More than 300 images from Elton John and his husband David Furnish‘s extensive photography collection are currently on display at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. Elton is one of the world’s foremost collectors of photography, but says there’s one kind he hates — photos of himself.

“It’s extraordinary that I collect photographs because I don’t like being photographed,” Elton told the BBC. “I find it really painful.” He adds, “I would never put myself up on the wall [at home], no thank you.”

Furnish laughs, “The paradox of someone who appreciates and has a sophisticated eye for photographs yet cannot stand to be photographed is not lost on me.” There are two photos of Elton in the exhibit, but they’re more irreverent and don’t show him performing.

The exhibit, called Fragile Beauty, includes images of everything from the Civil Rights Movement and AIDS activism to 9/11 and the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. 

Noting that the exhibit includes “a lot of pain and grief,” Elton explains, “Sometimes in tragic images, whether it’s paintings or photographs, there’s a lot of beauty. And that’s why the show’s called Fragile Beauty, because there’s beauty in everything.”

Elton says he was “absolutely blown away” to see his collection on display, because he hadn’t really gotten a good look at a lot of the photos he owns.

“You buy photographs and they go straight into storage,” he says. “And a lot of them I haven’t seen hung properly or hung at all. And so walking through, it’s been hung so beautifully and the different sections and wall colors. I couldn’t be happier.”

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Kate Middleton has been defended by the curator of a new exhibition, who described the retouching of royal photos as “part of the creative process,” which is a new turn after Mother’s Day photo controversy that revolves around Princess.

The Alessandro Nasini, the curator of the Buckingham Palace exhibition celebrating 100 years of royal photographs, emphasized that retouching remains an essential tool in royal portrait photography, reported GB news. 

This practice, which can range from cropping images to removing backgrounds, has been defended despite controversy over a Mother’s Day photo taken by Prince William earlier this year. Nasini noted that many of the photos on display at the King’s Gallery have been retouched.

Nasini’s comments came two months after six major picture agencies issued “kill notices” to withdraw a photograph of the Princess of Wales with her children for Mother’s Day.

They claimed it had been digitally altered. Kate, 42, later admitted she experimented with editing the family photo.

Despite this, Nasini has asserted retouching is a vital tool in his industry.

He said: “I am not familiar with those particular [media tests] but retouching per se has always been part of photography really since the inception of photography.

“It’s very important specifically for portrait photography because it’s a creative process. It’s not press photography, it’s not reportage, it’s not commercial photography.

“It’s just simply a tool that has always been used by photographers to translate their vision, the aesthetics, into the final print. It’s part of the creative process. It’s just one of the tools.”

For the unversed Kate has recently been honoured after the image of the princess bears a “striking resemblance” to an 1864 portrait of Alexandra, Princess of Wales, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter from the Royal Collection, is hang nearby.

The King’s Gallery is set to unveil a collection of previously unseen royal photographs in its latest exhibition. This display marks the debut of personal photographs from the Royal Collection, offering a glimpse into 100 years of royal photography. 

Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography’ opens tomorrow (Friday, May 17) at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, and closes on October 6, 2024.

When golden hour strikes at Reid Park, you might find local photographer Tyler Espinoza snapping photos of his latest subject.

As Espinoza begins the photo session, he often finds the subject’s lips tucked in as they try to smile or their tongue out with excitement as they roll around in the dirt — because his subjects aren’t people. They’re dogs.

Once a month, Espinoza hosts the Foster Foto Fiesta — a free 20-minute photo session for local foster dogs. Espinoza snaps the snazzy portraits that showcase the dogs’ true character in hopes of helping them find their forever home.

“There’s a big problem in Pima County right now with the amount of dogs in PACC and it’s just unsustainable,” he said. “Us as a community, as a county, as a city, have a responsibility to do better for the animals that we share our town with and our homes with. And a lot of people put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into rescuing these dogs, foster parents being a good example of opening their home and really giving these dogs a second chance at life. 

“Taking pictures of them and helping to just spread the word and hopefully providing an image that will stop somebody scrolling on social media long enough to fall in love with the dog and possibly think about adopting feels like a really small, truly tiny way that I can help chip away at the problem. … I wish I could do a lot more. I wish I could photograph all the dogs. But it just seems like a small way that I can help.”

Since starting the Foster Foto Fiesta three months ago, Espinoza has photographed dozens of local foster pups. 

The idea was developed during one of his regular dog photography sessions when he was snapping pictures of a pup who was celebrating one year of being adopted by its foster family.

