Photography

Photographer Posts Public Thank You Notes to City of San Francisco

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Photographer Posts Public Thank You Notes to City of San Francisco

People on a bus in San Francisco were surprised to find a touching message from an artist who just wants to say thank you to his adopted city.

Danny Bloom is a photographer who’s lived in the city by the Bay for the past few years. He arrived in San Francisco after a difficult period that included a painful breakup and the death of a close friend.

“Honestly, I was in a really rough point in my life. I was dealing with just a lot of loss, a lot of sadness,” he tells Inside Edition. “When I first met you (San Francisco), I was shattered. I knew I needed sunlight and a change of pace, but I’ll forever be humbled by the love, joy and peace that you brought me.”

He moved to San Francisco when it seemed many were headed in the opposite direction. The city was getting much bad publicity but he had a different experience, telling Inside Edition, “When I got here and I was like, is this the same city everyone’s talking about?”

In no time at all, Bloom found himself blossoming. His life was back on track, he’d met a whole new group of friends and he was working as a photographer. He gives all the credit to San Francisco.

“I was just blown away about the welcomeness,” he says. “Usually when I move to a new city, I think I meet that first group of friends, those that are my people, and I learned quickly that they’re not, and in this case, it was the complete opposite. I was like, wow, I just found my family so fast. I have people that support me, care about me, and they barely even know me. It was just very touching.”

Family is what’s pulling Bloom back to the East Coast. He decided to leave thank you notes on city buses with copies of photos he’d taken in the area. He had no idea how his project would be received.

One of the first reactions he got now brings him to tears.

“I received a message from someone that said, ‘Hey, I’ve actually just got diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer today, and I saw your letter on the bus and your photo, and I picked it up and it just really meant a lot to me,’” he says. “Receiving that message about someone that just had such an unimaginably hard day and for them to be able to have a better day, to have a happy moment in that darkness through my photography, and my gift to the city. That was unbelievably cool.”

Bloom says he hopes to return to San Francisco someday. He’s already cooking up his next project.

“I was really looking for a way to get people to enjoy photography that wasn’t just on their phone or on a screen,” he says.

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Slideshow: The wreckage in Rogers, as seen by a local photographer

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Slideshow: The wreckage in Rogers, as seen by a local photographer

Slideshow: The wreckage in Rogers, as seen by a local photographer – Arkansas Times

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Novo Studio, a professional photography studio in Rogers, was among the dozens of businesses damaged in the Memorial Day weekend tornadoes that killed 10 people across northern Arkansas. Here are a few of the images captured by owner Phillip Thomas in the days that followed the storm.

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Country Music Hall of Fame Opens Photography Exhibit

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Country Music Hall of Fame Opens Photography Exhibit
photo courtesy of Country Music Hall of Fame

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum recently unveiled a new photography exhibition, The Bradley Barn Sessions. The exhibit features photographs by Fritz Hoffmann from the recording sessions for Country Music Hall of Fame member George Jones’ 1994 album, The Bradley Barn Sessions. The exhibit is free and will be open to the public through 2024 in the museum’s first-floor gallery.

In 1994, MCA Records plotted to return Jones to the country radio charts. Four years had passed since Jones’s last Top 10 hit, his longest dry spell since 1955. The resulting album, The Bradley Barn Sessions, featured Jones performing duets with many country and rock artists, including Mark Chesnutt, Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, Keith Richards, Leon Russell, Travis Tritt and Trisha Yearwood, as well as Country Music Hall of Fame members Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart and Tammy Wynette. The sessions took place at historic Bradley’s Barn, a recording studio established by producer and Country Music Hall of Fame member Owen Bradley in the rolling hills of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee.

To document the landmark sessions, MCA hired accomplished photographer Fritz Hoffmann, who attended all 11 days of the sessions. Hoffmann’s photographs capture the camaraderie Jones felt with the guest artists and the relaxed, inspired atmosphere created by producer Brian Ahern. The following year, Hoffmann became the first Western photographer granted long-term residency in Shanghai since the communist revolution in 1949. Hoffmann lived in Shanghai from 1995 to 2008, becoming a contributing photographer for National Geographic and taking assignments across Asia and Europe.

