Today, if a hundred other news stories haven't already alerted you to this fact, is International Women's Day. It honors, it celebrates, it congratulates all the important things women do. It also, more and more, has evolved into an annual race by every brand to find some novel way to get in on the hype.
Here at WIRED Photo, we didn't want to be one of those brands, but we also wanted to acknowledge the great work of the female photographers we've commissioned over the past 12 months. So we decided to let them commemorate themselves—in their own words. Understandably, they want to be recognized for their photos, not their gender, but in an industry where they're more likely to experience sexism, less likely to be hired, and often paid less than their male counterparts, championing their contributions feels essential.
"I know I'm standing on the shoulders of giants to even be able to say this, but what it means to me is to not be labeled as a female photographer, but rather a photographer," says Dolly Faibyshev, one of the shutterbugs profiled below, all of whom provided portraits. "We don't refer to male photographers as male, you know? That's the ultimate sign of progress to me."
Want to know what progress looks like for some of the other photographers WIRED has worked with in the past year? Focus in below.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Akasha Rabut: Palo santo, frankincense essential oil, and my sunshine necklace that a close friend made.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
AR: I would have a meal with Hilma Af Klint and I would take her to Burma Superstar in Oakland.
Last book you read?
AR: I just reread [Rainer Maria Rilke's] Letters to a Young Poet. It's important to keep that one handy.
Favorite film?
AR: That's super hard. I love so many films. My two favorite films right now are Dina and Moonlight and my all time favorite film is The City of God.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
AR: It's complex, and it has its benefits. I find that I am invited into sacred spaces and trusted by many people because of my feminine energy. There is an incredible bond amongst female photographers. I think women understand how daunting this industry can be, especially since it's male-dominated. I've been in situations with male and female photographers and I always find that we have this inclination to stick together, support each other and treat each other with respect. This summer I was on the road with a group called Black Voters Matter. There were several photographers on the road covering the story. There were about four female photographers and one male. We stopped at a church and there was this really beautiful moment that happened between a mother and daughter. It was tranquil and soft. All the female photographers in the room saw it, and we all looked at each other and acknowledged what was happening. There was a mutual understanding that the woman closest in vicinity would capture this stunning and intimate moment. We all stayed out of her way and watched as she did. The only male photographer in the room loudly ran over as fast as he could. He stopped right next to the female photographer and shot rapidly over her shoulder. I was the next closest person to the situation and could have easily taken that photo.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
AR: See above.
Advice to your younger self?
AR: Friendships and experiences are the most valuable things you'll ever have. Don't take yourself too seriously and always follow your intuition.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
AR: Susan Worsham, Sarrah Danziger, Jody Rogac, Kristin-Lee Moolman, Molly Steele, Cara Stricker, and Alexis Gross.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Amy Lombard: This question is a nightmare for me because I like to collect things—antiques and various memorabilia. If I had to choose three, it would be my Canon Speedlites, a large antique leopard statue I've named Angela, and a portrait I have of my mother with a cat under a tree.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
AL: I'm going to have to go with Tony Soprano. In an ideal world he'd come to Queens and we'd eat Italian food at Park Side in Corona.
Last book you read?
AL: Lane Moore's How to Be Alone: If You Want To, and Even If You Don't.
Favorite film?
AL: I'm not exactly a film snob, to a borderline embarrassing fault—I prefer TV and documentaries. My favorite movie is Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
AL: It means I'm often frustrated. I'm incredibly proud to be a working female photographer today—but to be a female photographer often involves people thinking you're the assistant, or constantly dealing with someone undermining you. I wouldn't say my gender necessarily informs my work or how I see every subject I photograph, but it's important to have a diversity and range in voices of the people telling stories in our industry. It feels like a broken record at this point, yet we're not seeing enough of a change in hiring practices to be inclusive of both women and people of color.
Advice to your younger self?
AL: I'd tell myself to continue letting my curiosity of the world around me lead the way. Hard work and dedication do pay off.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
AL: Barbara Crane, Rosalind Solomon, and Cindy Sherman are my all-time favorite photographers (who just so happen to be women).
