inspirational

Raising a Shutterbug: How Our 4-Year-Old Became a Photographer

This is our son River, he’s had a camera in his hands since he started to drool. When both your parents are photographers I guess it’s just in the genes and he loves it. He started out with a film Holga and Diana F+ and graduated to a Canon Rebel when he was 2. He is now 4 years old and shoots with our Canon 5D Mark IVs.

Photographers, Focus on What’s Important

Focus on what’s important… pun intended. I’m not referring to lens focus or how to get sharp images. If that's your main concern right now, just Google tutorials on autofocus, zone focusing or micro-adjustments. When I say ‘focus on what's important,’ what I mean is the purpose, meaning, emotion or reason for your photographs.

You Will Fail as a Photographer

In a world where everyone gets a trophy just for participating, I feel the need to point something out. You probably already know this, but l’m gonna say it anyway: You will fail.

7 Ideas Motivating Me in My Photography Right Now

A huge part of my photo practice is not taking photos. Photography is an inner game. What comes out in our photography is the total expression of who we are, how we think, and what we see.

This Photographer Has Shot NYC with a 1940s Camera for 50+ Years

Walk around on the streets of New York City long enough, and you may come across photographer Louis Mendes. He has shot street photos in the city for over 50 years, and he's easily recognized by his vintage camera and outfits. The New York Post made the inspiring 3-minute video above about Mendes' life and work.

A Fire, a Photojournalist, and an Unexpected Package

While studying aerospace engineering at the University of Buffalo, Malaysia-born Marcus Yam caught the photography bug, altering the trajectory of his career. He started his life in photojournalism interning for The Buffalo News, then went on to pursue a graduate degree at Ohio University’s School of Visual Communications.

How to Shoot Portraits Outside Your Culture and Comfort Zone

Photographer Sean Tucker's latest project is about a lot more than portrait photography. It's about respecting, honoring, and yes, capturing a culture far outside his own experience and comfort zone. Fortunately for us, he brought us along on this journey.

Why Gear Matters: A Video Response to Art of Photography

A couple of weeks ago, Ted Forbes of The Art of Photography released a well-received video called WHY GEAR DOESN'T MATTER. This rebuttal, posted by Marc Falzon over at Analog Process, is one of the best arguments for how and why gear DOES matter that we've seen.

Paying Tribute to the Women Behind the Lens and the Stories They Tell

Today is International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women everywhere. So, we’d like to pay tribute to the women behind the lens—and also the women whose stories they tell.

Photographer Transforms Models Into American Icons for Portrait Series

Audrey Hepburn, Charlie Chaplin, Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston, and other of America's most famous historical icons are back, thanks to French photographer Etienne Clotis and his team. For his ongoing series ICONIC, Clotis transforms models into these famous personages for one epic portrait.

Shoot Outside Your Comfort Zone

One of my goals as a photographer is to always improve. Regardless of how well others may think my work is I am always trying to learn and grow as a creative.

Perhaps He Sees Something We Can’t

I had a few hours to kill before work one morning, so I decided to head down to a public garden a few miles from my house and take some pictures.

Photog Recreates Dukes of Hazzard Scene Using Model Cars and Dust

The incredibly talented Felix Hernandez is at it again, creating tiny scenes and then photographing them to look larger than life. This time, the toy photography master uses model cars and dust to shoot some scenes straight out of the old TV show The Dukes of Hazzard.

How to Get Better at Photography

I think you can look around at a lot of the content based around photography on the Internet and extract a theme: people want to be better photographers.

This DIY Rig is Helping a Terminally Ill Photographer Keep Shooting

For many of us, photography is just a hobby; for 22-year-old James, it's an escape from the constant pain his terminal illness keeps him in day-in and day-out. When his illness threatened to take even this away from him, one of the UK's top engineers stepped in and created a DIY rig that lets James keep shooting.

When Living a Dream, Make Sure It’s Your Own

There comes a point where the living for the weekend becomes such an obsession that it’s time to build a life around the driving passion. Life isn’t supposed to be lived in two day chunks followed by 5 days of monotony and anticipation. It’s supposed to be chased, squeezed, challenged and loved, every single day.

How to Cope with Family and Friends Who Want You to ‘Get a Real Job’

The prospect of leaving behind the "safe route" to pursue a career in photography is daunting at the best of times, but it's that much more difficult when friends and family don't support your decision. Here's a short video that might help you cope if you're dealing with disapproval or lack of support.