story

The Flash as a Self-Defense Weapon

Back in the 1970s, I would occasionally go bar hopping in South Tucson. Although it wasn't a particularly rough neighborhood, there was always the potential bad guy.

I Was a Photographer at the Pentagon on 9/11

On an otherwise quiet and beautiful September morning, my business partner Adam Paseman and I found ourselves speeding down Route 1 in Virginia to take some photos for the Associated Press of the White House which had mistakenly been reported was on fire.

My Vintage Camera Quest: Breathing Life Into 52 Cameras in 52 Weeks

I have a working collection of 52 film cameras—some of them quite rare and unique, others just yard sale garbage, all of them loved and fun. I recently decided to take all of them out and push some celluloid through them, documenting the process one week at a time as I breathe some life back to these dope little beasts. I’m calling it the Vintage Camera Quest.

Meet Henry Diltz, The Official Photographer at Woodstock

Henry Diltz was the official photographer at the legendary Woodstock music festival back in August 1969. Here's a 6-minute video directed by Scott Hanson for Keeper in which Diltz tells the story of how it all happened (note: there's a bit of nudity).

How I Got Outsmarted by a Kid with an Umbrella

I’m an experienced concert photographer. From the largest stadiums to the smallest, dirtiest night clubs, I’ve photographed thousands of bands and seen it all. I’m damned confident in my ability to anticipate the shot and be in the right place at the right time. Or, at least I was until last Saturday night.

How NOT to Be a Model: My Most Infuriating Photoshoot Ever

Recently, I worked one of the most frustrating shoots I have ever had to endure. In my day job, I work with amateur prospective models doing test shoots. Most of the people I work with have never modeled and have rarely even stepped into a photography studio before. Despite this, the people I work with tend to understand the relationship and the unspoken code.

One of the Most Iconic Kissing Photos Was Staged

What's up, photography fans? It's Martin here from All About Street Photography, and today I want to talk about the story behind the famous photo Le baiser de l'hôtel de ville (Kiss by the Town Hall) by French photographer Robert Doisneau.

A Closer Look at the Iconic Cyclist Photo by Henri Cartier-Bresson

What's up photography fans? It's Martin from All About Street Photography, and today I want to talk about Henri Cartier-Bresson's iconic photo of a cyclist, titled Hyères, France. I am going to take a closer look at the composition as well as at the story behind the photograph.

Shooting a Tourism Campaign in Kerala, India

I’m on the bow of the boat, bag over my camera, when the rain falls. We’re drifting over Alleppey’s backwaters, fed by the Arabian Sea and 38 rivers from across Kerala, southern India. 900km of waterways connect to each other, irrigating rice paddy fields and forming a natural human ecosystem built by the hands of India’s people in kinship to the surrounding landscape. It is a testament to the power of human nature -- to live in accordance with the land and its diverse inhabitants.

The Tragic Death of My Nikon D850

It is always sad to read stories of how others lose or damage their camera gear, and I guess all of us would say, "That would never happen to me because I am cautious and won't risk my expensive equipment."

Six Years of McWay Falls

McWay Falls has been a tourist destination for longer than many of us even heard of the place, but it wasn't until 2012 that photographer Steven Christenson really "discovered" the potential of the site at night. Nestled in the rugged and gorgeous part of the California coast better known as Big Sur, McWay Falls enjoys extremely dark skies.

When You Feel Your Reputation as a Photographer Slipping Through the Cracks

There are a great number of differences between professional photographers and those that shoot only as a hobby. Surprisingly enough one, of those differences isn’t always talent. There are many amazing and talented photographers that shoot for a hobby and they take my breath away.

Making MAYA, the Only Darkroom Timer You’ll Ever Need

MAYA is a darkroom timer project that was born out of necessity when my old darkroom timer had started to malfunction. It has become a pretty successful crowdfunding campaign so far, exceeding 300% of its initial goal with a few days left to go.

