Jill Waterman

While she never dreamed of being a cowboy, the gift of a cowgirl outfit brought Jill Waterman to tears, until her parents relented and replaced the dainty skirt with some pants. She caught the photography bug while studying art in Paris, and she hasn’t looked back since. After more than a decade as a photo editor (surrounded by mountains of slides of varying heights), she added writing to the mix as an editor of custom publishing projects for Photo District News. A team member of the B&H Explora blog since 2015, Waterman moonlights as a night photography specialist. Her first book, the technical volume Night and Low Light Photography, www.nightphotographybook.com, was published by Amphoto in 2006. Learn more about her ongoing project to document New Year’s Eve celebrations around the globe at www.newyearphotos.com.

Latest Articles

1 day ago
There is perhaps no truer sign of summer than Independence Day in the United States. The Fourth of July is when the summer season kicks into full gear, with barbeques, pool parties, family gatherings, and road trips galore—not to mention the fireworks! One lead-up to this holiday that I will never forget found me hurtling down the New Jersey Turnpike at sunset in a Greyhound bus. As the twilight…
1 day ago
As a follow-up to Part 1 of our fireworks story, it’s worth noting that photographing a fireworks show is no easy feat. Readers seeking a how-to guide to this subject need look no further than this Explora article, by Todd Vorenkamp. Yet, as that article notes, and the photos featured…
1 day ago
What does it take to photograph elite athletes pushing their bodies to the point of collapse, or freeze the motion of cars hurtling by at speeds that blur the line between control and catastrophe? Above Photograph © Camden Thrasher…
2 weeks ago
Music photography has always been a listener favorite, and through the years we’ve gathered countless stories from legendary photographers about what it takes to document all aspects of the music scene. Above Photograph © Jim Marshall, from the new book The Beatles By Jim Marshall: Live At Candlestick Park, in bookstores…
4 weeks ago
“Live From New York, it’s Saturday Night!” That single sentence has become a catchphrase for devotees of comedy and popular culture for more than 50 years—generations of fans who willingly turn their attentions from the height of weekend revelry to the televised antics of Saturday Night Live. Above Photograph © Mary Ellen Matthews As this illustrious broadcast wraps its 51st season, we’re…
1 month ago
Photography has plenty of different specialty areas—portraits, sports, fashion, food, still life—to name just a few. In today’s show we’re going to investigate a specialty that involves all these subjects, while calling for a photographer who is technically precise, emotionally intuitive, and practically invisible, all at once. Above Photograph © Myles Aronowitz It’s a corner of the industry…
1 month ago
Sports photography hinges on freezing peak action—transforming a high-speed blur into a dramatic portrayal of human effort. When you combine that with the unyielding drive of elite athletes on the world stage, the pressure to nail the shot provides an incredible adrenaline rush. Above photograph © Jean Fruth In today’s podcast, we discuss the unique challenges of documenting history in the making…
2 months ago
At its best, photography draws from both science and art, to give resulting images a dual purpose—aesthetic innovation and scientific merit. And when that photography happens from the windows of the International Space Station, capturing star trails, city lights, and our blue planet against the void of space, it becomes something truly transcendent. Above Photograph © Donald Pettit, NASA In today…
3 months ago
One of the most polarizing questions in the mind of any photographer is “Should—or shouldn’t I—get an agent?” The role of an agent in a photographer’s career is often misunderstood, leading hungry creatives to think that securing representation is their number one key to success. In truth, the relationship between a photographer and agent is far more nuanced than simply booking more assignments…
3 months ago
While its origin is murky, the adage “Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time,” is at the heart of this wide-ranging discussion about ethical practices in wildlife photography. Above Photograph © Melissa Groo From exotic safaris to local birding expeditions, interest in this subject matter has grown tremendously in recent years. Ever advancing camera…
4 months ago
It takes a lot of guts to engage with a stranger on the street, ask probing questions about their struggles, and come away with a portrait and a story as a record of the human connection that was made. Now, imagine repeating this process countless times over 15 years under the moniker Humans of New York (HONY) and watching what…
4 months ago
Paul Mobley and Ian Spanier have much in common: from starting their respective careers in New York City before relocating to the West Coast, to their knack for forging a human bond with portrait subjects, to an unrelenting drive to generate ambitious commercial assignments while being equally dedicated to complex personal projects. Above Photograph © Ian Spanier In today’s podcast, Paul and Ian…
5 months ago
In case you don’t already know, 2025 marks 10 years since we started the B&H Photography Podcast, making today’s show our tenth annual Photo Gear of the Year episode! A lot of cameras have come down the pike since that first recap, along with a veritable roller coaster of marketing strategies and photographic trends.…
5 months ago
“Wow, this is your job? I didn't know that was a job! That's amazing. Can I have this job?” All Photographs © Chelsea Mayer, unless otherwise noted in captions That offhand epiphany neatly sums up the enviable career path of wildlife, adventure, and travel photographer Chelsea Mayer. From an early start with her mom’s camera to her selection for an Ambassador mentorship, before becoming a partner…
6 months ago
Photographs preserve what daily life cannot—moments that would otherwise fade into obscurity. In today’s show, we explore this topic through a nexus of American culture, popular folklore, and photographic archives in a chat with Alan Govenar and Adam Forgash, two photographers and visual historians who are passionate about unearthing and preserving forgotten stories. Above Photograph © Alan…