There's a lot of talk about "community" on the internet these days. Much of the time, it's just talk, but real creative connection happens online, and these relationships are at the core of my work with
Years ago, I realized that the internet wasn't only a publishing platform; it was a social place where people who cared about art and photography came together to share their passions.
Writing this newsletter allows me to meet new people and stay in touch with old friends. Many of you, my readers, are people I'm meeting for the first time. If you have a few minutes, please introduce yourself in the comments so we can learn more about each other.
You can read more about me here: https://www.flakphoto.news/about
Don't worry; I won't send many posts asking you to write like this. The spring season has me in an open, curious mindset, and it seemed like an occasion to ask about you.
Thanks in advance for sharing your story. I’m looking forward to hearing from you. Have a great week!
Hi! My name is Page. I’m an undergrad photo major at RISD. I’m a photographer, writer, and collector. I love magical realism. I love film photography’s ability to let the magic seep in between steps, when the latent image dwells. I find myself returning to photograph tree carvings, unmade beds, and words left on blackboards.
I am an artist dealing with issues and ideas as broad as climate change and how that is affecting our trees and arboretums, which I have been photographing and collecting scientific data about since 2007, and our legacy as Americans dealing with our history and collective past. I also work with my own images as well as found silver gelatin images and other ephemera creating unique collages.
Not all of my series are available on the web, but you can see some examples at:
My name is Ibarionex and I have been in the photo industry in various roles for 4 decades. I am the host and producer of The Candid Frame Photography podcast, which I begin in 2006. I currently serve as a special projects photographer at the Huntington Library, Museum, and Botanical Gardens in Southern Californian. I currently lead photo workshops through the Los Angeles Center of Photography, Santa Fe Workshops, and Nobechi Creative. My website is thecandidframe.com or ibarionex.net. My instagram handle is @Ibarionex. I look forward to meeting more people in this community.
Hi Andy! I'm Felix, an illustration student at SVA. I'm excited for your newsletter so I can have references to draw for my homework! I really want to be a political cartoonist one day. I don't have a website yet.
I’m Carmen, based in the Alpine region in the south of Germany. I work in tech, and have a passion and years of experience in holistic wellbeing.
I write about the lost art of rest, rituals and nurturing rhythms that support us in our busy lives and noisy world. I am a big believer in nuance and aim to write inviting words rather than telling people what they should or shouldn’t do (there’s enough 10 ways to transform your life posts on the internet)
I love doing arts and creative stuff. Travel Photography has a special place in my heart - I’m just not sure yet how to incorporate that into my substack.
Hello Andy and Community, I'm Pamela Leavey, a retired entrepreneur, writer and photographer, still going strong with the inspiration to create and share, and doing that here on a regular basis: https://pamelaleavey.substack.com/
I live on the northeast coast of Massachusetts and focus on nature related photography.
Hi Andy! I'm a graduate of Pratt Institute in fine art photography. Having a day job all of my adult life while pursuing photography. Typical teen job in McDonalds. Surprisingly working in camera sales right after leaving there few years later (then attending college). which worked out into assisting in a commercial studio, leading to a photographer position.
I've been learning photography since twelve year old. Photographing on my own since about fifteen. I guess I can be termed a "classic". with inspiration from photographers like Avedon, Skrebneski, Atget, Moneta Sleet, Jr., Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Ralph Gibson, Irving Penn.... I could go on, but will leave it there. My website--> http://kennethnelsonphotography.com
Hi Andy, this is such a lovely invitation and thank you for reaching out to say hello.
I am Emily, accountant by day and illustrator by night. I write While I Was Drawing, where I explore through magical doorways, down the rabbit holes of our minds, out through the back of the wardrobe to places brimming with ideas, inspiration and creativity. I am starting a Celebrating Creativity series to share about the amazing creativity that surrounds us, both here on Substack and creatives who aren't here (yet!). I'm inviting people to share words and pictures "for the joy" of their passion on While I Was Drawing. I'll also be hosting "Because, Creativity" sessions where subscribers can come together with me to do something creative, to explore creativity of all kinds, just for fun. I have a mini illustration market on my Substack with illustration embellishments and decorative dividers where I add new pictures each month for subscriber to use in their homes, lives and online spaces 💛
Hey there. I’m extricating myself from prudence and reason by pursuing a writing career—something I should have started 30 years ago. And while I’m at it—taking up hobbies or vocations with deceptively low barriers to entry, that is—I’ve been practicing photography.
I’m stretching my low reserves of faith by just “following where it goes.” Happiness increases. Income remains about the same. Haha.
Hello! I was introduced to photography at around age 12. As a result I became enthralled, curious and desperate to know more about the world around me. My Aunt bought be photo books which I would spend countless hours studying. Working on farms, in rural Ontario I always had my camera and a job. I saved up and backpacked around North Africa and Europe for a year. When I returned I was met with a strange curiosity, fear mixed with paranoia. I later studied photography at school and after, started a portrait series I call RELATIVE inspired by Avedons “in the American West” series, travelling to different countries when I had saved enough, setting up a white sheet in back alleys, parks and street corners. It’s been ongoing now for a long time (30 years) with about a dozen countries to date. It is my way of celebrating “those people”. Like so many, Photography has given me a wonderful opportunity to engage rather than just observe. Thanks for the opportunity to share.
Hello everyone, I'm David and I've been making pictures for about 15 years.
