Everyone’s experience with Unsplash is personal. From why they contribute their images, to what the platform means to them. When Mitch reached out to ask if we would be interested in hearing the story of how he became an Unsplash contributor, little did we know what a powerful story it would be.

Mitch has kindly given permission for his experience to be shared, and so in his own words, here is his story.

I am not a photographer. I have never been particularly into photography. I would call myself a shutterbug. Let me explain:

Back in 2006 I moved from Texas to Northern Ireland to pursue a doctorate in cognition and culture , basically the study of how and why the human brain produces recurrent cultural artefacts such as religion, politics, and art, at The Institute of Cognition and Culture at Queen’s University Belfast. When I moved here, I was struck by the beauty of my new surroundings that one of my first purchases over here was a mid-priced digital camera with a whopping 4MP! I got one small enough that I could carry it around every where I went. I started taking pictures of everything that caught my eye, whether because of its interest, beauty, or both.

At first, I was regularly sharing my photos with friends and family back home via email and an old, now defunct site called “Ball of Dirt” which was a travel photo journaling site. Eventually, as my studies became more intense, I stopped doing that as often.

Before I graduated, I met a girl. After I graduated, we got married and settled here in Belfast. But I continued taking pictures: over 17,000 over the past 13 years.

Even though I would occasionally share a photo or two on Facebook over the years, the pictures mostly just sat on my hard drive. I rarely even really looked at them after I uploaded them. I always intended to go through them, and even organize them, but I never really had the time. I was consumed by the publish or perish lifestyle of an academic.

All that changed a year ago last June. Last March I began have pain in my back below my right rib cage that was akin to pleurisy. I went to the doctor and got an x-ray which came back clear. I assumed it was just my back, with which I often had troubles. Nevertheless, over the next couple of months, the pain grew more severe. In the meantime, I developed a slight (and I DO mean slight) cough. I mentioned to my wife a couple of times that I thought that I might have walking pneumonia, but given that the x-ray had come back clear, I thought that unlikely.

Father’s day weekend last year, my wife and I headed from Belfast to Londonderry to visit her parents. While going over the Glen Shane Pass, a small mountain pass between Belfast and Derry, I began to feel ill. So much so, in fact, I told everyone the moment I arrived that I needed to go lie down, which I did. A couple of hours later, my mother-in-law came down to get me for dinner, and I was under two thick duvets and I was still shivering. I was running a high fever. I took some Tylenol and went to sleep. That is really the last thing that I remember about that weekend until I was being awoken by paramedics on Monday morning. My wife had been taking care of me all weekend and making sure I took my medications and such. That morning, however, she could not rouse me. That is when she called them.

When I awoke and realized what was happening, I really did not see what all the fuss was about. I though I just had the flu and I would be fine in a day or two. But the paramedics and my wife were insisting that I go to the hospital. Off I went.

Once there, I was informed not only did I have pneumonia, but double pneumonia. On top of that, I had developed an empyema which is a chest infection of the chest cavity itself. It was putting so much pressure on my right lung that it was causing it to collapse. But that was not even the worst part. I was suffering from severe sepsis and my organs were failing. That night they inserted the first chest tube (which would grow to four!), and the next day I was put on a ventilator. Unbeknownst to me, the doctors had told my wife that I was, at the time, the most ill person in the hospital, and I likely was not going to survive. In fact, so serious was my condition that they were going to have to put me into a deep medically induced coma from which they really did not expect me to awaken — ever.

I was in a category 3 coma for two weeks. I was as close to being dead as one can be without being dead.

Shortly after emerging from the coma, I was sent back to Belfast, this time by ambulance, to have emergency surgery to scrape the empyema from my chest cavity. I was touch and go for the next 24 hours, and required four blood transfusions. By the time it was all said and done, I spent three weeks in ICU and another two and a half weeks in the hospital.

