Approaching strangers and storytelling with depth and respect There’s a fine line between photographing people while traveling and turning them into props in your visual story. As photographers (especially when we’re on the road) it’s easy to fall into the trap of documenting the exotic. We’re drawn to the other, or the different—without truly seeingContinueContinue reading “How to Photograph People on the Road Without Being a Tourist”
Tag Archives: streetphoto
Bridging the Taste Gap: How to Push Through the Early Frustration of Photography
Every photographer begins with a feeling: This is the kind of work I want to make. You see it in other artists’ portfolios, and somewhere inside, you know that’s what you’re aiming for too. But when you press the shutter, what comes out doesn’t quite match. Your eye knows it’s not there yet. And that’sContinueContinue reading “Bridging the Taste Gap: How to Push Through the Early Frustration of Photography”
The Image and the Essay: How to Pair Words with Photos Without Overexplaining
Practical tips for writing captions, essays, and zine copy that supports your images. There’s a delicate art to combining images and words. Done well, the right sentence can open a photo like a doorway, adding context, emotion, or resonance. Done poorly, words can flatten mystery, interrupt the mood, or worse: explain something that didn’t needContinueContinue reading “The Image and the Essay: How to Pair Words with Photos Without Overexplaining”
The Photographer’s Blind Spot: What Are You Not Seeing?
How habits, expectations, and identity can quietly limit your creative vision. Every photographer has a blind spot. Not the technical kind, but the psychological one. It’s the angle you never explore. The subject you always avoid. The moment you overlook because you’ve decided, maybe unconsciously, that it’s not interesting, not beautiful, or not yours toContinueContinue reading “The Photographer’s Blind Spot: What Are You Not Seeing?”
How to Find Photos in Places That Don’t Inspire You
A guide to shooting creatively in your own backyard or mundane environments. When most photographers think about creativity, their minds often wander to far-flung destinations. Misty mountains, winding desert roads, or golden-hour beaches. But what if you’re stuck in your hometown? Or in a city that feels like it has nothing left to offer? Here’sContinueContinue reading “How to Find Photos in Places That Don’t Inspire You”
MELISSA MARTINSEN 