Photographers become photographers for, well, the part of the process that actually involves taking photos. Backing up photos is a necessary but mundane part of the art. But what if tasks like backing up photos to the cloud were automatic? What if you could work on a creative team and get feedback from across the world just a few minutes after actually taking the images? Those are just some of the things that could be possible with camera-to-cloud technology. And at the forefront of that technology is frame.io.

Frame.io started as a video collaboration tool—and is still heavily invested in Premiere Pro and After Effects. But, recently, the software has also opened up to still photographers. But the software’s biggest perk for photographers isn’t the ability to comment and share with a team. No, the biggest perk is the ability to do all of that with automatic camera-to-cloud uploads.

Is camera to cloud the next big thing in photography technology? I took Frame.io for a spin to answer precisely that question. The software solves a few pain points for photographers and has big potential. But, early on in the game, the types of photographers that will benefit most are limited, and there are some glitches to contend with.

What is Frame.io?

Frame.io is an Adobe software that’s designed for media collaboration. The software allows photographers to share and review images in a team-based environment. But, the software’s biggest draw is camera to cloud, where supported cameras will automatically upload images to the cloud using Wi-Fi or a smartphone network. This allows photographers to quickly send images to team members—not to mention the potential for automatic cloud backups. Only a few cameras support the feature so far, including Fujifilm’s latest flagships, the XH2, XH2s, and GFX100 II. A Frame.io plan that includes camera-to-cloud starts at $15 a month per team member and includes 2 TB of storage.

The Big Picture

For photographers working in a studio and sending work to a team, camera to cloud on Frame.io shortens the to-do list by automating the upload process. And for busy photographers, anything that saves time is a game changer. Frame.io allows photographers to automatically upload images straight from the camera to cloud storage, either for safekeeping or to collaborate with editors and other team members.

Frame.io and camera-to-cloud have the potential to change a big part of how future cameras work. But, this early in the concept’s young life, Frame.io has limited appeal. Someday, perhaps journalists and event photographers will automatically back up to the cloud. But, the need for the camera to be close to a Wi-Fi router and a buggy smartphone connection process is not the case today. I can see studio photographers really loving frame.io, but as a wedding and on-site portrait photographer, the young technology just isn’t where I would need it to be to make a big impact on my workflow. I can see big potential, but the infrastructure — as well as camera battery life and integration with Lightroom and Capture One— will have to grow along with Frame.io in order for such tech to become the norm.

I’m giving Frame.io three out of five stars.

Pros

• Camera to cloud capability
• Automatic uploads whenever the network is within reach
• Easy team collaboration
• Multiple ways to share, including options for non-paying team members
• Option to upload with the camera off

Cons

• Needs to be closer to the Wi-Fi router than other tech like laptops
• As a new technology, it’s a bit more glitchy
• I had difficulty connecting via smartphone
• Integration with image editors not available yet

Gear Used

I tested Frame.io with the Fujifilm X-H2 and X-H2s, both on loan from Fujifilm for review purposes. Adobe also provided a complimentary Frame.io subscription for review. I accessed Frame.io from Safari on an iPhone and MacBook.

Innovations

Camera to cloud is a relatively new concept — which means there is a lot of innovation in the background to make that possible. But, outside of the camera-to-cloud possibilities, users will find some Frame.io features feel a bit like sharing from a fancier version of Google Drive, which is a plus because it makes the software a bit more user-friendly.

Ease of Use

The two main components of frame.io are uploading and sharing. Both concepts are quite simple, though there is a bit of a learning curve to frame.io’s terminology and troubleshoot the camera connection. Once you figure out how to connect the camera and what the different sharing options are, the interface is fairly intuitive.

Frame.io: Connecting a camera

While I can often connect a new camera to a Wi-Fi app without instructions, setting up a Frame.io camera connection requires a more detailed list of instructions and some troubleshooting. Both the Fujifilm XH2 and XH2s need the FT-XH File Transmitter battery grip accessory, as well as updated firmware, while the GFX100 II supports the camera to cloud without the grip accessory. Photographers will also need internet access and a Frame.io subscription. (The free version of Frame.io doesn’t support camera to cloud and has a limited 2 GB of storage).

The camera-to-cloud process starts in the camera. For Fujifilm cameras, the Frame.io settings are inside the network settings menu. On-screen prompts walk through connecting via Wi-Fi by typing in the network and password. From there, photographers will also want to use the menu to select which file type to transfer, RAW, or JPEGs, the latter being a bit friendlier for slower internet speeds. Auto image transfer then needs to be turned on in the upload settings. Images can still be transferred with the camera powered off under the upload settings as well.

The second half of setting up camera-to-cloud is within Frame.io itself. Navigate to an existing Frame.io project or create a new one. Once inside the desired project, head to the C2C Connections tab and follow the instructions there. Back inside the camera, you’ll generate a pairing code in the Frame.io Camera to Cloud menu to type into Frame.io and finish the connection.

The compatible cameras also offer an option to connect and upload without a Wi-Fi network using a USB-C cord and a smartphone, relying on the smartphone network instead. However, I couldn’t connect the XH2 or the XH2s this way, even trying multiple smartphones. Despite repeated attempts, I have not yet figured out what the error is.