The recovery from this ordeal has been brutally slow. After a year, I am only now getting back my physical stamina. Additionally, I have suffered from some cognitive deficits that have affected my ability to accomplish complex tasks, as well as left me with some memory problems. The doctors believe that I will continue to recover over the next six months to a year, but whether it will be a full recovery remains to be seen.

As you can imagine, I have been going a bit stir crazy. I had neither the physical strength to do much, and my mental faculties have not returned enough for me to return to my research. Earlier this year, my wife suggested that maybe now would be a good time to do something with all those pictures I have been taking over the past 13 years. So, beginning in late January or early February that is what I began doing. I really had not idea what to do with them, and still don’t. I started with the basic Windows photo app and slowly moved up to different programs to where I now know just enough Photoshop to screw up any good photo I touch. But, everyday for the past several months, I have sat here going through and working on my photos.

It turns out that it has been great therapy. Looking at the pictures is helping with my memory, and learning how to manipulate and polish the photos with the different applications is helping me deal with complex tasks. Since I have been doing this each day, I have seen great improvements on both the physical and mental fronts, a maybe a slight improvement in my photo editing skills.

I realized at some point along the way that I wanted to share my photos. But, I did not want to put them somewhere where their quality would be degraded. Neither Facebook or Instagram fit the bill there. After doing a bit of research, I learned about Unsplash and the massive audience which it reached. I wasn’t sure whether any of my photos were good enough in comparison to the other photos I saw on the site, but I uploaded a few anyway. I was quite startled to see how many views and downloads my first uploads got in their first 24 hours on Unsplash! Now, since the end of February, I am wholly surprised that my photos have received over a million and a half views!

I also really appreciate the review process at Unsplash. It has helped me to understand what constitutes a good photo and what does not. I study my photos that are rejected, approved and made searchable to try to discern the reviewers’ thinking behind their decision. I have yet to get a promoted photo, but with enough practice, who knows? I have also learned a lot from observing which photos of mine the public likes. I am often surprised which ones turn out to be the more popular.

— K. Mitch Hodge, MA, Ph.D.

If you’d like to share your story, email us at support@unsplash.com

The Power of Photography on the Road to Recovery was originally published in Unsplash Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

“The reason I shoot film in the age of the DSLR, the CMOS sensor, 16-bit RAW, four-hundred-and-nine-thousand ISO, and 61 points of phase-detection autofocus is simple: it is analogous to choosing your feet as a mode of transportation rather than the automobile, to spending an evening preparing a meal for your family instead of going out to a restaurant, or designing and building something yourself when you could have just purchased it. It is about the process. ” — Cody Smith

I was born in the mid 1970’s and like many born in that generation, my relationship with photography and film started the day I was born.

That’s a pretty powerful thought isn’t it? There aren’t many things that you’re exposed to on the day you are born that remain with you for life.

Growing up I was fascinated by looking at our family photo albums, seeing myself as a baby, how my parents and grandparents looked when they were younger. Those snapshots to the past, especially those of my parents and grandparents, helped me to develop a strong sense of identity and relate to others in my family.

I can still vividly recall holding 35mm negative film up to the light and thinking how different everything looked, how it must be some magic that made the negatives from the camera, and then turn that tiny strip into bigger photographs. Decades later, I still look at negatives in the same way, with a sense of awe.

Film photography has always been a part of Unsplash, but recently we’ve seen a rise in the the number of photographers sharing their film photography.

patrick. | on Twitter

Got a new 35mm shot on editorial with @unsplash 🤟 https://t.co/pNYuzMzfIi

Jp Valery 🦝 on Twitter

Dropping some medium format scans on @Unsplash cc @AnnieSpratt

Surges in people discovering, or rediscovering, film is nothing new. Over the past few years I’ve heard ‘film is having a comeback’ numerous times. But truth be told it never really went anywhere, it’s just that some of us took longer to find it than others. Take me for example, I’m 44 years old and have just starting shooting film for the first time.

Once I started shooting film, I started noticing film photography more as I navigated Unsplash in my day to day work and for personal inspiration. There’s been a trend over the past couple of years to create digital images that look like film, and whilst some come close to emulating real film you can usually tell the difference if you look closely enough. Often it’s the glorious imperfections that give the game away!