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Andrea DiCenzo: Phone, obviously. Not just for the usual stuff (though I'm a podcast junkie)—in the field it's invaluable. Lip balm. A compact comfort on the road, and a night routine staple. Hot water bottle. I run about 5 degrees cooler than the average human, and one of these is necessary to get me through winter.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
ADC: My mum's father, who passed away when I was too young to remember him. I'd ask him about his life over lobster rolls, since my family's from Maine and lobster rolls are a Maine delicacy.
Last book you read?
ADC: The Possessed: Adventures with Russian Books and the People Who Read Them by Elif Batuman. I highly recommend it.
Favorite film?
ADC: Bridesmaids, a go-to on a down day.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
ADC: In an ideal world, focus on me and others as female photographers would be irrelevant, and I hope sometime soon it just goes away and we can just do the work. But while we're a long way away from the ideal, I think it's been useful to benefit from groups like Women Photograph, and to have strong colleagues who together instill a bit of a feeling of community in a profession that can often be isolating. There is more awareness about gender discrepancies today then even 10 years ago. I think there’s an important push to recognize other voices within photojournalism, whether it's gender, sexuality, race, or ethnicity. I think people understand that diversity behind the camera simply leads to more good work being done.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
Implicit in this question is the idea that being a male photographer, you might lack some sort of sensitivity or access to women that would bar you from accomplishing a story, or something like that, and that's not been my experience. Furthermore, in the conservative communities where I work, pointing the big black machine that goes click is often more the issue than my gender, whether it's been front-line coverage or portraits in family homes. I assume most people see an outsider with their own set of motives, which is weighed enough. I never like to go into those situations with my camera up. Sometimes, I'll need to sit and drink tea and chat for an afternoon, no photos at all. Then go back another day and see how people feel about photos then. It's important to be patient.
Advice to your younger self?
ADC: I think learning to trust in your own vision is a really important lesson. I think that's a life thing as well. It's not unique to photographers. That can be difficult to do when you have financial issues (which you will definitely have as a photojournalist). There have been times when I've been broke—refreshing my account balance all day to see if a payments hit broke—on top of being in the middle of some city where you don't know anyone and think 'What am I doing here?' In times like those, you have to trust in that earlier ambition.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
ADC: I really admire the work of Lynsey Addario. She became a very visible female photographer and I think that inspired another generation. Also colleagues and friends, particularly Alice Martins and Alex Potter. Their work is so strong and their dedication to the stories they focus on is very admirable. And they’re doing it at a time when the industry’s never been tougher.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Anna Huix: Really the only thing I can't live without is chocolate.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
AH: The writer Roberto Bolaño. I would eat mussels and grilled fish on a bonfire by the sea.
Last book you read?
AH: Amulet by Roberto Bolaño. Haven't finished yet, but I am loving it.
Favorite film?
AH: Mustang by Deniz Gamze Ergüven is the film I love the most right now. A film I can't stop watching since I was young is Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown by Pedro Almodóvar.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
AH: First of all, it means to be thankful to the women who worked hard to get us where we are now but it also means working on improving the world the next generation will find. For me, it translates to both working on photographic projects that cover women who create change and projects that point out the unequal opportunities and treatment women get too often.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
AH: Yes, I often get editorial commissions photographing inspiring women who shake the world somehow. One of the best projects I was ever commissioned for was a story given to me by Telegraph Weekend Magazine. It was a project on recovering female drug addicts in Nepal. In Nepal, the help recovering from drug addiction is historically only available to men. Women drug addicts are even more stigmatized than men, and generally left without a space to get better. I went to photograph Dristi Nepal, which gives women a safe place to work on their addiction.
Advice to your younger self?
AH: Don't doubt yourself. Follow your instinct. Things happen when you work hard.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
AH: Ruth Ginika Ossai and Lea Colombo.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Ashley Armitage: My cats Chichi and Archie. My phone. My bed.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
AA: Honestly, I'm such a homebody I'd just want to eat steak with my boyfriend at home. That's my ideal meal and my ideal person.
Last book you read?
AA: I just finished Shrill by Lindy West a couple days ago and I can't recommend it enough! I was laughing and crying throughout the whole thing.
Favorite film?
AA: 13 Going on 30.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
AA: To me it means carving new spaces in a male-dominated world.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
AA: YES. Just a few days ago I was on set directing a music video and when we wrapped the set designer came up to me and said, "In my years of working in the film industry, you are the third female director I've ever worked with." That reminded me why I'm doing the work I do. There are so few female directors in the world and that needs to change.