Some photographs on display include:

  • George Jones and Tammy Wynette recording a new version of their 1976 hit “Golden Ring” — marking the first recording in 14 years for the former husband-and-wife duet team.
  • Jones and Keith Richards preparing to record a duet of the Dallas Frazier song “Say It’s Not You.”
  • Jones and Country Music Hall of Fame member Waylon Jennings talking before recording the gospel song “Great Judgment Morning,” which included contributions by Jessi Colter,
  • Ricky Skaggs, Connie Smith, Marty Stuart and Travis Tritt. Recorded while Jones worked on The Bradley Barn Sessions, the track wasn’t released publicly until 2013, when it appeared on Amazing Grace, a compilation of Jones’ religious recordings.
  • Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Ricky Skaggs rehearsing “Where Grass Won’t Grow” before recording the song with Jones and Trisha Yearwood.
  • Jones with Leon Russell and Vince Gill as they record the song “The Love Bug.”
    Nancy Jones kissing her husband.

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Photographer injured in F1 Monaco GP crash explains scary moment

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Photographer injured in F1 Monaco GP crash explains scary moment

A photographer caught up in the big crash at the F1 Monaco Grand Prix has spoken out.

Andrea Bruno Diodato, a 29-year-old freelance photographer who works in sports and entertainment, avoided serious harm despite his proximity to the huge first-lap smash between Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.

“My work sometimes teaches us to listen even before seeing certain situations,” he told Sky Italia.

“And so in those moments: after a Sauber passed by, the uniform noise as the cars passed was as if it had stopped for a moment and I understood that something was about to happen. Then the collision.”

He explained: “There were about ten of us, now I only have a bruise after the impact.

“Those who suffered the most damage may have thrown themselves to the ground to take cover.

“No serious consequences.

“I was there because I used a wide-angle lens for the start.

“I wanted to show a bit of the surrounding context, so the city, the details of the track and the huge number of cars. In short, it was an interesting part to work in.”

After reviewing the incident, the photographer refused to place blame with the F1 drivers.

“If I put myself in the driver’s shoes, I must say that in a certain sense I understand Magnussen,” he said.

“In a race where it is very difficult to overtake, perhaps in that situation he saw the only glimmer of opportunity to succeed.

“I don’t feel like accusing or condemning him.”

Despite his lucky near-miss, he is back at work this weekend.

“No, no fear,” the photographer explained.

“So much so that I immediately returned to the track and will also be on track [this] weekend at Mugello for the MotoGP.

“In Monaco there is no safety problem.

“I know that circuit well and if there were no serious consequences after the impact it is also because the guardrails are very solid, as are the posts in the asphalt.

“I think that track offers many more certainties when compared to others and other situations.

“I’m thinking for example of the accident involving Zhou (with Albon) at Silverstone in 2022.

“Maybe the show isn’t exciting on the track, but the safety standards are high. And in any case we are all aware that there is a risk in doing this job.”

“Nikon challenged me to take photos based on the theme of ‘standing the test of time'”

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“Nikon challenged me to take photos based on the theme of ‘standing the test of time

For the release of its full-frame mirrorless camera, the Nikon Zf, Nikon challenged me to take photos based on the theme of ‘standing the test of time’. The idea was to take photos that appear timeless, so that the viewer wouldn’t know whether they were taken in 1913 or 2023. 

While I was on a boat on my way to Vancouver Island, Canada, I was immediately inspired by the vintage-style leather seats. It was almost as if I had taken the picture in my head before I even pulled out the camera. I asked my friend to be part of the frame. Luckily, he was dressed in what appears to be a ‘timeless’ outfit, so it all just clicked into place. 

