When we began this newsletter journey, I promised myself and everyone who graciously gave us space in their inboxes that I would use it as a place for progressive thought and discourse. This week’s topic is one that many photographers need to better understand on many levels.
Take five minutes to absorb this short YouTube clip.
Go on, watch it now. I’ll wait.
Most photographers are not aware of this issue and the various ways it affects how we photograph and how we edit. The history of photography includes many uncomfortable facets, like how it was almost exclusively rich white men who invented and advanced the genre.
I wasn’t aware of this particular film issue until recently. I feel it’s important to know the past of our industry as we march forward into creating new work. Here are some great reads on the topic that dive deeper into the politics and necessity of revamping old processes and ideas.
The Racial Bias Built Into Photography
Time for a new lens: The hidden racism behind photography
Getting correct skin tones, especially for couples with drastically different skin tones, is something that a lot of photographers, ourselves included, still struggle with. Even with modern digital photography, it’s not a unique problem, it’s actually even more common.
To combat this issue that we all struggle with, as we sit at the computer editing for hours and hours, we’ve got some tips and tricks to help you get those skin tones correct. It often requires editing all the skin tones in your photograph separately.
Love, Erika
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