Advice to your younger self?
AA: Everything will be OK. Honestly, that's still something I need to remind myself of.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
AA: Right now my favorite female photographers are Leslie Zhang, Carlota Guerrero, and Renell Medrano. They're incredible.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Christie Hemm Klok: Headphones, Bolt Flashes, my pillow.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
CHK: This is a hard one but I'd love to have pizza with Alice Paul.
Last book you read?
CHK: Calypso by David Sedaris.
Favorite film?
CHK: Baby Mama.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
CHK: Ten years ago I would have said it was an obstacle I had to overcome, but today I feel lucky to be exactly who I am. The support and encouragement I have from other female-identifying photographers is amazing and I rely on that network of support so much.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
CHK: I'm small (4’11"), and a woman, so there have been many times where I show up to a shoot and am immediately not taken seriously. A lot of times I can mend the situation but having a conversation with the subject but more than once I have been yelled at, asked my age and/or told how to to do my job. But of course that's not all the time. I often photograph strong, amazing women and men who are open and happy to see me behind the lens.
Advice to your younger self?
CHK: Trust yourself. For so long I cared too much about what other people thought of me. I feel like I've finally reached a place in my life where I know who I am and I'm proud of that person. Don't waste your time on people who don't appreciate who you are and focus too much on their image. That probably sounds like super cliché advice but it's true and is definitely something I wish I would have done earlier in my life.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
CHK: I’ve been lucky enough to surround myself with women I love as people and who are also some of the most badass photographers around. Jessica Chou, Cayce Clifford, Rachel Bujalski, Sunny Strader and Rozette Rago are photographers who impress me with every shoot they do. The level of thought and dedication is amazing and they keep me inspired to keep pushing forward.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Dee Williams: My cell phone, specifically for calling my family back home. I FaceTime my parents up to three to four times a day. Speaking with them is the highlight of my day. Mascara. I'm not much of a makeup person, but mascara is that little pop that makes me feel complete in the morning. Peppermint and ginger tea. I drink about five cups a day.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
DW: I would have a meal with Rihanna and eat jerk chicken with rice and peas.
Last book you read?
DW: [Clarissa Pinkola Estés'] Women Who Run With the Wolves.
Favorite film?
DW: The Skeleton Key.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
DW: To me, it means disrupting an industry and using my art and talent to tell visual stories about people and communities that aren't "mainstream" (until it's time to make a profit).
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
DW: A the moment I do not, but that just put some ideas in my head.
Advice to your younger self?
DW: Enjoy the moment and be patient. Everything works on God's timing, not yours.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
DW: Nadine Ijewere, Dana Scruggs, Elizabeth Wirija, Makeda Sanford, and Renell Medrano.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Dolly Faibyshev: My laptop, iced coffee, and art (I love experiencing art in person so I'm always checking out galleries, art fairs, and museums).
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
DF: Andy Warhol. I watched a video where he filmed himself eating a cheeseburger at the recent Warhol exhibition at The Whitney and I thought it was brilliant. So I'd love to relive that moment and have a cheeseburger with him.
Last book you read?
DF: I just finished reading Dave Eggers' A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.
Favorite film?
DF: I have a hard time choosing favorites for anything, because I love so many, but I'll say Martin Scorsese's New York, New York. I loved the mix of visually dazzling and emotionally devastating. I really was absorbed into its world.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
DF: I know I'm standing on the shoulders of giants to even be able to say this, but what it means to me is to not be labeled as a female photographer, but rather a photographer. We don't refer to male photographers as male, you know? That's the ultimate sign of progress to me.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
DF: I feel like it plays out differently in different situations. There's an alternative parade to the Pride Parade that refers to itself as the Dyke March, and covering it as a female for Vanity Fair, I felt there was an overall feeling of a bond and a sisterhood, I was welcomed and celebrated as a woman. I also photographed a pair of nude female sunbathers on a beach in St. Bart's for Le Monde's M Magazine, and as I approached them, I felt that my presence to the nude women felt distinctly less invasive and seemed to help them let their guard down.
Advice to your younger self?