It's been a while since I've shared my photographs publicly, but I still take them every day. Burnout seems the main cause. Not just photographic burnout, but social media too. There's so much noise online that I find it difficult to really connect with anything or to want to share the things I make. Tossing images into an electronic void as content for media corporations to make billions off of took its toll on me.
Negativity aside, when I was making photos more frequently, I focused on environmental portraiture and nature photography. I'm also a writer who has been working in the marketing/advertising/public relations space for a long, long time.
Flak is something I've always appreciated. It's a real community of photographers that feels much more substantive than anything else I've found online.
My name is Susan, I'm a third generation photographer, native Californian. In the 1940's my grandfather partnered the beginnings of what became Keeble & Shuchat photography in Palo Alto, CA. In the 50's my father learned to print fake ID's for his buddy's in the family basement darkroom. I've worked in the visual arts as photographer, videographer and director of marketing; my current job incarnation. I am also a working musician. I opted for music as my major upon transfering to a 4 year college, when the director of photography at the college I was entering rejected my portfolio. I've performed in opera theater, jazz orchestras and am currently in a couple of Western Swing and traditional country bands. I've since move permanently from San Francisco to the countryside and have had the great fortune of commuting in to my job in the city, one day per week. I would like to learn to operate a 4x5 deardorf or land camera again, set up a darkroom in my barn and figure out where to buy film sheets! I never took well to the digital medium. In some sense, the endless amature captures have taken the dignity from this artform. Still, I enjoy it and am curious about what's next here for myself. Thank you for asking ! Best wishes, Susan
Hi Andy! My name is Kathleen Sanker, most folks call me Kate. I have followed your news letter and social feeds for a long time. I am a Professor of Art - Photography at St Charles Community College just outside of STL. Many of your musings have come up in classroom discussions over the years. I am a book lover too. http://kathleenmsanker.com
We’ve chatted, Andy, so perhaps a flavour of things you don’t know about me. I’m Barrie, living a life of curiosity in rural France. I was five months out of my teens when I became a dad. I’m lucky to now be a pretty young Grandpa. I ran a marathon and turned 50 the day after. Five years of owning a coffee shop and mastering some barista skills means I am reduced to one (very good) coffee a day (heartburn is a kicker!). I miss the camper van we sold last year. It is nearly a year to the day that I got brave enough to start sharing my fiction here at ‘Just Write, Right’. Love the way you build community, my friend.
Heyo! My name is Chaya and I'm a daughter of Mark Rico (Minesis Kinesis?)! I like sunshine, friends/family, laughter, and smiles! I think I'm still figuring myself out because I've published stuff about food, Misty Copeland, and something like the Ugly Duckling. I'm hoping to start writing more about ballet dancers in history. I love reading poems but I don't write them.
Hi Andy, nice idea. My name is Wouter. I work in economic diplomacy by day and do photography at night. Through my job I’m fortunate to be able to live in different countries. In 2020 I published a photobook about Hanoi, Vietnam, a city where I used to live. Currently I’m in Mumbai, but leaving for Seoul in a few months. Sense of place, and transformation, are some of the themes I try to explore through photography. I particularly enjoy urban photography at night. For those who are interested, this is my website: www.woutervanheesphotography.com
Hi! I'm Zach Hodges, avid lover of photography, founding member of VSCO, wearer of many hats over the years. My website is very much in-progress here: https://zachhodges.com, my VSCO always has my latest work at vsco.co/zach.
Found your newsletter recently and it's been great, thank you for doing this!
I'm John from Maryland USA. I'm a retired mathematician and serious lifelong amateur photographer. I got into photography as a youngster via Life and Look magazines and Steichen's "Family of Man" book. I'm primarily into environmental portraits, street and landscape photography. You can see some of this work on my website:
and in my self-published blurb book (link on my web site) "Unnoticed No Longer". I thank you Andy for your newsletter and for introducing me to some great work, e.g. that of Jessica Todd Harper.
Hi Andy. I’m a former photographer who for years now has enjoyed looking at photos rather than taking them. Not much to say about myself other than I really, really love art.
Hi Andy. Thank you for your conversations and observations. I’m Laura and I live in North Carolina. My first camera was a Brownie and I can still feel the way it felt in my hands. I think I was 5 or 6. One of my first photographic impulses was wanting to document the felling of a tree in my front yard. I took several photos as it came down. The images were blurry and dark and I wish I still had them. I love photography because of its energetic exchange--and the vast possibilities of emotional communication.
Hi Andy! My name is Ryn and I'm a fine art photographer/artist from Cleveland, OH deep-diving into composite photography since Covid days. My work spans concepts from beautiful floral composites to environmental issues. You can see some of my composite work on my website: www.rynclarkephotography.com
Hi! I´m Nicolas from Uruguay, a small and very nice southamerican country. Really love to take photos in concerts, underground concerts. We have a really eclectic scene and I hope you discover music that you like because of my photos ;) https://www.instagram.com/salohacecosas/
Hello, I'm Adrian and I've been passionate about photography since way back in highschool, but abandoned it after a couple of years as everyone around me was being discouraging at it being a "real job". However, I'm glad to be back at it (as a hobby), and I'm going through some hard times so it's a very welcome distraction! Here's my Instagram in case you're curious: https://www.instagram.com/eydryan?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
Hello! I’m Clara, a visual designer, photographer and museologist. I enjoy walking on the streets and photographing the graphic-visual landscape, as well as capturing the visual culture of a time and place. Currently I’m a master’s student in visual arts with a thesis about street photographers (especially women photographers) in Manhattan/NYC and I’m investigating if these photographs could be documentary record and/or art.
