Recent Photojournalistic Articles
Photographing the World's Most Dangerous Church
Philip Lee Harvey recently went to Ethiopia for Lonely Planet to photograph the world's most inaccessible church... 2,500 feet up and carved into the side of a mountain. The view from the top? Nothing short of spectacular. Amazingly, the Abuna Yemata Guh Church in Tigray, Ethiopia was carved by hand, and the art inside becomes even more incredible when one takes into account that the artist (and anyone who visits) had to make the climb to do it. Talk about devotion.
The Harrowing Lives of War Photographers
War photographers routinely put themselves in grave danger to document the violence of war and conflict. This excellent video talks about the legacy of those photojournalists who have been injured or lost their lives and how others are using their skills to teach young people about photojournalism.
Sky News Being Sued by Photographer After Embedding His Photo-Tweet in a News Article
In what has the potential to be a landmark case in U.K. news history, a freelance photographer is taking legal action against the broadcaster for their usage of his photo, which they included by embedding a tweet.
How To Price Magazine Assignments
Photoshelter recently released Pricing Your Work: Magazine Photography, with insights from Wonderful Machine's CEO Bill Cramer. The free guide provides photographers with tips on how to handle fees and expenses, terms and conditions photographers should have in their agreements and examples of contracts used in real situations.
In this guide, Bill Cramer touches base on some of the important highlights giving
Five Steps to Photography Greatness
A chilly September morning. The crispness in the air added weight to the solemn moment. My composition was all figured out. I patiently waited for the final elements to come into place.
Remembering (And Learning From) Saul Leiter
Most people haven’t heard of Saul Leiter, yet he was one of the great photographers of the 20th Century. The reason you might not know him or his work is because he simply didn't care about pursuing recognition or a particular career path. With his passing last month, let’s use this opportunity to reflect back on his stunning work, and see what we can all learn from his artistic vision, his philosophies and his razor sharp eye.
TIME Magazine's Recent Cover Shot with iPhone and Hipstamatic
Okay, so with proper lighting, good make-up, and the right wardrobe, we know we can get great fashion images with the iPhone. But for those of you who thought it could never be used for news, think again. TIME Magazine's recent cover, shot by Ben Lowy, was shot on an iPhone using the popular Hipstamatic app.
The Sunday Times Pays Tribute To The Power Of Photography
Released this past weekend, Britain's Sunday Times Magazine pays tribute to some of the most iconic and powerful photos from the last century in a short video they've entitled "Photojournalism." The simple two minute video creatively adds motion to the images, in an attempt to bring back the feelings and emotion the photographers were facing during the time these powerful images were captured.
A Photographer's Perspective on Pinterest
"Do you think we could do these photos that I found on Pinterest?" If you are a wedding photographer, or even a family photographer, it is more than likely you have heard this phrase before. My friends, Troy and Aimee Grover, extremely talented photographers in Southern California, decided to write up a post for future brides that shares the photographer's perspective on Pinterest, along with tips for brides. It's a fantastic read. With their permission I wanted to share some of the key ideas with our readers here.
Photography Wars: Advertising Just Got Kidnapped by Green Artists
Photography, like any visual art, can serve a purpose bigger than its original intention; it's not merely a way to capture an instant. In our consumerist society, it is a weapon.
Reuters' Ban on Raw Files Only Sort Of Makes Sense
In a move to help speed up the company's workflow and to supposedly stamp out severe editing, Reuters now not only requests only JPEG images, but even mandates that images not be originally altered from a raw file. How they can verify this is unclear (metadata and other types of data about the photo might give experts better hints), but the move is supposed to also help maintain ethical photojournalism practices by reducing one's ability to alter a photograph so much that it would change its meaning.
'Trying to Show Him as President': Meet Bernie Sanders' Photographer
There's no arguing that Bernie Sanders' rise has been one of the most remarkable grassroots campaigns in the history of the U.S. His photographer, Arun Chaudhary, recently gave a fascinating interview on what it's like to photograph Sanders and what he's trying to accomplish in doing so.
