Artists Spotlight

We all know Mark Mann from the close-up, soul-bearing portraits of what feels like every celebrity, public figure, and president in current times. Prolific seems a fitting word that should be permanently grafted to any discussion of the artist’s work. Today, however, we are getting to know Mark Mann in a way that you never have.

With 28 days to celebrate Black History Month in February, let's take 28 opportunities to celebrate some talented black photographers who are currently making history with their work.

When I watch events, and the cameras swiftly pan by the crowded photographers trying to get the cover shot, I can’t help but scan for women. I do it when the receiver runs full force out-of-bounds and accidentally crashes into the sideline photographers. “Was there a woman in that crew?" Or on CSPAN when the camera pans back to the counsel’s table and you get that quick glimpse of the photographers sitting like sardines on the floor with their cameras. At the Olympics, especially, I’m always eyeing women. I don’t see them as often as I wish.

The works of classic painters are some of the most revered artifacts from antiquity. The Baroque style in particular exudes portrayals of dramatic light, color, and fantastic events. But for centuries, they have been relegated to two dimensions.

Dario Calmese is the first black photographer to shoot the cover of Vanity Fair. In this interview, we talk a bit about that as well as his recent collaboration with Adobe to create presets better suited for diverse skin tones.

Photographers often write to me to share their portfolios and websites. I am not often impressed. Today's photography is repetitive and derivative in a way that I find immensely underwhelming. Yet, every so often, I am surprised. Susanne Otterberg is one such surprise.

Defining and cultivating photographic style is a "long term" endeavor. Samuel Elkins shares his personal journey through this process.

Whalebone Magazine (the self-proclaimed ninth-best magazine in the world) just wrapped up their Second Annual Whalebone Photo Contest, leading up to the release of their aptly named Photo Issue. Categories included Water, Adventure, Human, Motion, Joy, and Weather — whatever those things mean to you.

World-renowned travel and landscape photographer Elia Locardi has teamed up with Skylum Global to bring you a creative editing challenge, editing Elia's images.

RuPaul’s Drag Race is the Emmy-winning global phenomenon taking reality TV by storm. The show is in its 13th season but boasts several spin-offs including All Stars, as well as localized seasons in Canada, UK, Thailand, Holland, Spain, and Australia. Drag race, as it is called by fans, is a reality competition that challenges contestants to find the drag performer who possesses the perfect blend of charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.

Marc Klaus is one artist who has a voice uniquely his own. He has used visuals and storytelling to create a meta-narrative; the video has no words but acts as a deeply insightful look into Klaus's process through clever camera work, in-camera collage, and performance art.

Photographer Roger Ballen's signature style, which has come to be known as the "Bellenesque" aesthetic, didn't develop overnight. In fact, it took five decades of trial and error to fully mature into what we see today.

My love for street photography pre-dates my time as a photographer. But one thread that runs between all my favorite street photographers is a characteristically dark and moody aesthetic. Here are my top 10 to follow.

The visual narrative of indigenous people in the United States has been largely controlled by cameras held in hands of those who don’t belong to their communities. Award-winning Osage photographer Ryan RedCorn is changing that one shutter click at a time.

Armed with just a single portable V-Flat, and a Profoto strobe, see how New York based headshot photographer, Laibel Schwartz creates a photo studio in the streets of Manhattan, and captures magical headshots of strangers.

Have you ever seen someone's work and been not only blown away by the technical ability of the photographs, but how it emotionally moves you as well? In this article, take a look at the inspiring work and message behind photographer, Russ Watkins new series, Black and White:Perception vs. Reality.

Stop worrying so much about your skills, and learn to think creatively. That was my favorite piece of advice from photographer and artist Pauline Goyard.

There definitely is not a single road to success but coming from the 40-year experience of this veteran advertising photographer, there are definitely things you should keep in mind for a successful career.

As working from home becomes the new normal, we have to think creatively about how to make it work. See how fashion photographer Emily Teague converted her living room into a fully functioning studio.

Like many new photographers, Kelly Robitaille started by taking photos of her children, but she would become well known for a striking visual style that is anything but typical.

His photographic journey developed much the same as most photographers, a slow burn of learning and exploration, but his destination has turned out to be anything but typical.

When most think about maternity photography, the visual is light airy looks with flowers wrapping the soon to be mother. However there have been many changes in the way photographers are shooting this genre and many photographers want to break the stereotype.

Many photographers are dealing with stress and worrying which leads us to be up all night. During the last recession Brett Missick turned his insomnia into a lifelong project.

There’s something magical about watching a Polaroid coming to life in your hands. The little piece of instant film is a moment of captured time that is always a joy to have, but there is something about the scope of Ken Yu’s Polaroid Project that makes it truly special.

Large format photography is something entirely different from 35mm digital, medium format, and even other film photography. This fantastic video features a large format photographer discussing his story and some of the process behind making his images, and his lessons are readily applicable to any other type of photography.

