Recent Documentary Articles

An Inside Look at What It's Like to Photograph a Prestigious Motorsport Event

If you think that photographing Total 24 Hours Spa has anything to do with cucumber slices and a hot stone massage, then you are very wrong indeed. I will say, however, that when you finish photographing one of these endurance races you might need 24 hours in a spa. Have look at this fascinating short documentary to find out more.

Effective Techniques for Video Recording Interviews

Interviewing interesting people can be an awesome experience that when done right, will provide impactful insight to your next video project. When done wrong however, you may find yourself asking the client for a do-over or spending hours in the editing room cleaning up mistakes.

The Videographer Behind the Viral '92 Los Angeles Riots Footage

If you were old enough to remember the horrible scenes of the Los Angeles riots of 1992, the memory probably most burned into your mind is the ruthless beating of truck driver Reginald Denny. This last weekend marked the 25th anniversary of one of the ugliest domestic events in American history. Over the course of six days, 58 people died, 2,000 people were seriously injured, and over 11,000 citizens were arrested. The man responsible for capturing the most graphic video of the epicenter, Timothy Goldman, happened to be at the wrong place at the right time, and the story of how it all unfolded is pretty interesting.

Photographer Travels to More Than 50 Countries to Photograph Weird and Wonderful Wildlife

London-based photographer Harry Skeggs began his love affair with traveling at the age of 17 with what he describes as a "rubbish little camera." He says it was his disappointment with the quality of the images that pushed him to seek out better. Here, we take a look at some of his finest wildlife images from around the world.

National Geographic Flips the Camera Around in a New Series Spotlighting Photographers

National Geographic is heralded as "the top of the mountain" when it comes to photographic journalism, or photography in general. This new six-part series gives us a glimpse into what it takes to be at the top of the mountain. As a landscape photographer, something I constantly hear from friends and family when they see one of my images is, "Wow, this could be in National Geographic!" If photography was a scale from never having taken a photo to being a photographer for National Geographic, I'm certainly closer to the "never taken a photo" side. Most of the time, these remarks happen...

Robert John's Documentary On Photographing Guns N Roses

Guns N Roses was one of my favorite bands growing up. I recently read Slash's biography and realized that his friend Robert John had not only shot all of those iconic album images, but he also documented the band's entire road to stardom. Of course I had order Robert's book Guns N Roses, The Photographic History. If you enjoy band photography check out this interesting documentary on how he made the book, and what it's like photographing the most dangerous band in the world.

Behind-the-Scenes Look at Photographing the Emmy Award Show

The Emmys are one of the largest award ceremonies in the world and the logistics behind its production and broadcast are vast. USA Today has put together a wonderful video showing us what goes into photographing at the Emmys. This is a great behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to shoot with such an exclusive and fast paced event.

PBS's 'Off Book: The Art of Portrait Photography'

What draws us to portraits? In this video from PBS's 'Off Book,' photographers Matt Hoyle, Bex Finch, Jamie Diamond and Ethan Levitas offer their perspective on portraiture and why it is important to us as human beings. At the core of portrait photography, it is a documention of our existence, but it often surpasses that and becomes art.

Markus Andersen’s New Book “Rage Against The Light” Beautifully Showcases His World Of Sydney Australia

Markus Andersen, certainly one of the leading street and fine art photographers in Sydney, Australia, and known globally, has just released pre-orders for his first book – and it looks stunning. “Rage Against The Light” published by TG Publishing showcases his wonderful work around his home town of Sydney (and for the first 100 pre-orders, 42 remaining pre-orders, comes with a free print).

Why Ireland Is Underrated for Landscape Photography

When it comes to landscape photography, certain destinations immediately come to mind – the dramatic landscapes of Iceland, the majestic mountains of the Canadian Rockies, or the iconic landmarks of the American Southwest. However, there is one country that often gets overlooked as a photography hotspot: Ireland.

Bert Stern: Original Mad Man Trailer

Bert Stern's career started in the mailroom at Look Magazine and soon became sought after by Hollywood and Madison Avenue.

Bert Stern: Original Mad Man directed by Shannah Laumeister, follows Stern's career through the golden age of the ad world and the iconic Marilyn Monroe "The Last Sitting" series.

