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.

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".

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.

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.

Patrick Demarchalier: In Vogue

Over the years, consumers have come to expect a certain quality when it comes to magazine covers and editorial prints. Whether it's in the pages of Vogue or Vanity Fair, people expect to see subjects lit by soft light against stark grey backdrops or gorgeous mansions. Creating photographs like these becomes a challenge when the photographer has to jump from portraiture to fashion to fine art. One photographer who makes the whole business look easy is Patrick Demarchalier.

Bettina Rheims: Gender Studies

JJ Levine's "Switch" was an interesting look at how men and women can easily change gender roles with a few well-executed wardrobe changes. While modern society imposes rules about what is masculine and feminine, some individuals confound these social norms and choose to be something in between. This is how artist Bettina Rheims sees the third sex with her "Gender Studies". (WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS NUDITY).

JJ Levine: Gender Switch

In the history of photographic portraiture, some of the best portraits are those that reveal a small truth about the subject that is rarely seen in most cases. Whether they're shot in a studio, or taken in the subject's natural environment, a good portrait shows who the person really is deep down inside, or who really wants to be. Artist JJ Levine turns that concept on its head with "Switch", a doubly double portraiture series on gender.

Matuschka: The Beauty of Damage

Photography has always had the power to affect the viewer, for better or worst. Whether it's an ad image designed to increase a company's sales or a blurry image exposing torture and abuse, a powerful photograph cannot be ignored. Artist Matuschka made the same impact over a decade ago, raising breast cancer awareness in a way that couldn't be ignored with her self-portrait entitled "Beauty of Damage".

The Kodak Colorama: The Biggest Kodak Moments of All Time

In its heyday, the Eastman Kodak company dominated the North American photography so much that its signature phrase "Kodak Moment" became a popular tagline for any moment worth photographing. Sadly, with Kodak filing for bankruptcy and planning to sell of many of its divisions, those days are long gone. However, thanks to the company's passion for visual excellence, many of the best Kodak Moments are preserved in large format images. In the middle of the last century, Kodak presented its Kodak Colorama, touted as the biggest photographs of its generation and certainly some of the best Kodak Moments of all time.

Jill Greenberg: Cry Baby

From kids smiling and playing in their rooms to toddlers crying their eyes out, it's time to close this week's feature on children. The images here aren't anything new, but their impact is so far reaching that it's worth dedicating a post here. These are the controversial portraits of crying babies from Jill Greenberg's "End Times".

Jonathan Hobin: In The Playroom

Almost a decade after the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse story first came to public attention, the photographs are still a topic of much controversy. One photographer however has flipped the controversy on its head and made them the inspiration for his portraiture series featuring children, and then some. Jonathan Hobin entered the spotlight a few years ago when his images were deemed just as controversial as the original images from which he based his "In The Playroom" series.

Mathias Braschler and Monika Fischer: The Eternal Prisoners of Guantanamo

Around the same time news of torture taking place at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq became public knowledge, another series of prison tortures were taking place half-way across the globe. Despite the distance, there were many similarities to the two stories: both involved Middle-eastern detainees and both involved abuse at the hands of US Army personnel. Photographers Mathias Braschler and Monika Fischer look at the former prisoners and find out how the Guantanamo Bay detention camp has changed their lives.