“They’re telling me, ‘Hey, I adopted this dog but now I’m just gonna keep fostering more dogs,’” he said. “So I thought that it would just be fun to do more photoshoots for foster dogs because these people who are dedicated to saving dogs will foster a huge number of dogs. And sometimes it takes forever for them to find a home.”

The next Foster Foto Fiesta takes place from 5-7:20 p.m. Sunday, May 19 at Reid Park. Espinoza still has spots available for the upcoming photo session. Fosters can register on his website.

Priority for the free sessions go to foster dogs who are seniors, long-term fosters, have special medical needs or are a restricted breed, such as bully breeds, according to his website.

“I try to stick to criteria that will help me help the dogs that need it the most,” he said.

Before each session, Espinoza will work with fosters to get to know the pup a little better by finding out if they have any allergies or behavioral needs. The goal of each session is to provide a “top-notch service” for foster pups and their families, he says, by making sure everyone is safe and never over-stressed.

One of his favorite things about the photo session is seeing the dogs’ true, sometimes silly, characteristics emerge.

At one of his recent Foster Foto Fiestas, he photographed a one-year-old Frenchie who has food and environmental allergies. Despite his serious allergies, the pup, Curly Jack, was a total goofball throughout the photo session as he continuously crawled on his belly in the grass.

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“It was just really goofy and one of those moments where dogs are just going to be dogs,” Espinoza said.

Getting out of the shelter or a bad home can help dogs in need thrive, and Curly Jack is just one example of that.

“I am hoping that by having more imagery that is not depressing, like a dog cowering in the corner or a shadowy picture of a dog in a shelter cage, might help people see the dog for who they are in a way that really truly makes them fall in love with the dog and will sort of encourage them to learn more about a particular dog. Hopefully, to the point where they’re adopted,” Espinoza says. “That’s my goal.”

Since the foster photo program is fairly new, Espinoza says there haven’t been many “alumni” yet, but he’s hopeful the fosters, including Curly Jack, can find their permanent homes.

When he isn’t hosting the monthly Foster Foto Fiesta, Espinoza works on dog photo sessions for non-fosters. Each of his regular sessions last 60-90 minutes and require a $200 session fee. After the session, clients are able to view and select their images and choose a photo package, which start at $475, according to his website.

Before becoming a professional photographer, Espinoza graduated with a degree in biochemistry from the University of Arizona. He used his degree to work in the wine industry, but eventually decided it wasn’t something he could see himself doing long-term.

He then pivoted to a lifelong passion of his: photography.

Initially, he solely did family portraits. But after a couple years, he realized that wasn’t exactly where his passion was. 

“I don’t have a family, I don’t have kids. It’s not in the books for me. It’s not my thing. But I love animals and so I have tried to find a way to connect that and that led me to where I am,” he said. “So, now I do almost exclusively dogs or families with dogs, but it’s centered around people who want to celebrate the bond they share with their animal companion.”

Espinoza, who was born in Alaska and moved to numerous places around the country before winding up in Tucson, has always had a passion for animals. Growing up, he and his family had hamsters, parakeets, cats and dogs. 

It was ultimately his love for dogs that convinced him to pivot from traditional portraits to something a little more … furry.

“The time that we spend together, the hour, any minutes that we have where somebody just gets to endlessly profess their love for their dog and make this safe, loving space for them to just be with their family and everybody’s laughing and having fun. It feels like such a nice retreat from everything that’s going on in the world,” he said.

For more information about Tyler Espinoza’s Foster Foto Fiesta and dog photography, check out his website.

Mexican photographer wins international photography award with image that illustrates environmental devastation of the Mayan Train.

Fernando Martínez Belmar won the most important competition in the world in Nature Photography: the Wildlife Photographer of the Year from the Natural History Museum in London.

It is the second consecutive year that the Yucatecan has won this award now in the “Photojournalism” category.

The image taken in Paamul, Quintana Roo, is titled “The Tourism Bulldozer”, which shows the area devastated by the construction of the Mayan Train.

The photograph was taken with a drone, Fernando had to cross 4 kilometers of underground caves to be able to achieve it.

TYT Newsroom

AbbVie recently celebrated the launch of its “Clearly Me” campaign, aimed at empowering individuals living with psoriasis to embrace their true selves and defy the constraints of their condition.

Partnering with psoriasis patients and advocates Katie Lowes, DaQuane Cherry, Ayesha Patrick, and Joanna “JoJo” Pomerantz, along with renowned photographer Lindsay Adler, the campaign showcases the real-life stories of psoriasis patients through imagery.

Images will be on display at a gallery in New York City through May 18. The gallery seeks to amplify patient voices and raise awareness about psoriatic disease, reminding individuals that they deserve more than just “good enough” and to encourage them to seek out the wealth of resources provided by psoriasis.com.

