Cristina Mittermeier explains the purpose of conservation photography.

Before the demanding process of making images consumed my life, I already was committed to preserving our planet’s natural resources. For me, there never has been a distinction between these two disciplines; I use photography to promote conservation and conservation to make sure that the diversity and beauty of Earth are conserved for my future photographic enjoyment. Although I know that many photographers don’t see this connection as clearly as I do, I am continuously surprised and inspired by the many others who do. In fact, there are so many such photographers that the time has come to make a distinction and create a new discipline: conservation photography.

Clearly, the similarities with nature photography are many...

Photography business tips from ASMP’s executive director Eugene Mopsik.

I’m 11 years old, standing with my family at the rim of the Grand Canyon at sunset. I can’t take my eyes off the landscape, and I marvel at the beauty of the light. What’s my father doing? He’s furiously operating a Super-8 movie camera and an Argus 35mm still camera, racing against the clock.

Fast-forward several years. Inspired by my father’s hobby, I graduate from the University of Pennsylvania in the spring of 1970 and declare myself a photographer, albeit with no formal photography education and ...

Seattle Times Shows Courage Under Fire

It began as a tribute to the loss of American soldiers. It ended as a bitter lesson about the precarious nature of the freedoms for which those soldiers gave their lives.

On April 18, the Seattle Times ran a photo on the cover of its Sunday edition showing soldiers inside a military transport plane preparing rows of flag-draped coffins for a flight to Germany. The photo was accompanied by a story by Times staff writer Hal Bernton describing the immense care and respect that the honor guard were displaying for each of the fallen soldiers who had been killed in Iraq.

Travel photographers are an intrepid bunch, and there's little chance of Al Qaeda slowing them down, according to photographer rep Danita Delimont.

In the last year and a half, the heightened threat of terrorist attacks arguably has had a chilling effect on tourism to "exotic" foreign locales-and for good reason. The same, however, cannot be said of travel photography, an industry in which danger can be found around every corner, regardless of the political climate.

I believe the inherent psyche of exotic travel photographers makes them less vulnerable to the threat of terrorism. They are risk-takers to begin with-they love the thrill and challenge of venturing into less-traveled territory...

NPPA president Todd Stricker addresses the issue of photojournalistic ethics.

It’s all about the truth. It really is that simple. The photojournalist’s job is to take the pictures that best tell the story and portray the truth. Whether you work in television or with still images, the rules are the same now as they were back when the first news picture was taken.

Or are they?

The National Press Photographers Association has a code of ethics that every photographer must agree to upon joining the association. Part of that code is, “It is the individual responsibility of...

Consultant Bobbi Wendt questions the notion that photographers must have their own studios.

As long as there has been a photography industry, commercial photographers have required studios to create and print their images. However, in today’s economic climate, the wisdom of this convention is being questioned.

I can speak from experience. Early on in my career in the photography business, I worked as an in-house artist agent and executive producer for a successful photo studio in Denver. The environment was stunning. It was a remodeled, 5,000-square-foot movie theater with a 17-foot tin ceiling and four large skylights that allowed us to go from bright and sunny to pitch-black in a couple of minutes. It was studio heaven.

To NANPA president Jim Clark, nature photography is both an idyllic endeavor and a very demanding business.

Late November at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. As the sun dips below the horizon, the New Mexico sky is painted with hues of red and violet. Suddenly, an explosion of wings echoes across the landscape. Thousands of snow geese rise from a distant field and take flight toward the marsh where I am standing.

For a nature photographer, this is heaven. We cherish these moments. Most importantly, for those trying to make a living photographing nature, such moments can help generate a sale. Selling a photograph these days, however, is not guaranteed...

With today's instant interconnectivity via the internet, pictures matter more than ever before.

The Chinese philosopher Confucius once observed that “a picture is worth ten thousand words.” Nearly 2,500 years later, Life magazine reported that, in the US alone, there are 47 million photos taken per day.

While this may sound a little oversimplified, how often in...