Monday was International Women’s Day, so I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight just a few of the outstanding women of photography that I’m a big fan of. This list is in absolutely no particular order, and this is by no means an exhaustive list. There are so many amazing women in our industry, the list would never end if all of them were included! Head to the comments and share some of the women who stand out in your mind.
Kaylee Greer
You know Kaylee as the high-energy dog photographer whose photos are as bright and bold as her personality and hair! Not only is she a fantastic photographer, but she’s one of the most kind and caring people I know.
Website
Instagram
Original Guest Blog
KelbyOne Courses
Polly Irungu
If you follow the photo industry at all, you’ll have a hard time NOT seeing Polly pop up somewhere these days, as she’s constantly working to promote her database of Black Women Photographers (link below). Whether she’s running a giveaway with Nikon, or chatting with Kelly Clarkson, she’s out there promoting some amazing women!
Polly’s Website
Black Women Photographers
Instagram
Guest Blog
Zaria Love
Speaking of Polly, she introduced me to Zaria Love last year, and I was immediately impressed by her and her work. Her clean, quiet style is subtly attention grabbing and beautiful. She also discusses being a working photographer with Multiple Sclerosis and how it’s become her superpower in her guest blog from this past September (link below).
Gilmar Smith
Super mom, kick-ass photographer, retouching wizard, fantasy creator, hilariously twisted… These are just a few of the words that come to mind when I think of Gilmar Smith. To know her is to love her, but also be a bit jealous of her because it seems like there’s nothing she isn’t amazing at!
Website
Instagram
Guest Blog
KelbyOne Courses
Claire Jones
Rugby photographer Claire Jones saw an opportunity to get her foot in the door with the Northampton Saints years ago, and has photographed hundreds of matches since! Not only is she a fantastic photographer, she found a way to be even more memorable by adopting her trademark Red Hat that everyone knows her by.
Bella Kotak
The first time I saw Bella’s work, I fell in love with her style and vision. She has such a distinct look to her work, it’s unmistakable. Her ideas and the execution of them are always inspiring!
Audrey Woulard
Audrey’s portraits of teens are anything but your typical school photos. She takes the teen portrait and elevates it to a whole other level, making them look like portraits and spreads for a magazine.
Kristina Sherk
Look! It’s a retoucher/photographer, it’s a shark/mermaid, it’s… Kristi Sherk! Whether she’s behind the camera, wielding a Wacom pen, or in the water with a fin or a tail, she’s absolutely rocking whatever she’s doing.
Website
Instagram
Guest Blog
KelbyOne Courses
Stacy Pearsall
Stacy is one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met, and wickedly funny to boot. One very memorable experience was watching her presentation during the “An Evening with Stacy Pearsall” event at Photoshop World, where she shared story after story of her years as a military photographer. Her efforts to tell the stories of other veterans through the Veterans Portrait Project, as well as give back to them, has even landed her on The Today Show!
Website
Instagram
Guest Blog
KelbyOne Interview
Melissa Lyttle
Not only is Melissa an amazing photojournalist and portrait photographer, she’s also a strong advocate for photographers, having served on the board and as president of the NPPA. As if all of that wasn’t enough to keep her busy, she also founded A Photo A Day, which in turn led to creating GeekFest, both surrounding a community of photographers who support each other through mentorships and grants. She really is a hero to so so many people in the industry, and we’re all stronger for having her in our corner!
Website
Instagram
A Photo A Day
GeekFest
You can see more of these women’s work by clicking the links in their sections!