Frame.io originally started as a video collaboration tool — and the expansion into photography is quite young. But, ideally, the software would connect to image editors the way it talks to Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects. Automatic uploads are great but worth little if they don’t sync up to my culls and edits. Compatibility with Lightroom will be critical for really falling in love with the feature, but it’s currently not integrated unless using a third party like Zapier.

Here’s the odd part: Capture One has already announced an upcoming Frame.io integration, though the “first half of 2023” prediction has long passed. Frame.io is now owned by Adobe, so arriving first in a competing image editor is definitely odd.

Frame.io: Sharing and collaborating

Once auto transfer is set up, images are sent directly to the Frame.io album, accessible from the Frame.io website or the app. While uploading to a shared album requires a Frame.io subscription, the images can be shared for collaboration with clients or team members who don’t have a Frame.io subscription.

There are two ways to share the images with someone without a Frame.io subscription. A review link displays the images and allows for features like comments. This is designed to work with a team and receive feedback through those comments.

A presentation is meant more as a method of sharing final files with a client — there are no comment options, but there are different layout choices and custom branding options, such as colors. Settings include allowing or preventing downloads so presentations can be used as a display or to deliver digital downloads. Password protection, link expiration, and watermarks are also presentation options.

Project members, however, will need a Frame.io account for further collaboration beyond comments. Project members with a subscription can contribute to the album by adding images as well.

Sharing options felt similar to existing software and wasn’t difficult to use. The only real learning curve to the sharing was figuring out the difference between members, reviews, and presentations. The first time I attempted to share, I used the person plus icon, which requires a Frame.io membership for the recipient — the share button is the one to use for non-Frame.io users.

Speed and Reliability

The speed of automatic Frame.io transfers is primarily determined by the internet connection speed. Automatically uploading JPEGs from the XH2 and XH2s on my Wi-Fi network performed at a speed similar to uploading images to Google Drive from my laptop. 

The camera-to-cloud uploads will work best in smaller spaces close to the Wi-Fi source.

But uploading directly from the camera means everything is uploaded pre-cull. That means photographers will want fast internet speeds to work with the automatic frame.io uploads. Using my own rural internet speed was a challenge but an expected one based on the speeds of my network. The camera-to-cloud feature will be a more significant feature for photographers with access to fast internet and can be more frustrating for users with slower speeds.

The bigger issue that I had is that the camera needs to be relatively close to the Wi-Fi router to maintain a strong wireless connection. On the opposite side of my house—where my Wi-Fi still reaches my TV and laptop just fine—the XH2 and XH2s dropped connection. The uploads worked just fine when the camera was close to the router. The camera-to-cloud uploads will work best in smaller spaces close to the Wi-Fi source. Otherwise, I can also see photographers setting up a charging station near the router and automatically creating a cloud backup after returning home from a shoot.

Who Should Buy It?

If you have fast internet and need to send every photo to a team as fast as possible, Frame.io really has no competition. The ability to wirelessly upload as you shoot is an advantage for creative teams, particularly when communication is necessary before even leaving the shoot. If you work in a studio or want to create a charging station with automatic uploads, camera-to-cloud is a nice advantage as well.

However, camera to cloud is a young technology — and, as such, has a steeper learning curve and a higher likelihood of glitches. Setting up frame.io, I was immediately reminded of the very first camera apps that communicated between smartphone and camera. The technology will likely soon be a huge advantage, but this early on, there’s a lot of frustration in getting set up.

Using camera-to-cloud on Frame.io is more of a collaboration tool than a backup solution. I know many event photographers like myself are intrigued at the possibility of being able to automatically backup photos in the cloud so damaged SD cards aren’t a crisis. But, at least this early in the game, the technology has to be too close to the router, and I couldn’t get the mobile hotspot option set up. Integration with Lightroom would also be a huge advantage. For now, the technology remains more of a studio tool for collaboration — but that could change very quickly. If the kinks get ironed out, Frame.io could be used by commercial studio photographers and journalists in the field. But, for now, the photographers likely to get the best experience are team members doing most of their work in-studio. 

Frame.io Tech Specs and System Requirements

• Browser: The latest two versions of Google Chrome (desktop and Android), Safari (MacOS and iOS), Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Android Browser. Chrome and Safari are recommended.
• Operating system: Windows, MacOS, Chrome OS
• RAM: 4 GM required, 8 GB or more recommended

The Phoblographer may receive affiliate compensation for products purchased using links in this blog post.

The animal kingdom is a dynamic place, filled with plenty of action and drama. Freeze and capture any moment in time and an animal’s behaviour can become hilarious.

A smoking fox, a flying seal, and an avian family dispute are among the 41 images shortlisted for this year’s Comedy Wildlife Photo awards.

Narrowed down from thousands of entries submitted by professional and amateur photographers from around the world, the competition aims to celebrate the hilarity of our natural wildlife.

And this year’s selection does not disappoint.

The overall winner, category and highly commended winners will be announced on November 23.

Last year’s winner was US photographer Jennifer Hadley’s shot of a baby lion misjudging what could have been his first leap.

Here’s a selection of some of the finalists in the running for 2023.

RACINE — A father and son have joined forces by becoming business partners. On Saturday, Oct. 7, a local storefront offering photography and tattoo services will be available in Racine.

David Salas and his son, Jessie Salas-Staples are the creative minds behind the newest photography studio and tattoo parlor, located at 1861 Taylor Ave.

