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I tumbled into photography while I was struggling to stay in New York after arriving from India with less than a dollar in my pocket and a visa that only lasted a month. In 1968, my plans were to become a fold singer; New York City was full of hippies and music was everywhere. This lady was listening to me sing in the village and asked me if I would come and audition at the United Nations’ choral group. I got the part and she got me a job as a messenger and took care of my visa problem. I won the grand spires in a photo-contest that led me to a job in the United Nation’s Photo Unit as a darkroom technician.

I had worked for 20 years as a photojournalist and I had a nervous breakdown after my coverage in Rwanda in 1994. At that point, I wanted to turn my camera towards nature and wildlife. Since I come from India and tigers are endangered, I decided to turn my photography towards documenting the tigers. I am also very fond of cats.

This tiger documentary was a coincidence. Mary Fereira who is a United Nations Television (UNTV) documentary producer approached me and asked if I would be willing to share my tiger images and let them follow me while I was in the jungle in India and film with me. So last year they did the filming in India. During the 30 years I worked with the United Nations, I was a photojournalist covering crisis around the world of less fortunate people who suffered during wars and natural disasters. So to be featured as a wildlife photographer was a challenge and thrill.

I want people to be aware of the delicate situation of these tigers existence in our ever changing world and needs. I want people to realize that we all have an obligation to protect our wildlife and the land we live in. There is an ancient saying that this Earth is given to us on loan and we must take the responsibility to nurture and safekeep it for our children and their children.

Even though I have retired from my regular job as a photojournalist, I still work everyday in my studio in Yonkers. I make presentations at universities, schools, conduct workshops, and teach photography. As I am writing this, I am getting ready to leave for China on an invitation to make a presentation to 1,400 students in Beijing next week.

To see more of John Isaac’s work, visit his website: www.johnisaac.com

Gretchen Bell is a wardrobe and prop stylist based in Seattle. Her client list includes Kraft, Levi’s, Target, Chevrolet, Amazon, Omni Resorts and Tommy Bahama. To see more of her work, visit: www.gretchenbell.com

In some ways, I feel I was destined to become a stylist. As a child, I was always wearing fashion trends before anyone else and modeling in local fashion shows. When I was about 13, I remember reading an article in Seventeen Magazine about the woman who was the stylist for The Cosby Show and thinking that would be my dream job, little did I know!

Photograph by: Christopher Bell

In college, my major was television Communications, so my career began working in video production as a production assistant and doing graphics for the news at the NBC station in Minneapolis. I then spent several years working as a modeling agent, before taking a job as a studio manager and producer for a successful advertising photographer, Craig Perman. It was there that I began styling commercial photo shoots for many large national and international clients and really learned about all aspects of production. So my whole career has really been about seeing things in a visual way.

Photograph by: Greg Montijo

In a great photograph everything matters, the color of a shirts, the kind of coffee cup, the style of the shoe, the position of the elements to one another. Everything in a photograph is helping to convey a client’s message or tell a story and that is my job. That is the fun and the challenge of being a stylist. What is going to make a photograph funny or moody or nostalgic and how are my props and wardrobe going to help do that? People don’t realize I might spend hours looking for just the right underwear that will be funny on teenage boys or searching for the perfect feathers for a still life shoot because it all matters. That is why stylists bring so many choices to the set for every shoot, so we can figure out what best helps tell the story.

Photograph by: Christopher Bell

It is very much a collaboration to tell a great story and it’s not always successful. Everyone is bringing something to the table at the shoot and when we all have a clear and concise vision, I think then it makes for a great photograph. As a stylist, I am coming to a shoot with my interpretation of what my client wants, but also run through a filter of my personal style. If a client wants playing cards, there are lots of playing card options out there. It is really fun to see a shoot come together successfully and see how elements from each member of the crew helped create that moment.

To me being a stylist is really about being part of a team; I can’t do my job without the rest of the crew. My props and wardrobe are only as good as the talent booked for the shoot, the lighting, the photographer, the makeup artist, the vision of the client and the layouts. Again, everything matters.

