Image credit: Eric Mencher
Eric Mencher is an award-winning American documentary photographer who after years as a newspaper photographer sold his “proper” camera gear and now shoots exclusively on his smartphone.
“It’s a visually liberating tool!” says Eric of his phone, protesting the way that mobile photography is often separated from professional photography, driven by assumptions on the part of curators, picture editors and creative directors that phones will only deliver low-quality photos.
In reality, new technology like smartphones and their capabilities have helped raise the quality of work by inspiring creativity. Social media technology like Instagram has allowed amateur and professional photographers to capture everyday moments that previously might have gone unnoticed. This type of non-traditional photo capturing has greatly impacted democratising photography.
Image credit: Eric Mencher
“In another life, I was a photojournalist at The Philadelphia Inquirer, where I covered assignments all around the world, including the post-apartheid era in South Africa, the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda, life under Fidel Castro in Cuba and the civil war in Chechnya. I also photographed a lot of stories in the arts, including the 100th anniversary of James Joyce’s Ulysses, Cezanne in Provence, and a series illustrating Cervantes’ masterpiece, Don Quixote. The arts are important to me.”
Visit Eric Mencher’s website for more of his catalogue.
Image credit: Eric Mencher
In our Spotlight session, Eric will dive deeper into how his photographic philosophy has evolved through the years: why he photographs, what he looks for, and the software he uses to capture his striking scenes.
Learn how you can make the most of your smartphone camera by registering for the event below, and we’ll see you on Wednesday 20 July at 12:30pm (Sydney time). After Eric’s talk, there will be a live Q&A where he will answer your burning questions.
