Yesterday, Central Bucks School District teachers and students protested Policy 321, a controversial rule enacted by the school board that bans teachers from talking about or displaying decor that advocates for “any partisan, political, or social policy issue.” The ban includes the display of Pride flags.
I was able to step out to record the protest, doing my small part to give voice to this issue and fight against the ignorance and hate that has permeated this once model school district.
Stumbled across this article in Digital Camera World highlighting some of the iconic destinations around the world that don’t allow — or heavily frown upon — travelers taking photos. I’m pretty good about doing my research into local customs before we travel and try to play by the rules. But sometimes an image appears in front of you that you just can’t help but capture.
with guards authorized to intervene if anyone is caught trying to take a sneaky shot.
6 tourist destinations around the world where you CAN’T take photos | Digital Camera World
The Crown Jewels in the Tower of London is one such place. Entering a dark room, you see the jewels in a glass case. You pass by them on a moving walkway. There are signs that instruct visitors that no photos are allowed. I took — mistook — this as a standard “no flash photography allowed” suggestion. It was not a suggestion. And it did not limit itself to flash photography. Nope.
I fired off a single hip shot as I passed. The Queen’s guards were waiting for me at the end of the human conveyor belt. A hand was placed upon my shoulder.
“Sir, please show me your camera. Sir, please delete the images.”
I fumbled for the play and then trashcan buttons.
“Thank you, sir. Have a good day.”
(Photo below is not of the Crown Jewels. To see more from London, check out this gallery.)
It’s always a blast seeing images I’ve created used to help tell stories in the media. Like this one I captured during the abortion rights rally in Doylestown, Pa., that was used by PBS/NPR.
And this one from last year’s Bucks County Classic used by the Bucks County Herald.
Saddle season on the East Coast. When the remnants of late season snowstorms melt into the warming ground of spring.
I took the Subaru Outback — my new post-pandemic, let’s-go-on-an-adventure vehicle — for a gallop around the back roads of Bucks County, Pa., at the end of the day. These are a few of the images I created with my iPhone 12 Pro while I was exploring.
I usually like to start the new year off with a post of my favorite images from the previous year. But 2020 was — let’s be honest — a shit show of epic proportions. So I forgot about my annual image post. Well, not so much forgot as just didn’t care. There are clearly more important things the world needs right now than a random post of random photographs.
But then Steve O’Grady posted his annual recap over on his blog. It’s a post I look forward to more than my own (mostly for the summer emergency room images). And I thought to myself, self, you really should crank out those images because they just might — like Steve’s — let people escape this modern day version of “The Stand” for a few minutes.
So, my friends, I give you my 2020 in photographs. I thought about putting them into some sort of chronological order, but 2020 chronology was just one long March…which, for what it’s worth, is when I noticed my shooting shifted hard to screencaps of my television, pint glasses to accompany UnTappd entries, and new edits of old photos.
Enjoy the deliberate chaos. We’re all used to it by now anyway.
Most photographers have someone they wish they could be. If you’re a photojournalist, you kneel at the altar of icons like James Nachtwey and Pete Souza. If you’re a portrait photographer, it’s the altar of Herb Ritts and Annie Leibovitz. Landscape? None other than the master of masters, Ansel Adams.
Which got me thinking about the photographers I know who inspire me. Artists who span a wide range of photographic disciplines and styles. Photographers whose work challenges me to be better. Their images are instantly recognizable. And for some, their work behind the lens is secondary to the work they do to make other humans’ lives better.
Who are they? Let’s take a look.
IVAN LESICA
Arguably one of the finest detail photographers around today. Ivan’s eye for abstraction and detail has made him a regular featured artist in National Geographic’s YourShot! feed. I don’t even have to look for his name to know that a shot is a Lesica.
Follow Ivan at @Ivan_Lesica.
DAVID SHOUKRY
The face behind English Photoworks. David’s portraits are instant classics. When I first stumbled onto his work, his soft lighting drew me in. It wasn’t until later that I realized his real genius was how his simple lighting and studio setup brought out the harmony between the sets he designs and the tones and textures he carefully constructs.
KEVIN KOLBER
I’ve had the honor of working with a few up and coming models. It’s an area of my work where I’ve seen the most growth over the past couple of years. The generous advice, inspiration, and encouragement from Kevin made that possible. And what better photographer to learn from than one of Florida’s most in-demand, talented lensman?