Stunning Drone Footage from the Most Contaminated Place on Earth
Cinematographer Danny Cooke spent a week with his guide Yevgein, known as the Stalker, exploring Chernobyl and the city of Prypiat, Ukraine. He came back with a haunting and beautiful video which is essentially a time capsule of the city, frozen by a devastating nuclear disaster that occurred nearly 30 years ago. His aerial shots are especially quite stunning.
Three Secrets You Need to Know to Tell a Story With a Picture
One of the differences between a great image and a snapshot is story telling. If your picture doesn’t narrate anything, it won’t serve any purpose. It’s crucial that your viewers understand what you tried to say with your work, but it's not always an easy task! Thanks to Joe McNally, we now have three tips to keep in mind for stronger journalistic images.
Chilean Photojournalist's Body Found "Stabbed and Beaten" and Camera Stolen After Photographing Anti-Government Protests
The tragic death of a photojournalist — being treated as murder — is now having its motives called into question as her camera and laptop are still missing coincidentally close to an anti-government protest she photographed.
UK Taxi Driver Photographs Fleeting Glimpse of Passengers' Lives
As a taxi driver in the United Kingdom, Mike Harvey sees his fair share of characters popping in an out of the back seat of his cab. Being a photographer as well, it only seemed natural to begin making images of his passengers. From “the old, the young, the rich, the poor, the sober and the high,” Harvey decided to document their faces for a photo project he aptly titled “The Taxi.”
Daredevil Photographer Sits on Cargo Door to Take Pictures of Jets Flying Directly Behind Him
The Royal Saudi Air Force has released incredible footage of a photographer positioned at the edge of the cargo door of a plane, photographing fighter planes flying directly behind and giving them direction as he takes photos.
Danger Zone: Risky Moments for Photographers in the Field
Photography isn't always the safest pursuit, especially when you delve into the world of documentary and travel photography. Shooting out in the field can be unpredictable, from the weather and terrain, to the wildlife and the local people. The more you push the extremes of your photography, oftentimes, the more risk you'll take — to both your gear, and yourself.
Stop Making Excuses: Get Out and Shoot Some Photographs
So, what did you photograph in the last seven days? What, you didn’t shoot anything in the previous week? Nothing? Too many times, I hear: “there is nothing interesting to photograph” or “I’ve already photographed everything around me.” Well, to me, that means you just aren’t trying hard enough.
How Photographers Change The Way You Feel About War
Seeker Stories defines itself as taking a deep look at some of the world’s most unique individuals, places, and cultures. With weekly short documentaries set out to expand our perspective and transform our understanding of the world. Having watched their latest documentary about the role photographers play during wartime, I have to say, they've achieved what they set out to do. I've often thought about being a wartime photographer and this video has rekindled that desire.
A Photography Lesson From Noted Street Photographer John Free
John Free, for those that don't know, is considered one of the great street photographers of our time. His ability to capture the human spirit in a split second is uncanny. Here is a 10 minute video of a private lesson that was given to Ted Forbes of The Art Of Photography. It is full of helpful advice and inspirational lines for photographers of any genre.
NYC Photographer Takes Pictures of Stranger's Private Cell Phone Messages
If you’re from New York, or really any major city, you’ve been party to people-watching and the more-often-than-not eavesdrop. I'm sure everyone has caught themselves looking over a stranger's shoulder to get a glimpse at their book or magazine or even read their messages on a packed subway car.
BTS: Capturing Hollywood's Cougars On The Prowl Over Los Angeles
National Geographic contributor and wildlife photographer Steve Winter just created what might be one of the most striking photos I can remember seeing in recent memory: A 125 pound mountain lion, staring straight into the camera, with the background illuminated by the lights of downtown Los Angeles.
Photographer Documents the First Time Lab Rats and Mice Are Released Outdoors
One photographer has begun capturing the moment that rats and mice born inside laboratories and used for testing are released to the outside world.
How to Take Photos of Strangers When Traveling
Approaching strangers whether in your own community or from a foreign culture is one of the more difficult skills even veteran photographers often struggle with.