The front, which is off Taylor Avenue, is where you’ll find the place where photos can be taken and the building’s loft is where people can get their ink fix.

David mans the photography side of the business, whereas Jessie takes care of the ink.

It’s a one-stop shop for all things creativity.

Salas Studios

Fatboi Tattoo

Jessie, on the other hand, has been in the tattoo industry for seven years. He prides himself in providing an old-school tattooing style.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked at Skin Candy Tattoo, which has since permanently closed. After working at other tattoo shops in the area, Jessie felt called to be a business owner and wanted to do it with his pops.

“I got ahold of my dad and said we need to really kick this into overdrive and just go do what we’ve been trying to do for the last couple of years,” said Jessie.

A Buddha tattoo Jessie created. –
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A character creatively “stitched” into a pumpkin setting. –
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“For me, it’s it’s all about family. That’s the reason that we started,” David said.

It was always an idea that the two had, but it wasn’t until recently that the pieces finally came together.

Finding a space

The father and son believe what makes their space special is the dynamic of the dual businesses.

“You don’t really see two businesses in one building, especially with tattoo shops,” says Jessie.

The building that they now occupy once sat vacant for nearly 15 years. Thanks to another set of business owners in Racine, the Salas and Salas-Staples families are reaching new potentials and possibilities.

“The building owners, Joey and Anna Legath, have been a huge, huge help to us,” shared David.

Jessie Salas-Staples stands with Anna and Joey Legath, along with his father, Davis Salas, in front of their new studio. –
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Some notable businesses the Legaths own are Joey’s West, Joey’s Yardarm, and Bucket’s Pub 2nd Round. When they found out the family was struggling to locate a spot for their dual shop, they reached out and extended their hands to help.

“We needed to do this and the actual physical building, obviously, (without it) nothing would be possible,” explained Jessie.

The place where the photo magic happens. –
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Another key player in getting this shop up and running is the family’s friend Aaron Morris.

He helped transform the building from a blank space to a welcoming place.

“He’s a larger-than-life character. If it wasn’t for him helping us do the things we need to do to fix this place up, I honestly don’t think it would have happened,” said Jessie. 

A place for artists

This space isn’t just for this father and his son, it’s for the community.

“We’re trying to reach out to, like, these other local artists,” shared David. “We want to make it more communal.”

The plan is to get local artists in the store, have their work on display, collaborate, and guest spot at the tattoo shop. Musicians are welcome and anyone looking to get into this creative hub.

“We are making these plans to get other artists involved to spread positive energy,” Jessie said. “We’ve been working really hard and we want to make sure as many people benefit from it as possible.”

It’s all a part of a goal to get business booming on that side of town.

Grand opening

To celebrate the opening, there will be a grand opening on Oct. 7 at their new shop. The event starts at 1 p.m. and will feature art from local artists for sale, food, live music, a DJ, raffles, a 50/50, raffle baskets, and more.

Updates about the event can be found online.

Connect with these businesses

Connect on Facebook with Salas Photography and Fatboi Tattoo for more information.

Landscape photography is a challenging genre that takes a variety of skills to produce successful images, and as such, it is important to be a well-rounded photographer when you undertake the genre. This helpful video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer sharing six skills he feels are important to finding success in the process.

Coming to you from Mads Peter Iversen, this great video tutorial discusses six important skills landscape photographers should have. In addition to the many skills that go into being a landscape photographer, I think having the right mindset is tremendously important as well. It can be a very demanding genre, requiring unusual hours and a ton of physical exertion, as so, when you do not get the shot that you wanted, it can be extremely frustrating and discouraging. That is when it is important to be willing to pivot and work with what the conditions and environment are giving you, and if there is a certain image you absolutely have to have, to be willing to come back to try again. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Iversen.

And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, “Photographing the World: Japan With Elia Locardi!” 

“Scream” by Sergey Savvi (Russian Federation). Animal: Black-and-white ruffed lemur. Location of shot: Madagascar.
“The lemur can’t hold his emotions.”

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards has announced their 2023 finalists, giving us our feel-good fix for the day. This year’s shortlist includes 41 standalone photos, three portfolios, and three videos that show off the silly side of wildlife. In addition, the People’s Choice Award is now open for voting, which allows the public to have their say in who has the funniest animal photo this year.

From an overly expressive lemur to a kangaroo playing air guitar, this year’s finalists have captured animals in all types of funny situations. Some of the photos, like a dragonfly perched on a happy turtle’s nose, are simply adorable. Others, like a gray fox lounging with a piece of wood in its mouth, pose in ways that make their actions seem almost human. And some, like a batfish swimming in front of a diver, rely on the quick timing of the photographer to create a funny scene.

But no matter how the images were captured, they all share a common denominator—they make us laugh. And the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards have been using laughter to shine a light on wildlife conservation for the past eight years. In fact, each year the organizers select a sustainable conservation organization to support. This year, they’re working with Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN), a UK charity that supports conservation leaders working in their home countries across the Global South.

While we wait for the winners to be announced on November 23, we looked through the shortlist and select some of our favorites to enjoy. Scroll down to see them, and don’t forget to vote for the People’s Choice Award. Everyone who votes will also be entered in a draw for a chance to win a £500 (a little over US$600) cash prize.

Check out some of our favorite finalists from the 2023 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

“Angry Bird” by Michael Erwin (United Kingdom). Animal: Little owl. Location of shot: Wales.
“A little owl stares as only they can.”