One afternoon we set up a ‘Shot of film’ Unsplash profile, the share collections curated by the Unsplash Editoral Team, to showcase some of the brilliant film photography shared on Unsplash. It was shared with the rest of the team, and Luke Chesser jumped in with an idea…

A few days later and the Film Topic was introduced on Unsplash, accessible directly from the homepage.

Annie Spratt on Twitter

Thrilled to say we've added a new Film photography Topic on @unsplash 😍 https://t.co/Cgpl89Q7V9

If you share film photography on Unsplash, tag your images to help us discover them. Some good tags include; shot on film, 35mm, 120mm, film photography, analog.

Of course you can also drop us a Tweet to let us know too.

Instant film, 35mm, 120mm, large format — it’s all welcome on Unsplash, so fire up your scanners or grab your DSLR and let’s bring these analogue moments into the digital world. Let’s share the beauty of film, introduce it to new audiences and support others starting to use film. 🎞

Handy resources

Why YOU should be shooting film video
How to Get Started With Film Photography article
How to: Read light using basic daylight exposure (sunny 16 rule) video
How to Scan and Organize 35mm Film Negatives video
Scanning without a Scanner: Digitizing Your Film with a DSLR article

🎞 Film photography in the spotlight on Unsplash was originally published in Unsplash Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

What I have found works well to banish the block though, is to try something new, get out of my usual groove and experiment.

In this article I’m sharing some different creative ideas, along with some examples from the Unsplash community and some handy links for articles and videos that have really helped me in my own photography. Hopefully you’ll find some of it useful too!✌️

Framing

Framing is a classic piece of advice, it can add an extra layer of depth to the photo, guiding the eye into the subject. But you don’t have to look for natural framing within the scene you are shooting — you can experiment with creating your own.

Creating your own frame — ideas

Using architecture to frame an image — ideas

Using nature to frame an image — ideas

Handy links

Using framing in photography
Framing in Photographic Composition

Reflections

Using reflections in photography can give creative and unexpected results. These different types of reflective sources offer their own challenges and rewards, and give you a fresh perspective on your subject. You might like to consider…

Reflections in water

Architectural and window reflections

Introducing a source of reflection

This could include mirrors — both small compact and larger sizes, prisms and fractal filters, spectacles or sunglasses, plastic or foil sheets, or even your iPhone screen.

Double Exposures

Experiment with combining two images, either in-camera or post-production for an ethereal effect.

Handy links

Double Exposure: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Multiple Exposure Images

Adding a layer of texture

Long exposures

Handy links

Video: Long exposure photography tutorial
Article: Tips and Tricks for Long Exposure Photography

For further creative photography inspiration I recommend checking out the following:

Unsplash Experimental Topic
A pasta strainer paired with some direct sunlight — Brandon Woelfel
Portrait Photography: Tips and Ideas to Instantly Improve Your Shooting
20 Cool Self-Portrait Ideas
Steve Roe’s split toning tutorial
Video: 5 Photography Hacks… I actually use — Brandon Woelfel

How to Overcome Photography Block was originally published in Unsplash Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

When I joined Unsplash in 2016 to oversee the content and curation on Unsplash, there were approximately 400 photos submitted every day. Fast forward 2020 and we see around 4,000 photos submitted every day!

One thing hasn’t changed over these three years though is the way that we select which photos to feature. Curation by its very nature is subjective, and in this article I’ll try my best to explain what we consider when selecting photos to be featured on our homepage.

The evolution of promoted photos.

As the volume of submissions have evolved, so has our homepage. Changes in the types of imagery being featured are fuelled by the photographers who are choosing to share their photos.

The type of imagery being submitted often follows trends, these aren’t conscious directions that we take when curating, but rather organic changes in photography in general. Here’s some observations from the past three years to better explain these organic changes I mention.