Hello! My name is Dan Pal and my Substack site is PalCinema, Television, & Music. I teach film and television at DePaul University in Chicago. In addition to film reviews, you can find my Top Ten memoir on my site. I am recounting every year of my life through stories and favorite ten songs of each year! Check it out, if interested! https://danpal.substack.com/
Hey Andy, as mostly said previously, I live in Spain and Wales, shoot b+w only on an old Leica with a single lens, one type of film and no flash, filters or anything else. I studied business, art history and photography at university and am both a collector of books and prints, as well as a maker of photographs. I struggle with the digital manipulation, prefer 'straight photography' most of the time, though there are exceptions. I am not on social media, but you can find my stuff at http://harbel.com/ where I have some images in a few galleries as well as some of my thoughts posted.
I had an opportunity to recently connect Shelby Lee Adams - a grand photographer of Appalachia and its people - with a publisher, as well as a gallery in Paris and am going to go see his show at the end of May and collect a signed copy of his book! Can't wait.....
In short: b+w, darkroom, silver prints, photographers' monographs, dinosaur. (and not necessarily in that order!)
Hello, I'm a recent Substack member, hoping to have a better experience than I have had on the Facepage, the Chirp Machine, and so on. I recently moved from Phoenix, Arizona to Barcelona with my husband and our dog, and am having so much fun wandering around taking pictures here. I'm not a professional photographer, but lately I have started wanting to get my photography in front of other people as it seems a waste to have it all just sitting on my hard drive. So here I am, on Substack!
Hi, I'm Chen alias April, via my very talented friends I realized at some point, probably too late in my life, that photography is art. I love art. I love architecture, and design, cultures, and languages, and, overall, people and their relationship with world and each other fascinate me.
I love to read. Prose and poetry alike.
I don't photograph myself, I'm just a person who looks, and learns, and is breathless and stopped in his tracks sometimes-by great art.
Thank you for the delightful Substack(I don't like the word "delightful" but will have to do for now, 'cause I can't find a better one)
I'm an Artist/Photographer with a BFA in design and an MFA in art. In the 1980s I worked as a book cover designer in NYC, continuing my personal artwork. Later, I joined the faculty of Northeastern University & Art & Architecture for 12 years and then taught at MA College of Art & The Art Institute of Boston. As a documentary photographer, I have worked in Europe, Morocco, Central America & throughout the US. Moving to Falmouth,MA in 2002, I opened Jon Moore Photography and in 2014 founded the Cape Photo Collective. I am now focusing (no pun intended) full time on Contemporary Art Photography, drawing and art books. My art Website is jmoore-photo.com.
I also have a new Website, nothingphoto.com The purpose is to post the work of other photographers who are sharing the same or similar interests in their work. A small community of sorts. I’m inviting photographers to visit the site, take a look and send my some pics. Please do!
Hi, I'm Nika Belianina, Toronto-based fine art photographer and a filmmaker. I love exploring themes of escapism and longing and wrapping them in mystery of magical realism. I am genuinely inspired and often work with nature and use self-portraiture, movement and various in-camera techniques. My images often have a painterly feel to them. I've exhibited my work thru North America, and my films have travelled around the world. My insta in @lifeasnika
Hi, Andy! I’m Jack, a teen writer obsessed with high fantasy, dystopian literature, and everything about nature. I’m a passionate Christ follower and am fascinated by almost everything, especially science, history, and philosophy. I look forward to reading what you post on this newsletter and Notes. Keep up the good work 🙃
I am a entrepreneur and life coach and love photography since I was 10 years old, when I received my first camera - then with film rolls. When I was 15 I bought my first camera, a Minolta SRT 101. After that I bought all the dark room equipment from Durst and made this for some years.
Timeshift.
Meanwhile I'm digital, use most of the common programs and have several cameras.But I use the most the phones, where I use the latest iPhone and Pixel. I prefer the Pixel (stripped of all the Google cr*p with a custom ROM) way over the iPhone, the camera is lightyears better for my understanding. Especilly the color temperature is much more natural and the sharpnes outperforms every other phone.
Beside of this I teach people to LIVE WITHOUT LIMITS.
Hi there, I'm Alex, residing in Northern Ireland. While I currently dabble in portraiture and wedding photography, it's not my full-time gig yet. However, I aspire to dedicate myself fully to it someday.
If you're curious, you can find some of my work on Instagram at www.instagram.com/alex.kudrenko. I'm just starting out there, so my portfolio isn't extensive yet.
I'm a big fan of FlakPhoto digest and always look forward to it. Keep up the great work!
Also, if you ever find yourself in Ireland or Northern Ireland, feel free to reach out. I'd love to show you around.
Hello, I'm Andrew. I've been a photographer as long as I can remember, but started taking it seriously in 2009. My wife and I run a group home for at-risk youth, so we have eight teenage girls that live with us that we care for. It can be a hard, emotionally tolling life, but photography helps me to pay attention and to find the little metaphors of life that surround us. I always have a camera of some sort with me, so I'm often capturing these moments. Oftentimes for my own journal and documentation of my family's life, but also many times to share with those who might be interested in what stands out to me.
