Seven tips for curating and editing down your Licensing portfolio

One of the most common reasons great photographs are rejected from commercial Licensing boils down to one simple fact: the images are too similar to each other. There are a few explanations about why this might happen. Maybe you didn’t get enough variety while on location, and you got home to find all your photos… Continue reading Seven tips for curating and editing down your Licensing portfolio

21 Poses to Try When Photographing Men

While photos of male models were once limited to underwear ads with six-pack abs, the field is changing—for the better. With major brands turning to street-casting and alternative modeling agencies, photographers now have more freedom to experiment with how they portray male individuality and masculinity. Masculinity is complex and multi-faceted; it means something different for… Continue reading 21 Poses to Try When Photographing Men

The luxury aesthetic and how to achieve it for editorial and lifestyle shoots

In recent months, Balenciaga launched a furry pink pop-up shop in London, Dior opened its renovated flagship store in Paris, and Gucci debuted a luxury boutique in Austin. Pinterest named “Limitless Luxe” as one of their top trends for 2022, citing increases in search terms for everything from “luxury powder room” to “luxury kids bedroom.”… Continue reading The luxury aesthetic and how to achieve it for editorial and lifestyle shoots

Best camera sliders for 2022

Neewar Best manual Neewer Carbon Fiber Camera Track Slider Check Price A versatile, professional, manual slider Best motorized Neewer Motorized Camera Slider Check Price Like having a second camera operator Best compact Zeapon Micro 2 Plus Check Price Compact design delivers great moves Camera sliders help you create smooth, dynamic shots that add interest and… Continue reading Best camera sliders for 2022

Electrifyingly hot: our favorite reader-submitted photos of the day

“Quiet summer day in Istria”. Rudiescu on Flickr What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of heat? Summer? A backyard barbecue? A big bowl of chili, a hot bath, romance? Heat as a subject is versatile and vast. This week’s Photos of the Day winners provided unique perspectives that spoke to… Continue reading Electrifyingly hot: our favorite reader-submitted photos of the day

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

How wellness and self-love are influencing commercial advertising

Last year, The Body Shop UK released a new campaign titled Self Love Street, telling the story of three housemates overcoming self-doubt, the pain of rejection, criticism, and the pressure to be “perfect.” The brand was spurred to action, in part, by research indicating that almost one in two people feel more self-doubt than self-love—and… Continue reading How wellness and self-love are influencing commercial advertising

The new Black vanguard of portrait photography, plus four other photo shows worth seeing

Sarah, Lagos, Nigeria, 2015. Namsa Leuba (Swiss, b. 1982). Image courtesy of Aperture, New York, 2019. © Namsa Leuba We’re back with a fresh batch of excellent photo shows to check out in the United States as the summer temperatures heat up. This month’s column features a mixture of historical and contemporary, including intimate images… Continue reading The new Black vanguard of portrait photography, plus four other photo shows worth seeing

Best GoPro accessories for 2022

Stan Horaczek Best for extreme athletes Chesty Performance Chest Mount Check Price When it comes to a natural viewpoint and steady shooting, chest mounts seriously outperform head mounts. Best for shooting in the dark GoPro Light Mod Check Price With output up to 200 lumens, this little light provides a surprising amount of illumination. Best… Continue reading Best GoPro accessories for 2022

500px and Neil Dankoff Photography Competition: Winners Announced!

The results are in… Round two of the 500px and Neil Dankoff Photography Competition has come to an end. The judges were blown away with the submissions and after much deliberation, we couldn’t be more excited to announce the winners, runner-ups, and honorable mentions from the competition. A recap of the drool-worthy prizes Runners-up and… Continue reading 500px and Neil Dankoff Photography Competition: Winners Announced!