2016 saw a rise in the number of landscapes and inspiration travel photography. The editing style that we saw used the most were slightly faded matt-effects with warm rich tones.

2017 saw a shift towards drone and street photography. Editing styles shifted from the faded matt appearance, and both muted and orange and teal tones were more prevalent.

2018 has seen a rise in neon night photography and portraits, with more photos of people being submitted to Unsplash than ever before. Editing wise, grain has been on the rise.

Leading into 2019 we are already seeing a rise in photojournalism and experimental photography, as people push boundaries and explore creatively. We’ve also recently noticed a rise in film photography being submitted.

Curation

We aim to showcase a diverse section of photos daily, a visual snapshot that represents an overview of what our community is shooting and sharing. Imagery that represents the diversity of our community; professionals, hobbyists and those just starting to dip their toes into the world of photography. Full submission guidelines can be found here.

Here’s a few of the things that we consider when selecting photos to feature:

Photos that evoke a mood.
Forget technical perfections for a moment, and strip things back — it’s how the photo makes you feel. Photos that evoke a mood often feel more authentic, less ‘stocky’ and in turn have great appeal.

Photos that are useful.
The overall goal of Unsplash is to create a library of visuals that can be used openly to create anything, and so we take a lot of time to understand what people are looking for in a photo. What might seem like ‘just a photo of a wall’ can serve a multitude of uses, and are always very popular.

Photos that are different.
Never before have we all been exposed to so much imagery in our day to day lives. Photographers that experiment and explore creatively are producing eye-catching content, that grabs your attention and won’t let go.
Examples include; Unique perspectives, exploration of light and materials, creative use of colour and inventive framing.

Being featured

With more photos being submitted, we’re featuring more photos than ever before. This is not only hugely beneficial for those looking for beautifully authentic imagery, but also for inspiring fellow photographers.

At the same time, there are also more ways than ever to be seen on Unsplash. From being added to a popular collection or appearing in trending search terms through to new features like Topics.

The Unsplash visual library is growing every day. While trends change and the content becomes more and more diverse, the team behind curation reminds the same, with the same ethos and dedication that we’ve always had. ✌️

How we choose what photos to feature on the Unsplash homepage was originally published in Unsplash Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Host Raj Eiamworakul shares photos and tales from an Unsplash community photowalk, with the theme ‘Night Portraits’

I find myself more like an introvert that enjoys alone time and often feels as if I express myself better in writing than in conversation. However, the opportunity to host an Unsplash Photowalk in Beijing is really something I can’t say no to.

Location 1. Neon Signage

Location 2. Game Arcade

It was quite a walk before we found this spot, it was in the game arcade where they have this built-in black partition surrounded by the LED lights. We took turns to model and shoot.

Everyone really knows how to act but not everyone has a camera and know how to shoot. There were a few first-timers who are loyal fans of Unsplash, yet second-guessing themselves whether they want to take photography seriously.

They used my camera which I don’t mind at all while other friends showed them how to use it. Passion never fails.

Location 3. Adidas Flagship

There were 22 of us gathered in front of Adidas Flagship in Sanlitun. There was just a little bit of an overture and we then jumped straight into sharing the tips and camera settings for a night portrait.

As we were scouting for the venue, searching for places that give us warm pretty yellow light. And this is actually the moment I enjoyed the most. The weather was just lovely because Autumn was just kicking in a week ago. Everyone barely knows each other but with the passion for photography, it made me feel like we were friends for so long.

I got to learn so much, not just photography techniques but get to know a ‘stranger’ as a ‘person’. A stranger that I now call ‘friend’. When it came to the goodbye moment, we felt so attached and it was a really fun walk.

I don’t know if I will ever get to see them again in real life but I have followed most of them on Unsplash, and I can’t wait to see their awesome work!

Connect with our community in our Unsplash Slack channel #unsplash-asia— join at http://chat.unsplash.com

Connect with Raj

Unsplash
Website
Instagram
Twitter

Are you interested in organising an Unsplash event in your area? We’d love to hear from you! Here’s where to start.