I've found the photography community on the internet one of the most truly connected communities. I have formed true relationships with other photographers via Instagram, various photo forums, and platforms like this. I am still a believer in their ability to truly allow us to connect with other people. I am very impressed with the intentionally and care you put into FlakPhoto. Thanks for all you do and the conversations you start! It is noticed and appreciated.
Hi Andy, I am a short story writer (tobythecht.substack.com) and a cancer immunologist. I started writing about 25 years ago and have published about 35 short stories in literary journals over the years. I love photography and used to really be into it when people used actual film and a darkroom to develop their creativity. Now I look at and admire other people's photography in museums, galleries, and online. Keep up the good work and build your community. Glad to be a part of it.
Hi Andy! I'm a recent graduate from France. I have a long-standing passion for outings and a budding interest in writing, which allows me to share bonding moments with both friends and strangers.
Through written notes, I aim to provide practical ideas on how to stay connected offline.
Hello Andy, I’m Nolan. I have an MFA in photography from the San Francisco Art Institute. I also create music under the moniker The Grassy Knoll. I’ve released six albums and my music has been featured in Film, TV, and video games. Most notably the theme music for the Netflix documentary series Bobby Kennedy for President.
Recently, I’ve been creating comic drawings.
I love darker themes but I also love to laugh.
I get my juice from others and I love discovering new artist/creatives. Thank you for this prompt, Andy.
I'm Oleg, a photographer who focuses on the rich stories that unfold in everyday settings. I work and research towards emphasize of the significant relationship between people and their environments, capturing moments where characters interact vividly with their surroundings. I strive to create images that invite viewers to look deeper, to notice the intricate details and consider how these elements connect to the human experience in the scene.
Hey Andy, Ansh this side basically from India but currently living in Geneva.
From hating the act of 'photographing' to loving it now 10 years later, I have come a long way. From keeping my musings to myself from childhood till 2020 I have opened up a lot and started sharing my musings online on various platforms.
Here I write about the ancient Eastern wisdom and how it can make us 'whole' human beings.
Hello, I am Tom and live in Rhode Island. I am retired and like to shoot street photography and urban landscape, and shoot for Waterfire here in Providence.
Hi. I’m a junkie, and street photography is my drug. Since 2014, I have been walking thousands of miles in urban centers, documenting how I see the world. A strong influence on my photographic voice is the many years working as a street mime. I have been trained to anticipate and respond to human behavior in order to make people laugh. So it’s no big surprise that many of my street photos are quirky, funny, and satirical. I recently became a member of the Candid City Street Photography Collective, whose members are all based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Hi! I am an American living in Oslo, Norway. I’ve always been interested in photography and always had a point and shoot about me on trips from a young age. I also enjoyed the more “hands on” photography I had to do back (long ago) when I was a university student and then graduate student working in cell and molecular biology labs: I had to load my own film, shoot, and process the negatives and print my own images, as this was before digital cameras. I really enjoyed the darkroom and was an early user of Photoshop — waaaay before it became the subscription model it is today. I was already in Norway when iPhones came out and found myself dawdling on walks in the nature and forest and urban areas to snap shots with my phone. I finally decided I needed to invest in a more malleable tool to be able to shoot how and what I wanted (night sky, macro, nature with a long lens, long exposures, etc), especially living and traveling around a place as wonderful and beautiful as Norway. So in 2017, right before a summer trip the fam was taking around some of the beautiful fjord country in Norway, I bought my first DSLR-type camera — with kit lens. 😉 Since then, I have added a lot of gear to my collection and have enjoyed learning all I can about various photography genres from books and YouTube. I recently realized that I could actually post on Substack myself (something I had recently discovered and was using to ingest mostly political news) — and could do so using my images in place of words. I am so happy to have discovered there is a community of photographers here and am really enjoying it. Thanks for asking this question, I am looking forward to scrolling though the other answers. 🤩
Hi! Clint here, interested in all kinds of art and artistic inspiration. I paint and photograph my paintings for my website: https://www.clintattebery.com/
I've studied photojournalism at the Folkwang School (to be fair at that time it was called university of applied sciences Essen, which sounds much less "romantic") .
I'm mostly doing art-documentation and constantly fighting to convincence artists that this should & can be much more than a "passport photo" of the artwork ;-) . So it's often hard to make an appointment prior to the presentation of the finished artwork . I simply love taking pics of peoples doing their work (especially artist , musicians and co) and it's fantastic if a documentation is not only the represantation of an artwork but an addition.
Hi :) I'm a high school student, love reading books and exploring art in any forms it can take. I don't often do photography myself, but I really enjoy the works of others. I'm also a huge poetry fan (hence having my publication), and sometimes I write poems myself.
Perhaps a bit unexpectedly, I'm planning to have a career in AI and data science.
Hi everyone. I work as a biologist and natural history museum curator but have been interested in art since I was a kid. I got interested in the relationship between art and science seriously during grad school when I had to learn to illustrate anatomy for my work. I do photography and illustration and have co-curated two art shows at my university's gallery. One of these featured all new work that was inspired by the collections in the museum I curate, and installation photos can be viewed on my website. meinhardtphoto.smugmug.com.
Hi Andy, greetings from Great Britain! For the last 15-20 years, after getting my degree I've been doing a project called 'Norfolk Suite' strangely about Norfolk! which involves drives around the county, photographing aspects and points of interest. I also photographed Norwich during the lockdown periods called 'The Big Project'. If want to take a look, my website is www.andycrouch.co.uk Cheers Andy 🍻
Hi! My name is Page. I’m an undergrad photo major at RISD. I’m a photographer, writer, and collector. I love magical realism. I love film photography’s ability to let the magic seep in between steps, when the latent image dwells. I find myself returning to photograph tree carvings, unmade beds, and words left on blackboards.