Photograph by: Melissa O’Hearn

Deborah Depolito is a skilled stylist that has 15+ years of experience under her belt. Working with world-renown clients such as Under Armour, Uber, McDonald’s, and Microsoft, it is clear why she is so sought-after in her industry. Her strong relationship with photographers and clients have allowed her to work with on various commercial and editorial campaigns. See more of her work at www.deborahdepolitostylist.com

When people think of styling, they quickly assume that it’s only related to getting the perfect outfit together. What most fail to see is that without a proper styling professional onboard an editorial project, the message being conveyed can be lost. Styling is so much more than it seems – it not only includes props, hair and make-up but also matching people to fit brands and products.

(Director: Gary Land // Executive Producer: Abe Sands // Photographer: Nick Taylor) 

My keenly trained eye for the client’s mission and ever-evolving awareness of color and style ensures that my clients are happy with the end product, every time. This may seem like an easy task – in fact, it’s very difficult. When you’re styling, you not only have to put yourself in the company’s mindset but also in the client that they are gearing the service and/or product to.

Photo by: Stephanie Rausser Photography | www.stephanierausser.com

I believe that it is my warm nature and sense of humor that allows me to complement my ability to dress talent in an authentic and beautiful way. Without this light-heartedness, the work would seem inauthentic and it would create an end-product that my clients would not be happy with.

Photo by: Stephanie Rausser Photography | www.stephanierausser.com

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Jim Shoemaker worked as a graphic designer for nearly 20 years before transitioning to photography. He has spent the last 12 years photographing throughout the western United States. His images have appeared in LensWork, Outdoor Photographer, American Photo, Nature Photographer, Silvershotz, Black & White, Rangefinder, Sierra Magazine and many other publications. His work can be seen at: www.jimshoemakerphotography.com.

As photographers, we often discuss the placement of the subject within the frame, which elements are included or excluded, and what is happening at the edges of the frame. But, trying to capture the essence, or the experience of a subject deals with more than knowing the Rule of Thirds. Its the ability to tell a story, and its the difference between making a picture and taking one.

Cedar Creek Grist Mill, Washington

When I’m photographing in any given location, there are things going on outside the scope of my frame that are influencing me. There is the temperature, sounds of wildlife and the aroma of wildflowers. All of my senses are engaged in the moment. My job is to convey that sensation via a photograph viewed by someone who has maybe never been to this place while making them feel as though they were there. To make them feel as if they know the place.

This connection between subject and viewer is vital, whether the subject is a person, a landscape or an architectural structure. It is especially important for landscape work, because if the viewer doesn’t feel a connection, they won’t care about the subject, nor feel the need to protect it. Two methods that I employ to communicate experience of place are creating a mood and point of view.

Creating a mood helps tell a story. For example, let’s say I’m photographing in one of my favorite national parks, Death Valley. If I want the story to be about the harsh environment and its rugged ecosystem, I’ll photograph during the middle of the day when the sun is high and there is high contrast and stark shadows. If instead the story is about how “Death Valley” is a misnomer and there is great beauty and abundant life, I’ll photograph before and during sunrise, and during and after sunset to get pastel, cool colors and low contrast. Choosing an appropriate lighting style renders the landscape in a way that supports the narrative.

Death Valley National Park, California

El Pescador Beach, Malibu, California

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Malibu

Point of view is about camera placement. I order for objects to look larger than life and more iconic, I like to have the camera lower than average eye level. I also look for opportunities to have objects, such as branches, enter the edges of the frame to give the viewer a sense that they are emerging from one place to another. I want them to feel enveloped by the implied surroundings that lie outside of the frame.

Mt. Adams, Trout Lake, Washington

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Owl Creek Pass, San Juan Mountains, Colorado

There are many techniques that can be used for effective storytelling and for finding your voice as a photographer. The above are merely examples. Connecting the viewer with the subject is far more important than simply making a pretty picture. As Ansel Adams once said; “A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense, and is a true expression of what one feels about life in it’s entirety.”