thoughts

How Misconceptions Can Affect Your Travel Photography Project

There is a particular obstacle that stands in the way of almost all travel, documentary and cultural photographers alike and, for some reason, no one seems to be willing to talk about it -- so I'm going to.

Defending ‘Needles in the Sewer’ and Photographing the Disadvantaged

One of my images has been subjected to criticism and scrutiny in a way that none of my other work ever has. The photograph in question is of a scene in London, Chinatown; a man reaches into a sewer while shouting about how someone threw his needles down there.

4 Good Reasons + 1 Barely Adequate Justification to Shoot With a Rangefinder

The SLR has been the dominant camera type in photography for the last 70 years. SLRs are more intuitive, easy to focus, and versatile when it comes to mounting lenses of any length. So why does the rangefinder, as a design, persist into the modern era? There is not a single reason why anyone should be using these archaic and fiddly cameras when more advanced and efficient machines exist.

5 Things More Important Than Camera Brand

Debating which camera brand is best is a sure way to create a lively discussion among photographers. It’s easy to endlessly discuss specs and online reviews and to think that the latest model will give us some missing edge. But what about when you really put images to the test with prints?

Are These Photographers Cheating?

Where is the line between acceptable photo manipulation and cheating in photography? That's the question photographer Jamie Windsor asks and explores in this new 12-minute video.

On Attitudes, Arrogance, and Choice in Photography

Whenever PetaPixel has published an article about chemical photography in recent months, it has been met with a plethora of malicious, if not even downright hateful, comments. They're left by photographers who claim that only they may decide on how other photographers, their colleagues, or even hobbyists who simply enjoy photography for what it is may pursue photography as their passion or job.

The Best Photo I’ve Ever Taken Was a JPEG

Alright, I don’t know if it’s the best photo I’ve ever taken, but it’s one of my favorites and it’s been the most popular photo I’ve posted recently on Facebook and Instagram.

Photography: AI Everywhere

There are two major trends in photography today. The first is the ever-increasing numbers of photos being made. I can't even be bothered to look up how many billions of photos are being uploaded to Instickrbook every minute or every day or every year. It's a lot. This is usually talked about in terms of how many photos there are, and how we are drowning in them.

Dear Camera Companies: Please Make a Fast Lens Between 50mm and 85mm

For some time now, my favourite portrait lens has been the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 art. This lens, as many of you may know, is simply incredible when it comes to performance. Even the price of this lens isn’t unreasonable when you compare it to some alternatives currently available.

How to Keep Our Photo Websites Alive After We Die

Recently I've been thinking a lot about how to keep my self-hosted photography website alive after I’m gone (no, I’m not dying anytime soon, though -- hopefully). My website is where all my passions are combined into one (travel, photography, web design and development), and I treasure it like my child. I really want it to last beyond my time on this planet, but the problem is how.

Does This Rhino Drone Video Help or Hurt Conservation?

22-year-old professional drone racing pilot Johnny Schaer has built a strong social media following on Instagram and YouTube with visually stunning video capture from his custom built drones.

Social Media is Ruining Photography

In the U.S. and most industrialized nations, we have a collective infatuation with technology but a poor understanding of its effects – both intended and unintended. We love asking Siri to play our favorite song, but don’t fully consider the privacy implications of allowing the device to persistently listen to us.

How Fear Holds Us Back from Being Better Photographers

A few years ago I was shooting at dawn in East London for one of my books. I walked past a butcher and thought, "awesome!" Capturing people up at dawn can be really hard as they are either not around or it can be difficult to find people doing interesting things.

Why Flickr Limiting Free Users to 1,000 Photos is a Smart Move

Yesterday Flickr made their first big restructuring announcement since recently being purchased by SmugMug. Beginning next year on January 8th, Flickr will limit free accounts to 1,000 photos. The previously offered free 1 terabyte of storage goes away.

3 Tips for Choosing Between B&W and Color

Something I’ve always found difficult was knowing when an image should be converted to black and white and when it should be left in color. It’s one of the more contested discussions in photography and there really isn’t a “black and white” or cut and dry answer to it. After much trial and error, I’ve come up with three questions that I consistently ask myself when trying to determine if a color image is a good candidate for B&W.

Why Empathy is the Most Important Trait of a Wedding Photographer

There are few things in life I treasure more than the photographs I have. Some are on the walls, some in albums and many hundred are in shoe boxes in the cupboard and each one has it’s own story. As I get a little older and maybe a little wiser, the value of these photographs to me has increased. These people, these moments in my life are priceless. And if we had to evacuate due to an alien invasion, they would be amongst the few things I would want to scoop up before fleeing to the safe zone, aside from the wife and kids.

In Search of Beauty: Discovering My Place in Art as a Photographer

I’ve been taking pictures since I was 10 or 11 years old. A friend of the family noticed the bored expression on my face at the wedding of an extended family member. He was the photographer and he walked over to me, placed a large camera in my hands with a full roll of film, and asked me to help him out. I didn’t know the first thing about cameras, let alone this one. About as much as I could say for it was that it was “nice.”

Film in the Digital Age: An Interview with 4 Photographers

In 2017, I began playing around with a 35mm film camera I had received from my grandparents. This Pentax Spotmatic was simple to use (although the light meter did not work) and it gave me a wonderful sense of accomplishment when I finished a roll of 36 photographs, each one being carefully thought out, more-so than when shooting digital.

