4 Photographers Who Overcome Adversity and Are Truly Inspiring

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Every photographer has hurdles to clear throughout their journey. For hobbyist and pro alike, difficulties arise. Most struggles relate to a level of skill or a difficult client. However, some photographers have to grind through a host of barriers. From difficulties with mental health to working with a physical disability, some photographers overcome great adversity. The Phoblographer has published some powerful stories over the years, with many of them highlighting photographers’ strengths. Below are some of our more memorable and inspiring stories.

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The Ferro Flowers Team Snapped Unique Photos of Metallized Flowers

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“Sometimes you put things together to change their meanings, to get even more beauty,” says Thomas Koch about his project, Ferro Flowers. This was a collaborative effort between Thomas, Frederic Schlosser, and Bruno Damião. The aim of the Ferro Flowers team was to show what nature might look like in the coming years due to the effect of mankind’s actions on our planet.

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7 of the Best Photography Stories from Our Arts & Culture Editor

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I’ve had the privilege of working with many talented photographers in my time at The Phoblographer. I’ve also shared my thoughts and knowledge throughout the years. So, one day when Editor in Chief Chris Gampat woke up from one of his Nutella-induced naps and asked me, “what are your favorite photography stories from the site?” it got me thinking. And after some thought, I arrived at a selection of pieces I’m incredibly proud to have done. Let’s take a look.

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Ahad Halari Approaches His Travel Photos With a Piscine Perspective

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“People might look at distortions in a bad way, but it’s all about perspective, isn’t it?” questions Ahad Halari when I ask him about his love for using fisheye lenses. Based in India, he travels often as a photographer for entertainers and celebrities. For his personal travel photography though, he adopts a perspective most of us reserve for unique subjects. Many of us use ultrawide lenses on our travels, but when was the last time you saw someone use a fisheye for travel photos?

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5 Artists Show How to Make Unbelievable Images Without Photoshop

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Often, when a person looks at a photograph that seems too good to be true, it’s because it is. The reality is that the photographer may have spent hours in Photoshop trying to create something that isn’t true to life. That’s fine, but it’s nowhere near as impressive as when a photographer creates an out-of-this-world image just by using the tool in their hand: the camera. It’s possible to do, and in this piece, we show you the photographers doing it.

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Barney Smith Travels Around the World for Underwater Double Exposures

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“It’s something I would love to do more of, connecting film photographers from around the world”, says Barney Smith of the UK. He’s an underwater photographer with a self-confessed obsession for shooting film. Barney enjoys his photography more without the conveniences of a digital camera. It took him a while to learn the basics, but he never looked back once he got the hang of analog photography. Shooting film makes him slow down and think carefully about every possible variable before clicking the shutter on his Nikonos camera.

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Amazing Photos From Photographers Showing Love for the 35mm Lens

We’re about to show some love to the 35mm lens.

A 35mm lens is an awesome companion for your camera. It offers great flexibility in terms of the types of photographs you can create. Is it the best focal length? Well, that’s a matter of preference. But it’s certainly a popular choice amongst professional photographers. And in this article, we look at some fantastic photographs created by photographers who give power to their 35mm lens!

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David Ellis Shoots in a Completely Unique Way with Lobospheres

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My name is David Ellis. I am a writer, strategist, gadfly and documentary/fine arts photographer based in California and a member of the SanDisk Extreme Team. I started in photojournalism, where I learned the power of visual storytelling and of the immediacy of the photographic moment. It was a bit of a fluke. I took a job as a junior writer at an automotive magazine, and as I was headed out the door to cover my first story, the editor handed me a brick of Tri-X and said, “Bring back five usable black and whites.” I had a Pentax K1000 and a 50mm lens that I used about three times before that moment. Terrified, I fumbled my way through most of the 20 rolls and got the five shots. But I loved the process of seeing and creating images so much, I was hooked for life. My mantra, “See it, shoot it,” has been the driving force of my work for decades.

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Want the Look of CineStill 800T in Digital? We’ve Got Some Bad News

We know some of you are looking for the same look of CineStill 800T in digital, but it’s not possible.

I could end this post with the statement above. But it’s true, the look of CineStill 800T isn’t possible without lots of post-production. You can’t get it right out of the camera. You can come close to it, though, just by shooting at 3200K Tungsten white balance. But if anything, it delivers more of the look of a pure Tungsten Film. CineStill has a special, magical process that makes gives it its unique image quality. But if you want it in post-production, you’d need to really work at it. We’ll explain it to you here, but we also believe that you should just give in a shoot some film.

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Daria Kosinova Proves That Fisheye Photos Will Always Be Cool

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“Fashion is the freedom of self-expression–the opportunity to combine the incongruous but, at the same time, not lose that beauty and harmony,” the photographer Daria Kosinova tells me. “I like that mixture of elegance and audacity.” As part of a recent shoot, she brought back a classic tool long associated with trendsetters and risk-takers: the fisheye lens. 

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On Editing Portraits: Do We Need a Code of Ethics?

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I have written openly about how I feel when it comes to editing portraits. For those who need a quick catch-up: I have no issues with light photo editing, but my ethics are challenged when a photographer manipulates the weight and shape of their subject. People have differing views on this topic, and it’s not about who is right or wrong: it’s about identifying where the line is. And even regarding this polarizing topic, I sometimes question where my own line is. Let’s take a look.

