Having already amassed a fantastic collection of imagery and photography criticism on Photocrowd, we do not want it to simply gather dust in our archives. So we have decided to start sharing some of our favourite images and reviews from past contests on our blog; this is the first in a series of ...

Karl Redshaw on how photography helped him through difficult times, the importance of photographer's personality, and making people feel good about themselves.

Fleur Alston on the rare joy of fully realising her vision, the influence of Sally Mann, and balancing motherhood and photography.

Photocrowd winner talks about lying in a muddy field for hours, not getting on with darkroom processing and the importance of breaking the rules.

Spring unashamedly dominates this week's Instagram Friday. Hurray to spring!

Mirrorless vs. DSLR, the controversy of the Vivian Maier phenomenon, and why a wide-angle lens can ruin a landscape photo.

Old telephones, shark fins and misty roads in this week's Instagram Friday.

Photocrowd winner Nick Jackson on photographing wildlife, inspirational conversations with strangers and why he loves HDR.

Window watching, horse jumping, and cool green bugs in this week's edition of Photocrowd's Instagram Friday.

Photocrowd winner José María Ocaña Rizo on communicating the feeling of flight in photography, the influence of Renoir on his work, and why he loves using a fisheye lens.

Welcome to a new feature on the Photocrowd blog! Starting today, every two weeks we will be sharing our favourite photography videos from the previous two weeks.

Sunlit streets, chirpy birds and handsome rowers in this week's edition of Instagram Friday.

Taking photos at live concerts can be tricky and frustrating, and the results are often disappointing. Here Francesca Moore, top music photographer and the Expert Judge in our Music contest, shares her wisdom of how to take great gig photos.

Photocrowd winner Mark Chivers talks about his childhood obsession with photography, trying to master time-lapse, and finding that one perfect shot.

Street dancing, night swimming and cool reflections in this week's edition of Photocrowd's Instagram Friday.

Photocrowd winner Sam Cox talks gear-addiction, his love of abstract photography, and disagreeing with Jim Richardson.

Moths, cats and very cool hats in this edition of Photocrowd's Instagram Friday.

Photocrowd winner Simon Lewis talks light painting, benefits of the digital age and being overwhelmed by the amount of photographic talent on the Internet.

Liam Bailey, photographer and Expert Judge for our Things of Desire assignment, talks about photography as collecting, the importance of the mundane and taking things out of context.

Cool reflections, birds and scenic mountains in this week's Instagram Friday.

Photocrowd winner Dan Beinart talks about the virtue of stubbornness, what he learnt from Cartier-Bresson and why he loves his mirrorless camera.

Professional photographer and Photocrowd member Paul Bence is our Expert Judge for the current Street Photography contest. Paul has over 10 years of experience under his belt and some breathtaking imagery to show for it. Here he shares with us his top tips for how to take great photos on the street.

Sophie Gamand, the photographer behind the hugely popular Wet Dog series and Photocrowd's Expert Judge in our Pet Portraits contest, shares her ABC of pet photography.

Punks, building cranes and bugs in this weeks's edition of Photocrowd's Instagram Friday.