Our Most Popular Posts of 2017

We published over 160 blog posts in 2017 on a variety of topics ranging from product announcements to gear reviews. We love talking about the intersection of photography, culture and technology and aren’t shy to share an opinion or two. Here are the top ten most read posts of the year in case you missed them.

 

Instagram Hashtags for Portrait Photographers

PhotoShelter has been publishing free educational guides for 8 years now, so it’s not surprising that one of the guides made it into the top 10. Hashtags have gone from being an obscure categorization mechanism proposed by a Twitter user in 2007 to a major discovery mechanism that is now followable on Instagram.

Our guide has some great suggestions on how photographers can use hashtags to increase their following and be found.

 

Unsplash is Still Bad for Photography

There are legitimate reasons to give away photography for free, but we’re generally against it. The company Unsplash uses free photography as the carrot to build referral business for their money making venture, hiding behind the guise of an open ethos. We’re not buying it.

 

Now That You’re Outraged, Register Your Damn Copyright

PetaPixel’s top post of the year told the story of photographer Max Dubler whose images were stolen by a skateboard brand. He tried to reason with them, but they weren’t having any of it. But he didn’t register his copyright. Reigster your damn copyright.

 

She Crossed Into West Germany and Handed the Officer a Flower

We asked members of the PhotoShelter community to tell us the story behind the One Photo that held the most meaning for them. Scott Miller shared his 1989 image from the border crossing between former East and West Germany.

 

It’s Not Porn, but It Is Illegal

Stealing photos to include into a curated social media feed is a prevalent form of image theft. The people running the various accounts often monetize their large followings into money-making ventures, and the photographers don’t see a dime. But as we said in June, “Curated theft is not a sustainable business model irrespective of how much the audience enjoys it”

 

How One Photojournalist Covered Hurricane Harvey

Climate change has increased the intensity and number of hurricanes in the Atlantic, and this year, the U.S. was pounded over and over again. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the continental U.S. in August and caused a record breaking $198 billion in damages. The New York Times sent Alyssa Schukar down to Houston to cover the immediate aftermath.

 

What the Photo Editor of VanityFair.com Wants

Dream of working in the big leagues? VanityFair.com’s Chiara Marinai gave us the lowdown on her job responsibilities and what she looks for when searching out a photo or photographer.

 

Who Shot It Better? Caroline Wozniacki: Emmanuelle Hauguel vs Dewey Hicks

Our series, “Who Shot It Better,” puts top photographers through an image critique. Tennis star Caroline Wozniacki was portrayed as both an athlete and swimsuit model by two different photographers, and we’ll tell you which one we liked better.

 

Is This Photo of JLo Edgy or Out of Touch?

Jennifer Lopez has been at the forefront of the entertainment industry since the 1990s, and she is no stranger to controlling her public image. For a recent cover shoot, Mario Testino shot an image of Lopez and boyfriend Alex Rodriguez that some viewers found questionable. Prudish or boorish?

 

Who Shot It Better? Star Wars Cast: Annie Leibovitz or Jesse Dittmar?

The latest movie in the Star Wars canon hauled in over $450 million worldwide in its opening weekend. It’s old vs young, and we’re not talking about the movie.