Shadow & Light Monthly #84

Shadow & Light is a list of curated photography stories, features, techniques, news and inspiration that I’ve come across this month.

In this edition we take to the skies with this year’s best aerial photography, step inside the creation of what is believed to be the world’s largest photograph, revisit the enduring legacy of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s “decisive moment”, and celebrate documentary photography that places people and stories at its heart. From breathtaking perspectives to pioneering photographic processes, this month’s selection is a reminder that great photography is about far more than the camera in your hands.

So, with no further ado, I give you this month’s Shadow & Light Monthly. Go grab yourself a cuppa and enjoy this month’s selections below. Please let me know in the comments what you think.

50 Incredible Views From Above Awarded At The 2026 International Aerial Awards

The winners of the 2026 International Aerial Photographer of the Year once again demonstrate just how transformative an elevated perspective can be. Featured by Bored Panda, this year’s collection showcases breathtaking images from around the world, where landscapes, wildlife and human activity are reimagined through shape, pattern and scale. Looking down from above reveals compositions that simply aren’t visible from ground level, turning familiar scenes into striking works of abstract art.

What I particularly enjoy about aerial photography is its ability to simplify the world. Roads become graphic lines, rivers carve elegant curves through the landscape, and wildlife appears as tiny elements within much larger ecosystems. Several of this year’s winning images embrace this beautifully, using colour, geometry and negative space to create photographs that blur the boundary between documentary and fine art.

As someone who enjoys flying my own drone, I always find competitions like this inspiring. They are a reminder that great aerial photography isn’t simply about getting the camera into the air. It’s about recognising patterns, waiting for the right light and finding compositions that tell a story from an entirely new perspective.

For more on this year’s winners and to explore the full gallery, visit the feature on Bored Panda.

Additional reads

How Carrie Schneider Made the World’s Largest Photograph

Most photographers spend their careers trying to maximise image quality within the confines of modern cameras. Artist Carrie Schneider took a rather different approach, constructing what is believed to be the world’s largest camera to produce a single photograph measuring an astonishing 32 by 111 feet. This fascinating article from Aperture explores the ambitious project, which transformed a former military aircraft hangar into a giant camera obscura, with Schneider and her team exposing an enormous sheet of photographic paper using nothing more than light passing through a tiny aperture.

Having grown up shooting film and spending countless hours in the darkroom, I found this project particularly captivating. At its heart, it strips photography back to its most fundamental principles, reminding us that every modern camera, no matter how sophisticated, still relies on the same simple physics that photographers have been harnessing for almost two centuries. The scale of the undertaking is extraordinary, but the underlying process remains beautifully uncomplicated.

What also stands out is the collaborative nature of the work. Producing a photograph of this size required engineers, artists and technicians working together, blurring the boundaries between photography, science and installation art. It is an inspiring reminder that photography continues to evolve in unexpected ways, even when it returns to its oldest techniques.

For more on this remarkable project and the story behind the world’s largest photograph, read the full article on Aperture.

The Photographer Who Invented The Decisive Moment

The phrase the decisive moment has become one of the most enduring ideas in photography, but surprisingly it wasn’t coined by Henri Cartier-Bresson himself. This fascinating article from ISO1200 explores the origins of the famous expression, revealing how it emerged from the English title of Cartier-Bresson’s 1952 book rather than his own words. It also looks at how the concept has shaped generations of photographers, encouraging them to anticipate fleeting moments where composition, emotion and timing align perfectly.

I’ve always admired Cartier-Bresson’s work, not just because of his impeccable timing, but because his photographs never feel forced. His ability to observe patiently and react instinctively transformed everyday life into extraordinary images, influencing everything from street photography to documentary and editorial work. It’s a philosophy that remains just as relevant today, even in an era of continuous shooting and AI-powered autofocus.

The article also raises an interesting point about how photography myths develop over time. A phrase born from a translated book title has become shorthand for an entire photographic philosophy, demonstrating the power of language as much as imagery. Whether you’re a street photographer or simply interested in photographic history, it’s a fascinating look at one of the medium’s most influential ideas.

For more on the story behind the decisive moment, read the full article on ISO1200, or watch the embedded video below.

Photography with Purpose: The Marilyn Stafford Awards

The Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award celebrates photography that goes beyond creating beautiful images, recognising projects that shine a light on important social, environmental and humanitarian issues. Marking the award’s tenth anniversary, this article from Digital Camera World reflects on the remarkable legacy of Marilyn Stafford, whose career began after photographing Albert Einstein and went on to span decades of intimate documentary work. It also showcases this year’s shortlisted photographers, each using photography to tell stories that might otherwise go unseen.

What I particularly appreciate about awards like this is their emphasis on substance over spectacle. The strongest documentary photography isn’t always the most technically perfect or visually dramatic. Instead, it’s the images that build trust, reveal hidden lives and encourage us to see the world through someone else’s eyes. Looking through the shortlisted projects is a reminder of photography’s unique ability to inform, challenge and create empathy.

In a world saturated with fast-moving content, long-term documentary projects have never felt more important. They require patience, commitment and genuine human connection, qualities that are clearly reflected in both Marilyn Stafford’s own work and the photographers continuing her legacy today.

For more on the award and this year’s shortlisted projects, read the full article on Digital Camera World⁠.

Until next time…

I hope you enjoy the articles above. Don’t forget you can follow my Shadow & Light magazine over on Flipboard if you’d like to see more of what I’m reading if you like what you’ve seen here.