All photos c/o: Raj Eiamworakul

Photowalk — Beijing was originally published in Unsplash Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

How to participate

1. From the Unsplash Awards website, select the category that you’d like to participate in and tap the Submit a photo button.
2. Select up to 3 photos (note: only photos that were uploaded in 2018 will be visible).
3. Press the Save button to save your selection. You can come back and edit/update your selection at any time until December 7th.

You can also upload new photos and they’ll appear at the top of the photo selection list.

Deadline

The deadline for submissions is Dec 7th, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. Photos submitted after that time will not be accepted.

Do I need an Unsplash account to apply?

Yes, you’ll need an Unsplash account to submit a photo for the Awards. If you don’t already have one, you can sign up for a free account here.

What are the photo requirements?

New submissions and photos uploaded in 2018 are eligible to be entered. Photos must meet our Submission Guidelines. Please submit images that are at least 3,000 pixels on the long edge.

Each submitted photograph, in its entirety, must be a single work of original material taken by the Contest entrant. By entering the Contest, entrant represents, acknowledges and warrants that he or she has full power and authority to enter the photograph, and that the photograph does not infringe any copyright or violate any other intellectual property rights. The entrant agrees to indemnify Unsplash inc from any and all third party claims arising from the photograph.

Photographs that include sculptures, statues, paintings, and other works of art will be accepted as long as they do not constitute copyright infringement or fraud. When photographing the work of others, it must be as an object in its environment and not a full-frame close up of another person’s art.

If the photograph includes other people, you must be prepared to provide a signed written personal release from all persons who appear in the Photograph submitted, authorizing use of the Photograph. If you are unable to provide a personal release, upon request by Sponsor and in the form provided by Sponsor, then your entry may be disqualified. You do not need to send the release with your entry. If you win, we will contact you if a model release is needed.

The photograph must not, in the sole and unfettered discretion of the Sponsors, contain obscene, provocative, defamatory, sexually explicit, or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate content. Photographs deemed inappropriate will be disqualified.

How many photos can I submit?

You can submit up to 3 photos per category.

Can I submit to more than one category?

Yes, you can!

Can I submit previously uploaded photos?

Photos that were submitted at any point in 2018 are eligible to be entered.

How can I nominate a community member to the Unsplash Community Award?

You can nominate an Unsplash community member by filling out this form.

How will selection work?

Submissions for the Unsplash Awards must be received between Nov 15th to Dec 7th. Submissions after Dec 7th, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST will not be accepted.

Our judges will be evaluating photos from each category from a pre-selected shortlist and the overall winner will be announced on December 17th.

Unsplash Awards Flight Giveaway — Official Rules and Entry Procedures

All categories winners will be automatically entered into a draw for a chance to win 1 of 3 free flights from Hopper, valued at $600 each.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS APPLY.

For the Official Rules and Entry Procedures, contact Hopper, Inc., 275 Third Street, Cambridge, MA 02142

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.