I am an artist dealing with issues and ideas as broad as climate change and how that is affecting our trees and arboretums, which I have been photographing and collecting scientific data about since 2007, and our legacy as Americans dealing with our history and collective past. I also work with my own images as well as found silver gelatin images and other ephemera creating unique collages.
Not all of my series are available on the web, but you can see some examples at:
https://www.stephentomasko.com/
My name is Ibarionex and I have been in the photo industry in various roles for 4 decades. I am the host and producer of The Candid Frame Photography podcast, which I begin in 2006. I currently serve as a special projects photographer at the Huntington Library, Museum, and Botanical Gardens in Southern Californian. I currently lead photo workshops through the Los Angeles Center of Photography, Santa Fe Workshops, and Nobechi Creative. My website is thecandidframe.com or ibarionex.net. My instagram handle is @Ibarionex. I look forward to meeting more people in this community.
Hi Andy! I'm Felix, an illustration student at SVA. I'm excited for your newsletter so I can have references to draw for my homework! I really want to be a political cartoonist one day. I don't have a website yet.
Hi Andy and everyone:)
I’m Carmen, based in the Alpine region in the south of Germany. I work in tech, and have a passion and years of experience in holistic wellbeing.
I write about the lost art of rest, rituals and nurturing rhythms that support us in our busy lives and noisy world. I am a big believer in nuance and aim to write inviting words rather than telling people what they should or shouldn’t do (there’s enough 10 ways to transform your life posts on the internet)
I love doing arts and creative stuff. Travel Photography has a special place in my heart - I’m just not sure yet how to incorporate that into my substack.
Hello Andy and Community, I'm Pamela Leavey, a retired entrepreneur, writer and photographer, still going strong with the inspiration to create and share, and doing that here on a regular basis: https://pamelaleavey.substack.com/
I live on the northeast coast of Massachusetts and focus on nature related photography.
Hi Andy! I'm a graduate of Pratt Institute in fine art photography. Having a day job all of my adult life while pursuing photography. Typical teen job in McDonalds. Surprisingly working in camera sales right after leaving there few years later (then attending college). which worked out into assisting in a commercial studio, leading to a photographer position.
I've been learning photography since twelve year old. Photographing on my own since about fifteen. I guess I can be termed a "classic". with inspiration from photographers like Avedon, Skrebneski, Atget, Moneta Sleet, Jr., Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Ralph Gibson, Irving Penn.... I could go on, but will leave it there. My website--> http://kennethnelsonphotography.com
or IG: https://www.instagram.com/photokenarts/
Cheers!
Hi, I'm Manu. I'm a librarian and a photographer.
I have a photo blog at https://manuschwendener.ch, and I am selling some of my pictures as postcards in local shops and even a museum.
Hi Andy, this is such a lovely invitation and thank you for reaching out to say hello.
I am Emily, accountant by day and illustrator by night. I write While I Was Drawing, where I explore through magical doorways, down the rabbit holes of our minds, out through the back of the wardrobe to places brimming with ideas, inspiration and creativity. I am starting a Celebrating Creativity series to share about the amazing creativity that surrounds us, both here on Substack and creatives who aren't here (yet!). I'm inviting people to share words and pictures "for the joy" of their passion on While I Was Drawing. I'll also be hosting "Because, Creativity" sessions where subscribers can come together with me to do something creative, to explore creativity of all kinds, just for fun. I have a mini illustration market on my Substack with illustration embellishments and decorative dividers where I add new pictures each month for subscriber to use in their homes, lives and online spaces 💛
Hey there. I’m extricating myself from prudence and reason by pursuing a writing career—something I should have started 30 years ago. And while I’m at it—taking up hobbies or vocations with deceptively low barriers to entry, that is—I’ve been practicing photography.
I’m stretching my low reserves of faith by just “following where it goes.” Happiness increases. Income remains about the same. Haha.
Hello! I was introduced to photography at around age 12. As a result I became enthralled, curious and desperate to know more about the world around me. My Aunt bought be photo books which I would spend countless hours studying. Working on farms, in rural Ontario I always had my camera and a job. I saved up and backpacked around North Africa and Europe for a year. When I returned I was met with a strange curiosity, fear mixed with paranoia. I later studied photography at school and after, started a portrait series I call RELATIVE inspired by Avedons “in the American West” series, travelling to different countries when I had saved enough, setting up a white sheet in back alleys, parks and street corners. It’s been ongoing now for a long time (30 years) with about a dozen countries to date. It is my way of celebrating “those people”. Like so many, Photography has given me a wonderful opportunity to engage rather than just observe. Thanks for the opportunity to share.
Hello everyone, I'm David and I've been making pictures for about 15 years.
It's been a while since I've shared my photographs publicly, but I still take them every day. Burnout seems the main cause. Not just photographic burnout, but social media too. There's so much noise online that I find it difficult to really connect with anything or to want to share the things I make. Tossing images into an electronic void as content for media corporations to make billions off of took its toll on me.
Negativity aside, when I was making photos more frequently, I focused on environmental portraiture and nature photography. I'm also a writer who has been working in the marketing/advertising/public relations space for a long, long time.
