• A PHOTO STORY: WHILE I'M WORKING

    Every working photographer has a hard drive full of images that did not fit the brief. Ben Lumley decided to do something about it. Photos While I'm Working is the series he built from a decade of moments nobody commissioned and nobody asked for. It might be his most honest work.

    Photographs by Ben Lumley

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  • CUBA 25 YEARS AGO

    Twenty five years ago, Eduardo Cerda Sanchez boarded a plane to Cuba. He was not going as a photographer with a project. He was going as a student, with a camera, three months, and no agenda. Cuba, it turns out, does not need a photographer with a project. It just needs one willing to show up.

    Photographs by Eduardo Cerda Sanchez

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  • THE ISLAND THAT TAUGHT ME TO SEE PEOPLE

    David Clark retired three years ago and bought his first serious camera. Since then he has been making up for lost time. A week in Havana on a portrait workshop led by legendary photographer Peter Turnley changed how he thinks about photographing people.

    Photographs by David Clark

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  • INTO THE COLD

    For over a century, Milwaukeeans have started their new year the hard way. André Saint Louis has spent the last four years documenting the chaos, the cold, and the characters who keep coming back.

    Photographs by André Saint Louis

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Should you Leave your comfort zone?
Originals The Monochrome Collective Originals The Monochrome Collective

Should you Leave your comfort zone?

We are constantly told that life begins at the end of our comfort zone, but in the world of photography, the opposite is often true. This post explores the "Photographic Comfort Zone" the place where the camera disappears, the mechanics become second nature, and you are finally free to see the world with absolute clarity.

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Breaking the Midday Myth
Originals The Monochrome Collective Originals The Monochrome Collective

Breaking the Midday Myth

Is the "Golden Hour" overrated? We’re debunking the myth that you can’t shoot at midday and exploring why high contrast, noon day light is a monochrome photographer’s secret weapon.

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The Infinite Game
Originals The Monochrome Collective Originals The Monochrome Collective

The Infinite Game

What if the goal of photography isn't to "win," but to simply keep the play alive? Today, we compare the craft of monochrome to the "Infinite Game" of surfing. From the unpredictability of the elements to the beauty of the "wipeout," we explore why the best part of being a photographer is knowing that the journey never actually ends.

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Breaking the Ice with Strangers
Originals The Monochrome Collective Originals The Monochrome Collective

Breaking the Ice with Strangers

Walking up to a stranger is often the hardest part of the craft. But the secret to a great street portrait isn't in your shutter speed it's in the first thirty seconds of conversation. Here’s how to get past the "creep factor" and start seeing people as individuals, not just subjects.

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Is the Watermark Killing Your Photography?
Originals The Monochrome Collective Originals The Monochrome Collective

Is the Watermark Killing Your Photography?

In 2026, the watermark is a false sense of security that is doing more harm to your art than good. If you can remove a logo in three taps with AI, why are we still scarring our compositions? Today, we’re looking at why the most confident photographers are ditching the logo and using three invisible strategies to protect their work instead.

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