Follow Kevin at @kevinkolberphoto
PEDRO OLIVEIRA
Let me get this out of the way first: I love Pedro’s photography. What I love more, though, is the compassion he brings to the images he creates. Whether that’s highlighting the humanity of Portland’s homeless or the beauty of women over 50, Pedro uses his talent to make the world a better place.
Follow Pedro at @pedrontheworld
MICHAEL SASSER
I’m sure there are some who look at Michael as a world class boudoir photographer. Because he is. He’s also an incredibly generous human who shares a wealth of hard-earned tips to improve any photographer’s repertoire. My posing, interaction, and lighting skills have increased dramatically since following him.
Follow Michael at @sasserstillsboudoir
JORDAN ELIJAH VERDIN
Sometimes a photographer is more than a photographer. Jordan is a perfect example. His portraits of people in southern California in need of a second chance are dramatic and full of character. But it’s something Jordan created away from the camera that makes him special. He’s the founder of Humanity Showers, offering mobile showers, haircuts, hygiene, food, and clothes to improve the quality of life for those who need it.
Follow Jordan at @jordanverdin
KIM HARRISON
Based in the port town of Puerto Escondido on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, Kim’s images are the kind that, when you see them, you just assume they are from a travel magazine. It’s one thing to create an image that’s pleasing to the eye. It’s something other level to create an image that ignites your wanderlust and burns into your soul.
Follow Kim at @kimmy.kim.kimber
REYANNE CORL
I don’t remember how I stumbled upon Reyanne’s work, but I’m so glad I did. I love the natural tones she coaxes out of her images. Her work with Alaina Jane, though, is where I’m truly in awe. They have an incredibly strong connection that I continue to strive for in my own collaborations.
Follow Reyanne at @rcorlphotography
CHRIS “CHIP” COUGHLAN
If there are performance enhancing drugs in photography, Chip’s taking them. The quality and creativity in his work has gone from really good to world class this year. I’d argue he’s earned a spot in the top echelon of still and product photography.
Follow Chip at @chipbutnotdale
UNMESH DINDA
I don’t know if Unmesh has ever picked up a camera. But if you’re a photographer and even think about doing work with Photoshop, he’s your first stop for education. If someone told me Unmesh was the sole person who developed Photoshop, I wouldn’t argue with them. He knows it inside and out and teaches in style that is informative, well paced, and friendly.
Follow Unmesh at @PiXimperfect
PETER ADAMS
Peter and I go way back to the days when web sites were nothing more than a few lines of HTML and a pixelated bitmapped image on a low resolution monitor. Who knew we both had larger aspirations that would someday combine our technology professions with our photographic passions? Peter’s work on the vitally important Faces of Open Source project is a constant inspiration for me. And I, too, will someday grace the pages of National Geographic like he has 😉
Follow Peter at @peteradamsphoto
JUAN VIDAL
Architectural photography is an incredibly precise and difficult discipline. It requires incredible knowledge of lighting, post-processing, and geometry. Few combine that trio like Juan. His images grace the covers of high end real estate listings and have appeared in Architectural Digest.
Follow Juan at @juanvidalphotography
BOB LINNEMAN
Bob was in the pit at the Theatre of Living Arts when I shot my first concert. He’s a seasoned pro who has shot many a big act. His generous guidance during that first outing has stayed with me over the years.
Follow Bob at @brockswell
KEITH BALDERSTON
A lot of local folks know Keith from his stellar drone work. But it’s his work with the big 600mm glass where he really shines. Whether capturing bald eagles along the Delaware River or the International Space Station flying over our neighborhood, Keith makes visible things the normal eye doesn’t typically get a chance to see.
Follow Keith at @buckscountydrones
JUSTIN DEROSA
No list is complete without calling out the amazing landscape work Justin does. A steady feed of “I wish I shot that” images. He has a way of finding unique spots and angles to bring out the beauty of nature regardless of the season.
Follow Justin at @justinderosaphotography
The last couple of weeks have teetered between the last gasps of autumn and the onset of winter. The mid-Atlantic leaves have dropped from their branches. Reds, yellows, and oranges have drained from the leaves. Blue skies have desaturated into grays. And the ongoing pandemic has crushed the studio shoot dreams for many photographers.
Bring it on, Mother Nature. Throw your muted tones and short days at me.
Such was the case when Taylor and I found an opening in our schedules to collaborate again. We quickly bounced ideas off each other, found a couple of concepts we wanted to try, and set to it. I hopped in the car to scout locations; she hunted down the outfits.