Flak is something I've always appreciated. It's a real community of photographers that feels much more substantive than anything else I've found online.
Thanks for keeping this alive, Andy.
Hi Andy,
My name is Susan, I'm a third generation photographer, native Californian. In the 1940's my grandfather partnered the beginnings of what became Keeble & Shuchat photography in Palo Alto, CA. In the 50's my father learned to print fake ID's for his buddy's in the family basement darkroom. I've worked in the visual arts as photographer, videographer and director of marketing; my current job incarnation. I am also a working musician. I opted for music as my major upon transfering to a 4 year college, when the director of photography at the college I was entering rejected my portfolio. I've performed in opera theater, jazz orchestras and am currently in a couple of Western Swing and traditional country bands. I've since move permanently from San Francisco to the countryside and have had the great fortune of commuting in to my job in the city, one day per week. I would like to learn to operate a 4x5 deardorf or land camera again, set up a darkroom in my barn and figure out where to buy film sheets! I never took well to the digital medium. In some sense, the endless amature captures have taken the dignity from this artform. Still, I enjoy it and am curious about what's next here for myself. Thank you for asking ! Best wishes, Susan
Hi Andy! My name is Kathleen Sanker, most folks call me Kate. I have followed your news letter and social feeds for a long time. I am a Professor of Art - Photography at St Charles Community College just outside of STL. Many of your musings have come up in classroom discussions over the years. I am a book lover too. http://kathleenmsanker.com
We’ve chatted, Andy, so perhaps a flavour of things you don’t know about me. I’m Barrie, living a life of curiosity in rural France. I was five months out of my teens when I became a dad. I’m lucky to now be a pretty young Grandpa. I ran a marathon and turned 50 the day after. Five years of owning a coffee shop and mastering some barista skills means I am reduced to one (very good) coffee a day (heartburn is a kicker!). I miss the camper van we sold last year. It is nearly a year to the day that I got brave enough to start sharing my fiction here at ‘Just Write, Right’. Love the way you build community, my friend.
Heyo! My name is Chaya and I'm a daughter of Mark Rico (Minesis Kinesis?)! I like sunshine, friends/family, laughter, and smiles! I think I'm still figuring myself out because I've published stuff about food, Misty Copeland, and something like the Ugly Duckling. I'm hoping to start writing more about ballet dancers in history. I love reading poems but I don't write them.
Hi Andy, nice idea. My name is Wouter. I work in economic diplomacy by day and do photography at night. Through my job I’m fortunate to be able to live in different countries. In 2020 I published a photobook about Hanoi, Vietnam, a city where I used to live. Currently I’m in Mumbai, but leaving for Seoul in a few months. Sense of place, and transformation, are some of the themes I try to explore through photography. I particularly enjoy urban photography at night. For those who are interested, this is my website: www.woutervanheesphotography.com
Hi! I'm Zach Hodges, avid lover of photography, founding member of VSCO, wearer of many hats over the years. My website is very much in-progress here: https://zachhodges.com, my VSCO always has my latest work at vsco.co/zach.
Found your newsletter recently and it's been great, thank you for doing this!
I'm John from Maryland USA. I'm a retired mathematician and serious lifelong amateur photographer. I got into photography as a youngster via Life and Look magazines and Steichen's "Family of Man" book. I'm primarily into environmental portraits, street and landscape photography. You can see some of this work on my website:
https://johnpetro.zenfolio.com
and in my self-published blurb book (link on my web site) "Unnoticed No Longer". I thank you Andy for your newsletter and for introducing me to some great work, e.g. that of Jessica Todd Harper.
Hi Andy. I’m a former photographer who for years now has enjoyed looking at photos rather than taking them. Not much to say about myself other than I really, really love art.
Hi Andy. Thank you for your conversations and observations. I’m Laura and I live in North Carolina. My first camera was a Brownie and I can still feel the way it felt in my hands. I think I was 5 or 6. One of my first photographic impulses was wanting to document the felling of a tree in my front yard. I took several photos as it came down. The images were blurry and dark and I wish I still had them. I love photography because of its energetic exchange--and the vast possibilities of emotional communication.
Hi Andy! My name is Ryn and I'm a fine art photographer/artist from Cleveland, OH deep-diving into composite photography since Covid days. My work spans concepts from beautiful floral composites to environmental issues. You can see some of my composite work on my website: www.rynclarkephotography.com
Thanks for doing this, Ryn
Hi! I´m Nicolas from Uruguay, a small and very nice southamerican country. Really love to take photos in concerts, underground concerts. We have a really eclectic scene and I hope you discover music that you like because of my photos ;) https://www.instagram.com/salohacecosas/
Hello, I'm Adrian and I've been passionate about photography since way back in highschool, but abandoned it after a couple of years as everyone around me was being discouraging at it being a "real job". However, I'm glad to be back at it (as a hobby), and I'm going through some hard times so it's a very welcome distraction! Here's my Instagram in case you're curious: https://www.instagram.com/eydryan?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
Hello! I’m Clara, a visual designer, photographer and museologist. I enjoy walking on the streets and photographing the graphic-visual landscape, as well as capturing the visual culture of a time and place. Currently I’m a master’s student in visual arts with a thesis about street photographers (especially women photographers) in Manhattan/NYC and I’m investigating if these photographs could be documentary record and/or art.