1. ELIGIBILITY: Unsplash Awards Flight Giveaway (“Contest”) is sponsored by Hopper, Inc., 275 Third St, Cambridge, MA 02142 (“Sponsor”) and is open only to legal residents of forty-nine (49) United States and the District of Columbia (void in Rhode Island, Puerto Rico and all U.S. territories, possessions and overseas military installations) who are at least eighteen (18) years of age or older as of November 2, 2018. Employees and contractors of Sponsor or their affiliates, sales representatives, licensees, web designers, judges, representatives, advertising and promotion agencies or agents (all of the foregoing, collectively, “Sponsor Entities”), and their immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, sibling (or “step” of each) and their respective spouses) and those living in the same household of each (whether legally related or not), are ineligible to enter or win the Contest. All applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Entry in the Contest constitutes your full and unconditional acceptance of these “Official Rules.”
2. CONTEST PERIOD: The Contest entry period begins at 12:00:01pm EDT November 15, 2018 and ends at 11:59:59pm EST December 7, 2018 the “Contest Period.” Winners will be selected from Entries properly submitted during the Contest Period.
3. CONTEST ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS: You may enter the Contest by entering the Unsplash Awards (up to a cost of $600 USD/ticket). You must follow the rules of entry outlined by Unsplash at https://awards.unsplash.com/. Each valid Entry constitutes a single entry, and the number of Entries is unlimited. A single winning Entry (each, a “Winner”) will be chosen at random at the end of the Contest Period and announced on December 15, 2018. Incomplete or invalid entries are ineligible. Entries may only be selected as Winners once. Alternative Method of Entry (“AMOE”): You may also enter the Contest by mailing an Entry form containing with your full name, date of birth, complete address, city, state, ZIP code, day and evening phone numbers (including area code), and email address (if any) to Hopper, Inc., 275 Third Street, Cambridge, MA 02142. To be considered eligible in the Contest, AMOE Entries must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on December 7, 2018. Disqualified Entries: Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify the Entry or attempted Entry of any individual found to be (a) tampering or attempting to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or any website operated by the Sponsor Entities; (b) using any robotic, macro, automatic, programmed or like entry methods to create Entries; © violating these Official Rules or the terms of service, conditions of use, and/or general rules of any Sponsor property or service; or (d) acting in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any other person.
4. PUBLICITY: As a condition of entry into the Contest, except where prohibited by law, each entrant grants to the Sponsor a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free license and right, to publicize, broadcast, display and/or otherwise use the Contest entrant’s name, city, state and biographical material (collectively, “Licensed Rights”) in any media now known or hereafter devised throughout the world in perpetuity for advertising and publicity purposes, without additional review, compensation, permission or approval of any entrant. The personal information related to any Entry collected through this Contest is subject to Hopper’s Privacy Policy [LINK: https://www.hopper.com/legal/privacy-policy/]. By entering this Contest, you agree to the use of your personal information as described in the above Privacy Policy.
5. SELECTION OF WINNERS: At the conclusion of the Contest Period (December 7, 2017), three (3) Prize Winners will be selected at random to receive one (1) round-trip airline ticket, with a value up to $600 per ticket. Total ARV of Prize is $600. Each of the three (3) Prize Winners will be selected from all eligible Entries during the Contest Period. Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible Entries received. Winners will be notified via email to the email address used to enter the Contest, or to email address if provided. Disputes regarding the identity of an entrant will be resolved by Sponsor in its sole discretion. The determination of a Winner will be conducted by Sponsor, whose decisions on all matters relating to the Contest, Winners, and eligibility of Entries shall be final and binding. Winners must respond to claim and accept the prize within seven (7) days of receiving a notification. All taxes are the responsibility of the Prize Winner, who may receive an IRS Form 1099 reflecting the final actual value of the prize, if applicable. At the sole discretion of the Sponsor, disqualification, forfeiture and the selection of an alternate winner may result from any of the following: (1) a Winner’s failure to respond to email notification within seven (7) days after its transmission; (2) a potential Winner’s failure to provide Sponsor with satisfactory proof of age, identity and residency; (3) a Winner’s failure to execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility/Liability/Publicity Release within seven (7) days after its transmission; and/or (4) any other non-compliance with the Official Rules. In the event of a Prize forfeiture, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, award or not award the forfeited Prize to an alternate winner. In no event shall the Sponsor be obligated to award more Prizes than the number of prizes stated in these Official Rules. No prize substitution, cash substitution, or assignment or transfer of Prizes is permitted, except by the Sponsor because of unavailability, in which case a Prize of equal or greater value will be awarded.
6. GENERAL. Sponsor Entities are not responsible for: (1) failed, returned or misdirected notifications based on inaccurate information provided by the Winner upon entering the Contest; or (2) entries and/or responses to Winner notifications which are lost, late, incomplete, illegible, unintelligible, postage-due, misdirected, damaged or otherwise not received by the intended recipient in whole or in part or for computer or technical error of any kind. Sponsor Entities are not responsible for claims, injuries, losses or damages of any kind resulting, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the awarding, delivery, acceptance, use, misuse, possession, loss or misdirection of the Prize; participation in this Contest or in any activity or travel related thereto or from any interaction with, or downloading of, computer Contest information.
7. This Contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Apple, or any airline.