DF: I was doing completely different stuff out of college for a long time, trying to find myself and always feeling unfulfilled because I wasn't doing something I loved. I'd tell her to relax and enjoy life and have patience knowing that it will all work out, but then again I think it was the gnawing feeling of dissatisfaction that forced me to work harder and strive to find the creative outlet that was right for me, and if I hadn't had that period of self-doubt and frustration, I might not have found my way to the thing I love doing most. So looking back, I guess I would try to advise myself to embrace that internal struggle and let it guide me.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
DF: Nan Goldin, Alex Prager, and Cindy Sherman are some of my favorites. They're so different from each other, but they each created a world of their own through their work and fearlessly continue to pursue it.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Elinor Carucci: My lipstick, reading glasses (since turning 45), and a sweatshirt (because I am always cold).
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
EC: With my grandmother, with whom I was very close and died 15 years ago while I was pregnant with my twins. I would eat watermelon, my favorite food, and I would try to, for the millionth time, convince her that it is OK to eat fruit as a meal!
Last book you read?
EC: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara.
Favorite film?
EC: Amadeus by Miloš Forman.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
EC: It means compassion, emotion, and humanity, connecting and intimacy, and maternity will lead my photographer's heart.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
EC: I feel that many parts of my work, and many if not all the editorial stories I do, involve the fact that I am a woman. From photographing births or a family who lost their mother, to photographing children and highly sensitive situations, I know they come to me because I am also a woman, a daughter, a mother. I also feel that about my experience as a professional belly dancer, who for 15 years danced for different families from different communities, socioeconomic backgrounds, races, nationalities, sexual identities, and religions. In those years I was learning how to find a way to be welcomed, and open up to who the people I was dancing to. Also, being a parent myself for almost 15 years, raising a boy and a girl, with all the complexities, challenges, and understandings of human nature that comes with mothering, it all becomes a part of my identity, of who I am, a part that I can bring into the photo shoot and hopefully into the images themselves.
Advice to your younger self?
EC: Stop worrying all the time! (OK, worry just a little since it's such a big part of your motivation, but just a little!)
Which other female photographers do you admire?
EC: Nan Goldin, Mary Ellen Mark, Sally Mann.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Elizabeth Renstrom: My various half-filled notebooks lying around everywhere. I tend to fill them with drawings/collages/and ramblings that sometimes take me awhile to remember the point of. Perfumes. I'm very comforted by scents. My grandpa's foot locker from his time in the Air Force that he passed down to me. I keep all my old photo gear and small C-prints (made in a color darkroom, never forget) inside as a reminder to whatever my future creative self is doing.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
ER: The easiest thing for me to say would be the first people I've been thinking about lately. That would be Kim Deal (alive) or Serge Gainsbourg (dead). Mainly because I think it would be a party with either of them. I think I'd eat a delicious falafel platter with Kim. Serge, I'd eat something traditional, French (obviously) and comforting. We would smoke Gitanes inside the restaurant and have a lot of wine.
Last book you read?
ER: My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh. I assigned a lot of imagery for her short stories in Vice over the years, but only recently finished several of her books.
Favorite film?
ER: That's so hard! I'm so inspired by film when it comes to my personal work. Some top ones that I always go back to are Fat Girl by Catherine Breillat, Welcome to the Dollhouse by Todd Solondz and Repo Man by Alex Cox.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
ER: Professionally, I think it means I spend more time trying to lift the voices of other female-identifying photographers. In my personal work, I think because I talk about feminism and the ways in which things are marketed and gendered—my passion and experiences as a female-identifying person are what motivate me and inform my visual style if that makes sense?
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
ER: I've had instances that are familiar to any female-identifying person. Instances where a man in power has used it inappropriately to make situations uncomfortable and now only years later do I understand how screwed up those situations were. Instances where I've literally been asked by a guy if I'm qualified to do the job I was just hired for. Photo/art bros explaining stuff to me all the time. Being asked when I get to set if I'm the assistant. Tons of stuff that I try not to let in and make me doubt my own work.
Advice to your younger self?
ER: I think I'd provide myself the same advice I give to younger photographers. Figure out what you care about and find a way to translate that vision. You know when you're making work that you're proud of because you don't care where it goes, you just care that you were able to actualize it. It gets harder and harder in our social media economy when we're all expected to be living as individual human brands—but I believe in you!
Which other female photographers do you admire?