I asked him to look out of the window to convey the journey and the emotion that a boat crossing can evoke – the hope of a new beginning or the melancholy of
a life left behind. I wanted everyone to see themselves in the photo and what their own journey might look like. Traveling leaves no one indifferent; we all go through emotions when we leave or return, and this is the message I wanted my final image to depict.

The biggest challenge was to take the photo without anyone else in the field of view. It’s a popular public transport route that fills up quickly so, as soon as I saw the potential, I ran and asked my friend to sit down so I could take the photo. I knew if anyone else sat down the image would be ruined. It must have taken me two minutes to take the photo and was worth every second.

The Traveller
Maud Chalard

French photographer Maud Chalard is renowned for her ability to capture visually compelling frames that convey a narrative. Her father’s passion for photography served as her inspiration. Maud pursued her education at the Estienne School in Paris, earning a BTS in visual communications and a DSSA in design and communication strategies. After leaving her office job, she embarked on a journey, traveling over 20,000 kilometers throughout the United States.

Tech details

(Image credit: Nikon)

Camera: Nikon Zf
Lens: Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
Aperture: f/4.5
Shutter speed: 1/400 sec
ISO: 320

Take a look at the best Nikon cameras, along with the best Nikon lenses and the best Nikon Z lenses specifically for mirrorless models like the Zf.

U.S. Open 2024: My wedding photographer is playing in Final Qualifying. Here’s how an amateur balances real life and major dreams

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U.S. Open 2024: My wedding photographer is playing in Final Qualifying. Here’s how an amateur balances real life and major dreams

Ihave never met Harold Varner III, but I know we have something in common: We both had Garren Poirier as our wedding photographer. And I assume that Varner, like myself, will be checking scoring on Monday to see if Poirier is going to make it through Final Qualifying of the 2024 U.S. Open and earn a spot at Pinehurst No. 2.

In the days leading up to the 36-hole qualifier at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, N.J., Poirier is balancing the realities of working for a living, with the dream of playing in a major. It’s difficult and often not ideal, but the amount of time he has to spend thinking about things other than golf might actually help him navigate as he attempts to make it through “Golf’s Longest Day.”

Poirier, 43, played college golf at Temple University, and put his clubs away after graduating in 2002. He was burned out and wanted to travel. He eventually settled in Killington, Vt., but after a few seasons away, he began to start to play again. Poirier plays at the course I grew up at, Rutland Country Club, and runs his own photography business.

Everyone in Vermont golf knows who he is. He played in the 2011 U.S. Amateur at Erin Hills, shooting 74-71 and missing a playoff for match play by three. (Scrolling through the results, I couldn’t help but notice he tied Brooks Koepka.) He played in a handful of other USGA events as well before in 2020 he set a record when he won the Vermont Amateur, which included a 64 in the second round.

So when Poirier shot 66 at TPC River Highlands to win medalist honors in his U.S. Open Local qualifier, everyone in Vermont golf knew about it.

“It was one of those early season feelings where there’s really no pressure,” Poirier said. No longer a skier, he and his wife spend winters in Scottsdale, Arizona. “I knew coming off Arizona that I probably was in better shape than most guys that were coming out there. It was more of a freeing feeling than anything of just being like, You know what? You can just go out here and swing away.”

The hope, of course, is to slide back into that same mindset on the day of final qualifying, cruise to back-to-back 66s, and punch a ticket to the U.S. Open. A task wildly easier said than done.

“There’s such a difference between qualifying and getting to final stage, and you’re like, Holy sh**, I’m here now. I’m nervous. I want to perform,” Poirier says. “Where instead you were at the qualifier, you were just like, Who cares? Let’s just go out and fire a good number. And if we don’t, then nobody cares. And in general, nobody cares anyways. So it’s one of those things of just disassociating it for what it is, I think. But it’s tough when you get there, the hub of, and the Golf Channel’s there, and there’s people that you’ve seen on TV. It’s like automatically your brain goes to, Oh man, this is kind of different than normal.”