The Story of How Top Photographers Posed for Baseball Cards in 1974

In the mid-1970s, 134 of the top photographers and curators in the world of photography posed for an unusual set of baseball cards that now sell for thousands of dollars as a complete set. The SF Museum of Modern Art just released this 4-minute video in which photographer Mike Mandel shares the story of how these cards came to be.

The Story Behind That IKEA Photo of Amsterdam

VILSHULT is an IKEA ready-to-hang photo of Amsterdam that has been sold over 427,000 times. After many of my friends asked me why I bought such a "mediocre" photo for my living room, I decided to find out how this photo was made and how it ended up on IKEA's shelves and in almost half a million households. What I learned was fascinating.

From Lighting Test to Album Cover: The Tale of a Photo in the Social Media Age

As a photographer in 2018, I can’t help but think of my photos as drops in an ocean of imagery. Here are a few quick stats: There are over 60 million photos uploaded to Instagram every day (not to mention Instagram stories). Then there are the photos posted to Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook (some people still use it, right?), blogs, etc, etc.

My Quest for the Perfect Polar Bear Picture

I’ve been saying it for years; all the easy pictures have been taken. But there are still some stupid and crazy ones left out there. I came up with the bright idea to travel north with at least one of them in mind. I went looking for the polar bear of my dreams.

This Eclipse Photo Was Shot from a Commercial Plane at 39,000ft

Photographers across the country pointed their cameras at the Sun during "The Great American Eclipse" on August 21st, 2017, but photographer Jon Carmichael managed to capture one of the most memorable shots from an unusual vantage point: he was sitting on a commercial airliner at 39,000 feet.

Copyright vs. Conscience: Lawyering Up Isn’t Always the Right Move

A few days ago, I awoke to a text message from a friend who lives halfway around the world telling me that he had unexpectedly seen one of my images on a FOX News story. The image was from a photoshoot that I had done of Richard “Old Man” Harrison from the television show Pawn Stars, which airs on the History Channel. However, after looking it up and seeing what photo he was talking about, I was surprised. The photo I was met with wasn’t even one I remembered taking.

What is Missing from Photography

It has been bugging me for a while now: there is just something that is missing from photography. From my personal work to the majority of photographers out there. I’m talking about the photos on your feeds, be it personal to commercial. It has been bugging me and I finally found out what it is: what is missing from photography is stories.

Forgotten No More, Or: This is Why Photography Matters

Often it is the backstory and the small stories behind a set of pictures that brings it all together. I posted the above picture back in 2011, photographed on film and included in a set of photos from an abandoned dye-works in Somerset, UK.

Right Place, Right Time: A Photo Book That Dropped Into My Life

It doesn't always happen like this, but occasionally the photo gods offer up just the thing you need at just the right time. That's what happened Wednesday when a copy of Mark Klett's Revealing Territory dropped into my life out of nowhere.

I Shot Photos of Cameras Placed on Film

Last summer, I visited Gifford Stevens at his home in Bradley, Maine. He was one of the best teachers I've ever had. He taught English at Hampden Academy.

How I Got My Photos Published from a Free Trip to Paradise

February 2017. For a midwesterner like my father, this was prime time to get away. So Jon decided to acquire two tickets aboard a cruise from San José, Costa Rica to the Panama Canal. His original plan was to treat my mother to a bit of mid-winter warmth and sunshine. When she wasn't able to go, he offered the spare to me.

How I Shot Fifteen Words to Celebrate My Friend’s Love

Last year, during my last months in Melbourne, I got a text from one of my closest and oldest friends from Italy. “We need to talk, I have some important news for you. Skype?” Minutes later, we were online.

I’m Thinking About What Sara Said

I had the great privilege of tagging along with photographer Eric Kim for Gulf Photo Plus in Dubai back in 2014 and 2016. GPP is an annual event: the region’s biggest and only photography festival, bringing the world’s best photographers and instructors to Dubai to share their knowledge and experience with the professional and amateur photography community in the Middle East and Africa.