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Image: VSCO |
VSCO, a company most known for its photo editing and sharing app, has been growing its community support for photographers over the past few years with features like Client Sites, VSCO Hub and more. That mission has taken another step forward, as it announced its acquisition of The Freelance Photographer, an education and mentorship platform.
The Freelance Photographer was founded in 2018 by Paul Weaver. It started with in-person workshops in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but now it is an online-based community and membership platform. VSCO explains that The Freelance Photographer provides a robust business curriculum designed for commercial photographers and videographers. It aims to help creatives grow, pursue paid work and build sustainable client relationships.
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| Image: VSCO |
The Freelance Photographer provides content through webinars, workshops, mentorships and coaching programs. There are also peer-led sessions to offer support and community. Additionally, the platform helps photographers by providing various business tools like contract templates, email scripts, production guides, proposal decks and more. “The Freelance Photographer serves as a long-term career partner to creatives, offering a comprehensive education, a supportive community, as well as the tools and insight they need to turn their craft into a career,” said Eric Wittman, CEO of VSCO.
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Enrollment is currently closed at The Freelance Photographer, but you can sign up for its waitlist. There are two membership tiers with different levels of support. Both give you 12-month access to training, tools, community and mentorship. You can also purchase select trainings and tools à la carte style if you want instant access to smaller portions of the platform for less investment.
VSCO explained that for now, The Freelance Photographer will remain separate from VSCO. It added, “at some point in the future, we intend to integrate elements of The Freelance Photographer offering to VSCO’s membership.”
In addition to announcing the acquisition, the recently revealed Capture app is now available globally for iPhone users. The app doesn’t require a paid subscription, but you will need a VSCO account. It provides access to 50 real-time VSCO presets, non-destructive edits, Raw and ProRaw formats, manual control and more.
Press release:
VSCO Launches New Camera App Capture, with Coveted Film-Based Presets; Acquires Education and Mentorship Community, The Freelance Photographer
The creative platform deepens its focus on emerging and established professional photographers
SAN FRANCISCO, July 22, 2025 — VSCO, the Visual Supply Company, today announced new offerings to improve the photographer experience, including a standalone camera app and a platform for education and mentorship. Following its recent launch of VSCO Canvas and VSCO Sites, the company is further strengthening its position to support photographers on their journey from casual to professional.
With one of the world’s largest and most engaged communities of photographers, VSCO is uniquely attuned to the needs of today’s creators. Photographers are increasingly drawn to content that feels real and tactile, like film and want to easily share their images with wide-reaching audiences.
Global Launch of VSCO Capture
For the first time in a decade, VSCO has released a new standalone mobile application, a camera designed to help photography enthusiasts capture their creative point of view and refine it in the moment. With over 50 live presets, real-time film effects and manual settings, VSCO Capture gives photographers precise creative controls within an intuitive interface.
“VSCO Capture is a direct response to our community’s desire to get closer to the lens, to reduce editing fatigue and find more joy in the process of making authentic, stylized photography using their phone,” said Eric Wittman, CEO of VSCO.”
Early users of VSCO Capture are already embracing the app’s creative potential and impact on their workflow.
“VSCO Capture shifts the entire rhythm of how I work. It’s no longer this two-step process of shoot now, edit later. With Capture, I’m able to see my creative vision unfold live, through my choice of presets, tones, and adjustments all before I even hit the shutter. That changes everything, especially the way I shoot,” said photographer Jared Thomas Tapy.
Key features of the free camera app include:
- 50 real-time VSCO presets, including the latest We The Creator presets, launched in collaboration with renowned VSCO photographers
- Non-destructive presets and edits that retain the original image for further modification
- RAW and ProRAW format options for increased editing flexibility
- Includes real-time bloom and halation effects
- Manual controls, including shutter speed and exposure compensation
- Instant sync with VSCO to easily import images, make additional edits and share
VSCO Capture is available to download today on iOS and on vsco.co/capture.
Acquisition of The Freelance Photographer
With the goal of helping creators grow professionally and pursue paid work, VSCO has acquired The Freelance Photographer, a platform offering education, mentorship, and a thriving peer community.
“There’s a clear gap in the market for business education and industry-specific guidance for emerging photography professionals who are looking to secure sustainable client relationships,” said Eric Wittman, CEO of VSCO. “The Freelance Photographer serves as a long-term career partner to creatives, offering a comprehensive education, a supportive community, as well as the tools and insight they need to turn their craft into a career.”
The Freelance Photographer has built a robust business curriculum specifically designed for commercial photographers and videographers, addressing everything from positioning and pitching to pricing. The training is delivered across webinars and workshops, a mentorship and coaching program. Their active community of accomplished independent and freelance commercial photographers and videographers are dedicated to supporting each other through peer-led sessions.
To explore The Freelance Photographer’s curriculum and mentorship programming, visit thefreelancephotographer.com.
Our DPREVIEW Tribute:
After nearly 25 years of operation, DPReview closed on 10 April 2023. This difficult decision was part of the annual operating plan review that parent company, Amazon, shared earlier this year.
Over the course of 25 years, DP Review built up a reputation as being one of the most informative places to go for information about that new camera or lens you’re after. DP Review began as an independent reviews site based in the UK in 1998, the brainchild of Philip and Joanna Askey, but it was eventually purchased by Amazon in 2007 and relocated over to Seattle in the USA in 2010.
Cheers DPReview – thanks for the great work and content that guided photographers, videographers and techno junkies the world over!
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