Recent Documentary Articles

Inspiring Young Palestinians Through Film and Photography

A new feature-length documentary from American filmmaker Michael Rowley documents the experiences of a photojournalist living and working in the Aida Refugee Camp who uses cameras to educate and inspire a new generation of Palestinians.

Adams, Curtis, Weston, Levitt, Oh My: Stanford's Cantor Center Wins Again

The Cantor Arts Center at Stanford and The Capital Group Foundation have announced that The Center has been gifted a collection of photographs by some of the most esteemed photographers working in the United States throughout the 20th century: Ansel Adams, Edward Curtis, John Gutmann, Helen Levitt, Wright Morris, Gordon Parks, and Edward Weston.

Steve McCurry’s ‘Afghan Girl’: The Truth That Never Gets Told

The documentary photography of Steve McCurry has come under intense scrutiny in recent years. In this thought-provoking video, photographer Tony Northrup explores the truth around how the image was created and the story of its subject that rarely gets told.

Projecting Into the Future: Anticipate Your Subjects

Photography is all about time. It's the only visual art that is able to hold a single moment and fix it for our lasting consideration. To make that happen we as photographers must be keenly aware of both the slice of time that we are capturing and the all the time which leads up to that important moment. To do this well we must look into the future.

Was Robert Capa Photography’s Greatest Fraudster?

Perhaps one of the most famous photographs of the 20th century is Robert Capa’s image, “The Falling Soldier.” Speculation regarding its authenticity as a historical piece of evidence has abounded for years. This short video takes a quick look at the controversy and raises questions about photography’s capacity for truth.

Are You Ready to Capture the Other Moment?

There is an old saying that "you only find what you are looking for." It's critical for any artist, including we photographers, to know what it is that we are working to create. To have a vision and stay true to it so that it will become a reality. When you go out with the intent of creating images you know what you want, right? You choose the location, the time of day, maybe the lighting, certainly the subject, and of course what gear that you need to bring it all together. We tend to be control freaks to make sure that we get what we want.

Behold the Power of Gesture!

When you think of the elements of an image that make it successful and interesting most photographers immediately refer to the powers of color, form, texture, light/dark, and visual rhythm. There is another that is often overlooked: gesture. Unlike the other elements, gesture can't easily be preplanned into your composition; it's a fleeting thing. However, when you add in an interesting gesture to your frame, it's transformative.

Photography to Support Change

A few weeks back, I posted an interview with photographer Damari McBride about his project in South Africa with Nourish and Photographers Without Borders. This week, the resulting documentary was released which gives us a deeper look into how our arts can help support change.

Photographer Captures Exclusive Images of Humanoid Darling Sophia

We photograph inanimate objects practically every day. We even photograph non-human, animated objects, on a regular basis (hello, Fido). But what happens when you are asked to document the “life” of a humanoid, life-like robot?

How Is Photography Affecting Us?

People are going to the plastic surgeon to get rhinoplasties because their mobile phone cameras distort their noses too much while taking selfies. What does photography mean in 2019, and where are we going?

Documentary Photographer Who Toured With Motorhead Trialled Mirrorless Nikon Z7 at Heavy Metal Festival: Here Are The Results

As far as perks of being a photographer go, traveling the world and documenting everything you see along the way is right up there with the best of them. Luckily for Pep Bonet, he’s been around the globe as Motorhead’s previous resident photographer of 7 years, as well as documenting the impact of war and disease in Africa. Then, he became one of the first in Europe to test out the Nikon Z7 and S-line NIKKOR Z lenses. So how did he find it faired against DSLRs?

Photographing the Geminids Meteor Shower: How Failure Turned Into Success

Photographing the night sky can be fun, especially when there is a meteor shower. Every year, I try to capture the famous Perseids during my summer holiday in August. But in December, there is the Geminids, which also can be quite spectacular. This year, I had bad luck and a lot of luck at the same time.

Using Your Camera for Something Bigger Than Yourself

There are so many ways to approach photography. We can search for artistic expression, money, Instagram fame, or any number of other things. Photographer Damari McBride believes we should all do a volunteer photo-journalistic project at least once. Let’s find out why.