Adler, the photographer behind the captivating portraits, is an award-winning portrait and fashion photographer, educator, and author based in New York. She spoke with Dermatology Times to discuss her involvement in the project and her process of using images to bring the dynamic, multifaceted lives of individuals with psoriasis to the forefront of the conversation.

Katie Lowes, Photographed by Lindsay Adler

DaQuane Cherry, Photographed by Lindsay Adler

Joanna Pomerantz, Photographed by Lindsay Adler

Ayesha Patrick, Photographed by Lindsay Adler

Transcript

Lindsay Adler: Hi, I’m Lindsay Adler. I’m a portrait and fashion photographer here in New York City. I have been shooting for more than half of my life. As a photographer, I in fact received an award yesterday from the UN for photographic achievement. My job is a combination of creating imagery for commercial clients, shooting portraiture, which I also do for private clients, and then I’m also a photo educator. So in the world of photography, I would say I’m one of the more influential names, teaching generations of photographers for the last 15 years.

Dermatology Times: How did you become involved in the Clearly Me campaign, and what was your creative process?

Adler: I’ve actually worked with AbbVie several times under different brands. They reached out to me, and part of the reason they reached out to me was because they knew that I could straddle the world of both fashion commercial and portraiture. The idea behind the project was to photograph for individuals that all have psoriasis, but that the images, the portraits, would not be about psoriasis; it’s about them as vibrant individuals. Initially, when I first saw the brief, it’s one of those jobs that as a photographer, you’re like, “Yes!” because they wanted me to be creative. They wanted me to make images that weren’t fitting a certain brand aesthetic or weren’t fitting really tight, restrictive boundaries. Instead, the images were meant to represent those people.

How it worked is we discussed what the end goal was. The end goal was going to be creating these individual images, and then it would be a gallery show to celebrate these individuals and also provide a platform for us to talk about psoriasis and psoriasis.com.

How the process began was: They selected the 4 subjects, and they selected them for different reasons. Sometimes it was for their advocacy, sometimes it was because of their reach, or just because they were exciting, fun individuals, and that would make for great portrait subjects. The first part of my process is I got on the phone, and I talked to each subject for around an hour. As I talked to them, the concept of psoriasis certainly came up, but that wasn’t the focus. Instead, the goal was: Who are you? What are you passionate about? What brings you joy? How would your friends and family describe you? Those sorts of things, so I could kind of dive a little bit deeper into the psychology of what makes them who they are and what brings them happiness.

Then, the idea of Clearly Me is that they can enjoy the vibrancy of their lives, and psoriasis isn’t getting in the way of; it’s not what defines them. Psoriasis is part of who they are, but it’s not the depth of who they are as an individual. I got to create things as diverse as photographing a painter working on one of his pieces of artwork. I also got to photograph an actress, and we did something where it would look like she was on the stage, or something to represent her podcast. I photographed someone who loves to cook. It was a wide range of different things.

The end result, the end deliverable, was everybody got one simple portrait, and that portrait was just meant to show them as they love, who they are, no glitz, glam, no crazy hair and makeup. It’s just them as a person. Then the other 3 vignettes that we did, those vignettes would tell their story. So in total, there were kind of 4 different concepts per person.

Dermatology Times: What did you learn from the project, and what do you hope others will take away from it?

Adler: I have someone in my life that has psoriasis. It was interesting, because I didn’t realize either how severe it could be or how varied–that every single person is different. I never did the research on it, and so in talking to the individuals and the different subjects, I got to hear their struggles and triumphs, both, and I got to see the range of how the condition can affect them. But at the same time, it was not something that they necessarily focused on. They might have had advocacy to help others realize what they could do and how they could get past it, or what resources are available to them, for example.

What I actually hope is that when people see the photos, in some way that they would have to actually read that it has anything to do with psoriasis. I wasn’t doing close ups of the skin to show the condition. That’s not what it was about. It’s just these people that live their lives and don’t let it define them. It’s interesting to have that sort of brief where you’re intended to look at the photos and not necessarily know what it’s for until you read deeper, which is not usually the case when it comes to commercial and portrait work.

Dermatology Times: How can initiatives and photographs like these be used to amplify awareness and social change?

Adler: The first idea is more about, quote, society in general, seeing more images of diverse people, and that’s in its entirety. That’s whether it’s someone’s gender identity, or it is a skin tone or skin texture, or an age or a body type, you name it. Seeing more and more commercial shoots and projects that are making sure to highlight diverse people is fantastic.