ER: I'm admiring these photographers always: Delphine Diallo, Sue de Beer, Eva O'Leary, Keisha Scarville, Chuck Grant, Namsa Leuba, Glenda Lissette.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Esme Rice: My headphones, a pen, and probably my wardrobe. Style means a lot to me.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
ER: Lin-Manuel Miranda, and I'd let him show me some of his favorite Puerto Rican dishes.
Last book you read?
ER: Pride and Prejudice.
Favorite film?
ER: Dead Poets Society.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
ER: Being a female photographer means constantly having to prove your vision. It means bringing something new to the scene so it is impossible to be overlooked.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
ER: Every time I shoot a form of activism, like a protest or movement, it reminds me of who I am. As a female photographer, when I shot the Women's March it was incredibly easy to connect to the emotions of the crowd. When you can really feel what you're working on, it makes the end result so much more real.
Advice to your younger self?
ER: As a 17-year-old, I gave myself the advice every day to jump at everything. Any opportunity, just go for it. I have nothing to lose, only lessons to learn.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
ER: I’ve been obsessed with Sasha Samsonova. Probably because she shoots mainly film, beautifully, and I have a soft spot for that medium. Another is Petra Collins. Her work is so different, yet you can immediately tell when something is hers.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Heather Sten: AirPods, a notebook, potato chips.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
HS: I'd have a big bowl of bún bò huế with my grandmother.
Last book you read?
HS: Becoming by Michelle Obama.
Favorite film?
HS: I don't have a favorite, but I recently just watched The Handmaiden and was blown away.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
HS: I'm able to navigate my way through the world and with my subjects with a certain tenderness, power, and warmth.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
HS: I've been very fortunate in the past year to be able to photograph other female-identifying people with their #MeToo stories—the kinship, power, and inspiration that I've received from that has been very moving.
Advice to your younger self?
HS: Who cares what anyone else thinks!
Which other female photographers do you admire?
HS: Ah, so many! Sasha Arutyunova, Oriana Koren, Miranda Barnes, June Kim, Dana Scruggs, Naima Green, Joyce Sze Ng, Valerie Chiang, Carlota Guerrero, Cara Stricker, Cait Oppermann, Peyton Fulford, Eva O'Leary, Jody Rogac, Deana Lawson, Harley Weir, Alexandra Leese...
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Jessica Chou: My cell phone, my passport, my house keys.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
JC: My grandmother and we would be making and eating dumplings.
Last book you read?
JC: Elena Ferrante's My Brilliant Friend series—I binge-read those books the way someone would binge-watch a TV show.
Favorite film?
JC: Hard to say. I'm notorious for forgetting the plots and storylines to movies. What generally stay with me are the moods and themes. There are scenes from Blue Velvet by David Lynch and Mystery Train by Jim Jarmusch that I watched 15 years ago that are burned into my brain. A more recent film I really liked is Sorry to Bother You by Boots Riley.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
JC: Just the pure act of being present and visible as a female photographer and a POC can take back the control of how we're seen and understood and challenge any misconceptions of what place we have in the industry and the arts. And as a creator who is fueled by my identities that shape my experience, I'd like to make sure I'm adding a new and meaningful perspective that supports my community and contributes to the conversation at large. It also means supporting the voices of my colleagues as much as my own. Whether I mean for it to be this way, everyday is a small political act.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
JC: I've been lucky in that the people I've worked with have generally been decent, respectful people, but I've also seen how tenuous that respect can be when people's insecurities are involved and how easy it can be to use a women's gender against them. I certainly do not let that stop me. I think the more interesting story for me has been the fact that my career thus far have largely been supported by women. The first person who encouraged and gave me confidence in my own ideas was a female classmate. The first person who encouraged me and gave me room to grow as an editorial photographer was a female photo director. The people who've reached out to me and made me feel part of a photography community have largely been women. The ones who've been the most generous with their help and resources tended to be women (Women Photograph, Authority Collective). And aside from my husband and a few personal friends and colleagues, I can't imagine my career without the women who've supported me along the way.
Advice to your younger self?
JC: Save your money. Think about what you want and make bolder steps. If an idea scares you, it's probably what you should be doing. Find a community and ask for help. And if things don't go as imagined, it's far from the end. Also, edit more.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
JC: Vanessa Winship and Deana Lawson are some of my favorite photographers, no descriptors needed. But for photographers who I know on a personal level, Marilyn Montufar, Teresa Eng, and Oriana Koren are just a few among the many I admire.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Meiko Arquillos: My Hobonichi planner (it changed my life!), my favorite pen, a bunch of stickie notes (to jot down ideas).