So the question becomes, how do amateurs like Poirier handle all of that? Part of the key might be leaning into the fact that they are, in fact, amateurs.

“Of course, I’ll be nervous,” says Poirier, who has played Final Qualifying at Canoe Brook once before, shooting 73-75 in 2012. “But for me, I’m an amateur. I have two weddings the two days before that.”

His schedule leading up Monday’s Final qualifying is a little crazy: On Saturday, he photographed a wedding in New Hampshire. On Sunday he’s scheduled to photograph a wedding in southern Maine. A buddie of his who is caddieing for him is meeting him in Maine and they’ll drive to Canoe Brook together Sunday night. With his caddie driving, maybe Poirier will be able to sleep a little before they arrive around 3 a.m. The first tee time on Monday is 7 a.m.

“I’m going to be coming in there super hot,” he joked.

This scheduling situation is something that happens when golf isn’t what pays the bills. “I can’t turn away business because a golf tournament might happen,” Poirier explains.

He hoped to stop at a range in between the two weddings as he’s driving to Maine, but he wasn’t relying on that as an important last-minute tune-up.

“My game is what it is, and whatever Garren shows up on that Monday morning is to the Garren that shows up,” Poirier says. “There’s nothing I can control by hitting balls. I don’t practice a whole lot anyways. I’d rather play. Playing is important, it makes me feel more comfortable in general.”

He’s been playing in local invitationals to keep competitively fresh. Instead of playing a practice round, he’ll preview the course on Google Maps. “I’ll take a look to map out where the misses are,” he says.

An amateur’s preparation before a U.S. Open qualifier is much different than the curated schedule of a pro. But maybe, after the chaos and the thoughts about everything but golf leading up to it, Poirier will be able to find that sweet spot where the pressure doesn’t exist and the swing feels right.

“For me, it’s just like, let’s just go out and swing away. I mean, who really cares what happens? You’re not trying to impress anybody. I’m 43 years old. Of course, the golf course is tough. You’re going to have to hit good shots. But I think it’s more of just like, I’m going to be so busy up to that point. Once I get there, it’s just going to be like, Let’s just rock and roll.”

Whatever happens, you know I—and probably HVIII and all of Poirier’s other golf-obsessed clients—will be cheering.

The Fujifilm X100VI is my first ever camera – here are five things it’s taught me about photography that my smartphone can’t

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The Fujifilm X100VI is my first ever camera – here are five things it’s taught me about photography that my smartphone can’t

I’ve always loved the look of old photos from the 70s and 80s, there’s something eerie and yet incredibly soothing about them. However, I’ve never been able to quite replicate that old film style on my phone. The iPhone 15 Pro Max might well be the best cameraphone I have ever owned, but it has never quite scratched my photography itch.

Enter the Fujifilm X100VI, the most hyped camera in the world at the moment. With a trip to New York City on the horizon, I decided it was time to finally take a leap and purchase my very first camera — and what better way to give photography a go than with the camera that so many people are dreaming of getting their hands on?

Now after owning Fujifilm‘s popular camera for a few months and with a belly full of the best pizza NYC has to offer, I’m ready to talk about why the X100VI might be my favorite tech purchase in a long time and five ways it has taught me far more about photography than my iPhone ever could.

1. I’m a more thoughtful photographer now

A man in a green jumper taking photos with the Fujifilm X100VI

(Image credit: Future)

I’ll be the first to admit it, I’m a terrible photographer, or at least I’ve spent the last 29 years of my life believing I was. For as long as I’ve owned a smartphone, my photography workflow has involved pulling my iPhone out of my pocket, lining up a quick shot, and tapping the shutter button. No real thought into the process, no further editing, essentially pure point-and-shoot.

But the X100VI has completely changed my whole thought process when it comes to photography, I’ve done a total 180 and now look for the right shot rather than quickly snapping a pic for the sake of saying “I was there”. There’s something so mindful about owning a dedicated device for capturing memories, it made my time in New York feel like I was exploring the world in a whole new light, despite the fact I’ve been there many times before. 

