Pete Souza: President Obama Sitting for Smithsonian's 3D Portrait

This intimidating photo isn't a publicity shot for the latest Star Wars movie (although it could be with a little bit of Photoshop); it's President Barack Obama sitting for a special portrait session for the Smithsonian's 3D model, as photographed by White House photographer Pete Souza.

Chuck Close: The 2014 Hollywood Portfolio

For its 2014 Hollywood Issue, Vanity Fair called on the services of two legendary photographers to capture the actors, directors and producers of note. Annie Leibovitz lent her services for the magazine's cover, but for the individual portraits, Conde Naste went with a different master of the lens. This is Chuck Close's 2014 Hollywood Portfolio.

Nick Stern: Photographing Banksy

Street artist Banksy has gained immense popularity for his graffiti art work which combines humor and political commentary. His stencils blend in perfectly with their surroundings, sometimes incorporating their surrounding environment. Banky's interesting subjects has inspired many artists to recreate his works in real life, with Nick Stern photographing Banky's recreations almost perfectly in his series, "You Are Not Banksy".

Jeff Bridges: Celebrity Photographer

The previous post showed what Hollywood celebrities look like when it's just some random guy taking pictures of actors; there's still an element of an outsider looking in. But what happens when a distinguished actor takes a camera on a movie set and offers a unique point of view to the world of film making? No imagination is required here as these are the behind-the-scenes photographs of one celebrity photographer, the "Dude" himself: Jeff Bridges.

Random Guy Crashes Oscars Party, Takes Pictures With Celebrities

In photography, especially in photojournalism where the subject and situation might disappear in the blink of an eye, the first rule for photographers is to get close. The second rule is to get closer. These rules aren't always possible to follow, more so when it comes to politicians and other celebrities, but this random guy dude managed to deliver, and then some. A few years ago, one incredibly lucky, random guy crashed into an Oscars party, took amateur pictures with celebrities, and lived to tell the tale.

Alfred Stieglitz: Moving Photography into the Modern Age

During the earliest decades of photography, the medium was in the hands of scientists and technicians who were well versed in its technical aspects. In order for photography to truly flourish, it needed the guidance of artists as well as businessmen who could bring the medium to the masses while keeping its artistic integrity intact. Alfred Stieglitz was such a man, and through his efforts moved photography into the modern age, relatively speaking.

Robin Hammond: Condemned Mental Patients of Africa

Images of war and conflict have helped sway the opinion of people towards acting for the benefit of the victimized groups. In today's world however, the prevalence of war photographs has become so commonplace that most viewers have become desensitized to these images. This is saddening since a lot suffering still happens even years after armed conflict has passed. In his series entitled "Condemned", Robin Hammond gives a different perspective as a he exposes the cruel treatment of mental patients of Africa.

Tamara Staples: The Chicken Fancy and Pretty Birds

Portrait photographers such as Yousuf Karsh and Annie Leibovitz are famed for bringing out that extra spark out of an otherwise ordinary subject. Many aspiring portraitists today follow their example in trying to coax out a little bit more out of their subjects. Fortunately for Tamara Staples, her subjects already look glamorous  The only thing need in her portrait series was the patience and passion to get all participants in one book. These pretty birds are the subjects of the chicken fancy in her book, The Magnificent Chicken.

The 2013 World Press Photo Winners

Two years ago, it was a haunting picture of an Afghan teenager who had had her ears and nose cut off. Last year it was a portrait of a Yemeni mother clutching her son in the style of La Pieta. This year, it's a dramatic burial march of two Palestinian toddlers. These are the 2013 World Press Photo Winners.

Damon Winter: Cinematic Photojournalism

This generation of photographers are the most competitive in any category. Whether it's in portraiture or landscape or photojournalism, photographers have to be more creative with the kinds of images they make. Most photographers are lucky to have one of their pictures published in a leading magazine or newspaper, but a few others seem to have the natural talent to get a different shot over and over again. Damon Winter shows he does it with his cinematic photojournalism.

Alex Prager: Cinematic Photography

Photography and video share almost the same early history, yet the two disciplines rarely go together in one package. Professional photographers stick to their camp, while filmmakers do the same. Even with the advent of video-capable DSLRs, it's hard to find artists who utilize both mediums and produce good results. Alex Prager is an exception with her images which can be accurately described as "Cinematic Photography".

Five Years Of Flickr Commons

This week, the Flickr Commons celebrates its 5th Year Anniversary. Since launching over half a decade, ago The Commons has helped propagate unique and beautiful photographs from different educational institutions around the world, all for free. Here is a sampling of the anniversary galleries of Flickr Commons' Five Year Anniversary Celebration.

The National Geographic Photo Contest 2012 Winners

With the new year comes the chance to recap the best entries of the previous year. National Geographic, one the leading publications in photojournalism, continues to encourage the tradition of excellence in professionals and amateur photographers alike with its photography competitions. Here are National Geographic Photo Contest 2012 winners.

The Top Photography Posts of 2012 (Part 2)

With only a few more days before the year ends, and coming off from the first five in the series, here then are the rest of the entries for the top photography posts of 2012.

The Top Photography Posts of 2012 (Part 1)

The year 2012 is about to draw to a close, so it's fitting to look back through the past 12 months and see what viewers have been looking for in photography and the visual arts. While this blog features different photographic styles and mediums, most of the popular posts seem to share a common theme. Here then are the top photography posts of 2012.

Chuck Close: Daguerreotype Portrait of Kara Walker

A good portrait should reveal answers about the person, yet leave enough room for more questions. In some cases, the old ways become exciting methods for producing refreshing images and themes. A good example of this is Chuck Close's daguerreotype portrait of Kara Walker.

Omote 3D: The 21st Century Portrait

The advent of camera phones and affordable DSLRs have made portrait sessions a commonplace occurrence. Hiring a professional photographer is now reserved for more formal occasions such as weddings, and even then it's not unusual to ask a friend to just take pictures with his entry-level DSLR. The quality of the 21st century portrait is rapidly deteriorating. However, a new project in Tokyo is doing away with the traditional paper portrait in favor of miniature sculptures. These are the 3D printing results of Omote 3D.

Andy Warhol: The Celebrity Polaroid Portraits

Today's most famous photographers and artists use the latest technology available in order to create the best quality work possible. Whether it's the latest full frame DSLR or medium-format camera, along with dozens of high-powered strobe lights set against immense backdrops, commercial photographers will always try to top their previous shoot. But sometimes when you're famous enough, the simplest camera can still produce images of note. That's the story with Andy Warhol and his celebrity polaroid portraits.

Man Ray: Photography As Art

There's no doubt that photography grounds itself in being able to take factual scenes with objectivity. Most people might argue that editorial photography really began with the advent of Photoshop and its related programs, but almost 100 years ago, one pioneering artist was blurring the lines between photography and art, even advocating for photography as art. This is the ground breaking work of Man Ray. (WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS NUDITY).

Mario Testino: Hollywood Royalty

Young photographers looking to break into the print industry today will have to face an uphill climb. Not only  are there more photography enthusiasts encouraged by cheaper DSLR prices, there are also established professionals who have made a name for themselves photographing Hollywood royalty. Even those that have spent 20 or 30 years in the business don't seem to be retiring anytime soon. If there's one photographer that has been there and done that, it's Mario Testino.