Darcy Padilla’s Julie Project: when photography becomes humanitarian

Darcy Padilla’s award-winning 18-year project documents the life and death of one woman, capturing in miniature the plight of America‘s ‘permanent poor’
“In November, Darcy Padilla, a San Francisco-based documentary photographer, was awarded the 2010 W Eugene Smith award in humanistic photography. The award, which includes a $30,000 grant, is bestowed annually on a photographer who upholds the tradition of what the judges describe as Smith’s “concerned photography and dedicated passion”. Padilla certainly fits the bill.” From the Guardian

Life … a doctor holds Julie’s baby, Elyssa, for her to see. Photograph: Darcy PadillaIn November, Darcy Padilla, a San Francisco-based documentary photographer, was awarded the 2010 W Eugene Smith award in humanistic photography. The award, which includes a $30,000 grant, is bestowed annually on a photographer who upholds the tradition of what the judges describe as Smith’s “concerned photography and dedicated passion”. Padilla certainly fits the bill. 

From the Guardian…

5 ways to stop being a luck photographer

Do you make great pictures, do you do it regularly, do you have methods of ensuring that your pictures are more than chance captures? This article from Digitial Photo School addresses these issues and gives very useful advice on how to improve your strike rate, to make sure more of your images are winners.

“We’ve all been guilty of taking pictures with our eyes closed. Just go crazy, go on a shooting spree and see what happens. See what happy mistakes you can pawn off as well-thought out, purposefully captured portraits. Here are 6 ways you can identify yourself as a luck photographer:”

Read more : 5 Ways to be a better photographer

Do you think Robert Doisneau or Henri Cartier-Bresson were lucky or did they carefully observe and prepare so that the memorable images they captured looked lucky?

Henri Cartier-Bresson