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
MA: Maira Kalman. Spaghetti with meatballs.
Last book you read?
MA: Sad Premonition by Banana Yoshimoto.
Favorite film?
MA: Fantastic Mr. Fox.
What does it mean to you to be a female identifying photographer? Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
MA: I try to be a good role model for my daughter. She still gets excited for me whenever she sees my photographs in a magazine or on an advertisement. In general I feel I am more in touch with my creativity since I became a mother. I am a bit more brave. Maybe I feel responsibility to be this way so that she can do the same when she grows up.
Advice to your younger self?
MA: Be yourself.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
MA: I really love some of Kayo Ume's images . It feels so raw, candid, and brave. Very different than my work.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Michelle Groskopf: A really good bookstore, the weight room at my gym, my PlayStation 4.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
MG: Billy Wilder, matzo ball soup at the original 2nd Avenue Deli in New York.
Last book you read?
MG: Tenth of December by George Saunders.
Favorite film?
MG: Too many to list but I have a soft spot for Seventeen by Joel DeMott and Jeff Kreines and The Philadelphia Story by George Cukor.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
MG: I have to work harder, be louder, stay longer, and hang on tighter. It's made me a stronger person for it.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
MG: Thankfully no major horror stories yet other than the daily dismal grind of being under-represented and often overlooked.
Advice to your younger self?
MG: I jumped around career-wise so much as a younger person. I would definitely go back and tell myself to focus on the one thing that excites and inspires me and stick with it. "Young eager Michelle, you love photography so much, just go for it, don't wait till you're older to take it seriously, quit messing about."
Which other female photographers do you admire?
MG: So many. The list can go on and on so here is just a few: Hana Mendel, Stacy Kranitz, Isadora Kosofsky, Christie Hemm Klok, Jessica Chou, Sasha Tivetsky, Nichole Washington, Robin De Puy, Maggie Shannon.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Natalie Naccache: My laptop, passport, and my phone so I can annoy my family abroad.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
NN: My maternal grandmother, whom I never got enough time to know.
Last book you read?
NN: [Robin Sharma's] The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari.
Favorite film?
NN: Jeux D'enfants.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
NN: In the Middle East, I have a lot more intimate access to stories that I wouldn't be able to cover if I were a man in certain communities and circumstances. When on assignment in delicate political areas, my subjects don't see me as very intimidating, I think it's because I'm a polite Middle Eastern 5'4" petite lady with a camera.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
NN: Is it bad that I don't yet?
Advice to your younger self?
NN: Be more confident when on assignment and dealing with difficult subjects. You run this show. Be unapologetic, experiment with different mediums, get outside that box. And be proud of your work.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
NN: Diana Markosian, Maggie Steber, Tanya Habjouqa.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Oriana Koren: A good, inky pen, a notebook to write my thoughts in with said inky pen, good speakers. I'm an audiophile and I like playing my music loud so it envelopes my senses.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
OK: It'd be a tie between James Baldwin and Zora Neale Hurston, either way we'd all be sitting on someone's front steps, eating just picked peaches and sticky sweet summer watermelon.
Last book you read?
OK: Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi. This book rearranged my atoms. To read a powerful coming-of-age fable so thoughtfully crafted, so rich in myth it feels as though Emezi has written the origin story for people like us, for the non-binary black folx trying to figure out their divinity. It's devastating and tremendous.
Favorite film?
OK: In the Mood for Love by Wong Kar-wai. It's quiet and thoughtful and certainly one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. The cinematography, the intimacy it carried, I'm always chasing after that when making images.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
OK: It means I may be twice as good as my white colleagues, three times as good as my male colleagues, and I will likely end up with a quarter of the opportunities to thrive and succeed.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
OK: I accompanied some chefs to Tokyo for a research trip and had to hear all manner of jokes about women's appearances, watching the writer (a woman) "turn" the constant mansplaining of one of the chefs into a joke so as to tolerate them. I often feel when I'm doing work with men/masc people, I end up having to do my job along with everyone else, because who else is going to carry that weight on a set? After that trip incident, I made a promise to myself not work with men who think acting like children is all they will contribute to a project. Not on my set, not on my projects.
