Recent Documentary Articles

Behind the Scenes at Ilford Photo's Factory

Far from dying out, film photography still has a place in many people's hearts. One of the companies which has warmly occupied this space is Harman technology Limited, which has been trading as Ilford Photo since 2005. This lovely short film documents what still goes on in their factory today.

Fujifilm and Elia Locardi Team up in New Webseries

Elia Locardi, famous for taking beautiful landscapes and cityscapes, and refusing to go skydiving, has recently teamed up with Fujifilm, Smugmug, and Flickr to create "Moments in Time", a new webseries following Elia around the world on his photographic journey.

Almost 2,500 Unseen Images From 9/11 Have Been Discovered on a CD at a Yard Sale

There are many defining images from the devastating events that occurred in New York on September 11, 2001. But now, almost 18 years later, thousands of previously unseen photos showing the extent of the ground zero clean-up operation have been discovered on CD-Rom discs at a house clearance sale.

Photographing Noctilucent Clouds

During a few weeks around the summer solstice, the situation in the highest regions of the atmosphere can be ideal to form a rare kind of clouds. Invisible by day, these clouds can be lit by the sun when its beneath the horizon, showing up as noctilucent clouds.

Photographer Documents One of the Rarest Treks on Earth

There are mysterious places that swirl with intrigue and evoke dreams of the sights that lie within the unknown. These are the places that often seem so perfectly suited for a photographer with a wandering spirit. Arriving at the wondrous location, however, is only half the battle for the inclined documenter.

Are You a Dreamer or a Doer?

Most photographers dream of being recognized on a large scale for their work. But for Russell Ord, an Australian-based, internationally awarded photographer, action on dreams means the creation of a new reality.

Why the Inventor of Photography Faked His Own Death

Hippolyte Bayard was an artist, collector, inventor, and photographic pioneer who lived from 1801 until 1886 and claimed to have invented the photographic process before his contemporaries, Louis-Jacques Mandé Daguerre and William Henry Fox Talbot. When Bayard presented his photography process to Paris, no one really seemed to care.

'Four Freedoms': The Reimagining of Norman Rockwell

The International Center of Photography in Manhattan, New York has displayed a new exibit reimaginging the work of Norman Rockwell's "Four Freedoms." The images are geared to display the diverse modern family compared to the orignal iconic work.

Using Photography as a Form of Therapy for Grief

For many, a creative hobby or endeavor acts as buffer against the strains of everyday life. But for some, it's a lot more than that — it's a way to find just a little bit of peace in a world that's been turned upside down, often in tragic ways.

Woman Beautifully Photographs Her Own Childbirth

As the baby was crowning, Megan Mattiuzzo was clicking away. This might sound like a normal scene for most birth photographers out there, but Mattiuzzo was up against an extra layer of difficulty: she was photographing her own delivery.

Noir Stories: Photographing a Timeline of Insomnia

Creating stories is what many photographers are striving to do, whether in video or stills. Pulling on emotional ties with your viewer with something they can relate with gives the storyline a bigger impact. One photographer created a dramatic series on something most of us have been through at some point in our lives: insomnia.

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.'