“What nice teeth you have” by Henry Keepin. Animal: African Wild Dog. Location of shot: Lion Sands Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, SA. “I photographed this Painted Wolf at Lion Sands Game Reserve, a protected reserve with open borders next to the Kruger National Park in South Africa. It is wearing a tracker because, sadly, this species is endangered and is therefore being closely monitored by scientists. There may only be 1400 left in the wild, and 300 left in this part of Africa with one of the main reasons for this being persecution from humans. We need to learn to love our beaming neighbors!”

“Air Guitar Roo” by Jason Moore (Australia). Animal: Western Grey Kangaroo. Location of shot: Perth, Australia
“I was driving past a mob of Western Grey Kangaroos feeding in an open field that was filled with attractive yellow flowers. I had my camera with me, so I stopped to grab a few photos. I suddenly noticed this individual adopt a humorous pose—to me, it looks like he’s practicing strumming on his Air Guitar.”

“The Happy Turtle” by Tzahi Finkelstein (Israel). Animal: Swamp turtle. Location of shot: Jezreel Valley, Israel.
“The swamp turtle is surprised and smiles at the dragonfly resting on its nose.”

“Part of Your World” by Danielle Goonan (United States). Animal: Bat Fish. Location of shot: Seychelles.
“This trip to the Seychelles was my first big trip after getting scuba certified. Caught this on one of the dives.

“Hang Loose” by Christian Hargasser (Germany). Animal: Lion. Location of shot: Masai Mara.
“Masai Mara—it was already half past six in the evening and almost dark… I caught this very short moment when I did this funny sitting position in the middle of playing.”

“Otter Ballerinas” by Otter Kwek (Singapore). Animal: Smooth-coated Otter. Location of shot: Singapore.
“Arabesque otter.”

All of the photos are also eligible for the People’s Choice Award, which is now open to the public for voting.

“Doing the Tango” by Danny Sullivan (United States). Animal: Wild Mustang. Location of shot: McCullagh Peaks, Wyoming.
“These two stallions show off their athletic abilities while fighting each other. No horses were hurt doing the Tango.”

“Teddy Buddies” by Thomas Vijayan (Canada). Animal: Grizzly bears. Location of shot: Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska, USA.
“At Katmai National Park, Grizzly bears are in abundance, and hence it is a photographer’s paradise. However, the challenge here is clicking a unique frame. This image is full of expressions and proper eye contact by both the bears; hence it is a perfect frame of love and friendship. To get this image I laid down flat on the water and stayed there for a long waiting for the right moment to click.”

“Excuse me, sir but I think you’re a little too young to be smoking” by Dakota Vaccaro (United States). Animal: Grey Fox. Location of shot: Virginia, USA.
“While I was working deep in the Virginian woods, a family of grey foxes took up residence under the deck of the abandoned cottage next to my work housing. One day while practicing their hunting skills on bits of moss and branches, one of the kits lunged at a small chunk of wood and started rolling around with his prize. Tired after his hunt, the kit lounged on his belly, still holding the wood in his mouth, which gave the strong resemblance of a cigar. I was very envious of the kit at this moment cause who wouldn’t want to just lay around all day relaxing.”

“Oh my, talk about poking your nose into someone else’s business!” by Bill Gozansky (United States). Animal: Angolan Giraffe.
Location of shot: Onguma Game Reserve, Namibia, Africa.
“An unusual configuration of giraffes at a waterhole in the Onguma Game Reserve in Namibia, Africa.”

“The Floral Feast Chronicles” by Alex Pansier (Netherlands). Animal: Ground squirrels. Location of shot: Vienna.
“This charming collection of photographs captures a quartet of mischievous ground squirrels, each engaging in their own hilarious antics as they attempt to nibble on a colorful assortment of flowers. From the surprised expressions of the caught-in-the-act culprits to the determined munchers and the territorial nibblers, these candid moments offer a delightful glimpse into the playful and sometimes competitive world of these furry floral aficionados.”

“The rainforest dandy” by Delphine Casimir (Belgium). Animal: Monkey. Location of shot: Bali.
“This picture was taken in the monkey forest in Ubud, Bali. This place is a crazy place where monkeys are king! sometimes they give a show, sometimes, they climb on you to look for fleas or steal the piece of biscuit you are trying to eat.”

“Just a kiss” by Brigitte Alcalay-Marcon (France). Animal: Chacma baboon. Location of shot: Kruger National Park. South Africa.
“This young chacma baboon is sitting on it’s mother back playing the fool.

The winners of the photo contest will be announced on November 23, 2023.

“Now-thats-a-selfie” by Jaroslaw Kolacz (Poland). Animal: Swan. Location of shot: Gdańsk-Brzeźno beach, Poland.
“Swan on the beach was very interested in me.”

“Dispute” by Jacek Stankiewicz (Poland). Animal: Greenfinch (Chloris chloris). Location of shot: Bialowieza forest
“I caught this scene while watching birds in the Bialowieza Forest. The young greenfinch was still being fed by its parents. However, from time to time, the birds looked like they were having an argument. My friends interpret this scene in two ways. One, a young naughty kid is arguing with a parent. Two, one kid is reporting to the parent that their brother did something wrong: look, he has broken the glass in the window.”

