Rebecca Kowalsky

Finish this sentence:

"The kind of photography I want to make feels like..."

1 day ago | [YT] | 5

Rebecca Kowalsky

There is something really different about handing someone a photograph of themselves… right there in the moment.

Not sending it later.
Not tagging them.
Not hoping they’ll find it online.

Just… giving it to them.

I’ve been experimenting with the Insta small printer that connects to the Insta360 camera, and it has added so much for me.
It turns a quick street portrait into something tangible.
Something immediate.
Something human.

You take the photo…
and a minute later… they’re holding it in their hands.

You see their reaction.
Their surprise and their joy.

It becomes more than a photograph.
It becomes a connection.

I made a short about this idea and how I’m using it.

If you’re curious about the setup/interested in ordering the Ace 2 Pro, you can check out my affiliate link:
www.insta360.com/sal/ace-pro-2?utm_source=Affiliat…

The first 10 people who purchase through my link will also receive a mini 2-in-1 tripod compatible with the Ace Pro 2 as a gift.

And the full video on how I use this camera for meaningful photography is here:
https://youtu.be/zeNKOrLye7g

2 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 26

Rebecca Kowalsky

I didn’t expect to make this video.

But I realized something recently…
after more than 25 years with a camera…

I noticed that I sometimes stop seeing like a photographer.

And started worrying about the algorithm.

Framing for likes.
Editing for the feed.
Thinking about how something will perform…
instead of how it feels.

I call it Algorithm Eye.

And I think many of us are dealing with it without even realizing.

This video is not about gear.
It’s not about technique.

It’s a wake-up call.

If you’ve ever felt like your photography is becoming less meaningful…
or more performative…
This might hit home.

👉 Watch here: https://youtu.be/rUdePiDFYOQ

And if you watch it, I’d really love to know:

Have you felt this shift in your own photography?

4 days ago | [YT] | 33

Rebecca Kowalsky

Why do some photographs stay with us for years… while thousands disappear the moment we scroll past them?

While reading the April issue of Black & White Magazine, I kept stopping — not just because of the images, but because of the ideas behind them.

Ideas about time.
About attention.
About the act of photographing itself.

So I made a video exploring a few of these thoughts — and how they might change the way we see the world with a camera.

If photography means something deeper to you than just gear and settings, I think you'll enjoy this one.

I'd love to know: what ideas have influenced the way you see as a photographer?
Have a look at the full video here:

https://youtu.be/wE6FmjiAuUI

1 week ago | [YT] | 24

Rebecca Kowalsky

Let me ask you something, honestly.

If someone handed you a tiny action camera…
Would you even try to make serious photographs with it?

Or would you assume it’s “not a real camera”?

I decided to test that assumption (AGAIN, after using a smartphone for serious photography), using the Insta360

But what I discovered ended up saying something much bigger about photography itself… and about how we think about cameras.

New video just went live.

Watch here:
https://youtu.be/bNlDSJQqHSw

After you watch, tell me in the comments:

What camera do you actually shoot with most of the time?

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 28

Rebecca Kowalsky

Which matters more to you right now?

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 9

Rebecca Kowalsky

There is no perfect day. There is only today.

Last Friday, I photographed a family who almost postponed their session.

They considered waiting for their Sunday celebration instead, to do their family portraits.

By Saturday, everything changed.

As we now face war with Iran here in Israel, that Sunday event never took place.

But the portraits exist.

This experience reminded me of something I’ve learned after decades behind the camera:

Photography is not about perfect conditions.
It is about presence.

We often delay documenting our lives because:
– The timing isn’t ideal
– We want to lose weight
– The house isn’t finished
– The world feels unstable

But uncertainty is exactly why photographs matter.


If you’ve been postponing capturing your family, your parents, your children as they are right now, consider this your reminder.

There is no time like the present.

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 21

Rebecca Kowalsky

Today’s video is live.

After decades of shooting with professional mirrorless cameras, I keep coming back to one simple truth:

The difference between a snapshot and a photograph isn’t the sensor size.

It’s the respect you give the tool.

In this new video I show you how to turn the camera already in your pocket into a serious creative instrument.

We talk about:
• Why you must stop holding your phone like a phone
• How to use exposure lock to create real mood
• Why your phone is essentially a 28mm prime
• The power of RAW
• And the stealth advantage that big cameras can’t give you

This one is personal. It was filmed on my birthday.

If you care about meaning over megapixels, I think you’ll enjoy it.

Watch here:
https://youtu.be/gcR9oJ8XNyI

Let me know what you think.

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 25

Rebecca Kowalsky

What kind of family shoots do you want to create or be part of?!

Last week I photographed a family in the almond orchards, and I want to share what made this session work, because it applies to any family photography you might do.
The key? We kept moving.
Instead of planting everyone in one spot for the whole session, we explored. Found multiple locations within the groves. Followed the light as it changed.

This approach does three important things:
1. It keeps everyone relaxed. Movement breaks the self-consciousness that happens when people feel frozen in place, being watched.
2. It creates variety. Every spot offered different light, different backgrounds, different energy. The final collection of images tells a complete story instead of looking like thirty versions of the same pose.

3. It reveals an authentic connection. The real moments happen: The hand-holding. The spontaneous laughter. The way siblings naturally lean into each other.

Here's what I teach my students: family photography isn't about perfect poses. It's about capturing who people actually are when they're together.
The almond blossoms gave us beauty and seasonal context. But the family gave us the story.
If you want to improve your family photography, whether you're shooting your own family or working with clients, try this: pick a location with multiple spots to explore, keep everyone moving, and watch for the moments between the poses. That's where meaning lives.

What's your biggest challenge with family photography? Let me know in the comments.
📧 photos@imagesthroughtime.com
✨ www.imagesthroughtime.com

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4 weeks ago | [YT] | 16

Rebecca Kowalsky

What Storytelling Photography Actually Means (A Real Example)
A few weeks ago I photographed a 95th birthday celebration that perfectly illustrates what I mean when I talk about storytelling in photography.
Rose, the birthday honoree, didn't just sit and receive wishes. She picked up a violin she used to play years ago and performed for everyone. She danced. She spoke with clarity and joy. At 95, she was the most vibrant person in the room.
But what moved me most was the real connection between four generations.

Here's the photography lesson:

Anyone can document THAT a birthday happened (the cake, candles, group photo).
Storytelling photography captures WHY it mattered, what it FELT like to be there. We're preserving the feeling. The glance. The gesture.
This requires:

Being present and paying attention (not just following a shot list)
Understanding that the best moments often happen between scheduled events
Seeing people, not just poses
Capturing connection, not just composition

These are the images families treasure most years later—not the perfect poses, but the real moments that transport them back.
If you're working on developing your storytelling eye, ask yourself: Am I capturing what happened, or am I capturing why it mattered? That shift in thinking changes everything.

What questions do you have about storytelling photography? Drop them in the comments.

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4 weeks ago | [YT] | 20