Hello! My name is Dan Pal and my Substack site is PalCinema, Television, & Music. I teach film and television at DePaul University in Chicago. In addition to film reviews, you can find my Top Ten memoir on my site. I am recounting every year of my life through stories and favorite ten songs of each year! Check it out, if interested! https://danpal.substack.com/
Is it okay for someone who isn't a photographer to say hello?
Hey Andy, as mostly said previously, I live in Spain and Wales, shoot b+w only on an old Leica with a single lens, one type of film and no flash, filters or anything else. I studied business, art history and photography at university and am both a collector of books and prints, as well as a maker of photographs. I struggle with the digital manipulation, prefer 'straight photography' most of the time, though there are exceptions. I am not on social media, but you can find my stuff at http://harbel.com/ where I have some images in a few galleries as well as some of my thoughts posted.
I had an opportunity to recently connect Shelby Lee Adams - a grand photographer of Appalachia and its people - with a publisher, as well as a gallery in Paris and am going to go see his show at the end of May and collect a signed copy of his book! Can't wait.....
In short: b+w, darkroom, silver prints, photographers' monographs, dinosaur. (and not necessarily in that order!)
Hello, I'm a recent Substack member, hoping to have a better experience than I have had on the Facepage, the Chirp Machine, and so on. I recently moved from Phoenix, Arizona to Barcelona with my husband and our dog, and am having so much fun wandering around taking pictures here. I'm not a professional photographer, but lately I have started wanting to get my photography in front of other people as it seems a waste to have it all just sitting on my hard drive. So here I am, on Substack!
I like what you do, but I can only keep up so many conversations. Wishing you all the best, Maueice
Hi, I'm Chen alias April, via my very talented friends I realized at some point, probably too late in my life, that photography is art. I love art. I love architecture, and design, cultures, and languages, and, overall, people and their relationship with world and each other fascinate me.
I love to read. Prose and poetry alike.
I don't photograph myself, I'm just a person who looks, and learns, and is breathless and stopped in his tracks sometimes-by great art.
Thank you for the delightful Substack(I don't like the word "delightful" but will have to do for now, 'cause I can't find a better one)
Hello All-
I'm an Artist/Photographer with a BFA in design and an MFA in art. In the 1980s I worked as a book cover designer in NYC, continuing my personal artwork. Later, I joined the faculty of Northeastern University & Art & Architecture for 12 years and then taught at MA College of Art & The Art Institute of Boston. As a documentary photographer, I have worked in Europe, Morocco, Central America & throughout the US. Moving to Falmouth,MA in 2002, I opened Jon Moore Photography and in 2014 founded the Cape Photo Collective. I am now focusing (no pun intended) full time on Contemporary Art Photography, drawing and art books. My art Website is jmoore-photo.com.
I also have a new Website, nothingphoto.com The purpose is to post the work of other photographers who are sharing the same or similar interests in their work. A small community of sorts. I’m inviting photographers to visit the site, take a look and send my some pics. Please do!
Hi, I'm Nika Belianina, Toronto-based fine art photographer and a filmmaker. I love exploring themes of escapism and longing and wrapping them in mystery of magical realism. I am genuinely inspired and often work with nature and use self-portraiture, movement and various in-camera techniques. My images often have a painterly feel to them. I've exhibited my work thru North America, and my films have travelled around the world. My insta in @lifeasnika
Hi, Andy! I’m Jack, a teen writer obsessed with high fantasy, dystopian literature, and everything about nature. I’m a passionate Christ follower and am fascinated by almost everything, especially science, history, and philosophy. I look forward to reading what you post on this newsletter and Notes. Keep up the good work 🙃
Nice idea.
I am a entrepreneur and life coach and love photography since I was 10 years old, when I received my first camera - then with film rolls. When I was 15 I bought my first camera, a Minolta SRT 101. After that I bought all the dark room equipment from Durst and made this for some years.
Timeshift.
Meanwhile I'm digital, use most of the common programs and have several cameras.But I use the most the phones, where I use the latest iPhone and Pixel. I prefer the Pixel (stripped of all the Google cr*p with a custom ROM) way over the iPhone, the camera is lightyears better for my understanding. Especilly the color temperature is much more natural and the sharpnes outperforms every other phone.
Beside of this I teach people to LIVE WITHOUT LIMITS.
Hi there, I'm Alex, residing in Northern Ireland. While I currently dabble in portraiture and wedding photography, it's not my full-time gig yet. However, I aspire to dedicate myself fully to it someday.
If you're curious, you can find some of my work on Instagram at www.instagram.com/alex.kudrenko. I'm just starting out there, so my portfolio isn't extensive yet.
I'm a big fan of FlakPhoto digest and always look forward to it. Keep up the great work!
Also, if you ever find yourself in Ireland or Northern Ireland, feel free to reach out. I'd love to show you around.
Hello, I'm Andrew. I've been a photographer as long as I can remember, but started taking it seriously in 2009. My wife and I run a group home for at-risk youth, so we have eight teenage girls that live with us that we care for. It can be a hard, emotionally tolling life, but photography helps me to pay attention and to find the little metaphors of life that surround us. I always have a camera of some sort with me, so I'm often capturing these moments. Oftentimes for my own journal and documentation of my family's life, but also many times to share with those who might be interested in what stands out to me.
I've found the photography community on the internet one of the most truly connected communities. I have formed true relationships with other photographers via Instagram, various photo forums, and platforms like this. I am still a believer in their ability to truly allow us to connect with other people. I am very impressed with the intentionally and care you put into FlakPhoto. Thanks for all you do and the conversations you start! It is noticed and appreciated.
