Viewfinders was a unique reality competition web video series, pitting image maker against image maker for a chance at career making opportunities and prizes. Each week introduced four new photographers, competing in genre-specific photography challenges like photojournalism, portrait photography and event photography. Contestants presented their work in front of a panel judges from The Associated Press, Getty Images, Spin Magazine and other major photography institutions.

 

The series was sponsored by Lightroom, Adobe’s digital editing and organization software for photographers. Throughout the series, Lightroom received explicit (adjacent advertising, logo inclusion, video advertisements) and organic (photographers verbally discussing Lightrooms’s benefits to their work, visual depiction of photographers using Lightroom) endorsement.

 

Viewfinders was a one of the first reality television style competition series to air on the web, garnering rabid fans and participation throughout the photography community. With the help of Emmy-Nominated producer Rachel Talbot, over 15 episodes aired online and the series continues to garner interest as pilot material from broadcast television.