Advice to your younger self?
OK: Always trust your gut.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
OK: Heather Sten and Kayla Reefer. I'm impressed with the way they peel back the veil when making portraits of their sitters. I've seen them both in action and the ease and confidence in their skill is really something to behold.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Pooneh Ghana: Caffeine, music, and my psycho chihuahua Dolma.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
PG: I wanna eat bags and bags of Gardetto’s with Karen O. Last book you read?
PG: Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk.
Favorite film?
PG: American Movie (the documentary).
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
PG: While there are clear obstacles women face every day in any work field, whether it's fighting for more pay or even something as simple as just being taken seriously, I never wanted to go into this field with this mindset of being a "female" photographer, per se. I went in wanting to get thrown into the pit with everyone and proving myself through my work alone, unrelated to gender. I will say that with being a female photographer, the most rewarding moments for me are when other women/girls (usually high school or college kids) email asking for advice or expressing appreciation, or to say that they started taking photos or listening to a band because they follow my work. That's really what gets me and keeps me so motivated. I will say that, on this note, it is hilarious how many people have assumed that I'm a male photographer before actually meeting me in person. I’m sure it partially has to do with how weird my name is, but still a funny thing that still happens often. Advice to your younger self?
PG: Keep listening to your gut and pursuing your dream, even though the idea of it might make your future look scary and unpredictable now. Everyone that's telling you that a career in photography is a pipe dream doesn't know how driven you are. You have one chance at life and there's no way you’re gonna be miserable sitting behind an office desk five days a week. Also, drink more water.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
PG: Off the top of my head, I have so much love for Sarah Eiseman, Jackie Lee Young, Yana Yatsuk, Sheva Kafai, Dana Trippe, just to name a few.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Prarthna Singh: My nail clipper, a diary for my endless to-do lists, my jar of turmeric.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
PS: A home-cooked meal by my mother (some delicious Indian food) with David Bowie.
Last book you read?
PS: On Michael Jackson, Margo Jefferson.
Favorite film?
PS: Aligarh, a Hindi movie based on the true story of a professor of Marathi at the famed Aligarh Muslim University, who was suspended on grounds of morality.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
PS: It means everything! It means I need to get out there, prove myself, and share my stories more than ever before.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
PS: Ha! I have too many. But I prefer to not focus on the bumps along the way.
Advice to your younger self?
PS: Authenticity is key. There's nothing more important than making work you truly believe in.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
PS: Dayanita Singh is always an inspiration. I recently saw a Vivian Maier exhibition and was absolutely blown away. Nan Goldin and Diane Arbus. I also love Juno Calypso's work.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Ramona Rosales: Music (my favorite tunes and ability to hear it), sketchbook (with something to write with), flavor (I do keep hot sauce in my bag).
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
RR: I would love to share a pie with Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Juila Louis-Dreyfus, and Tina Fey … not only the funniest women to ever grace us with their presence, but badass businesswomen who have paved the way for women in entertainment, and a constant inspiration for me.
Last book you read?
RR: Kim Gordon's Girl in a Band: A Memoir.
Favorite film?
RR: This is a hard one to narrow down, but it's a tie with John Waters' Cry Baby Cohen Brothers' Raising Arizona.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
RR: Work-wise, I really just identify as a photographer that just happens to be female. I know as people we have a unique voice and I do feel that voice comes through in my work to a degree, but I feel that the message is more ambiguous since I'm telling other peoples' stories. My personal work takes on a deeper side that can be described as more feminine since it taps into more raw memories and colors of my childhood and being brought up in somewhat "traditional" standards even though I was very much a tomboy getting dirty in my dad's garage. I feel overall I try to push more joy and color though my work which I identify more with than my gender.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
RR: I'm always mistaken as the makeup artist when I roll into set with my camera bag and always get the surprised look that I'm actually the boss. My first name is often misspelled and the masculine version of my name is sometimes in its place, also creating surprise on set. I'm looking forward to the day when being a photographer while female isn't a surprise or a novelty.
Advice to your younger self?
RR: Fear is just a speed bump, stop saying you are sorry and speak up.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
RR: Off the top of my head, I love Collier Schorr, Natalia Mantini, Carlota Guerrero.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Rose Marie Cromwell: Coconut oil, notepad, and a secret good luck charm.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
RMC: My husband Roman and I would eat fresh raw tuna on the beach in Panama after a surf session.