Unsplash Awards 2018 — FAQ was originally published in Unsplash Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Host Dan Gold shares a video from an Unsplash community photowalk

We hosted our Medellin photography meet-up at the Medellin Botanic Garden — this is an oasis within the city where you can find tropical plant-life and even some animals roaming freely.

@halfhalftravel on Twitter

We hosted a photowalk in Medellin! Here's a little behind the scenes video from our event ✌️ https://t.co/Ih2JEpsjMN

This Unsplash meet-up attracted travelers and expats from Australia, France, Germany, Canada and Israel. During the hours we spent at the Jardin Botanico — which, by the way, is free! We walked through the jungle section and the desert plant life section, both of which have spectacular species native to different biomes. One surprise along the way was the large iguana that peeked out from some grass and proceeded to awe us with its climbing skills.

The cloudy weather was ideal for shooting and avoiding harsh shadows on the plant life. We did get some peeks of sun, toward the end, when we all boarded the Medellin metro as a group to head back toward El Poblado.

We’d like to thank everyone for coming out for the Medellin Unsplash meet-up!

✌️ Becca & Dan @Halfhalftravel

Read more about this event

Connect with Dan

Website
@halfhalftravel
Unsplash
Instagram
Twitter

Previous events hosted by Dan

Unsplash photowalk — Two Bridges, NYC
Shooting the sunset of the Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn — June 2017
Exploring Cordoba, Argentina — April 2017
Lima — October 2018

Are you interested in organising an Unsplash event in your area? We’d love to hear from you! Here’s where to start.

Photowalk — Medellin was originally published in Unsplash Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Host Dan Gold shares a video from an Unsplash community photowalk

Our Lima meet up had individuals from all over the world, and it was great for us to meet some locals who helped us navigate the historic city center and gave us tips and insight. From colorful balloons to local snacks and some wild street performances, we enjoyed one of the sunniest days of the month together at our Unsplash photo walk!

Connect with Dan

Website
@halfhalftravel
Unsplash
Instagram
Twitter

Previous events hosted by Dan

Unsplash photowalk — Two Bridges, NYC
Shooting the sunset of the Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn — June 2017
Exploring Cordoba, Argentina — April 2017

Are you interested in organising an Unsplash event in your area? We’d love to hear from you! Here’s where to start.

Video c/o Dan Gold

Photowalk — Lima was originally published in Unsplash Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

❓Who are you and what’s your role at Unsplash?
I’m Pina, and I’m the office manager at Unsplash. I’m also mom to Stephanie Liverani (co-founder at Unsplash), Chris Liverani(controller at Unsplash), mom-in-law to Mikael Cho (co-founder at Unsplash), and wife to Nino (unofficial physiotherapist at Unsplash). I’m pretty lucky to have the opportunity to work with my family, and at the same time contribute — in my own way — to this incredible platform.

🏡 Where do you live?
I live in Montreal, minutes away from the Unsplash office.

Where do you work?
I prefer going to the office, and working alongside the team, and being productive together. Previously we worked out of the Crew Collective Cafe, but we’ve just recently relocated a few blocks down the street, still in the heart of Old Montreal. I have some off days if the weather is really awful, when I prefer to stay cozy and work from home.

What’s your working background?
Prior to Unsplash, I did mostly administrative work at a Montreal hospital. My position didn’t require much computer knowledge, as I dealt mostly with their particular software for patients’ charts, results etc. Needless to say, working for an online company was quite new to me. Although it felt a little intimidating at the beginning, with patience and perseverance, and making Google my go-to friend, I’ve become quite confident.

👫 When did you join the team?
I joined the team in October 2014. Although, I feel like I’ve always been part of the team from the very beginning. Crew (prior to Unsplash), started in the basement of our family home.