Annie Leibovitz' New SUMO Book Spans an Astounding 40-Year Career in 476 Pages
The most expensive and largest book project of the 20th century was Helmut Newton's SUMO, which sold out at $15,000 per copy, complete with its own book stand (the book is about as big as a medium-sized seven-year-old). Now, Annie Leibovitz' SUMO follows in its footsteps. At 476 pages, the Taschen-published art piece comes enveloped in your choice of four different dust jackets and is limited to 10,000 editioned copies, with the first 1000 coming in a leather-bound hardcover with a signed 20" x 20" archival pigment print and all four dust jackets.
Time Releases Short Documentary About Robert Capa's Iconic D-Day Photographs
Hungarian photographer, Robert Capa is regarded as being one the greatest combat and adventure photographers in history. That’s no small remark, considering the immense amount of danger involved and the technological limitations that were present during the time he created his body of work.
Can Photojournalism No Longer Be Trusted?
Recently the New York Times revealed a staggering truth about modern photojournalism that has the field's ethics under scrutiny. It appears the acts of staging and manipulating images have become prevalent, which puts the field as a whole in question. Photojournalism is about capturing the truth and journalist often work under a strict code that incudes observation only. But the nature of competition has brought a staggering number of photojournalist to bend if not break this code by presenting images that they themselves setup under the guise journalism.
Why This Video App Will Eradicate Police Misconduct
I was reading this extract on Reuters earlier and was blown away. It is fantastic to see how creatively camera apps are being used for the peoples' benefit for once, especially in the wake of the Walter Scott case.
Video Proof That Many War Images Are Staged
We have all read how biased different news organizations can be when it comes to the cold hard facts. We've also pretty much come to expect that a photograph tells a story better than anything else. Documentary film maker Ruben Salvadori recently exposed how some of the most epic images from war torn areas of the world are actually staged...and it's pretty surprising. Ruben recognized how photographers can drastically change the mood of a scene just by being present, so he decided to turn the cameras on the photographers themselves and show just how "dangerous" many of events we see on tv and in print really are. Next time you see an image that appears to be in the thick of the action, step back and ask the question "but how many photographers are standing right off camera?" You can read more here about this video project and let us know what you think in the comments below.
Citizen Journalism Ethics: Bystander Who Filmed Walter Scott Shooting Seeks Payout
A gut-wrenching mobile video clip depicting South Carolina police officer Michael Slager killing Walter Scott went viral earlier this month. The bystander behind the footage, Feidin Santana, has partnered with celebrity publicity agency Markson Sparks to license the footage, causing a stir among those who claim he's profiting from a death.
Making The Move To A Major Market - An Interview With Fashion Photographer Dana Pennington
Dana Pennington is a Los Angeles-based Fashion photographer. He recently moved to become a permanent resident in Los Angeles, from his home town Denver, Colorado. I had the chance to sit down with Pennington during my first trip to L.A., over the past weekend, and talk to him about his journey into the fashion photography industry.
Gunther Holtorf Takes A 23 Year Long Road Trip And Documents The Journey
What started as an 18 month long tour of Africa, ended up lasting 23 year long but wonderful years. With his modest demeanor, we're finally hearing about his amazing journey across the World. He drove in a Mercedes Benz G Wagon and now has over 500,000 miles tacked on. The vehicle has traveled the equivalent of 20 times around the planet and the best part is that he took his cameras along with him! Gunther travels with 2 film cameras, including a Leica M6.
Nevada Journalist Tackled By Police While Covering Wildfires Near Reno
Today's edition of "The Law vs. The Photographer" brings us to Reno, Nevada, where 60 year-old Reno Gazette-Journal journalist Tim Dunn was tackled and then cited by police for documenting wildfires on public land near Reno, NV. The offense? Wearing protective clothing, which was apparently seen as an attempt to impersonate firefighters.
Silence at the White House
Will breakthrough camera technology affect the entire atmosphere of press conferences? This White House photographer for the New York Times predicts big changes coming in just a year or two.
How to Say Something With Your Street Photography
A street photographer’s task is to observe the mundane human interactions that take place throughout the day and turn them into something worthy of being preserved and shared through photography. This is not an easy task.
National Geographic Celebrates 125 Year Milestone With 'The Photography Issue'
Whatever type of photography you focus on, I doubt there are many of us that aren’t mesmerized every time we pick up and thumb through a copy of National Geographic magazine. Over it’s lifetime, it's become synonymous with capturing images of people, places and wildlife that show us the undiscovered or hidden side of our increasingly homogenized world.