I was actually talking the other day, in the past 2 years, more of my work has been photographing, we’ll call it: “real people,” using loosely, but diverse people that represent the atypical model. Far more of my work has been that, and I think that is a great direction that things are moving. It’s wonderful, and that’s also why it’s good for me as a photographer, because I don’t have a background just photographing 18-year-old, tall models with perfect skin. My background began as portraiture, so it’s a skillset that I can bring table.

As far as advocacy for individuals, I think the whole idea is just awareness. I don’t think people have an idea of what can or can’t be treated or what life they can or cannot live. A lot of people feel alone or stuck. The more that you can see different people all suffering or conquering things that you’ve dealt with it, I think it’s empowering. It lets people know: I can take control of the situation.

The person I was referencing in my life didn’t even know what it was, what those solutions were. Actually, when I did this project, he’s like, “I love that it makes people more aware of of what’s available to them.”

Dermatology Times: What would you like dermatology clinicians and those in the field to know or be cognizant of?

Adler: One of the goals of the project, Clearly Me, is for people to go to psoriasis.com, because that’s the resource where they can find more information. I think that’s part of it.

Then, as with with anything, I’m sure dermatologists have this under control: However, knowing that every single person’s experience is different, and there is a psychological side to it. When I was interviewing each of these individuals, they had different stories and different emotions of how they felt about their psoriasis. Everyone is going to come to it from a different point of view. I think it’s just being gentle and being aware of that and maybe spending the time to get to know how someone struggles or doesn’t struggle with the condition.

[Transcript has been edited for clarity.]

Visions of The Dead: A Grateful Dead Art and Photography Exhibition to Coincide with Dead & Company’s Sphere Residency

“Winter in the floodplain forest” by Dieter Damschen. Overall Winner and Second place, Special Category: Everything in flux – Germany’s River landscapes.
“The inundated trees in the floodplain hardwood forest of the Mittel Elbe during a winter flood.”

A dreamy winter scene has earned Dieter Damschen the title of GDT Nature Photographer of the Year. The competition is run by the Germany Society for Nature Photographers to highlight the talent of its members. This year, 481 members from 13 countries entered just under 8,000 images.

Damschen rose to the top with his photo of trees dusted with snow as a winter flood swept through Germany’s Elbe River Landscape Biosphere Reserve.

“I often visit this hardwood riparian forest in the foreland of the dyke to take photographs at fixed points with lines of sight that reveal carefully selected compositions,” Damschen shares. “On this particular morning, the trunks and branches of the trees were plastered with snow on one side, thanks to snowfall in combination with strong winds during the previous night. The resulting contrasting lines emphasize the time-worn structures of the mighty trees, creating the special graphic effect of this fleeting moment.”

Other standout images include Kai Kolodziej‘s portrait of a diamondback rattlesnake flicking its tongue and Scott Portelli’s aerial view of humpback whales during bubble-net feeding.

Scroll down to see some of our favorite winners and finalists from the 2024 contest. They just might inspire you to get out and spend more time in nature.

Here are the winners of the 2024 GDT Nature Photographer of the Year contest.

“Bubble netting” by Scott Portelli. First place, Mammals.
” Humpback whales spend the summer months in their Antarctic feeding grounds hunting energy-rich krill to build up sufficient blubber reserves for the long migration to their winter breeding grounds in the tropics. Using a technique known as bubble netting, several whales encircle a swarm of krill, crowd the swarm further by releasing a curtain of air bubbles, and then lurch in to feed effortlessly.”

“Tasting the air” by Kai Kolodziej. Second place, Other Animals.
” The diamondback rattlesnake uses its tongue to detect odors. My goal was to make this behavior visible.”

“Thread-winged” by Dr. Gerald Haas. First place, Other Animals.
“Thread-winged antlion in camp at night, Namibia.”

“Isar floodplain in morning fog” by Andreas Volz. Second place, Special Category: Everything in flux – Germany’s River landscapes.
“The floodplain of Pupplinger Au is an invaluable and species-rich nature reserve. In this region, the streambed of the Isar is largely unregulated.”

“Scenes from a marriage” by Silke Hüttche. Special category winner.

“Eyes shut and waiting for spring” by Flurin Leugger. Second place, Mammals.
“Alpine ibex are perfectly adapted to the inhospitable conditions at high elevations and can even survive severe winter storms.”

The contest is open to members of the German Society for Nature Photographers.

“Arrowhead” by Heike Odermatt. First place, Plants and Mushrooms.
“The small river Groote Aa flows past the outskirts of my village. In the summer, this is the perfect habitat for arrowhead.”

“Flag tree” by Marte Engelbrecht. First place, Atelier Nature.
“A tree shaped by the wind in the grey dunes of the German barrier island Baltrum. Exposure with intentional camera movement (ICM).”