Steph and Mikael’s creative ideas would be the topic of many family dinner conversations. I would watch them stay up all night and devote most of their waking hours bouncing ideas off of each other.

📷 What are your responsibilities / What does a regular day at Unsplash look like for you?
I start off my mornings going through emails and scheduling most of our team’s calls and meetings, or anything else that needs my attention. A few times a week, I’ll coordinate with Annie and Andrew and browse the list of newly celebrated contributors who’ve reached milestones or have been recently featured on Unsplash. We like to celebrate these moments, by sending these contributors a special something, and I’m in charge of the packaging and shipping.

Tending to administrative issues and making sure the Unsplash office runs smoothly is a priority; whether it be arranging for our move, booking trips, planning our retreat, on-boarding new teammates, tending to the Unsplash store, placing orders, etc.

Of course, I even make sure Luke Chesser has enough Diet Coke and Beanitos to keep him fuelled throughout the day.

Why do you enjoy working on Unsplash?
There are many reasons why I enjoy working on Unsplash. It’s such a real and transparent company with genuine care and respect for our community. I have so much admiration for the Unsplash team and our community.

It’s messages like these that just make my day:

Pina Messina on Twitter

When someone sticks this note on your office window at @Unsplash just makes your day❤️. Thank you! Wish I had the chance to say "hi" 👋

Then of course, I get to work with such talented and creative people who blend so well together in and out of work.

Another aspect is not having to do the whole 9 -5 thing! We’re extremely lucky that we get to manage our own time. If I’m feeling more productive in the late evening, I like to put in a few hours of work so I can tend to other things in the early morning if I need to.

Oh, and did I mention I get to work with 3 members of my family! It doesn’t get better than that.

☕️ Favourite working snack?
I enjoy a cold coffee in the summertime, so a decaf freshpresso and chia seed yogurt cup from the Crew Cafe hits the spot.

🐶 What do you do when you aren’t working on Unsplash? Hobbies / past-times…
I’ve taken up swimming once a week with my husband. It’s been on my list of things to learn for quite a while. Crossfit training twice a week with the Unsplash team, and solo workouts another 2 days. I enjoy taking our family dog Nala for walks on the waterfront in Old Montreal. Cooking or baking when I don’t have to is also therapeutic, relaxing and pressure free, so it’s a hobby I enjoy.

🕵️‍ Where can people find you / chat to you?
@Unsplash
@Twitter
@Instagram

More about the team…

Meet the Unsplash team: Stephanie Liverani

Meet the Unsplash team: Charles Deluvio

Meet the Unsplash team: Annie Spratt

Meet the Unsplash team: Pina Messina was originally published in Unsplash Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Host Federico Bottos shares photos and tales from an Unsplash community photowalk

We met at the parking on Pass Giau and we went for a coffee at the near Refuge. Clouds, sun and a well-marked path to follow, in order to better know each other and have a chat about the main topic of the day: landscape photography.

Once we arrived at the highest point of the trail, about 2360 meters above sea level (almost 7700 feet), we took some pictures of the wonderful landscape that spanned 360 degrees around us.

It was then time to go take a closer look at the lake, a wonderful water mirror, surrounded by peat and not easy to explore.

Waiting for the sunset we flew the drones, had some snacks and looked for nice compositions.

Then the red began to settle in the clouds: a unique and fulfilling light, which enveloped the Dolomites as rarely happens.

After some good photographs, we finally settled for the return, and with some difficulty we walked all the steep path back.

After some goodbyes we were ready to go back home, happy and with some new friends.

Connect with our Italy community in our Unsplash Slack channel #unsplash-italy — join at http://chat.unsplash.com 🇮🇹

Connect with Federico

Unsplash
Instagram

Are you interested in organising an Unsplash event in your area? We’d love to hear from you! Here’s where to start.

All photos c/o: Federico Bottos

Photowalk — Lago delle Baste was originally published in Unsplash Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.