Photo Community A Photo A Day - The Photoletariat

Photo by Maddie McGarvey

Curious about photojournalism? Want to get honest critiques from photographers around the world? Look no further than A Photo A Day, a website and email listserve that has connected passionate photojournalists for nearly ten years.

Founded by Florida based photojournalist Melissa Lyttle, A Photo A Day, simply referred to as “APAD” by its members, is built on a simple concept; friends and colleagues sharing a photo a day and in return receiving critiques and feedback. Members of this community are working newspaper photographers, freelance magazine shooters, students and serious amateurs.

APAD is open to any interested photographer, but runs as a closed forum which allows for direct critiques about whether an image works and suggestions for the future. Work shared can vary between daily newspaper assignments, personal projectsand random images, just for fun. Beyond recieving helpful critiques, you get a daily collection (around 50 posts a day) of what people have recently shot, which is great for keeping a photographer visually literate and inspired.
Along with the community discussions APAD also takes a form as a website with a new photo, culled from the listserve, updated every day. There is also a blog that features photographer’s portfolios, contest information and interesting photojournalism related links.

As a student photographer, I came to love the community that APAD provided. The near instant feedback I received on images served as a second classroom where my peers were photographers on several different continents. APAD also hosts a yearly get together dubbed “Geekfest” and includes workshops, discussions and lectures.

If you’re serious about getting your photojournalism, as well as portraits, and daily life photographs off the ground and want to get involved in a dynamic community, look no further than APAD, one of the best friends a photographer can have.