It’s not a pretty picture. They deal with sexism and various hazards but there are ways for women to survive and thrive in this field heavily dominated by men.
Earlier this week, a journalist from Metro Manila, Philippines said that while he had lost count of all the photographers he had worked with, he still remembers how many of them were women.
“Five,” he shared after running down their names. “One of them I’ve worked with multiple times; the rest I’ve worked with only once.”
His name is Kendrick Go and for nearly two decades, he has been attending press events and conducting interviews for various publications in his home country. He often goes on these assignments accompanied by a photographer chosen by the title that booked him and, more often than not, that photographer is a man.
“That seems to be the long-running trend as well even for publications I don’t work for,” he said. “At press events, it’s so rare for you to see a woman handling a camera. So, when you do, it ends up sticking to you.”
This happens in other parts of the world as well and it’s been causing women to talk. Among the most vocal ones is Yvonne Hanson, a Vancouver-based photographer with a relatively sizeable following on both Instagram and Youtube. In January 2024, she published a video and put this gender-based discrepancy into focus.
“Women,” she shared, “make up less than 25 percent of all professional photographers who are making a full-time income.” She said that this was a curious state of affairs because around 80 percent of students graduating from photography programs are women.
This is a trend also noticed by Lisa Devlin, a photographer based in Brighton, England. Aside from being a celebrated lenswoman of weddings, she is also the head of Photography Farm, a project which provides mentorships and workshops in her craft. In 2022, Devlin stated that about 70 percent of the people who enrolled in her programs were women and yet, she noticed that those numbers have yet to reflect in her profession.
“Where do all these graduates go?” she asked. But while she may not know this, she did have theories as to why they’re not in her field.
According to Devlin, photography can be a discouraging profession for women. For starters, there is apparently a gender bias in the industry and in her controversial reel, Hanson—who also believes this—zoomed in on it.
“Female photographers earn, on average, 40 percent less than their male counterparts,” she said. “92 percent of commercial advertisements are photographed by men despite the fact that women make 80 percent of all consumer purchases. You would think that if you’re selling to mostly women, having the female gaze in your advertisements might be useful but apparently it doesn’t matter.”
Camera companies also weren’t spared in Hanson’s critique of the industry. She brought up the observation that about 85 percent or more of brand ambassadors that they select are men. “I wonder if on some level, we expect men to be better at photography than women,” she added, “because literally every list of famous and intellectual photographers I could find online is populated by men—and Annie Lebovitz.”
Devlin experienced the said bias personally. In her website, she shared that, once, sent her portfolio to a music magazine but was utterly rejected.
“I called the picture editor to get some feedback,” she shared. And the person she contacted—also a woman—told her that they simply do not hire women photographers because they booked one once and she failed to meet their standards.
“The next time I sent my portfolio in,” she shared, “I simply took the Lisa part of my name away and I booked a job.”
But getting in the industry is one thing; feeling like you belong in it is another. Photographer Leah De Leon Peregrin was made aware of this when she was younger. She’s been working in the industry for more than 10 years and she has gotten comfortable with her place in it. But, for a time, she didn’t feel that way and it’s because of how her contemporaries—mostly men—treated her.
Photographers tend to be put in many situations wherein they have to work alongside each other and it is in situations like this where she saw the ugly side of the industry.
“It can be really discouraging if, let’s say, you’re in an assignment and then other male photographers would find the need to mansplain photography to you as if you don’t know how to go about it,” she said. “There are also those who obviously want to one-up you in all photography aspects by flexing what they have: from their gear to their clients. You can really feel their ego.”
That happened to her a lot and such behavior used to dishearten her.
“I even doubted if I have a future in photography,” she said.
But this is just one possible source of insecurity for a woman on the job. There are also the basic realities that they tend to deal with regularly: violence, abuse, harassment and petty crimes. All over the world, women tend to encounter these. And for those who are photographers, worry over such hazards are compounded by the fact that they can face them while they have to care for pricey gear that can get damaged or stolen. “We have to work hard to protect both ourselves and our expensive equipment,” Devlin said.