Kristen Bell And Dax Shepard Confront Paparazzi Agency Over Photos of Celebrity Children
Actors/celebrities Kristen Bell And Dax Shepard are on a mission to make paparazzi stop taking photos of celebrities’ kids. They know it will be hard to make it illegal, so they are trying a different approach: make magazines and media outlets stop buying celebrity children photos from the paparazzi.
City of Atlanta Set to Repeal Unconstitutional Photography Ordinance After Backlash
In a win for photographers, the city of Atlanta has announced that they will be repealing an ordinance that limited the rights of street photographers after the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and legal experts questioned the legitimacy of it.
The Beautiful but Heartbreaking Photo That Illustrates Our Marine Crisis
“It’s a photo that I wish didn’t exist but now that it does I want everyone to see it.” That is how the Wildlife Photographer of the Year finalist behind this photo describes his image, which illustrates the threat facing our seas.
Winning Tips For Submitting To Photo Contests, Free Webinar From Ami Vitale & PhotoShelter
Ami Vitale is an award-winning photojournalist who has traveled across the globe covering assignments for major publications.
Vitale's bio states that her work has been exhibited around the world in museums and galleries and published in international
Documentary Photographer Busts Some Common Myths and False Beliefs
If there's one thing that seasoned professional photographers love to do, it's to dispel ridiculous misconceptions and myths around the craft. Daniel Milnor is one of these people, and in this video, he crushes a few commonly held false beliefs within the wider photographic community.
Photojournalist Permanently Blinded in Left Eye After Being Shot by Police While Reporting on Minneapolis Riots
A photographer and journalist has been blinded after a police bullet “exploded” her eyeball while she documented the riots currently ongoing in Minneapolis.
A Look Into Mars Curiosity Rover's 17 Cameras
The Curiosity rover is one of the coolest machines we ever sent into space. The rover is giving us a glimpse into the never-explored land of Mars by sending us beautiful images taken by its cameras everyday. Curiosity has 17 cameras on deck, which is the most of any NASA planetary missions to date. Take a look at what each camera does, and why some of the cameras shoot just Black and White, and some shoot color. Also, who do you think have more image resolution: the Nikon D800 or Curiosity rover?
This Aspiring Actress Got to Photograph Albert Einstein, Then Changed Careers
It was 1948. One aspiring actress tagged along with a couple of filmmaker friends, and ended up taking some of the most iconic photos the world has ever seen: black and white portraits of Albert Einstein. It had such an effect, she instead pursued photography, going on to take portraits of world leaders, and enjoying a career in photojournalism spanning many decades.
Heartbreaking Video of Starving Polar Bear Illustrates Devastating Effects of Global Warming
New footage has emerged of a starving polar bear surrounded by dry land. The heartbreaking video, picked up by National Geographic, sees the malnourished animal struggling to walk as it searches for food.
Go Behind the Scenes Photographing U.S. President Donald J. Trump
When President Trump announced he would be skipping the White House Correspondents' Dinner to speak in Harrisburg, Pa., right in my backyard and on day 100 of his presidency, it was like the stars aligned. Among many avenues, I’m a stringer for a Harrisburg news journal, photographing politics and business news. Immediately after hearing the news at 10 p.m. on a Saturday night I applied for credentials and the wait began. A week later, on day 99 of the Trump Presidency, it was starting to look like I would be watching from my couch. With just 24 hours to spare, I got the green light. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like to photograph President Trump from a local photojournalist’s perspective.
[Pano] Incredible Panorama of San Francisco After The 1906 Earthquake
Check out this high-resolution zoomable panoramic photo taken right after the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco. Shot from a kite 2000 feet over San Francisco Bay, the detail is jaw-dropping and the scene after the disaster is otherworldly.
16-Year-Old Twin Brothers Document Homelessness as Art
Some people go through life and aren't sure how they can take their photography to the next level of giving back. There are many programs and non-profits such as Help Portrait and Operation: Love ReUnited, but nothing that you can say you did or created. Well these 16-year-old brothers decided they would do just that and create something worth remembering.