I knew I likely wouldn’t get the exact light and punch I saw in my head when we were planning the shoot. I also knew my meager post-processing skills could deliver what was in my mind if I got the image right in camera. I played around with a couple of different lens lengths, eventually ending up down low and wide with one of my faves: the Canon 16-35mm f/4L. I dropped the image into Lightroom for some basic edits, moved it over to Luminar to play around a bit with their new artificial intelligence tools, and then put the final touches on in Photoshop.
It’s a bit of a different style for me, but one I suspect I’ll likely use a bit more as I refine my portrait and fashion work. Below are a few other images from this collaboration.
My mom and I were talking on the phone this afternoon. I was in the car driving to provide photojournalistic cover for one of the local activist organizations staging a sit-in to support a local business under fire from the Republican Party for the owner’s public support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
She told me to be safe, as a mother is required to do. And I do prepare my equipment and mind when I grab my camera to go into these increasingly volatile environments. I also reminded her that it was my duty to use my talent to contribute to others who need it. It’s all of our responsibility, frankly, to find within us that thing we do well and apply it to serve the greater communal and societal good. Not for compensation, but because it’s the right thing to do.
My parents raised me to think of others. They modeled the behavior for the man I’ve become. From something as simple as volunteering for school functions or coaching sports teams, to taking a scared kid in when he knocks on the door in the middle of the night holding his dad’s pistol that he took away to protect his mother.
Thinking of others isn’t something you think about. It’s just something you do.
Anywho, here are a couple of images from this afternoon.
I have trouble understanding what makes a person fly a flag or put a bumper sticker on their car in support of a political candidate. If you believe in democracy, you should believe that whoever is elected, regardless of the party they are from, represents all Americans — the rich and the poor, the healthy and the sick, the educated and the unedcuated, those who voted for him or her and those who didn’t.
Sadly, this is not the America we live in today. America in 2020 is a bifurcated nation clinging to the thinnest of fibers holding our democratic republic together. The chasm that splits the American populace runs deeper and darker than mere politics. It is an increasingly sharp gap splitting those who believe in an America for all and those who believe in an America for some.
That American bifurcation was evident this afternoon in Doylestown, Pa. Those on the side of equality gathered at the four corners of State and Main in the center of town, brandishing signs and chants in support of women’s rights, Black Lives Matter, science, and democracy. A small gathering formed near the old county courthouse, wielding signs and familiar red baseball hats that have become synonymous with a political party hell-bent on ripping basic human rights from their fellow citizens and destroying democracy from within. This smaller contingent awaited a caravan of vehicles rallying in support of the president* and candidate they worship.
And that’s where my troubled understanding of the current state of politics starts. Those gathered in the center of town weren’t there to chant for a candidate, though a few did hold signs with the candidate’s name on them. They were there in support of the rights and lives of others. Those at the courthouse and in the caravan chanted for their candidate like he was the return of Christ, giant flags waving out of their sunroofs and truck beds as if it was a Super Bowl celebration parade.
I captured a few images from the events. I’ve chosen to only include the images from the gathering in the center of town. My role as a photographer is to capture a glimpse of the world around me, to freeze moments in time for future generations. But with that comes an ethical obligation not to exploit those who have become detached from reality and lack the cognitive ability to understand their vulnerablity in falling prey to a sociopathic cult leader.
There’s a line in the movie “We Bought a Zoo” where Thomas Hayden Church says to Matt Damon, “I like the animals. But I love the humans.” Me too.
It’s what got me hooked on photography way back in high school. Working on the yearbook staff gave me an excuse for always having my camera with me. It allowed me to capture moments that otherwise may have been forgotten to time. I still have some of the prints I developed in the darkroom in a box in my office. And every so often I pull out one of the yearbooks I worked on to see my early images. It’s a humbling experience to see where I started and where I’m at now.
Those early years of taking natural light senior candid portraits of my classmates has grown into photographing CEOs, emerging models, actors, and actresses. My style has changed, and sweet-ghost-of-Maisel has my skill gotten better. What hasn’t is my desire and ability to see the person on the other side of the glass.
This image is one of several portfolio quality shots I created in collaboration with actress Amanda Livezey during a recent studio session. It was one of those shoots where editing down the great from the really good was incredibly difficult. But that’s part of the process, too. It’s not just setting up lights, dialing in settings, and clicking a button. It’s all the in between — the human part of what photography is about. It’s the back and forth collaboration with your subject, the instinct of knowing when to press the shutter, the need to wrap the shoot with the appropriate level of mood and energy, and then the ability to throw away shots others might think are great because to you they just aren’t great enough.
Through it all runs a constant current: a love of other humans.
Mike Maney 