Last book you read?
RMC: Miami by Joan Didion, which I recommend.
Favorite film?
RMC: Not possible to answer this, but La Ciénaga by Lucrecia Martel just came to mind.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
RMC: That you carry the burden to always subvert the ever-present male gaze.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
RMC: The photo world is a boy's club for sure, and that is why it's so important we as women work together and collaborate. We should not only ask for help, but reach out to younger women who may need our guidance. We must be intersectional feminists as well—that is the key to more diverse storytelling, and we all benefit from that.
Advice to your younger self?
RMC: Drown out the noise, and stay focused on what your intuition tells you to do.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
RMC: Susan Meiselas, Carrie Mae Weems, Collier Schorr, Rinko Kawauchi, Graciela Iturbide, and many more.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Sam Cannon: My PC (her name is Birtha, named after my grandmother), my greenscreen (oh the possibilities), my passport (NY, I love you, but this relationship only works if we take breaks).
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
SC: A munchie-fueled feast of Taco Bell with my big sister.
Last book you read?
SC: [Rebecca Soffer's] Modern Loss: Candid Conversation About Grief. Beginners Welcome.
Favorite film?
SC: A few that were very impactful to me when I was young: The Matrix, What Dreams May Come, The Fall, Akira Kurosawa's Dreams.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
SC: That I have my own stories to tell; some that are born from my own identity and experiences and others that are not. It also means I get asked this question a lot but I am really grateful to be creating in a time when more diverse voices are being heard.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
SC: A lot of my personal work focuses on the way images of women's bodies are manipulated and shared online. I often photograph myself for those works, so I would say the subject, the gaze, and the story I'm telling in those images are steered by my identity as a woman.
Advice to your younger self?
SC: Just because you love it, doesn't mean it isn't work.
Which other female photographers do you admire?
SC: Aleia Murawski, Christelle de Castro, Parker Day, Miranda Barnes, and Marie Tomanova.
Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?
Yuri Hasegawa: I can't live without my fur-son, Buddy, and Gizmo, who passed away last year (he's always with me). They save me. My family in Japan. They're my rock. iPhone. I'm 100 percent relying on my iPhone for running business.
If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?
YH: Absolutely with my husband/soulmate, who unfortunately passed away. If I could see him again, that's the ultimate wish. We'd eat anything amazing delicious. There's lots of food I'd love to check out with him these days in LA.
Last book you read?
YH: Good Old Dog: Expert Advice for Keeping Your Aging Dog Happy, Healthy, and Comfortable. Until I lost Gizmo last year, I'd been a Two Senior Dogs Mom. They were the first dogs I had in my life and I had no clue and needed to lear what happens when a dog gets old.
What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?
YH: It's been quite awesome for me that I feel like I got more exposure being female photographer last year, got lots of great opportunities working with lots of amazing creatives, including talented female creatives. But in the end, it should be 100 percent equal opportunities for everyone. I feel like the goal of society and the industry should be that we are just identified as "photographers" and get equal opportunities to start with.
Do you have a relevant photo-related story that specifically involves working as a female photographer?
YH: My very first editorial assignment was from Japanese men's street culture magazine. The editor-in-chief, a Japanese man, told me, "Most subjects I feature in this magazine are hardcore street dudes. I want a female photographer photograph them. Trust me, it works better. It's psychology and when 'male egos' hit each other, it can be horrible and I've had problems in the past. It depends, of course, but in most cases male subjects try to keep their macho image going if a male photographer shows up. I want to strip that wall down. A female photographer can break that wall, they can bring a different perspective to the table, and I want that." I soon realized what he was talking about.
Last year, I photographed actress Cynthia Erivo. At the end of the shoot, She told me, "This was my very first photo shoot with a photographer who is a woman of color. We gotta make this happen more in industry. Keep going girl!"
Advice to your younger self?
YH: Have eyes/sensitivity to see both the big picture and the details. Just do it more! Travel more! Have dogs in life!
Which other female photographers do you admire?
YH: One of my mentors, Coral Von Zumwalt. She's just awesome to begin with. A kick-ass mom, and a natural-born photographer. I had years of amazing opportunities assisting her. She showed/taught me a lot, and still gives me advice and encouragement and checks in to make sure I'm OK.
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