But in spite of how discouraging this artform can be, Devlin, Hanson, Peregrin and other photographers have successfully positioned themselves behind the view finder. And from there, they managed to see the things that women need to do if they want to give the profession photography a shot.
DON’T SHOOT FROM THE HIP
The act of taking a photograph seems simple enough. One finds a moment worthy of being preserved, frames the image and presses a button.
Some of the best photos captured however required more than. Photographer Nikka Ballesteros (née Corsino) knows this. She is currently managing Owen & Nikka Wedding Photography and Sunnyside Studio Baguio. But, prior to her handling of these two businesses, she was a regular travel photographer.
Some of her most successful pieces from this job are intimate portraits of indigenous people in the Philippines, vistas framed and lit well enough to explain why they’ve been inspiring foot traffic, and raw moments that genuinely capture how people live. To acquire these photos, she needed to do more than frame them and press a button: she needed the right timing and gear—all things made available to her through ample preparations.
“Being at the mercy of changing weather & different times of the day taught me to be efficient at work,” she said. “While not strictly a disadvantage, not being able to control a lot of things outdoors can train you to be more disciplined in your craft, to plan what can be planned, and accept what you can’t control and work around it.”
Skillshare, an online learning community advises the same thing. In the group’s website, it encourages photographers to come to shoots with a plan as this better ensures success.
“Planning ahead sounds like an obvious first step, but far too many photographers neglect it,” the group stated. “Failing to plan can sabotage the final product in many different ways.”
When planning, the group stated that it is necessary to consider the time of the shoot as well as the weather. “Sunrise and sunset are two of the best times of day to capture dazzling natural light,” the group’s website stated. This is why it is important for the group to research the time when these will be available if they are needed.
Aside from this, the group also thinks it’s necessary to understand the specifics of the location. For instance, if one is shooting at the beach, the photographer must try to use available technology—like mobile apps—to access reports on the tide levels and the weather conditions of the location.
“But technology can only do so much,” the group stated in its website. “When possible, you’ll also want to scout out your location in person before arrival. Look for scenes, objects, and compositions that might work for you when you are ready to shoot.” And if one can’t do that, arriving early helps.
Having worked with Peregrin in the past, Go attested to the value of this.
“What she usually does is look at what’s available too her before the shoot begins,” he shared, “and she uses that information to figure out what her shots will look like. So, once the actual shoot begins, it flows smoothly because she doesn’t have to take time between shots or while shooting to figure out what to do.”
Planning also allows photographers come with the correct gear, another aspect of the craft that serious photographers need to keep in mind to ensure a shoot’s success.
GEAR UP AND GLOW UP
When Ballesteros was starting out as a travel photographer, she was advised by her editor to take lots of photos. She didn’t think much of it when she got that tip since it seemed obvious. “But now that I manage my own [photography businesses,] I appreciate its truth all the more,” she shared. “A missed photo is a missed moment: you can’t take it back. You can’t redo it. I’ve learned this the hard way several times. I look back at photos I took and they don’t seem to justify what I’d seen and experienced.”
With the current state of photography these days, those who aren’t interested in using film cameras have plenty of comparatively inexpensive frames at their disposal. This will allow them to take many photos and increase their chances of capturing an image they like. This can happen even if the device used for taking images can only do so as a secondary feature.
“Your cellphone photos are totally legit,” wrote Kori Perten, who compiled tips for female photographers in Reviewed.com. “Maria Bentley is an accomplished destination wedding photographer. But her first steps toward becoming a professional photographer started with a cell phone.”
Ballesteros agreed with this. “Your gear, no matter what it is, should empower you to create the things you want,” she said. “It’s perfectly fine to use a phone or a startup camera as long as it lets you create. As your skill grows, so will your tools.” And when one wishes to start upgrading, there are several options to look at.