In the same way my iPhone will never replace the dedicated gaming experience of my Steam Deck because there’s purpose in the decision to play a game, the X100VI opened my eyes to intentionality in photography, which is something I had never experienced before when using my smartphone as my camera.

2. I can get the film look, without the cost of actual film

Side by side shots of New York landscape. On Left in monochrome and on right in sombre colours

(Image credit: Future)

I’ve always wanted to take photos that look retro but the thought of wasting film because I’m not skilled enough always put me off trying. Last year, I went to Berlin with a disposable film camera and while I loved the experience, I missed the ability to view my shots and take multiple photos to find the perfect one. The Fujifilm X100VI is everything I wanted in a first camera, and Fujifilm’s film simulations are the main reason for it.

Fujifilm has decades of experience making film and purpose-built hardware for it which means the company knows everything there is to know about creating color filters for a digital camera.

three photos side by side of New York City

(Image credit: Future)

On my X100VI, I quickly found different film simulations (essentially filters you can use directly on the camera) that helped replicate the old film look, and the best bit is you can take photos and save them directly to JPEG with no editing required — the point-and-shoot of my iPhone, but better.

I then stumbled into the world of film recipes, online communities with talented photographers who create filters you can use directly on your Fujifilm camera to capture different looks that aren’t on your camera by default. The best one I’ve found yet is called 1970s Summer by Fuji X Weekly, and it has helped me capture photos I could only ever dream of just a few months ago, like this 70s-style shot of a bodega in Brooklyn or a moody shot of the subway (see above).

3. I’m learning to take manual control of exposure

Before purchasing the X100VI, my photography knowledge was fairly limited. I knew about the exposure triangle but I had seldom put it to good use as my iPhone’s camera did all the work for me.

Fujifilm X100VI on a ledge

(Image credit: Future)

At first, all of the dials on the X100VI felt very overwhelming but learning about the exposure triangle: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, has not only made me feel more in control of my photography but also enjoy the art of taking a photo. 

The tactile feedback of the dials on the X100VI adds to the fun learning process, and while I’m still trying to find my feet, every so often I get a eureka moment that makes using an actual camera feel far more rewarding than my smartphone ever could be.

4. Screw on lens filters are cool

Three photos side by side of the Aimé Leon Dore store in New York City

(Image credit: Future)

I know, I know, you can use lens filters with an iPhone. But, no adaptor kit that protrudes from the side of your smartphone can compete with the magical feeling of screwing on a lens filter for the first time. 

I purchased the Tiffen Glimmer Glass, and have barely taken it off since first putting it on. The lens filter adds bloom to lighting in my photos, which helped massively in NYC to create a sort of melancholic vibe that I never thought I’d be able to achieve.

While I only own one filter at the moment, I can see myself getting hooked on purchasing lens filters, something I would never have thought about if I stuck to taking photos on my iPhone.

5. Uploading photos isn’t that complicated

(Image credit: Future)

I can only speak for the X100VI, but my fear of photography has always focused on the complexity of exporting from the device and editing photos. 

My Mac has a pretty small SSD, so I wanted to make sure I could use the camera with my 2TB M2 iPad Pro, and the whole process has been an absolute breeze. I can simply plug the X100VI directly into the USB-C port on my iPad and import my shots.

I can then edit photos directly on iPadOS 17 using Adobe Lightroom Mobile with the Apple Pencil, although, because of film simulations and the ability to save to JPEG or HEIF, the editing process is often complete as soon as I press the shutter button. 

If you’ve wanted to give photography a proper shot, but are scared of editing, Fujifilm’s X100 series may be the perfect entry point.

Am I a photographer now?