“Predator and prey” by Jan Sohler. Jury Prize.
“An eider drake tries in vain to snatch a mussel in Kieler Förde.”

“Surfing the wave” by Levi Fitze. First place, Birds.
“Gentoo penguin, Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands. Gentoos are the fastest swimmers among penguins and agile enough to surf breaking waves.”

“Birches in autumn” by Felix Wesch. First place, Landscapes.
“A section of one of my favorite woods in Wahner Heath on a rare mornings in autumn with both fog and sunshine.”

“Morning roll call” by Jens Kählert. Third place, Birds.
“Black skimmers (Rynchops niger) on the east coast of Florida.”

481 members from 13 countries entered just under 8,000 images into this year’s competition.

“Frosty morning at Istein Cataracts on the Rhine” by Karl Heinz Scheidtmann. Third place, Special Category: Everything in flux – Germany’s River landscapes.
” The Rhine flows over a limestone formation at Istein Cataracts. Severe frost and soft morning light create a mystical scene.”

“Godafoss” by Britta Strack. Fifth place, Landscapes.
“Godafoss is a waterfall in northern Iceland. According to legend, it is known as the ‘waterfall of the gods’.”

“Frosty bell(e)” by Sigi Zang. Second place, Plants and Mushrooms.
“Pasque flower on a frosty morning.”

“In the eye of the cheetah” by Monika Morlak. Eighth place, Mammals.
“‘But cheetahs don’t kill zebras!’ proclaimed our astounded guide in Madikwe, South Africa. But this cheetah with three adolescents in tow managed to do just that.”

“Yellow sac spider” by Christian Jakimowitsch. Ninth place, Other Animals.
“A male yellow sac spider in its web.”

“Marble” by Florian Smit. Second place, Landscapes.
“This photograph was taken in Marble Castle, Saltfjellet-Svartisen National Park, Norway. The scene was illuminated with flashes from several perspectives.”

“Aerobatics in morning light” by Christian Brinkmann. Second place, Atelier Nature.
“In the warm glow of the morning sun in the Wadden Sea, a group of wagtails chases through the air; I captured two at just the right angle—a goosebump moment!”

German Society for Nature Photographers (GDT): Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by GDT.

Related Articles:

Germany’s Nature Society Crowns the 2022 Nature Photographer of the Year

25 Powerful Winning Photos From the 2023 Nature Conservancy Photo Contest

Winners of British Ecological Society Photo Contest Celebrate the Diversity of Nature

20 Incredible Winners From the 2023 European Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest

Aside from being an entertaining series with a great cast, this article discusses why the stunning new Netflix series “Ripley” is a must-watch for photographers.

This 2024 limited series is based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 crime novel, “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” and is noted for its striking black-and-white cinematography. “Ripley” follows the story of Tom Ripley, a struggling New Yorker hired by Herbert Greenleaf to convince his son, Dickie, to return from Italy to join the family business. This initial mission spirals into a life of deceit, fraud, and murder. The series is celebrated for its high-contrast film noir style, deep shadows, and dramatic lighting, making it a visual feast. Cinematographer Robert Elswit and creator Steven Zaillian intentionally crafted a unique aesthetic, avoiding familiar visuals and opting for a bold, sophisticated look.

The series’ cinematography stands out for its playful use of deep contrasts, angles, and proportions. Hopper praises the series for its high-quality visuals that continuously surprise and engage the audience. The use of film noir lighting is a highlight, with key lights illuminating subjects while creating intentional shadows, enhancing the narrative’s dark themes. The show’s visual language also pays homage to early German expressionist cinema and the works of photographers like Eugene Smith. There are many scenes in each episode that will have you reaching for the pause button to take in the composition.

In the video accompanying this article, Tatiana Hopper points out the significant role of lighting in “Ripley,” particularly in a scene inspired by Caravaggio’s chiaroscuro technique. This highlights the expressive and dramatic potential of light, adding layers to the narrative and visual storytelling. Hopper also appreciates the use of high and low camera angles to reflect Ripley’s complex situation, drawing parallels to noir influences.

Hopper acknowledges that while some may find the series’ pace slow, this deliberate rhythm enhances the visual experience and narrative depth. The series excels in balancing the amount of information revealed, maintaining a dominant ambiguity that keeps viewers engaged and reflective.

Hopper’s discussion of “Ripley” not only highlights its cinematic brilliance but also offers insights into how photographers can learn from its use of light, shadow, and composition. For those interested in exploring the adaptations of “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” she recommends the 1960 film “Purple Noon,” directed by René Clément, as an additional viewing.