I’m in love with the written word. Relaxing, drinking coffee, reading about photography; I love it. It makes me happy that even in the world of YouTube photographers, plenty of people are putting out written photography content. It also feels like the photography newsletter is stronger than ever and in this article I’m sharing my favorites.

What Makes a Good Photography Newsletter?

The most important element to good photography newsletters is consistency. There are few things more frustrating than falling in love with a newsletter, only for it to fade away or for it to arrive too sporadically.

Personally, I’m drawn to newsletters that offer something different. We can all say the same things, but it’s those that deliver a fresh perspective that really grab my attention. Thinking outside the box goes a long way when crafting a newsletter.

It’s important that a newsletter uplifts others. Talking about yourself is fine, but when it’s only ever about you it becomes very one dimensional. Opening up your readership to other photographers is a good way to give back. It also makes the newsletter more diverse and it gives photography lovers an opportunity to discover new work.

At a Glance: My Favorite Photography Newsletter

It’s difficult for me to choose a single favorite. That’s because each selection gives me something different, so, I’m going to cheat a bit and share several photography newsletters.

Develop Photography Newsletter: Covers a range of photography topics.
FlakPhoto Digest: Books, photographs and creative thoughts.
LFI: Showcasing photographers and all things Leica.
Essence of Photography: Encouraging you to explore the psychological element of photography.
Them Frames: Interviews, discounts, thoughts and photography features.

Develop Photography Newsletter

Deborah Gilbert creates and runs the Develop Photography newsletter. I’ve been a subscriber for around five years and I love it every time a new edition shows up in my inbox.

Gilbert covers a range of topics and divides her newsletter in separate sections, like The Book Shelf, which covers photography books worth checking out. There’s also the “In Case You Missed it” section, where Gilbert shares useful articles she found from photography blogs around the web.

I particularly like how Gilbert shares live events that are worth attending. They won’t always pertain to photography, sometimes she blends in music shows and art exhibitions, which gives her newsletter some diversity.

You can also expect to find powerful photography quotes, up and coming photo competitions and much more. You can take a look by signing up.

FlakPhoto Digest

Andy Adams has written about photography for years. He certainly knows a thing or two about social media for photographers, growing a large following across multiple platforms.

His Substack has amassed over 30,000 subscribers and his updates land straight in your inbox. He highlights the excellent work being made by other photographers and shows you where you can find them. Adams also shares articles from his Substack page, giving you the option to enjoy a more longform way of digesting photography content.

He’s no stranger to sharing video content in his photography newsletter. He’ll share anything from documentaries to movies that center around photography. You can find video interviews as well from some of his favorite photographers.

He’s always on the lookout for fresh photography and will often push out themes on his social media. It’s a great chance to get your photography in front of the eyes of others. You can subscribe to FlakPhoto Digest here.

LFI

LFI is the longest standing newsletter in this article and it focuses on all things Leica. Inside you’ll find work from excellent photographers from all around the world, all of whom are using Leica cameras as their daily driver.

You’ll also receive open calls to submit your photography to competitions. LFI was how I found out about the Leica Street Photo competition. I was chosen as one of the finalists and had my work exhibited in Vienna and Warsaw - not a brag, more highlighting the opportunities available. LFI also sends out notices for up and coming grants you can apply for.

Of course, you’ll also receive updates on Leica hardware. New releases, classic cameras from the past and in depth discussion about all the Leica lenses you can add to your arsenal.

LFI has been going for over 70 years so you're getting all things Leica from long-standing dedicated experts. You can sign up for the newsletter here.

Aminus3

The Essence of Photography by Aminus3 really sinks into the psychological aspect of photography. It shows you techniques to convey feelings in your work, how to use photography to manage mental health and how to stop overthinking the work you create.

The newsletter also sends out photography prompts to readers. They each focus on a specific theme like isolation or health, as examples. The Essence of Photography encourages readers to use the prompts as a means to speak creativity - the images they make are down to their own interpretation. You can sign up here.

Them Frames

Can the in-house newsletter be one of my favorites? Of course it can! Our newsletter sends out exclusive content that you won’t find on the site, plus a host of deals and savings on a range of photography related products.

We’ll also send out updates on our latest interviews and if you have some good work, we encourage you to get in touch. We will be more than happy to feature you.

You can sign up for the Them Frames newsletter by simply adding your email address in the box below.

How to Make a Photography Newsletter

There’s a good chance this article has given you enough inspiration to start a newsletter yourself.

The good news is, creating one today is remarkably easy. And you have several options available.

The best way to do it is by having a website for your photography. All of the leading platforms allow you to add a pop up box that encourages people to sign up for your newsletter. Services like FORMAT and Squarespace save emails to their database so you can easily store them.

Alternatively you can use email capture services like MailChip, Kit or any of the other alternatives.

Writing Your Photography Newsletter

Most services offer tools to craft and send out your newsletter. Them Frames runs on Squarespace and we also use its in-house newsletter features. It’s very easy to use and there are a range of templates that can quickly help you get started.

Below are some good things to include in your newsletter…

Exclusive content people won’t find on your site.
Photography competitions.
Exclusive discounts and offers.
Quick tips and ideas.
An editor's note.

The newsletter won’t suit long form content. But, it must contain engaging bitesize material that hooks people in. In today’s world, people are becoming more reluctant to hand over their data, so you must give them a strong incentive to sign up.

If you have questions about getting set up, you can contact me here.