“Fake news!” by Matti Rauvala (Finland). Animal: Sulawesi macaque. Location of shot: Sulawesi.
“Sulawesi macaque reading news.”

“Flossing Beaver” by Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven (United States). Animal: Beaver. Location of shot: Grand Teton National Park, WY, USA
“Even beavers floss before and after every meal!”

“I finally learned to fly…or not?!” by Tímea Ambrus (Hungary). Animal: Ground squirrel. Location of shot: Austria.
“The ground squirrel jumped as if he could fly. Unfortunately, he has no wings. To his surprise, he fell back to the ground.”

“I finally learned to fly…or not?!” by Tímea Ambrus (Hungary). Animal: Ground squirrel. Location of shot: Austria.
“The ground squirrel jumped as if he could fly. Unfortunately, he has no wings. To his surprise, he fell back to the ground.”

“The Two Step” by Wayne Sorensen (Australia). Animal: Whiptail Wallaby (known as Pretty Faced Wallaby). Location of shot: Cape Hillsborough, Australia.
“Heads back. Arms out. Now it’s time for the two-step as these wallabies take their dance to the next level.”

“I don’t know” by Jakub Wozny (Poland). Animal: Dragonfly.
“I took this photo during a beautiful sunrise. The dragonfly was sitting on a horsetail surrounded by dew, and cleaning itself.”

Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

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Between 2008 and late 2016, I took tens of thousands of pictures and proudly vomited the vast majority of them online. While I’d toyed around with things like depth of field and long exposures, I didn’t understand anything about photography, so my camera rarely left ‘auto’. I’d checked out an online tutorial or two, but as far as I was concerned, ‘exposure compensation’ was something victims got after winning a public indecency lawsuit.

At the time, I wasn’t on Instagram, I only had a vague idea of what Reddit was, and Flickr was simply a place for me to dump my photos. I figured my work was as good as anyone’s because none of my friends were taking anything better. On top of that, I already had people telling me I could be a pro. Needless to say, had my head gotten any bigger, The IAU would have had no choice but to classify it as a planet.

That all changed when I stumbled upon the work of a particular professional photographer for the first time. It was what I can only describe as ‘life-changing’. I know that may sound hyperbolic, but his work literally had an impact on the way I think about photography, and thus my life. I don’t mean to single out this particular photographer, but up until this point, I hadn’t really been exposed to professional photography.

Upon viewing his work, I was struck with the excitement of what photography has the potential to be, while being forced to confront the soul-crushing reality of what my images were, namely mediocre snapshots. I’d been taking photos for eight years, and every single one of them was hot garbage, compared to what I was looking at. Luckily, the positive feelings outweighed the negative ones, which motivated me to learn more about my camera, leading to the quality of my work improving.

Had I not come across the work of this professional when I did, I may very well still be taking mediocre snapshots in blissful ignorance. From there, I continued to seek out the work of famous photographers with huge followings for inspiration and to further my own growth. Over the years that followed, my work continued to improve thanks to the guidance I was getting via YouTube videos, breathtaking portfolios, photography outlets, and critiques from my peers.

Not long after that, I noticed something had begun to change. Not with the quality of the work I was seeing, but with the kind of work I found myself connecting to. While I still appreciated the work of the famous photographers I’d looked up to, I started to feel disconnected. I’d gone from being inspired by their work to feeling something more akin to apathy. I’d spend my time on various social media platforms scrolling past epic landscape after epic landscape feeling nothing.

It was around this time that I started feeling more inspired by hobbyists, lesser-known photographers, and local photographers. For the past few years, I’ve made more of an effort to start following the work of non-professional photographers, photographers with smaller social media followings, and local photographers. This seemingly small change has helped my photography in ways that the famous photographers I was following couldn’t.

Now, I’m not here to say I think you should stop following the work of established photographers, rather I’d like to highlight the benefits of broadening your exposure to photography by following photographers from all walks of life, including hobbyists and lesser-known local photographers, even if they have less experience and a much smaller social media following than you.

The Benefits of Following Lesser-known Photographers

The Mystery Box

One of the things I love most about following hobbyists is that you never really know what you’re going to get. As much as I admire the famous photographers I follow, I do find myself growing curious about what else they’re capable of. I often wonder what a Mads Peter Iversen citycape would look like, how Thomas Heaton would approach abstract architecture, what would happen if you plopped Peter Stewart into a woodland scene, or how Makoto Hashimuki would handle street photography. These are all photographers who have inspired me and continue to do so, but just the thought of what their unique approach would look like makes me a bit giddy.

With the lesser-known photographers I follow, I’m sometimes surprised by what I see on social media. One week it’s a panoramic landscape, the following week it’s dog portraits, and then a few days later it’s food photography. Are you sacrificing quality when you shift from one type of photography to another? Sure, but when you don’t have any expectations to live up to, it doesn’t really matter. If your image is going to get 30-50 likes regardless of how mind-blowing or less than optimal it is, you can afford to experiment. Again, I’m not saying you should stop following all the famous photographers who spend the majority of their time in similar locations, nor I am criticizing that type of photographer, rather I’m trying to highlight the advantages of broadening your exposure to photographers who have the freedom to try new things.

The Benefits: This can encourage you to stop limiting yourself. I went from exclusively shooting landscapes to shooting abstract architecture, ICM, street photography, travel photography, and even dabbling a bit in portraits with my daughter. Since moving to a beach city, I’ve started shooting more beach landscapes incorporating surfers, fishers, and other beachgoers. Seeing others experiment with different subjects has helped me see the scenes around me in a different way.