You Don’t Need a New Camera

Recently I worked on an image of the sand dunes of the Namib. I had woke while it was still dark and made my way to the desert, each foot sinking into the sand as I battled the dunes. Morning had just broken by the time I got my camera out and the sun was so low that it really gave body and form to the landscape.

The Essence of Photography: What You See Reflects Your Inner World

Here's my favorite quote from Jay Maisel, one of the legends in the world of photography: "If you want to make more interesting pictures, become a more interesting person." As photographers, we often get bored in the place we live and we want to travel as much as possible to get different and more interesting pictures.

Finding Beauty in the Mundane as a Photographer

I like who I am when I’m being creative -- that’s the basic fact. I love taking photos, just like I love having a long walk through the hills near me in Spain. I have to remember that these things bring me joy. And who doesn’t want a life of maximum joy? So I am going to ask more of myself creatively this coming month. And I want to offer up a challenge to help you if, like me, you are in need of a little push.

Very Nice… How Much?! On Day Rates in Commercial Photography

It’s standard practice for commercial photography clients to ask photographers for their ‘day rate’. Most estimates that photographers provide start with a day rate before going on to production costs and expenses.

Was the Fujifilm GFX a Mistake? Should Fuji Have Gone Full-Frame Instead?

Of all the current camera manufacturers, if you were to call me a fanboy of any of them, Fujifilm would be the most accurate. There’s good reason too: it produces some of the best cameras on the market and its commitment to offering meaningful updates, after the fact, is uniquely wonderful.

What if All Photographers Had the Same Gear?

What if you had the same camera, lighting and subject matter as everyone else. A groundhog day for a photographer so to speak. If we all have the same gear what would make you different?

Women in Photojournalism

In the last couple of years (has it really been that long?) we've been hearing revelations of the trials of female photojournalists. Nothing, unfortunately, too unexpected. Every time around someone writes another version of the standard essay on this topic covering much the same appalling ground every time. See, for instance, this recent iteration.

3 Reasons You Don’t Need To Be A Pro To Make Great Photos

The label of being a “professional” at something, whether you’re a professional football player or a professional figure skater, typically means you’re the best of the best in your respective field. But when it comes to a professional photographer, the same assumption can’t be made.

I Am NOT a ‘Self-Taught’ Photographer

“Meet my friend Saurabh. He’s an amazing photographer from India and his work has been published in various reputed newspapers and journals worldwide like Nat Geo, The Guardian, Lonely Planet, etc. Astonishingly, he’s a self-taught photographer and very passionate about his work.”

Creativity and Age: Your Photography Can Bloom in Any Stage of Life

I think there is this weird idea floating around that creativity is a young person’s game, particularly certain genres of creativity (photography and music for sure). That somehow you are at your peak creatively in your twenties and thirties, and then it’s downhill from then on. I think that’s insane.

Turning Down Political Ads: Noble or Stupid?

I won’t muddy the waters by going into my personal politics but, needless to say, there are things I support and things I oppose. People fall on various sides of the issues I feel strongly about. When it comes to my videography business, though, things might be getting tricky. Am I a-political? Do I have a duty as a media producer? When I heard from an agency looking to film political ads in my city I had to start thinking about all that.

Supply and Demand: Photography is Like Water

We all know the importance of photography, whether it's journalism's role in changing the world to a wonderful moment captured of someone’s special day. As photographers, we value our craft and the importance it has in our lives. But the market is valuing it less and less. Why is that? What is happening?

Why Nikon’s New Mirrorless Cameras Mostly Disappoint Me (On Paper)

Nikon announced their new Z6 and Z7 cameras this week, and for the most part I’m kind of disappointed with the offerings. I personally don’t think they are bad cameras, though -- I just think that considering the competition and the state of interchangeable lens cameras in 2018, Nikon is lagging far behind the competition.

Canon Will Dominate Mirrorless Too

Over the last few years, we've seen how Sony has made some pretty huge gains in the photography industry. This is especially true for the mirrorless market and plenty of photographers have switched from DSLR cameras to Sony mirrorless cameras. Even still, I predict that once Canon releases its mirrorless cameras, it will eventually dominate that industry too.

Photography is an Antidepressant

For me, photography is an escape. It offers a creative release which isn't generally available in everyday life. Those creative escapes can often be far more satisfying than just enjoying a few beers or binging Netflix.

Street Photography and Photographing Children

Imagine, you’re partaking in Pedestrian Sunday at Kensington Market on a sunny summer afternoon in Toronto, Canada, walking around with your Fuji X100F in hand looking for that Cartier-Bresson “decisive moment.” Suddenly you see a child leaning against a dilapidated, graffiti-splashed wall the likes of which would make Banksy nod in approval.

What is Missing from Photography

It has been bugging me for a while now: there is just something that is missing from photography. From my personal work to the majority of photographers out there. I’m talking about the photos on your feeds, be it personal to commercial. It has been bugging me and I finally found out what it is: what is missing from photography is stories.

Wim Wenders: Phones Have Made Photography ‘More Dead Than Ever’

Renowned German photographer and filmmaker Wim Wenders thinks that photography "is more dead than ever" and that smartphones are to blame for the art form's demise. In this 1.5-minute video produced by BBC News, Wenders stops at an exhibition of his Polaroid photos to share some of his thoughts on the current landscape of photography.