You come home from a long day of shooting, or have a long night of editing ahead of you. You pour yourself your favorite cuppa and settle into "your spot". Typically you turn on something mindless, maybe a favorite movie you've seen dozens of times or you've settled for watching Friends in its entirety ... again. I want to challenge you to switch to content that just might inspire you (while also allowing you to relax or edit without too much distraction).

Here are some documentaries about photographers and photography, that are available on Netflix or other easy-access streaming services, for you to dive into!

Abstract: The Art of Design

This series is the perfect one to begin with because it will inspire you and spark your creativity. Each episode shadows a unique artist: photographer, illustrator, clothing designer, etc. You'll find that every episode has something for you! 

Finding Vivian Maier

This is the remarkable story of a veritable treasure trove of photos found in a storage unit and the search for an incredibly talented anonymous (until 2009) photographer. This film was nominated for the 2014 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. In 2007, the contents of an unclaimed Chicago storage unit were sold to John Maloof. What he found was a collection of over 30,000 negatives and photographs! Fascinated, Mr. Maloof set out to find the identity of the photographer; the movie follows him along this journey.

Tales By Light

Each episode of this stunning series follows a photographer as they work on a personal (or "passion") project. You'll be transported around the world and completely fall in love with photography all over again! Start this 2-season series here.

Faces Places

This French film was nominated for the 2017 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, and won the 2017 Golden Eye Documentary Prize at Cannes. The movie follows Agnes Varda -- an 89 year-old director and photographer -- and his collaboration with 33 year-old muralist, photographer, and street artist "JR". The two men travel France visiting farms, former industrial towns, ports, and small villages, and dive into what makes each place unique. Charming and surprising, you must watch this one!

On Yoga: The Architecture of Peace

Photographer Michael O'Neil suffers from debilitating pain in his arm and embarks on a journey to see if yoga can offer him relief or even healing. This documentary follows Michael on his decade-long transformation, and his travel between the United States and India. Michael documents the beauty of yoga along with his personal journey, and the results are beautiful. Whether or not you practice yoga, you will appreciate this powerful film.

Now, go turn on a new photography film or series and get to editing or relaxing!