No matter the subject, studio shooter Stan Musilek creates his own "decisive moment" to achieve results that are larger than life, better than real.

A Stan Musilek image is composed of opposites: monumental and intimate, luscious and spare.

Even in such a mundane space as a kitchen, these forces play out. The imposing, panoramic expanse of red and gray, the brushed-steel appliances and fixtures standing out like islands in a sea of crimson.

Your eye is drawn to the elegant woman as she leans against the counter and then to the man who pauses in mid-step in the background.

The scene is both austere and inviting at the same time.

Or consider an elegant model presented in beautiful pearly grays unveiling...

On the cover: “Roulette Girl,” an ad for the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Casino, is one of Stan Musilek’s many composite studio creations. Made of six different elements, the image includes greenery that was shot at Versailles, near Paris. 

Cover photo: © Stan Musilek

Two opposing views from photo experts on how Congress is attempting to address images with uncertain ownership

For all the upheaval that has shaken the photography industry in recent years, one of the more contentious issues is the management of so-called “orphan works” – those created compositions that have no discernible owner or definitive copyright information.

While everyone agrees that something must be decided to protect the copyright of archival images that are currently in legal limbo, consensus had yet to be reached at press time.

As the world continues to sink deeper into an economic crisis, with the U.S. government bailing out banking monoliths and oil prices struggling to stabilize, the challenge to survive in business continues for everyone. At the same time, Americans are preparing for a presidential election, which is sure to have a profound impact on our collective future, whatever the outcome.

In this tempestuous atmosphere, the photography world recently reconvened for the biennial Photokina exposition in Germany to discuss the latest groundbreaking advances in photo technology. Most notably, the introduction of high-definition video capability in the high-end still-camera market is empowering photographers to express themselves creatively, conveniently and affordably in the motion-picture medium. This issue’s expanded...

The founder of one of the nation's most prestigious photo workshops is helping aspiring photographers carry on her passion for socially concerned imagery.

Committed. Concerned. Caring. Those three C's pretty much sum up photographer Julia Dean, who not only has incorporated those elements into her life and work but also has strived to encourage other photographers to do so through her teaching.

"The thing that impresses me most about Julia is her desire to make a difference in people's lives," says longtime friend Reid Callanan, founder and director of the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops.

This year, Dean, who established the prestigious Julia Dean Photo Workshops nearly a decade ago, is moving into high gear with her love of photography about...

Despite early fears of internet censorship by the Chinese government, professional photographers in Beijing this summer were able to capture and transmit a stunning array of images to the rest of the world during the 2008 Olympic Games.

The Associated Press wired up to 1,000 images per day from the more than 70 photographers they had assigned to cover the Games. Getty, as the official photo agency of the Games, brought more than 40 photographers to Beijing. Reuters photographers also took many photos but did no editing on-site...