Stern is notably well known for his 3 day photo shoot with Marilyn Monroe for Vogue

1 Second Everyday: This Is How 2014 Looked Like For Fellow Creatives Around The World

Last year we told you about 1 Second Everyday, the app that lets you record and organize your memories in the form of short videos. This is basically a 365-video project where each day of the year can hold just one second of video. People choose to use it in many different ways: some people record behind the scenes at work, some choose to document their family and personal life and some go in more artistic and creative routes. Check out how 2014 looked like for some awesome people around the world.

A Short Film About A Man Who Has Sold Millions Of Forgotten Personal Photographs

“Mark Kologi has collected and sold literally millions of forgotten personal photos of complete strangers.” That was the only tag line associated with the video. With curiosity, I entered Mark's world for a moment through the video. I was curious to know why he does this. Immediately, I got it and it brought out the fascination I have with photography.

Making the Most of a Simple Shoot

I was hired to shoot graduation photos for a client recently, a particular job that certain photographers may be at odds with accepting. Simply put, it’s one of those gigs that can be hard to get motivated for if it isn’t your style. As a working photographer however we must all make decisions with our career and in my case, work is work regardless of the genre. So how can you take something as simple as a graduation shoot and turn it into an experience? Here are a few tips.

Struggling to Find Inspiration for Your Next Shoot? This New Series Might Just Help You

If you're trying to gain an edge in a competitive market, getting inspiration from places you might not normally look could really help. This new documentary series will expose you to some of the world's most creative minds in fields you may have never considered. As an added bonus, one of the episodes features famous photographer, Platon, and is worth a watch just for that alone.

The Power of Portraits: Clay Cook's Look at Ethiopian Youth

On one side, we have advertising photography, where everything is contrived and meant to look a certain way. It might as well be a painting with how planned out each step is. On the other, we have photojournalism. As the opposite, true photojournalism should never be staged, posed or "created." The idea is to capture what is and has happened. Unlike a painting, photography has the power to show real time exactly how it is with no artistic interpretation. What captivates me is when those two worlds collide to create art with purpose, and that is exactly what Clay Cook has done with his portraits of impoverished youth in Ethiopia.

A Tribute to Discomfort Tells the Inspiring Story of National Geographic Photographer Cory Richards

In a short film created by media group Blue Chalk, photographer Cory Richards discusses his growth as a photographer and his experiences shooting in some of the most beautiful-and dangerous-places on earth. Essentially homeless after dropping out of high school at 14, Richards credits the observance of the "richness that comes with struggle" for his initial education as a visual storyteller.

New Film Looks to Document First Unsupported, Winter Crossing of Iceland

Iceland has become a naturelovers' playground and a hotspot for adventure photographers looking to visit the home of some of the most popular Instagramable locations on Earth. But many travelers visit the island nation during the warmer and more accessible summer months. Winter is when most of the country is covered in snow and ice and tourism drops dramatically. But that isn't stopping four British adventurers from attempting something that has never before been accomplished; crossing the country unsupported in the heart of winter in what they're calling "The Coldest Crossing."

14 Years In Just Four Minutes:  Whole Life Of a Teen In One Timelapse

Many photographers try to take on cool on-going photography-related projects, and many break in just few days or weeks. You know what i'm talking about - 365 projects or 1 Second Everyday kind of projects. Dutch filmmaker Frans Hofmeester, took on one of these projects and took it to the extreme. He filmed his newborn daughter every week from the day she was born all the way until she celebrated her 14th birthday.

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.

"Punching Back Time" Photographs Of Senior Boxers

Photojournalist David Eulitt recently completed Punching Back Time, a series of photographs that features senior athletes who at seasoned ages, strap on gloves and spar in the ring.

The boxers were participants in the 2nd Annual Ringside Masters Championship boxing tournament, a competition for amateur boxers ranging in ages from 35 to 75.

Could You Imagine Photographing COVID-19 Hospital Patients?

Jeff Rhode has the highly unusual role as a full-time hospital photographer. In this interview, he shares his heart-rending photographs of COVID-19 patients and the staff supporting them and talks about the experience of photographing history as it happens.

Old School Cool: The Leica Factory Before World War II

Take a trip back to a time before World War II where the idea of a portable 35mm camera was just becoming a reality. Filmarchives Online brings us an amazing peek into the Earnst Leitz Optische Werke factory in Wetzlar, Germany sometime between the two World Wars.