Photographer Ethan James Green chronicles the “freewheeling Wild West” of young New York. With portraits of new creative renegades flocking to the city, Green’s subjects are often “in states of transition, whether the transition from youth to adulthood or a gender transition…transitions render people vulnerable, but Green’s subjects are confidently beautiful, masters of style and attitude.” Read more and see his photographs at www.newyorker.com.

The new nonprofit storytelling platform A Picture’s Worth gives deeper meaning to photographs by pairing them with audio stories explaining what they mean to the people who select them. It’s a great example of impactful narrative storytelling, connecting the visual with the personal. Learn more at wcpo.com.

We wish it were easier to photograph with black and white film these days (otherwise, we’d still do it!) It’s amazing to see the side by side comparison of how we take pictures today vs. 68 years ago. These photos show how New York’s iconic landmarks, including Rockefeller Center, Central Park, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral were photographed in 1951 and now in 2019. Maybe one day our smart phones will look as “vintage” as these old-school cameras. See the photo story at www.nytimes.com.

We’re excited to see this new slate of documentaries and films the new production company, Higher Ground Productions, started by Barack and Michelle Obama, are planning for Netflix. The films range from a drama series set in post-World Wall II New York to a film adaptation of the biography “Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom”.

“We believe each of these productions won’t just entertain, but will educate, connect and inspire us all,” Mr. Obama said in a statement.

We can’t wait to see them. To learn more and to see the full list of planned projects, read the full story at www.nytimes.com.

We just love this music video for David Byrne’s “Everybody’s Coming To My House”. The students of the Detroit School of Arts really transform the song and make it their own… and sound so good doing it!

“When I saw what the DSA students did with my song, it completely changed the way I thought of it. In fact, it changed the meaning of the song—I realized it was about inclusion, welcoming, and not being alone. It’s a more generous interpretation of the song than what I do with my voice.” - David Bryne (Rolling Stone)

Also, did you know that David Bryne runs a blog Reasons to Be Cheerful? Turns out he’s a pretty cheery guy!

Amazing photography by Christopher Payne taking an inside look at The Times’s printing plant in Queens, NY. Not only is it fascinating to see how vast and complicated the plant is, the portraits Payne takes of its workers are stunning. Take a look at the nytimes.com.

Photographer Robert Frank prefers to stay out of the limelight and let his work be his greatest legacy - and for good reason. His photographic survey, “The Americans”, portrays the vast array of experiences of American life… “how it felt to be wealthy, to be poor, to be in love, to be alone, to be young or old, to be black or white, to live along a country road or to walk a crowded sidewalk, to be overworked or sleeping in parks, to be a swaggering Southern couple or to be young and gay in New York, to be politicking or at prayer.” Needless to say, we’re big fans. Learn more about his work at nytimes.com.

This photo essay by Christopher Payne beautifully captures the process of making pencils. Of course, making something so simple is anything but. We love the detail that these photographs capture, and learning about the story behind this Jersey City pencil factory. Check it out for yourself at nytimes.com.

We’re big fans of Radiolab, and love this short film “Moments” by Will Hoffman. Hoffman effortlessly captures the essence of what makes life meaningful - in all the moments in between. Granted, our personal “moments” reel might feature a few more cups of coffee, but this comes pretty close. See for yourself at www.youtube.com.

Inspiring story of international support coming together to rebuild this wrestling club’s gym after it was devasted in a bombing by the Islamic State in September. In the attack, 26 of their wrestlers were killed and 91 were wounded. The head coach said of the wrestlers: “They all believe we need to show the terrorists that they can kill us, but they can’t stop us.” Read the full story at nytimes.com.

It’s so exciting to see Hollywood slowly catch up with the times. It’s amazing to see actresses like Lupita Nyong’o unapologetically carve out a space for themselves in film without compromise, and to find success doing so. To read more about her career, read the full article on nytimes.com.

So excited to hear about this project working to expand access to realistic depictions of women in photography. It’s so important to make space for women to tell their own stories, on their own terms. Read the full story at adweek.com.

Celebrating joy and resistance across the African diaspora.

Photographer Adreinne Waheed documents Black culture in times of celebration, resistance, and all of the moments in between. Waheed says that the exhibition Black Joy & Resistance that opened in Betti Ono in Oakland “beautifully displays who we are, juxtapose to how we are sometimes made to feel.” Learn more about her work and see the photographs at featureshoot.com.

International Rescue Committee spotlights the dreams, ambitions, and abilities of these young Syrian refugees to highlights their important work.

Reading about the hopes and dreams of these young Syrian girls will warm your heart, and most importantly, remind us that they are no different from any child. This is a great example of photography and visual storytelling being used share the impact that this nonprofit’s work is having on people’s lives and motivate people to support their work. Learn more about the International Rescue Committee’s work and these girls’ stories at rescue.org.

Youth around the world takes a stand on climate change.

We’re so inspired by these young people around the world taking a stand for the planet, and grateful to the dedicated photographers who documented this historic moment. It’s so powerful to see citizens globally fight for our future. Learn more about the recent global protest at nytimes.com.

US Air Force recruits women pilots by highlighting its own.

The best way to recruit people to your cause it to inspire them with a powerful, true story. This campaign for the US Air force is great, because it highlights their own and lets these women speak for themselves. So powerful to see these pioneering women talk about their experiences. See the spot at thedrum.com.

This ad for the Alzheimers Association gives voice to those most impacted: women.

This video spot does a wonderful job focusing on the positive and spreading joy while spreading an important message. Check out the ad on thedrum.com.

The story of the American South, as told by photographer Rosalind Fox Solomon.

These powerful photos by Rosalind Fox Solomon demonstrates the important role of photography and visual storytelling in facing our country’s past. “Finely attuned to dog whistles and soul claps, to the space between self-image and self-awareness, Fox Solomon reveals the majesty of the mundane, the campy insouciance of sincerity, and the queasy recognition of the darker forces of American life at play.” See the full story at featureshoot.com.

Transgender troops share their stories, in photos.

These portraits of openly transgender members of the U.S. military shine a light on the human face behind the hotly contested (and ongoing) discussion around transgendered people serving in the military. This powerful photography project reminds us all that there is much more at stake than mere political “wins” or “losses”. Read the full story at featureshoot.com.

See Manhattan in a different light.

These photographs by Adam Pape show a side of New York City we know and love. It’s not all flashy lights and yellow taxi-cabs … “It is a portrait of New York that natives know, that curious netherworld between day and night where nothing is quite what it seems. Here Pape takes us on a journey into the heart and soul of Manhattan’s outer limits.” Check out the whole story on feature shoot.