Women in Photography

March 7, 2022
by
3 mins read

By Lily Snowden

For centuries, women have been oppressed. Not only as people, but also as artists. Think about it: The Mona Lisa? Painted by a man. The Starry Night? Painted by a Man. The Kiss? I think you get the point. It seems for centuries women could be the subjects of art, but could never be the creators of it. Many only consider art as paintings, drawings, or sculptures, and one artform people most often overlook is photography.

The fact of the matter is photography has almost always been dominated by men. The first photo was taken by a man, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, and even the camera was invented by a man!

I am currently minoring in photography. Even though I’m about to graduate, I haven’t been a photographer for long, and when I tell people this, I often get a lot of “tips” or unsolicited advice in response. Maybe it’s my young age, the fact that I’m graduating early, or because I’m minoring and not majoring in photography. But, it seems as though a lot of this “advice” comes from my male counterparts. And as a young woman in a male-dominated field, I can’t help but feeling like saying “shut the f*** up!,” when some 46-year-old-exclusively-shooting-on-Canon-and-only-taking-photos-of-birds guy tries to tell me why I need to lower my aperture!

In all seriousness, being a female artist is hard, and being a female photographer is even harder. Photography is not only a difficult artform to grasp conceptually, but the machinery involved requires another skillset all together.

I know I’m not alone in my feelings. I recently spoke to two local Jacksonville lady photographers, Britt Moore and Amanda Rosenblatt. Both are outstanding female photographers with diverse portfolios; Britt a standout sports photographer/videographer, and Amanda an established portrait and lifestyle photographer. Although their work is vastly different, they recall having similar experiences as female photographers.

Britt Moore grew up racing motocross, only getting into photography after an injury at 17 years old. She has been a photographer for almost 10 years now, and is now well versed in both photography and videography. Being a sports photographer has offered Britt many amazing opportunities as a female creative, but one of the most challenging parts as a woman in this field has been being overlooked when applying for new jobs.

“My full name is Brittani, but I started going by Britt when I turned 19 and started looking for work in the sports industry. I noticed that I was getting passed up the chain of command a lot easier when I signed off on emails as Britt, a more gender neutral name,” Moore says.

The future of photography for women is looking bright. More and more women, like Moore, are slowly making their way into male-dominated fields such as sports photography, and are unapologetically amazing at what they do.

Moore’s best piece of advice to young female photographers is “You have to be self-reliant and willing to constantly network. Ultimately, just get out and start shooting what you want to shoot, don’t wait for the right job or opportunity. It takes a lot of patience and hard work to start building momentum, but it’s very rewarding once your career starts taking off.”

Unlike Moore, Amanda Rosenblatt has been a photographer for as long as she can remember. Amanda has had various jobs as a photographer, from shooting for Starbucks to hospital-related assignments. Amanda has had an exhibit in MOCA, and has been extremely successful as a photographer. Most of Amanda’s work is stylized portraiture, and each photo tells a story through an image. Amanda agrees that being a woman in a male-dominated field has been colleagues and employers overlooking her or underestimating her experience in the industry.

“I think the disadvantages as photographers are less about gender and more about who you know, the equipment you have, etc. I will say that I feel my age in conjunction with gender makes it difficult for older men in my field to take me seriously, but I think that is the only gender specific disadvantage I have experienced,” Rosenblatt says.

Her best piece of advice to young girls interested in photography is “Keep making work. About anything, of anything, for you, for the world, for the process, for whatever. Make the work. And don’t stop learning or paying attention to the constructive criticisms, you’re never an expert, there is always more to learn.”

Folio is your guide to entertainment and culture around and near Jacksonville, Florida. We cover events, concerts, restaurants, theatre, sports, art, happenings, and all things about living and visiting Jax. Folio serves more than two million readers across Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, including St. Augustine, The Beaches, and Fernandina.

Current Issue

SUBMIT EVENTS

Submit Events

Advertisements

SingOutLoadFestival_TheAmp_2025
liz-buys-houses-digital
generac-home-standby-generator-banners

Date

Title

Current Month

Follow FOLIO!

Previous Story

Folio Entertainment Guide Vol. 36, Issue 5

Next Story

Leprechaun: Good or Bad?

Latest from Community

Bee-hind the Scenes with Local Beekeeper Mika Hardison-Carr

Words by Carmen Macri  “I think community-based beekeeping is both a literal and a symbolic act of healing a land and a people.” Self-reliance and sustainability have long stood as cornerstones in Mika Hardison-Carr’s life philosophy. Growing up in a time when the quality and integrity of our

The Streets Called and We Picked Up: Summer 2025 Streetwear Trends

Words by McKenna Oakley, Photos by Ambar Ramirez and McKenna Oakley As longtime devotees of the Jacksonville arts and culture scene, we think we know a thing or two about upcoming fashion trends. Or maybe we’re just overly enthusiastic about our “Sex and the City” re-watch. Nevertheless, when it

Florida’s “First Coast” Region Is Unprepared for the Future

Words by Kaleb Mantela From sunny Amelia Island down to the ancient streets of St. Augustine, a common topic permeates the minds and discussions of Northeast Floridians everywhere. What’s happening to our communities? Tales from older residents paint stories of untouched beaches dotted with small communities and country backroads.

Felony Landlords: How Jacksonville’s Rental Market Is the Wild West

Inside Jacksonville’s broken rental market, where the worst landlords operate unchecked and tenants are left to fend for themselves. Words by Carmen Macri  In Jacksonville, a handful of landlords are driving an outsized share of the city’s eviction crisis — and they’re doing it with near-total impunity. Just 100

The Face of Farming is Female

Words and photos by Ambar Ramirez “Many people have said, ‘you need a man out here,’ or ‘let a man do that.’ People often think women aren’t physically capable of farm work, but that’s never been a problem here.” Ashantae Green walks her land with purpose and pride,
July 5th Cleanup
GoUp