I started shooting professionally when I was twenty. Besides being young, I was a girl woman in an industry which was dominated by men in high-water khaki pants, incessantly comparing their lens sizes. Our way of dealing with it, was to exclude ourselves. We never joined the organizations, or cared about awards and accolades. In our mind, it was reward enough not to be around people who were patronizing us. Like the time, I literally got patted on the head by a balding competitor. He said, "Don't worry, you'll get there". And I thought, "If 'there' is where you are, I'm fine where I am". Fast forward thirteen years to a different world. I don't know what happened, but today's most successful photographers are inclusive and real. And it totally shows up in their work. It's as if the pretentiousness of the eighties and early nineties tired people out, and created a whole new breed of photographers who just wanted to document real moments. It seriously rocks!

So I thought it would just be nice to raise a virtual internet glass to all the photogs out there who are keeping it real. Here are a few of my personal favorites...(besides all the Shutter Sisters of course)

Nate and Jaclyn Kaiser

Nick Onken

Jesh DeRox

Anna Kuperberg

Kate Mefford

Tara Whitney

Davina Fear

Amelia Lyon

The Whitebox Girls

Melissa Jill

Millie Holloman

Oh, there are so many, many more. What about you? Who are your favorite peeps?