Inspiring Videos for Photographers in a Rut
New year, new president. Need some inspiration? Take a gander at these videos, then get out there and start making photos!
Jarob Ortiz
Milwaukee-native Jarob Ortiz beat out nearly 5,000 other applicants to score a dream job as photographer with the National Parks Service. Armed with a large format camera, Ortiz spoke with CBS News during one of his first assignments to document Ellis Island.
Pete Souza
For the past 8 years, the indefatigable Pete Souza created a trove of images documenting the presidency of Barack Obama. By all accounts, the quality and quantity of output was historic.
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/white-house-photographer-pete-souza/
http://time.com/4637807/obama-pete-souza/
Diana Markosian
Decorated photojournalist Diana Markosian visited her father in Armenia, twenty-years after they parted ways in Moscow. The result is a series of vignettes and portraits chronicling the sometimes awkward, but always poignant interactions between a father and daughter trying to make up for lost time.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/06/19/sunday-review/mornings-with-my-father.html
Tim Mantoani
Tim Mantoani self-financed a portrait series of photographers holding their iconic photos shot on large format Polaroid. Behind Photographs will remain a part of his selfless legacy. Mantoani passed away from cancer at the end of 2016. He spoke with us in 2010 about finding your passion in photography.
https://vimeo.com/channels/photoshelterwebinars/13317541
Stephen Wilkes
Stephen Wilkes traveled around the globe for Day to Night – his project that composites photos taken over the course of 15-30 hours into one time spanning still. The resulting photos create a stunning narrative of a world of collapsed time. Wilkes spoke at the TED2016 conference.
http://www.ted.com/talks/stephen_wilkes_the_passing_of_time_caught_in_a_single_photo
Benjamin Von Wong
Stuck in a creative rut? Trying to find more purpose with your photography? Mining engineer turned self-taught photographer, Benjamin Von Wong, combined his passion for creating surreal images with his social media chops to bring awareness to environmental issues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdJdy5exaCo
Angélica Dass
Angélica Dass grew up in a house filled with a multitude of skin tones, and didn’t think much of it. But when she stepped outside, skin color became a code with loaded references. Her portrait project, Humanae, has matched thousands of subjects with a corresponding Pantone color, and these images are presented online and in person as a mosaic that challenge the traditional labels of color.
http://www.ted.com/talks/angelica_dass_the_beauty_of_human_skin_in_every_color
William Eggleston
William Eggleston is a titan of contemporary photography. He’s also arrogant. He also wears a suit everyday and likes to improvise on the piano. Writer Augusten Burroughs caught up with him in Memphis in an enlightening and entertaining profile for T The New York Times Style Magazine.