New York is the city that never sleeps. It’s a city that’s famous for it’s bustling streets and the weird and wonderful community that populate it. It’s a hub of activity, or at least it was until lockdown.

Businesses all over the world are in crisis due to COVID-19. Small companies are scrambling to figure out a way to keep their business open or at least relevant while this pandemic takes over. Studios are shutting their doors and owners prepping before their state gets the shelter in place order. But what happens if you, as the owner, test positive for the virus?

Molly Baber is a multi-disciplinary visual artist and fashion photographer creating conceptual works that evoke blood, death, and feminine power, as well as a subconscious fantasy through ritual, divination, and mythology.

Our friends over at GuruShots, "The World’s Greatest Photo Game,” hosted a challenge recently where participants were asked to submit their best nightfall Image. There were thousands of entries and 37.6 million votes throughout the contest. Check out the three winners of the challenge as well as the 100 top rated images below.

Pets are considered by most as family members. Some prefer cats, others prefer dogs, and some even are drawn to the the flying kind of lovable companions. While most think of only photographing their beloved fur babies as a hobby, have you ever thought about turning it into a marketable portion of your company?

A lot of people think TikTok is juvenile, or have not even heard of it. Yet, after 1 billion downloads and upwards of 500 million monthly users, the app is on the map.

As photographers, we have the power to change the world through our images. As the decade comes to a close, CNN takes a look back at the 100 photos that defined the last decade in our ever-changing world.

The new decade is just a week away, which marks the start of a new beginning. With anything new, it gives us an opportunity to set goals for ourselves, and take our photography game to the next level. If you're looking to level up your photography in 2020, joining the 52 Frames weekly photo initiative is the perfect way to flex your creative muscles each week, and become a better photographer while you're at it.

With over 20 million YouTube channels on the platform in 2019, it's important to stand out. Check out a selection of my favorite YouTube channels in the photography and filmmaking category that you should be following today.

Some of these photographers are well known in the industry, and others are climbing the ladder of recognition, but all of them have something incredible to offer the genre of fantasy photography.

Time-lapses are one of those things that I wish I had the time and budget to do. They involve a lot of planning, time, knowledge, and gear to pull off.

GuruShots, "The World’s Greatest Photo Game,” recently hosted a challenge asking participants to submit their best photo that tells a story. With thousands of entries 60.5 million votes, the top images were selected. Check out the three winners of the challenge below as well as the 100 top rated images below.

Everyone in the industry must know who Pratik Naik is by now. And if you don't, then you should. In ten years Pratik has become one of the most famous retouchers on the planet.

A common misconception is that boudoir is for younger women. I have heard prospective clients think it is only for brides, for newlyweds, or for 20-somethings. A boudoir photographer in New Jersey is working to bring light to all the clients 50 and older who book sessions.

Jeff Whitlock’s work as a high-end retoucher has been gaining notice for the last several years, and just about every time I turn around, Jeff is sharing some amazing project he’s just worked on. From the "This is not Magritte" series to his work on portraits of celebrities, Jeff has been knocking it out of the park with great regularity.

I have seen some truly amazing photos of the Golden Gate Bridge, but one stood out and so much I had to catch up with the artist to learn more.

When one of the worlds most renowned headshot photographer, Peter Hurley shows up at your high school photography class to teach you about how to take better headshots, it's definitely a class you don't want to be absent for. In this article see how Peter used his photography skills to give back and inspire a high school community.

Do you ever cross paths with a person in life that ends up changing your whole direction? Casey Nesitat was that person for me, and for so many creators around the world. How has Casey Neistat changed your life?

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.

In last week’s article, I introduced you to the inspiring work of Minnesota-based fine art photographer, R. J. Kern. This week, I connected with him again and was able to gain insight into what it took to create his most recent project, "The Unchosen Ones". If you were inspired by his work last week, I can assure you you'll be blown away by this one, too.

The latest Skoda advert features their newest car models, pictured in dramatic scenes. What you may not know, though, is that the images you see here are all in fact toy cars photographed in custom-made sets.

Photographers of all genres rely on new inquires as well as returning clients to fill their calendar for the year. Keeping up with returning clients is easily done, however getting the fresh new leads does not have to be a difficult task if your website has a few minor additions.

This past October award-winning photographer Jérôme Brunet published his 20-year retrospective coffee table book "Into The Light" that collects over 150 of his amazing music images.

Drone Multimedia is one of the largest drone accounts on Instagram today. Throughout 2018, they collected a bunch of data and feedback from the content they shared to create this list of the top 20 most influential drone pilots of the year.

Although some of us either slept through the night or couldn't see the stars due to weather, a lot of photographers set up their rigs and captured the spectacle known as the Geminids Meteor Shower. Check out some of the highlights we found around the web.