Thomas Hoepker’s ’63 road trip, plus four other fantastic photobooks to get you inspired

Controlled Burn & Dodge #1, CA 1999. © Bob Kolbrener This month’s photobook selection includes a collection of photos of pairs by Finnish photographer Pentti Sammallahti; Thomas Hoepker’s look back at his 1963 road trip; Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb’s lockdown project of photos from Cape Cod; a collection of Bob Kolbrener’s B&W Californian… Continue reading Thomas Hoepker’s ’63 road trip, plus four other fantastic photobooks to get you inspired

How to be a conscientious travel photographer: Creating thoughtful images with Susan Portnoy

The Tiger’s Nest monastery in Bhutan. Susan Portnoy So, you’re packing your bags—and your camera—for a little summer vacation. It’s only natural that you’ll want to document your trip, but, what’s the point of taking pictures at popular destinations when millions of others are, too? PopPhoto chatted with award-winning travel photographer Susan Portnoy of The… Continue reading How to be a conscientious travel photographer: Creating thoughtful images with Susan Portnoy

How Lighting Imparts Emotion in an Animated Scene

Lighting in animation is more than just making a scene look stunning—it’s also about choosing an aesthetic that can evoke a desired style, mood, or ambience. Lighting can be incredibly nuanced, and it’s often used to give audiences a better connection to the emotional levels of the animation. Lighting can help to convey the mood… Continue reading How Lighting Imparts Emotion in an Animated Scene

Faceless photography tips: Why anonymous photos can still be attractive to licensing clients

Faceless photos are trending—at least when it comes to photography. We’ve all seen the pictures: faceless figures in a vast landscape, tourists in straw hats gazing at iconic landmarks, and the famous #Followmeto theme, where all we see is someone’s back leading us into the unknown. When a photo is anonymous, we can’t identify the… Continue reading Faceless photography tips: Why anonymous photos can still be attractive to licensing clients

NFT trends: Character creation and NFT art

Earlier this year, the renowned Los Angeles photographer Parker Day collaborated with the NFT platform Quantum Art to bring her project ICONS to the blockchain. Featuring 200 portraits, the playful series saw Day collaborate with models to bring different “personas” or characters to life. The collection sold out quickly, with many collectors immediately identifying with… Continue reading NFT trends: Character creation and NFT art

With thoughtful luminescence, Elizabeth Messina offers an intimate study of the female portrait

Messina is renowned for her stunningly simple portraits of women that convey depth and feeling. Elizabeth Messina Southern California-based photographer Elizabeth Messina is something of a legend. With her beloved Contax 645 and Fujifilm GFX100s, she has photographed for the likes of Tori Spelling, Claire Pettibone, and Brooke Shields—and that’s just to name a few.… Continue reading With thoughtful luminescence, Elizabeth Messina offers an intimate study of the female portrait

Peter van Agtmael grapples with chronicling the post-9/11 era

A women sob as soldiers arrest their family. “It was one of my first raids in Iraq. At the time, I felt almost no emotion. I was consumed by the novelty and the mania. We got back to the base as the sun was beginning to rise. I opened the door to my trailer and… Continue reading Peter van Agtmael grapples with chronicling the post-9/11 era

Redefining fatherhood in commercial photography (with bonus shot list)

According to research conducted a few years ago by Dove Men+Care, 90% of men around the world view their caring side as a representation of their strength, while 86% say understandings of masculinity have evolved since their fathers’ generation. But just 7% said they relate to how the media portrays masculinity. We’re overdue for a… Continue reading Redefining fatherhood in commercial photography (with bonus shot list)