As I mentioned in my last write-up, I went from despising people in my frame to using them to enhance a scene. I owe this change entirely to my exposure to lesser-known photographers who needed to shoot the scene they had. With this mindset, your camera can come with you, regardless of where you go. This also means your camera spends more time in your hands than in your bag.

As for my personal rewards, my abstract architecture photography has gained the most international recognition, the vast majority of my sales have come from landscape and cityscape images, and I run street photography workshops in Yokohama with a Tokyo-based company. Being a well-rounded photographer may not be getting me any closer to being a household name, but it’s brought me all the success I have enjoyed, modest though it may be. The more willing you are to try new things, the more likely you are to stay active as a photographer and find your calling.

Fresh Content

Sometimes, when a photographer sticks to the same style of photography or editing, their new work can feel familiar, almost like you’ve seen it before. However, on occasion, there is no ‘feeling’ about it. In my experience, some of the famous photographers I follow, and the ones that are recommended to me, seem to re-post their work from time to time.

I’ve seen this done for several reasons, including a busy schedule, it’s an off-season for their style of photography, they are proud of that particular image, or for promotion. While I’m not inherently against any of these, even the most inspirational photos lose their luster after they’ve popped up in my feed 3 or 4 times. This was at an all-time high between 2020-2022, as many photographers were not able to travel.

This is where I feel The Mystery Box aspect really helped the lesser-known photographers I follow, and thus my viewing experience. While many of the famous photographers I follow resorted to re-posts or simply became inactive, most of the photography hobbyists I follow found ways to stay active, even if it meant photographing the mundane or shooting something completely different.

Again, I’m not demanding that famous or professional photographers grind out new images that are below their standards, I’m simply saying that following someone who isn’t weighed down by expectations can help keep your social media feed fresh, providing new work to keep you inspired.

The Benefits: Many of us use social media to get inspired. As much as I love professional-level work, seeing the same image re-posted time and time again makes me feel anything but. Seeing hobbyists, especially local photographers, find ways to remain active motivated me to explore and shoot my local areas. Rather than dwell on my lack of ability to photograph the iconic city views of Tokyo during the pandemic, I shifted my focus to shooting my local beach, architecture, parks, temples, and shrines.

While I’ll admit that I’m lucky to live in a rather scenic area, it’s not one that seems to attract many established photographers. I haven’t taken any world-beaters, but I have ended up with a few portfolio images and a deeper appreciation for my local area. I’ve also made more than a few sales off the resulting images, so that’s a nice bonus. If you use social media as a source of inspiration, there’s no better way to stay inspired than through a steady stream of unique content.

Imperfection

Back in the days when I spent most of my time on the photography side of the internet, I was exposed to some of the most amazing images I’d ever seen. To simply call them ‘portfolio worthy’ would be an understatement. Many of them were utterly flawless. The light: perfect. The compositions: immaculate. The locations: otherworldly. As someone just learning the ropes, they gave me something to aspire to.

However, as I continued to shoot and share photos, I noticed something. My work was getting better, but it was still light years behind the work I was seeing posted by others on a daily basis. What once inspired me to keep shooting, soon led to a mentality resulting in fewer and fewer successful outings. If the conditions weren’t quite right, no shot. If I couldn’t find the perfect composition, no shot. If a single person was in the frame, no shot. Days without a successful outing turned to weeks, then weeks into months, and thus I fell into photography slumps, wondering if I’d ever take a worthwhile photo ever again.

This is where, yet again, following lesser-known photographers helped me reignite my passion. Their work wasn’t perfect, but they were sharing it. What’s more, I liked it, despite the flaws. This is when I started spending less time looking solely at the work of professionals or famous photographers and shifted more toward hobbyists. Seeing work that was not only of a similar quality to my own but also in similar locations became my new inspiration to get out and shoot.

The Benefits: This can lead to fewer droughts and more successful outings. Will your ratio of portfolio-grade images per outing go down? Absolutely, but when you have a limited shooting schedule, you can’t let yourself get bogged down by the pressure of performing at a level that is infeasible under your current circumstances. In other words, it’s better to shoot the scenes and conditions you have, than endlessly yearn for the ones you don’t.

Interaction

For all its faults, social media has one major benefit: the ability to connect with photographers from all walks of life, regardless of where they live. Over the years, I’ve been able to connect with photographers from Switzerland to South Africa to America, just to name a few. None of these interactions would have been possible, had it not been for social media. Without these connections, I would have absolutely no one to talk to about photography.

This is, again, where I feel following lesser-known photographers has benefited me. When it comes to photographers with a large following, I’ve noticed that it usually tends to be more of a para-social relationship. This isn’t to blame photographers with large followings, I understand they’re busy people, and most of the comments they receive amount to three fire emojis in a row. I too, with my gargantuan following of 970 people will usually scroll past those comments. However, it’s nice to be able to have genuine interactions with other photographers.

Whether it be a comment, DM, or the contact page on their website, I’ve found that the likelihood of getting a response from someone is much higher, the lower their profile is. Apologies if this comes across as entitled, but if you’re not willing to engage in the social aspect of social media, then I feel like I’m not getting the full experience. Again, this isn’t to say they should have to respond to every comment, I’m simply pointing out that I have a more positive social experience with people who see me as a peer, not a fanboy.