Aside from buying a digital SLR or a mirrorless camera (since both can be more versatile than phone cameras,) lenses are also good investments.
For outdoor photo shoots, photographer Chelsy Weisz suggested buying a zoom lens stating that they “give you the option to stand in one place and use your lens to get tighter images of your subject.” This means that if a photographer manages to secure a safe spot to begin shooting from, a zoom lens will allow her to take a wide variety of shots from that one vantage point. This will not be the case with a prime lens which has a fixed length.
As for the type of zoom lens one should start with, a 24-70mm lens tends to be quite popular among photographers—professionals and hobbyists alike. This type of lens is known for two things: versatility and durability.
“Most 24-70mm lenses are impressively robust, featuring a solid build that’s designed to last,” said Digital Photography School. “Manufacturers know that these are ‘walkaround’ lenses, so they’ve made sure a 24-70mm can handle anything you might face, from rain and snow to blowing sand and dust.”
But forces of nature can contribute only a fraction of a photographer’s struggles on the job; sometimes, people can just as easily add to it.
BLEND IN TO BE A STANDOUT
Outdoors, photography is often a craft that catches the eye.
It’s an interest that can sometimes lead to the use bulky, highly visible equipment and even if it doesn’t, it can still encourage behavior that draws attention. In a moving crowd, for example, the sheer act of stopping to take photos separates one from the group; singles one out.
Many photographers acknowledge this but, still, a number of them believe that those behind the lens should not entirely abandon the goal to be inconspicuous or nonintrusive while taking photos. Ballesteros, for one, has found success through it.
She once spent 11 days in the village of famed tattoo artist Whang-Od in Buscalan, Kalinga. Here, she witnessed the importance of being lowkey. Blending in allowed her to take natural human interest images suggesting that her subjects were being honest; this as opposed to looking unnatural whether its because of their discomfort or their desire to play to the camera.
“To take photos with empathy is something I always try to do, especially now that I photograph mostly people,” she shared. “This means I cannot just barge in, start clicking, and expect photos to be true representations of the people whose portraits I took.” By taking her time, positioning herself correctly on the sides, and waiting until she is no longer the center of attention, she eventually managed to get the honest shots she wanted.
Being low-key, however, doesn’t just affect a photographer’s output. It also affects their safety.
“Blend in, be friendly, don’t make yourself into a target,” this is the advice of award-winning photographer David Robinson. In his website, he expounded on the importance of this. After telling people that they should research the location they’ll be taking their camera to, he then suggested dressing up with the goal to fit in better with the location.
“One of the biggest photography safety hazards is standing out,” he shared. “To stay safe on your travels, it’s best to blend in so you don’t attract attention. That means no new trainers and designer tops when everyone around you is wearing casual shorts and t-shirts, and no tattered shorts when all around you are in suits and hand-made leather shoes.”
And these aren’t his only tips for photographers.
“DO” BUT DON’T OVERDO
Robinson has been a lensman for over 20 years and was able to test a number of safety measures in his long career. These include keeping photography equipment in a sturdy bag difficult to cut or break and never leaving them unattended. He also suggested ditching branded camera bags so as to not encourage theft (which he shares is one of the major hazards of his profession.)
And in line with that, he also suggested making life even harder for thieves. “Put an anti-theft wire mesh bag inside the backpack,” he wrote. “These can be bought easily and will prevent opportunists from slashing the pack while it’s on your back and stealing the contents from behind you. You can add a GPS tag to the bag too so if it does go astray, you and the police can track it down.”
Traveling in groups also helps, he said, as this would equip one with an extra set of eyes and discourage those with ill intentions. And finally, there’s one of the most important tips photographers fail to realize or simply forget while pursuing their passion: no photo is worth your life.
“This point seems fairly obvious when discussing photography safety hazards,” he said. “However, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment and take unnecessary risks to get the perfect shot.”
