ABOUT PHOTOPHLO
PhotoPhlo connects photography enthusiasts with top photography educators for real-time online learning opportunities and events, fostering a dynamic environment in which photographers can explore further and dig deeper in their creative pursuits. PhotoPhlo’s mission is to build community and camaraderie amongst the countless people around the world who love and practice photography, and to support the creative growth and financial independence of the distinguished teaching artists that make up our faculty.
SHOOT
As photographers, we all share a love of chasing the light and making photographs. But even the most dedicated of us sometimes need a little push to pick up the camera. At PhotoPhlo we believe that the structure and deadlines of formal classes challenges photographers to shoot consistently and with greater intention.
CONNECT
One of the hardest things about being a photographer is finding a dynamic community of peers and mentors who will challenge and support our work. PhotoPhlo’s mission is to bring people together to share photos and discuss their experiences, inspiring each other to range wider and dig deeper in our photography.
EXPLORE
For photographers, the camera inspires us to explore the world. Whether your passion is roaming city streets with a Leica, engaging social and cultural issues, making portraits of fascinating people or simply watching the way the changing light falls on a tree as the sun sets, photography is the ticket to visual adventures near and far.
The Power of a Photography Community
On my first day of graduate school, Charles H. Traub, the chairperson of my MFA program passionately challenged – in fact, demanded – that new students commit to fully engage in school, to work harder than ever before, and to be active members of the diverse group of artists and teachers who made up the program’s community. He declared that if we did, it would be ’the best time of our lives’ as artists. Some of the second year students snickered, letting us know that it was a speech Charlie made every year. They were, of course, not yet in a position to realize how right he was. But he was. School gave us time to focus on our work and provided us with access to amazing teachers and a community of peers who were all in the trenches together. This combination of factors created a fertile environment which challenged us to range wider and dig deeper in our photographic pursuits.
As a photography teacher for more than a decade, I am fortunate to have worked with a wide spectrum of students, from at-risk youths and continuing education adults to university undergraduate and graduate students. Across these diverse populations, I have found one thing to be undeniable: being part of a community of people who share a love for and practice photography is a guaranteed way to enrich one’s understanding of and engagement in the medium.
For many photographers, finding mentors and a group of peers with whom to share and discuss photography is challenging. Thankfully, technology has eliminated geography as a barrier and photographers and educators from far and wide can come together in real-time to share their passion for the medium. It is in this spirit that PhotoPhlo was conceived and offers a dynamic community in which photographers all over the world can grow and thrive.
- Matthew Baum, Founder