The Benefits: It can help you meet like-minded photographers who you can chat with. As someone living in a non-English speaking country, discussing photography on a deep level can be a bit challenging, so I’ve found it to be a good way to meet people to chat with about this art form I love so much. Whether it’s sharing locations or just shooting the breeze, having fellow photographers to chat with can help you get more enjoyment out of the social aspects of social media and inspire you to keep shooting.

A Feeling of Camaraderie

Sometimes, what starts as a simple comment or a DM can bloom into something much more. Over the years I’ve made quite a few online photography buddies. These are fellow photographers I’ve never met in person but continue to keep in touch with via social media. Often, as these connections grow, we tend to build a sense of camaraderie.

Whether it’s seeing a fellow photographer get an image they’d been planning for months, reach a sales goal, win an award, or successfully run their first workshop, there’s something special about rooting for your peers to accomplish their goals. Regardless of how big or how small, I always feel excited when a lesser-known photographer takes a step forward. Watching them succeed in reaching their goals motivates me to work towards doing the same, regardless of how much coffee it takes.

The Benefits: Being a lesser-known photographer working towards big goals can be exhausting. There are ups and downs, and at times it can feel downright hopeless. However, seeing people in a similar situation to yourself achieve their goals, despite their limitations, can be a great way to light a fire under you. Rooting for them, and knowing they’re rooting for you, can sometimes make all the difference when it comes to staying motivated.

Personally, without these connections, I don’t think I would have the courage to take the risks required to make small steps toward big goals. I’ve still got a long way to go, and there’s no guarantee I’ll get there, but seeing my peers reach their goals has given me the confidence to at least try, and it can do the same for you.

The Benefits of Following Local Photographers

Genuine Meetups

I’ve just finished talking about the benefits of social media, so it only feels fitting to highlight the main benefit of following local photographers: the ability to meet them in person. As much as I enjoy staying in touch with photographers from all over the world online, there’s nothing quite like getting together for a shoot.

While I have gone to meetups organized and attended by internationally famous photographers, it felt as if there was a perceived hierarchy at the events. In my experience, there seemed to be something of a disconnect between those who had already made a name for themselves, and those who were trying to get there. At times, it felt as though I was being talked at, not talked to. That isn’t to say all of my conversations have gone that way, I’ve met some friendly professionals willing to engage in genuine conversation, but it has often felt like a crapshoot. In contrast, when I meet with lesser-known local photographers, the conversations are genuine and the time flies by.

The Benefits: Despite my theater background, I’ve always been somewhat of an introvert. What’s more, I’ve never had any friends who are as passionate about photography as I am. Having local photographers to meet up with gives me someone to hang out with and talk to. Whether you talk about your favorite local photography spots or what you’re binging on our preferred streaming service, it can be good for your mental health and social life to have someone to talk to on a genuine human level.

Locations

As I mentioned earlier, one of the main reasons I use social media is to find inspiration. There was a time when I found the work of famous photographers halfway across the world inspiring, but over time, it became the opposite. I often found myself frustrated by the fact that I couldn’t just pop over to the UK, Hong Kong, or Iceland to capture the same kinds of images. This negative energy often led to photography slumps, as I felt like I wasn’t able to create images of the same quality in my ‘boring’ locations. So, I started to find more photographers in Japan, and it made a world of difference.

I was seeing locations that I could visit more realistically, which re-fueled my passion. However, distance and time were still an issue, as I can only take a few domestic trips a year. I soon began to feel the same way, as I grew frustrated that I rarely got perfect conditions when I traveled. So, I decided to take it a step further and follow some local accounts, which again yielded positive results.

I love epic Nordic landscapes as much as the next person, but they don’t really inspire me when the place I live has nothing like that to shoot. While Mount Fuji is my favorite subject to photograph, when I only have a few days a month alone with my camera, the odds of getting the conditions I was seeing the famous photographers capture were minuscule. Seeing people create work from locations that I could go to without much planning has helped me stay active and motivated while still getting home in time to cook dinner.

The Benefits: This can motivate you to explore your local area with a photographer’s eye. When you have a limited number of days or hours with your camera, it can be helpful to stay close to home. This has been the case for me, regardless of where I’ve lived. Whether it was abstract architecture when I was living in suburban Kawasaki, the lesser-explored streets of Yokohama, or the beaches of my current city, I’ve always been able to stay active while remaining close to home.

Following local photographers can help you see ‘unmarketable’ locations around you in a new way. As I mentioned above, I’ve made more than my share of sales from these local photographs. It’s possible that the higher placement in search results these photos receive leads to them being easier to find. While your photos of iconic landmarks and skylines can easily get lost in a pile of millions, photographs from lesser-known areas are often easier to find in search results. Who knows, you may even end up finding a niche market in your own backyard.

The Wrap-Up

While following well-known photographers can help you improve your skills as a new photographer, there is a great deal of merit in following your peers or even those with a smaller following than you. This isn’t to say we should all unfollow every famous photographer and only follow small accounts, mostly because it would cause a paradox loop, but that I feel people put too much value on the number of followers or level of fame someone has. I still follow plenty of established photographers, but the accounts I get the most out of are the ones that provide me with something more than a para-social experience.