Image 1 of 4

A busy street in New York City seen through a metal fence
(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

New York City skyscrapers over the Hudson river
(Image credit: Future)

Woman holding bagel
(Image credit: Future)

Who am I kidding? Most of the photos I take with the X100VI are mediocre at best. But there’s something so incredibly rewarding about snapping a good one that I’ve never quite experienced on a smartphone camera. Yes, it’s not ideal to carry a camera around with you when you can just pull your iPhone from your pocket, but the X100VI is small enough to swing over your shoulder and never look back.

This is only the beginning of my photography journey but the Fujifilm X100VI is an absolute pleasure to use and the perfect companion to take with me on my adventures. 

Using a camera has given me a new creative opportunities, allowing me to create without overthinking, and opening my eyes to a hobby that I’m learning to love. At $1,599 / £1,599 / AU$2,899 the X100VI may be expensive, but purchasing one has given me a new lease of life that makes every time I leave the house exciting again.

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Beyond Local: Banff photographer Paul Zizka’s unique vantage point

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Beyond Local: Banff photographer Paul Zizka’s unique vantage point

BANFF – Hovering over peaks and mountain ranges, the open doors of the floating helicopter leave Paul Zizka unprotected against the elements.

The wind is howling way up there and everything and everyone is bouncing around inside the compact metal box with swirling blades. 

Zizka, meanwhile, sits attached to a harness that’s clipped into an anchor in the middle of the helicopter. He points a camera out and shoots the landscape below while trying not to think about whatever people avoid thinking about when they’re more or less hanging around thousands of feet up in the air.

“Whenever my mind wanders to how exposed we are and how vulnerable it feels to be up there, I just kind of get my mind into the photography world again,” said Zizka. 

“I sort of try to focus on the task at hand and that kind of allows me to really focus on what I’m doing … and making sure you get the image that you need kind of helps with that, but it’s always exhilarating, for sure.”

The renowned mountain and landscape photographer from Banff has gained international recognition for capturing iconic shots in the Canadian Rockies. However, that’s mostly been when both of his feet are firmly planted on the ground where he gets last say on the photograph. For aerial photography, at the mercy of other factors including a changing weather pattern, it’s a chance for Zizka to see the world he’s immersed in much differently. 

It also means the public gets that rare opportunity, too.

The award-winning photographer’s book Aloft: Canadian Rockies Aerial Photography, published through Rocky Mountain Books, is available on paperback for the first time. It offers a bird’s-eye view of summits, lakes, glaciers and valley bottoms in locations such as Canmore and Banff and Jasper national parks in all seasons.

The inspiration for capturing the Rockies from a unique angle came while Zizka was hiking Castle Mountain in Banff National Park in 2009. His hiking partner suffered an unfortunate leg injury, which forced the pair to call for help and be heli-rescued. 

When everyone was safe and secured and the helicopter went airborne, the adventure photographer quickly realized how differently the famous mountain appeared from how he was used to seeing it. New angles, characteristics, shadows and the vast diversity were suddenly seen in a new light.

“Flying over the mountains is always so memorable,” said Zizka. “Living in a place that is so dynamic, you never know what you’re gonna get, and you have to make the best of it.”

Captured over a six-year span between 2013 and 2019, Zizka and a small team with keen eyes, including his wife and writer Meghan J. Ward, started out with thousands of photographs to look over, but only 135 made the cut for Aloft.

About half of the photos in the book were taken while he was shooting commercially. For the other half, Zizka arranged to be taken up in the sky to fill in the gaps of areas he missed shooting.

“There’s definitely something to be said for when you put in the physical work to get an image,” said Zizka. “You’re forced to put more intention into what you do and you’re less likely to cut corners, you’re more likely to do it right, I think, and just really try to capitalize on what Mother Nature sort of hands out to you.”

For more on Aloft and Zizka, visit www.zizka.ca.

‘DREAM CRUSHED’: Irish photographer due to fly to moon devastated as mission cancelled

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‘DREAM CRUSHED’: Irish photographer due to fly to moon devastated as mission cancelled

A LONDON-BASED Irish photographer who was due to be part of the first ever civilian crew flying to the moon has been left devastated as the mission has been cancelled.