In other words, a photographer must know what the situation is, what best to do in it and when it’s time to get out of it.
For a lot of women, however, this will only be applicable if they actually get in first and that leads to yet another crucial advice other photographers can give to them: “just try it.”
SEE THE BIG PICTURE
Photography as a career can be challenging for women but there are those who have proven that success in it is attainable for them.
Sometimes, that is the prize for those who consistently do a good job while maintaining the reputation of a consummate professional. It can also be the reward for those who have a strong and unique selling proposition. In the case of photographers, that can be found with one’s point of view—something that Peregrin values.
“Never lose your vision or your identity as a creative,” she said. “Hold on to it in spite of all the noise that surrounds you.” And the noise can be copious, according to her and her contemporaries.
For Peregrin, it came in the form of mansplaining colleagues; for Devlin, barefaced misogyny. As for Hanson, she encountered both and more. That includes the gaslighting which sought to undermine the idea that women are discriminated against in this field. This is the tenor of the negative comments she received for her reel. And the response didn’t just come from “randos in the Internet.” These were actual working photographers using their professional accounts. Some even had large followings.
In a video responding to these comments, Hanson decided to fight back—to not allow this narrative to go unchallenged.
Here, Hanson brought up some of the responses that she got and zoned in on the two general points they tried to make to invalidate her views.
“The first, ‘it’s not sexism, women are just misrepresenting their experiences,” she said. “And the second, ‘it’s not sexism, women just aren’t as good as men.’ The first one, ignores the statistics; the second one rationalizes them. We see really similar thinking in the conversation around racism.”
This is especially true in the first one. “A lot of people who have never experienced racism,” Hanson pointed out, “will hear all of these folks give testimonies about how they’ve been discriminated against, about racial profiling, police brutality, hate crimes and we’ll ask them: ‘what makes you think it was about your race? How do you know it’s racism and not something else? Maybe the person who discriminated against you was having a bad day. Somebody said something mean to me last week but I didn’t assume that it’s because I was white.”
Arguments of a similar nature came at her in the comments section of the reel. One in particular tried to dismiss Hanson’s concern by saying that in the photo studio that he worked for, the photographers were mostly women.
“These folks are disagreeing with or disregarding the stats because it doesn’t align with their own personal experience,” she said. “Now, there are legitimate reasons to disagree with any set of stats. Maybe it’s got a poor sample size, or shoddy data collection methods but you’ll notice that’s not the argument that any of these guys are making. What I read in these comments is ‘the stats are unreliable because they conflict with my own experience or observations of reality.”
The stats in question, according to Hanson, are produced through the testimonies of thousands of women reporting their own experiences. And, such responses, especially from men, reek of sexism.
“These comments are essentially saying ‘my set of experiences as a singular man are more reliable than the collective experiences of hundreds or thousands of women,” she shared.
And then there’s the second one, “it’s not sexism, women just aren’t as good as men.” To this, Hanson laughed a bit.
“It is so self-defeating,” she said. “These guys are so unwilling to acknowledge that gender-based discrimination is real that they are willing to make blanket statements about all women to explain the statistics. I shouldn’t have to say it but I’m gonna say it: making blanket statements about all women is sexism.”
Towards the end of the video, Hanson put up another response that she got. In it, a man told her that she should just do her best, keep trying and eventually there will be a better ratio between men and women in the field. He also said that “forcing” equally is not a good idea.
To this, Hanson has questions: “So how do you figure that equivalent ratio will come about? If we just ignore the problem, pretend that it doesn’t exist, tell women to stop mentioning it? Eventually, it will sort itself out? Why would that happen? Can you name a single social problem in history that has just sorted itself out?”
Hanson said that she couldn’t think of one and that this is precisely why she’s talking. It’s also the reason why other women are bringing this issue up. They noticed a truth worth sharing to the public and so they did—such, after all, is the work of photographers.
