Meet Adobe's 10 Rising Stars of Photography for 2020

Adobe has unveiled its fourth annual Rising Stars of Photography, a group of 10 diverse artists from around the world who specialize in work ranging from environmental photojournalism to striking portraiture and conceptual work. This year’s list includes Lia Clay Miller, the first trans woman to photograph back-to-back covers for Out Magazine; Andrew Morócho, a Queens-based Ecuadorian portrait photographer who amplifies QBIPOC (queer, Black, Indigenous, people of color); and Lara Jackson, a wildlife photographer and biologist who shares conservation success stories. “Through our annual Adobe Rising Stars program, we aim to highlight a set of diverse up-and-coming creators' photography portfolios. This year’s selections are more relevant and more important than ever,” said Lex van den Berghe, senior product manager of digital imaging at Adobe, in a statement. “We selected 10 who we feel best embody creativity, passion and individuality. We’re extremely moved by their work and accomplishments, and we’re thrilled to help showcase these Rising Stars to the world and raise awareness of their extraordinary work.” Over the next few months, the software company will share each photographer’s work on Adobe Lightroom's Instagram. Scroll down to see shots from each artist, with descriptions from the brand. Nana Oduro Frimpong (Ghana) “Twenty-four-year-old portrait photographer Nana never thought he’d pursue a career in photography. But when his Architecture studies were forced to a stop, life led his hand to the camera. In the last two years, it has brought him hope and fulfillment. Nana’s passion does not stop at his own exploration and creative development; he pays it forward and teaches other aspiring photographers whenever possible. Ultimately, he hopes that his work can speak to people, just as music does. To other upcoming photographers, Nana shares one piece of advice: Stay true to yourself and explore your imagination, because imagination has no limit.” Andrew Morócho (Ecuador) “Hailing from Ecuador, this Latinx portrait photographer shoots images of people he can see himself in, as everything he shoots is a reflection of his own experiences. In 2016, Andrew realized that in his healing through photography comes a greater responsibility of teaching and being a guiding light for an audience greater than the person he sees in the mirror. Keeping representation at the crux, Andrew wants other QBIPOC to be comfortable in their emotions, to be inspired, uplifted and feel loved. Currently, he is most proud of his latest series, SOS (Shades of Son), which addresses ‘machismo’ in the Latinx community. This project is his way of reaffirming young men to be themselves, fully and unapologetically.” Curt Saunders (U.S.) “A photo hobbyist in his youth, Curt fell passionately for photography in his college years when he started to see photography as visual communication and felt himself wanting to contribute to the conversation. As a Black portrait photographer, Curt cares for and loves Black people through his lens. He is most fascinated in where our humanity and divinity intersect, and makes a point to place those elements at the forefront of the images he creates. Curt’s vision extends beyond a single frame. He is a conscious and considerate creator, always thinking of what it might mean to photograph someone at that particular point in their life, that place, and that time in the world. Curt is passionate about using photography to cultivate sustainable joy, so that his work has real impact and legacy.” Charmaine de Heij (Berlin/Amsterdam) “Charmaine has always focused on contemporary issues that also connect to her on a personal level. Through her work, she aims to reveal the invisible in order to harbor understanding and create open dialogue. With representation at the forefront of her work, she’ll be focused on a project about racism and stereotyping people of color in Western society during the coming months. And to other aspiring creatives in the industry, Charmaine has some sound advice: Tell the stories you want to tell with your photography and don’t be afraid to speak out. If you have a story to tell: Tell it loud.” Lia Clay Miller (U.S.) “At the start of her editorial career, Lia wanted to photograph from a very particular perspective: being a trans woman looking at other trans-identified individuals without voyeurism. Through her work, Lia is actively trying to create a welcoming space that is beyond objectification, but a realm of fantasy that exists only for her and her subjects, and the outside viewer gets to see just a brief moment of it. She loves being able to create images that highlight the best of someone, even if it’s a heightened reality of who they really are. If the subject feels inspired by the photograph, she’s done her job. As the first trans woman to photograph back-to-back covers for Out Magazine, Lia carries that sense of accomplishment and drive as she navigates the future of her editorial career.” Yulia Kharin (Ukraine) “Initially a portrait photographer, Yulia has been photographing sweet, tasty treats since 2018. Her uniquely atmospheric compositions make for a compelling visual experience. In the near future, she hopes to keep developing her blog to show more people the art of food photography. To all junior photographers, Julia encourages courage: Do not be afraid to start! Do not be afraid to try. Do not be afraid of failure and bad work. There will definitely be bad works. All professionals have them. However, the more you practice, the better your photos will become.” Lara Jackson (U.K.) “U.K.-based wildlife photographer Lara has had a camera in her hand since 2017. Immediately obsessed with the thrill of wildlife photography, she set out to share her images with a purpose. Unlike many photographers who share their alluring captures with technical details as captions, Lara focused on the subjects themselves: the animals. She started sharing her photos with conservation messages that related to her subjects: threats to their survival, how many there were left in the wild, or an interesting fact about them. She realized that she could reach a large and varied audience through her Instagram, not just scientists. Lara’s talent is in her ability to tell stories for those who cannot, which motivates her to keep working her way into the conservation journalism space.” John Wu (U.S.) “When mesmerizing landscapes and cultural differences left him speechless, his camera helped to supply the words. Street photographer John Wu first began his photography journey in college, using Lightroom every step of the way. After he’s finished a trip, he’s able to compartmentalize all of his photos to make the editing process as seamless as possible. From there, post-processing begins, which enables him to push the boundaries while color-grading to bring new layers of detail into his imagery. He consistently challenges himself to pinpoint how exactly he can outdo his best photo to be better than the day before, and it shows!” Tate Drucker (East Africa) “From East Africa comes environmental photographer Tate Drucker, whose natural affinity for the camera and fantastic surroundings has afforded a magical career, beginning at only 15 years old. She lives for the challenge of awaiting the perfect shot to come together when photographing an animal in its natural environment (the right light, the right moment, the right second of serendipity to separate it from all the other photos that have been taken of that animal before). Beyond simply taking a nice photo, she finds that photographing the coexistence of wildlife, our natural world, and our developing world often leads to important conservation conversations.” Erin Ng (U.S.) “Inspired by her dad’s enthusiasm for the craft, Erin got her first point-and-shoot camera in fifth grade and has been snapping away ever since. She committed to a career in photography and has been shooting commercial and editorial since she graduated. Erin’s subject bias skews toward food for several different reasons. Not only is food delicious and fun to shoot, but to Erin, it is a gateway to new encounters, diverse stories, an invitation to learning about different cultures, histories, geographies, and technologies. At the heart of it, Erin just wants to create photography that brings joy and togetherness. Erin’s advice to other creatives is simple: Photograph the things you love, not the things you think people will love.”

Creative Thinkers

Adobe Reveals 10 Rising Stars of Photography for 2020

The diverse group of artists includes a trans magazine photographer and an environmental photojournalist

Ian Zelaya

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Ian Zelaya