Hi Andy, I am a short story writer (tobythecht.substack.com) and a cancer immunologist. I started writing about 25 years ago and have published about 35 short stories in literary journals over the years. I love photography and used to really be into it when people used actual film and a darkroom to develop their creativity. Now I look at and admire other people's photography in museums, galleries, and online. Keep up the good work and build your community. Glad to be a part of it.
Hi Andy! I'm a recent graduate from France. I have a long-standing passion for outings and a budding interest in writing, which allows me to share bonding moments with both friends and strangers.
Through written notes, I aim to provide practical ideas on how to stay connected offline.
Have a great week too !
Hello Andy, I’m Nolan. I have an MFA in photography from the San Francisco Art Institute. I also create music under the moniker The Grassy Knoll. I’ve released six albums and my music has been featured in Film, TV, and video games. Most notably the theme music for the Netflix documentary series Bobby Kennedy for President.
Recently, I’ve been creating comic drawings.
I love darker themes but I also love to laugh.
I get my juice from others and I love discovering new artist/creatives. Thank you for this prompt, Andy.
Hi! My name is Oleg.
I'm Oleg, a photographer who focuses on the rich stories that unfold in everyday settings. I work and research towards emphasize of the significant relationship between people and their environments, capturing moments where characters interact vividly with their surroundings. I strive to create images that invite viewers to look deeper, to notice the intricate details and consider how these elements connect to the human experience in the scene.
Hey Andy, Ansh this side basically from India but currently living in Geneva.
From hating the act of 'photographing' to loving it now 10 years later, I have come a long way. From keeping my musings to myself from childhood till 2020 I have opened up a lot and started sharing my musings online on various platforms.
Here I write about the ancient Eastern wisdom and how it can make us 'whole' human beings.
How is life treating you these days?
P.S. Happy Earth Day btw.
Hello, I am Tom and live in Rhode Island. I am retired and like to shoot street photography and urban landscape, and shoot for Waterfire here in Providence.
Hi. I’m a junkie, and street photography is my drug. Since 2014, I have been walking thousands of miles in urban centers, documenting how I see the world. A strong influence on my photographic voice is the many years working as a street mime. I have been trained to anticipate and respond to human behavior in order to make people laugh. So it’s no big surprise that many of my street photos are quirky, funny, and satirical. I recently became a member of the Candid City Street Photography Collective, whose members are all based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Hi! I am an American living in Oslo, Norway. I’ve always been interested in photography and always had a point and shoot about me on trips from a young age. I also enjoyed the more “hands on” photography I had to do back (long ago) when I was a university student and then graduate student working in cell and molecular biology labs: I had to load my own film, shoot, and process the negatives and print my own images, as this was before digital cameras. I really enjoyed the darkroom and was an early user of Photoshop — waaaay before it became the subscription model it is today. I was already in Norway when iPhones came out and found myself dawdling on walks in the nature and forest and urban areas to snap shots with my phone. I finally decided I needed to invest in a more malleable tool to be able to shoot how and what I wanted (night sky, macro, nature with a long lens, long exposures, etc), especially living and traveling around a place as wonderful and beautiful as Norway. So in 2017, right before a summer trip the fam was taking around some of the beautiful fjord country in Norway, I bought my first DSLR-type camera — with kit lens. 😉 Since then, I have added a lot of gear to my collection and have enjoyed learning all I can about various photography genres from books and YouTube. I recently realized that I could actually post on Substack myself (something I had recently discovered and was using to ingest mostly political news) — and could do so using my images in place of words. I am so happy to have discovered there is a community of photographers here and am really enjoying it. Thanks for asking this question, I am looking forward to scrolling though the other answers. 🤩
Hi! Clint here, interested in all kinds of art and artistic inspiration. I paint and photograph my paintings for my website: https://www.clintattebery.com/
I've studied photojournalism at the Folkwang School (to be fair at that time it was called university of applied sciences Essen, which sounds much less "romantic") .
I'm mostly doing art-documentation and constantly fighting to convincence artists that this should & can be much more than a "passport photo" of the artwork ;-) . So it's often hard to make an appointment prior to the presentation of the finished artwork . I simply love taking pics of peoples doing their work (especially artist , musicians and co) and it's fantastic if a documentation is not only the represantation of an artwork but an addition.
Some recent work : https://www.instagram.com/k_ahlborn/
Hi :) I'm a high school student, love reading books and exploring art in any forms it can take. I don't often do photography myself, but I really enjoy the works of others. I'm also a huge poetry fan (hence having my publication), and sometimes I write poems myself.
Perhaps a bit unexpectedly, I'm planning to have a career in AI and data science.
Hi everyone. I work as a biologist and natural history museum curator but have been interested in art since I was a kid. I got interested in the relationship between art and science seriously during grad school when I had to learn to illustrate anatomy for my work. I do photography and illustration and have co-curated two art shows at my university's gallery. One of these featured all new work that was inspired by the collections in the museum I curate, and installation photos can be viewed on my website. meinhardtphoto.smugmug.com.
Hi Andy, greetings from Great Britain! For the last 15-20 years, after getting my degree I've been doing a project called 'Norfolk Suite' strangely about Norfolk! which involves drives around the county, photographing aspects and points of interest. I also photographed Norwich during the lockdown periods called 'The Big Project'. If want to take a look, my website is www.andycrouch.co.uk Cheers Andy 🍻