Cork native Rhiannon Adam was one of ten people selected to be part of the dearMoon crew – a planned private flight to the moon funded by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa on Elon Muck’s SpaceX rocket Starship.

Originally due to launch in 2023, the project, first announced in 2018, was delayed and had been postponed for a launch date expected this year.

However, Maezawa has now publicly confirmed that the mission will no longer go ahead.

“In 2018, Yusaku Maezawa announced dearMoon, the world’s first civilian circumlunar voyage aboard SpaceX’s space vehicle, Starship,” the statement said.

“The plan had included artists from around the world who would participate in the project to share the invaluable experience in space with the rest of the world. “Arrangements were being made with SpaceX to target the launch by the end of 2023,” it explained.

“Unfortunately, however, launch within 2023 became unfeasible, and without clear schedule certainty in the near-term, it is with a heavy heart that Maezawa made the unavoidable decision to cancel the project.”

It added: “To all who have supported this project and looked forward to this endeavor, we sincerely appreciate it and apologize for this outcome.

“Although dearMoon is cancelled, Maezawa and dearMoon crew members will continue to challenge themselves in their respective fields.

Rhiannon Adam was one of ten people selected to be part of the dearMoon crew (Pics: dearMoon)

“We will hold deep respect for SpaceX as they continue to venture into uncharted territories, while we ourselves will move on to the next challenge.”

Responding to the news, Ms Adam, a photographic artist who currently lives and works in London, said it was a “dream crushed”.

“DearMoon was a dream granted, and with it taken away, it is a dream crushed.”

She added: “My soul feels crushed, but as I lick my wounds, and try to imagine what I will do next, I’ll remain focused on what really matters.

“There’s a lot in this world to fix. I’ll continue to tell stories that shine a light on the darkest of places, and into the hidden cracks.”

Adam’s work is focused on research-based, long-form, social documentary projects that make use of analogue photographic processes and archive materials.

She has been shortlisted for and won numerous awards over the years, including the Meitar Award for Excellence in Photography.

“There are many pictures of Glastonbury Tor already out there, so I wanted something different”

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“There are many pictures of Glastonbury Tor already out there, so I wanted something different”

The beauty of a sunrise has long been a source of inspiration for photographers worldwide – including 21-year-old Ben Pulletz, who has already won many international awards for his work. After discovering a passion for photography just five years ago, Ben has made it his mission to capture the magic of an early morning through his lens. 

“I believe in spending long hours researching locations, early mornings and a lot of dedication to capturing amazing pictures of nature – no giving up!” he says.

When Ben arrived at the location in Somerset, the first thing he noticed was the soft glow of the dawn sky. The sun had just begun to rise behind Glastonbury Tor and the warm light and golden hues were illuminating the landscape. “Just as the colours were starting to get vibrant, I saw the cows walking towards the gate, probably waiting for the farmer to arrive with some hay,” he says. 

Ben was attracted by these elements, which compelled him to capture the scene. “There are many pictures of Glastonbury Tor already out there, so I wanted something different from the usual sun behind the Tor,” he says. “The cows play a big part of the shot but the layering is what drew me in – the bulrushes in front of the mist and the early morning glow firing up the mist. All these elements make this shot come together.”

Despite the strong winds, Ben decided to take the shot handheld, leaning against a car to help avoid camera shake. “I didn’t want to miss that moment before the clouds in the distance had moved on,” he says. Ben captured multiple shots of the scene as the cows moved, ensuring he had an image with them ideally positioned in the frame.

Glastonbury Tor, Somerset, UK
Ben Pulletz

Ben Pulletz is a photographer from Somerset, UK. He loves nature and the outdoors, exploring and capturing the countryside and local woodlands. In 2021 Ben won his first international award as Category Winner in the Siena International Awards. 

Tech details

(Image credit: Canon)

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Lens: Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

Aperture: f/5

Shutter speed: 1/100 sec

ISO: 800

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