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Question: Is There Such a Thing as a Professional Street Photographer?

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I see many photographers claim to be professional street photographers. I’m always slightly skeptical: I mean, do people really get paid to roam the streets and make photos? I’ve earned a good living writing about street photography, and also practicing it in the process. But does that make me a professional street photographer, or is the job title somewhat a lie? In this article, we will answer the question, and I’ll also include some input from a street photographer who’s better positioned to answer it than most.

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Did Canon Philippines Make A Misogynistic Choice?

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Wouldn’t it be nice if the powers that be in the industry had the fortitude to admit they don’t value women? Each new offense is a middle finger salute, and the reaction to remedy them is increasingly hollow. The newest chapter of this mundane book is being written by Canon Philippines. Naturally, their decision to name an all-male ambassador team is met with resentment and outrage. It’s hardly a shock. What is surprising is their non-apology apology paired with silence from the other global divisions.

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Stijn Hoekstra Explores the Empty Streets of Amsterdam Under Curfew

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“All of these pictures were taken in one night, as a snowstorm covered the Netherlands,” Stijn Hoekstra tells me. It was the winter of 2021, and amid the COVID-19 crisis, the country had imposed a mandatory curfew from 9:00 PM to 4:30 AM. That night, he left home at 9:00 and returned at 3:00 in the morning, exploring the deserted streets and peering into lonely storefronts in silence. 

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How Karyn Easton Captures Mesmerizing Photos of Oil and Water

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“The real inspiration for the series came from the very simple idea that something beautiful could be created with household materials that typically do not mix,” the photographer Karyn Easton tells me. Featuring oil bubbles floating in a water dish, her ongoing series of macro abstracts highlights the tiny miracles that happen every day when two seemingly mundane liquids collide and repel. Even when she found herself homebound amid lockdowns, she discovered this basic concoction–a familiar favorite in childhood science experiments–provided hours of delight and fascination. 

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Critiquing the Winners of The 2021 iPhone Photography Awards

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The winners of The 2021 iPhone Photography Awards are here. After reviewing thousands of photographs, sent in from photographers across 140 countries, the judging panel made their decisions. The standard was high, and the winners are evidence of that. “Congratulations to all the winners and their astute observations, sometimes moving and subtle, other times witty and surprising… always insightful,” wrote IPPA founder Kenan Aktulun. In this article, we will look at each of the winning images and offer our thoughts.

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How Photographer Christopher Michel Makes Stunning, Soulful Portraits

All images by Christopher Michel and used with permission. Be sure to check out his website.

“How important is that photo of you with your parents?” asks photographer Christopher Michel when asked about portraiture. “I’m guessing pretty darn important…Photography is a kind of alchemy – photographs almost always become more valuable over time.” Mr. Michel’s words ring true for lots of us these days after coming out of some very difficult times. For Christopher, making portraits is a collaborative process. As he tells us, the aim is to always create soulful portraits.

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6 Amazing Photographers and Their Black and White Photography

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Who doesn’t love black and white photography? The deep darks and the eye-catching whites are what make this beautiful genre so mesmerizing. We’ve featured many photographers who remove color from their work and instead go for the more classic feel. In fact, the stories centered around the black and white frame have been some of our most popular on the site. And in this piece, we’re going to look at some of the best of them.

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The Photo Stitch Could Make Your Camera So Much Better

Phones have had the photo stitch feature for a long time, but why don’t cameras have it?

We’re not necessarily talking about the Brenizer effect. And we’re not just talking about panoramic features either. But instead, modern digital cameras are missing a lot of things that phones have done for a while. One of the oldest features is the photo stitch. You know–shooting a scene, moving your camera around, and the phone stitching all the images together. “Oh, I can do it in post-production,” you say. But why? Why do I need to spend all day in front of a computer? I already do this for work. I don’t want to return to a computer later on to do a photo stitch! What kind of an answer is that from manufacturers? It’s one thing to give that as an answer. It’s another thing to provide that answer and complain about smartphones killing their business.

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How Does a Blind Photographer Make it So Far in Life?

This is a question that I’m personally asked very often, so I’ll answer it here.

If you’ve read this site for years, you probably know about something that makes me special. I’m legally blind. You can see it in my images and even on my personal website. But the fact is that as a legally blind photographer, I still end up nailing focus and having better images than most folks. Millions of people come to this site to trust the reviews I write and the work that I oversee amongst the staff. So you’ve got to wonder then how a blind guy gets so far, right? I mean, this is a photography blog, after all. Well, I’m going to get personal and hope that it inspires someone out there.

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Hao Nguyen Shows How Powerful Photography Leads to Healing

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“…I tried to find ways to cope with heartbreak and trauma,” Toronto-based photographer Hao Nguyen tells us. Hao is the winner for the healing category for the 2021 All Out Photography Awards. “Since it was difficult to express it on my own, I wanted to visualize healing through others…” The 2021 All Out Photography Awards offered a platform for photographers to express the issues confronted by the LGBTQ community. Just shy of 2,000 images were summited, and a range of industry experts selected the best of the bunch. Hao Nguyen is a Chinese-Vietnamese photographer. His take on the subject matter offered a sense of unity and came with a dose of creativity that any artist can enjoy. We caught up with Nguyen to see how life has been since receiving this fantastic recognition for his work.

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