I encourage everyone to find photographers with smaller followings and local photographers to supplement your daily viewing experience. You will be exposing yourself to new artistic voices for inspiration and you may find yourself with more people to engage with in meaningful ways. Besides, if you want to see world-class work that includes zero interaction with the artist, you can always go to an art museum.

About the author: Jordan McChesney is a landscape, cityscape, and abstract Canadian photographer living in Chigasaki, Japan. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. You can find more of McChesney’s work on his website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Filmstock: The Analog Photography Meetup will take place Friday, October 6, and Saturday, October 7 in Atlanta for a “first-of-its-kind film photography event.”

Filmstock, held by KEH Camera and The Darkroom Lab, will include a social get-together, special guests, and a photo walk through Atlanta.

Both days include a “Beers and Cameras Meetup” at Monday Night Brewing West Midtown and BrewDog Atlanta Outpost on Friday and Saturday, respectively. The photo walk takes place Saturday afternoon, led by KEH, The Darkroom Lab, and special guests. The walk will go through Atlanta’s Beltline in Midtown, as attendees get the change to capture the city along the way. KEH Camera also encourages people to tag their shots with “#Filmstock2023,” so anyone unable to attend can at least see the photographs from the event.

“This photo walk is not only an opportunity to create stunning images but also a chance to connect with like-minded creatives, share techniques, and immerse oneself in the art of film photography,” a release for the event reads.

The list of special guests includes Paul Baldonado, Matt Day, Mike Gray, Caleb Knueven, Jason Kummerfeldt, Sissi Lu, Jonathan Paragas, Taylor Pendleton, and Beatriz Valim.

The Filmstock website also lists places to explore, which visiting photographers might want to check out on their own, including the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Beltline Trail, Atlanta History Center, College Football Hall of Fame, Colony Square, Fernbank Science Museum, Georgia Aquarium, High Museum of Art, Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park, Piedmont Park, and the World of Coca-Cola.

“This event is a celebration of the enduring allure of film photography,” CEO of KEH Camera Noah Treshnell says. “It’s a chance for photographers to come together, learn from each other, and capture the beauty of Atlanta through the lens of analog cameras.”

Filmstock is meant for photographers of all experience levels and welcomes all, aiming to foster “an environment of creative exchange and inspiration.”

While the event is free, registration is required, and some events have already met capacity. Those interested can find tickets on the KEH Camera website.

Image credits: KEH Camera

Copyright 2023 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.

Some days, while practicing landscape photography, I pause to reflect. Thoughts often drift to the pursuit of landscape photography. With the unique blend of elements it brings together and the hobby’s impact on me, landscape photography may be the perfect hobby.

That may be a bold statement: landscape photography is the perfect hobby. But I talk a lot about landscape photography with people attending workshops, comments on videos, and online communities like this one. Through these discussions, I have four main elements of landscape photography that combine to make it a worthwhile pursuit and possibly the perfect hobby.

Technical

Photography has a technical side to it. For some, this comes easier than others. Photography can be technical, from learning the basics of the exposure triangle to more advanced concepts like focus stacking or exposure bracketing.

Related to the technical is the camera gear itself. It lends itself well to people who lean towards the technical side. New camera releases to read and talk about new lenses with varying levels of image quality to debate. Even the accessories for practicing landscape photography – tripods, filters, even camera bags – all things to help feed the technical side of a photographer.

Creative

Photography has a creative side to it. Finding unique and interesting compositions to tell a story takes creativity. Seeing things in a different way and helping show others through the images what the location was about takes craft.

The creativity extends to post-processing as well. Using photo-editing tools (back to the technical again) to help turn the original file into what you saw and felt at the scene takes skill. 

Get Outside

Landscape photography gets the photographer outside and enjoying nature. The experiences outdoors can be enriching. Enjoying the light, the breeze, the smells – all of it helps enhance the human experience.

It is very easy to fall into the habit of coming home, sitting on the couch, and watching TV. But a hobby like landscape photography helps motivate you to get outside to capture some sights, drawing you outdoors for these experiences.

Beyond just getting outside locally, it can also be a prime motivator to travel and go to interesting places you might not have considered before. I have planned many a trip to areas across the US directly attributable to the hobby of landscape photography. This year alone, I’ve been to multiple national parks in all types of weather, from sub-zero to triple-digit temperatures and everything in between!

Get Exercise

And finally, landscape photography helps contribute to getting some exercise. Hiking to locations helps keep a person active and healthy. Doing it with a camera bag full of gear does wonders for physical fitness.

Additionally, even when not out hiking for the pursuit of landscape photography, it can be the motivating factor to stay in reasonable shape so future hikes are just a little easier.

Bringing It All Together

Each of the above elements in and of itself is a positive thing. Bring them all together, and it makes the hobby of landscape photography a very positive experience with much more benefit for a person than just taking pretty pictures. 

While I enjoy the excuse to get outside and the exercise all the hiking brings, my favorite aspect of the hobby is how photography blends the technical and creative.

I consider myself more technical than creative. The technical side comes a little easier to me, the camera settings and techniques. But I wholly enjoy the creative side and the work it takes to work on that side of landscape photography. The fact I can pair my weaker creative side with my stronger technical side is a perfect pairing to keep me working and moving forward.

What do you think? Which elements combined make landscape photography your hobby? Is landscape photography the perfect hobby?