas of photography you might not have previously considered. I know of photographers who have experimented with different types of filters, post-processing techniques, actual shooting methods (long exposure, panning, unfamiliar/conventional focal lengths), and so on, as their projects evolve.

Lessons Learned After 250 Documentary Photography Assignments

Recently I hit a milestone in my photographer's career: I've accomplished 250 paid assignments. It took me ten years and half a million frames to get there. I thought it's a decent reason to reflect a little bit on what has been done and what the journey feels like.