Interview With President George H. W. Bush's Photographer, David Valdez

How good are we at remembering former presidents decades after their service is over? What are the things that help us to remember their time in office? Obviously, since this is a photography community and education website, I'd wager this: that the photographs taken during their presidency help shape our memories of those years.

Interview and Book Review: 'Steve McCurry: A Life in Pictures'

In this review, we’ll look at a book that celebrates a man who needs no introduction, Steve McCurry. Bonnie McCurry has taken it upon herself to celebrate Steve’s life and work in the form of the beautifully crafted 'Steve McCurry: A Life in Pictures.'

Dog Sledding: How the Races Helped One Photographer Come Back From the Dark

Documentary photographers have the opportunity to see the world in ways the everyday photographer may never understand. With the ability to chronicle events, they can tell stories from inside the action. However, this can also take a toll on the mind, making even the most hopeful person become cynical.

I Experienced New York City For The First Time and Left With a New Outlook on My Photography Career

Perhaps you’re like I was one week prior to the writing this – a West Coast native who had only gone as far as making assumptions about one of the largest cities in the Western Hemisphere – New York City. I’m back in the Arizona desert where I call home after attending PDN PhotoPlus Expo 2018 and I brought back an importantly refreshed outlook on myself and my career in photography.

The History of 70mm Film in Cinema

There's something in film stock everyone recognizes but cannot always explain. Even today, we still happen to see modern movies shot on 70mm film, and they don't look vintage. They just look organic. In this short documentary, you will go down memory lane and see how the 70mm film was invented.

How Photography Is Used to Solve Crimes, Murders

From sketch renderings to video surveillance, law enforcement uses many techniques to piece together clues for crime-solving. Details and memory often fail us, but there's one medium that never forgets - photography.

The Wildlife Conservation Film Festival Kicks off This Week in NYC

A film festival dedicated strictly to wildlife conservation films kicks off its eighth year in New York City later this week. Over the course of ten days, the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival will screen over 100 documentary films from around the world, many of which are world premieres.

How Shooting With a Mirrorless Camera Made Me a Better Photographer

Gear cannot make you a better photographer. This statement is said over and over and I actually really believe it. But despite believing this statement to be true, I also believe that switching to mirrorless has made me a better photographer.

Bearing Witness With James Nachtwey

Powerful photojournalism and the service the press provides in raising awareness of issues is no longer held in the regard that it once was. In his 2007 TED Prize acceptance speech, James Nachtwey not only displayed some of his haunting imagery and talked about its meaning, but discussed the duty the press has. It seems more and more relevant as time passes.

Medical Advice for International Travel Photography

When traveling to exotic or remote locations, it's important to be prepared with both the necessary medications as well as the proper paperwork and insurance that an area requires.

Why Would You Photograph the Mundane Everyday Life?

Why would you choose to photograph something that's mundane instead of naturally picturesque locations or scenarios? The short answer is because it's hard and it will test you.

Photographer Shares Shocking Images Commercial Fishermen Don't Want You to See

Brian Raymond, a lifelong fisherman turned shark dive operator and photographer, recently shared some powerful and disturbing images he captured of bycatch in the waters off of southern New England. Bycatch refers to unintended species that are caught while fishing for another species and is a regular occurrence in commercial fishing.

Raising $30,000 on Kickstarter: Building Your Audience, Part 1

There is a ton of information and so many great resources on how to raise money for a project with crowdfunding these days. So I’m going to skip the tips and show you proven strategies to fund your projects no matter what they are.

'In the Starlight': A Film About Photography, Adventure, and Family

"In The Starlight" begins with Mathieu Lelay showing the beauty and values of the film as we experience the sights of the cosmos through the travels and photography of Paul Zizka. The all-encompassing night sky surrounds the film’s creator and subject making the silent case for humanity’s awe of the night sky with a universal message that we all share this very small part of a vast galaxy across a grand and timeless expanse.