Nothing to see here. You take photos on a smartphone to share them on social media, and that’s it. Only a tiny minority of phone users would ever ponder the color gamut of smartphones or their color management. Accuracy is not a priority.
After years of anticipation, the 2024 total solar eclipse has finally arrived. Many millions of Americans will be in or near the eclipse's path of totality, ranging from Texas to Maine. However, hundreds of millions more people will have to find other ways to enjoy the celestial event. That's where ABC News and National Geographic come in with Eclipse Across America.
National Geographic photographer, Canon Explorer of Light, and friend of PetaPixel Keith Ladzinski is preparing for the total solar eclipse on April 8th and has plenty of tips to help other photographers capture great shots next Monday.
For those who may have somehow missed it, a historic total solar eclipse will be visible across much of North America on April 8. Photographing an eclipse can be tricky, but fret not. You'll surely capture some great photos next week with these helpful tips.
My hobby is film photography, which involves collecting interesting cameras, taking photos, printing pictures, and so on. Within this fairly common hobby though I have a particular niche interest, which is tracking down and trying out cameras that feature in film and media.
On July 16th, 1945, 35 miles southeast of Socorro, New Mexico, the White Sands Proving Ground was rocked by a massive explosion.
The upcoming solar eclipse on April 8 is a highly anticipated event, in large part because it will be the last to cross over North America for 20 years. It is a special event to witness and photograph, though it does require planning and preparation.
Camera equipment is expensive, making it hard for beginners to build kits and get started. Because of this, it can be tempting to opt for budget-friendly options for some pieces of equipment. Unfortunately, that's not always wise.
One of the biggest privileges of being a primatologist is spending time in remote locations with monkeys and apes, living near these animals in their habitats and experiencing their daily lives. As a 21st-century human, I have an immediate impulse to take pictures of these encounters and share them on social media.
Many serious photographers say you must calibrate and profile your monitor, and maybe they’re right. But most camera users in this world enjoy their pictures without getting bogged down by such technicalities.
There's no denying that photography is a gear-focused endeavor. We are constantly pitched fancy new equipment with the idea that more gear will make us better photographers. For some photographers and their needs, that's absolutely true. But for those just starting, some equipment simply isn't necessary.
One of the most exciting consequences of the advancement of technology is the democratization of tools that were once reserved for big-budget productions.
Printing your photos at home can get complicated and confusing rather quickly. Between choosing a printer and paper and problem-solving why the colors don't look like what you see on your display, it can be overwhelming, especially if you are just getting started.
Professional photographer Stephen Wilkes has a multi-decade career that melds artistic and commercial photography and has taken him around the world. He's worked with National Geographic, Apple, and Netflix, among others.
For most photographers, color is a crucial component of their images. As a result, it only makes sense to want the colors that you envision to come through in the same way when others view your photographs. That can be easier said than done, however.
Although these images look as though they were created by an artist, they were actually taken by scientists trying to learn more about the human nervous system.
Up until recently, most introductory photography classes in colleges and universities still taught students the basics of the medium using film and darkroom processes. These days, though, the majority of schools have transitioned to digital since it is more affordable for students and doesn’t require a lab full of equipment and chemicals. But despite the obvious benefits of digital, analog photography still serves as a valuable tool for learning the medium.
It's no secret that most photography equipment is expensive and typically highly specialized. But that doesn't always need to be the case. In the above video from Adorama, photographer Gavin Hoey walks viewers through how to create studio portraits using a simple sheet of cardboard and some studio lights.
HDR photography may seem complex, but it is a surprisingly simple tool that can open new photographic doors. Most people have encountered HDR photography without thinking about it since smartphones automatically produce HDR images.
Christian Spencer became well-known for his stunning photos of hummingbirds that show rainbows in their wings, it's a specialized technique of shooting the amazing birds, one which Spencer pioneered.
Where has the time gone? It's been ten years since Jordan and I started our annual roundup of the best and worst products in our industry. Every year we give our opinions on the cameras we feel deserve the top spot as well as any honorable mentions that have also made a positive impression. Perhaps even more exciting, though, is our vote for the most infamous photo and video products of the year.
Wherever you are right now, take a moment to look around. What patterns and shapes do you see? What objects, scenes, buildings, or other designs just look like they “make sense?”
Drones are awesome. Much more than just being fun novelties you might see buzzing around your neighbor’s backyard piloted by a young child, they are amazing creative tools that allow for camera shots that you simply cannot get in any other way, and are used in everything from music videos to live sports to the biggest blockbuster films.
Film prices have been on the rise, it’s no secret. For some, the prices they are reaching can still be seen as justifiable. But for many others, it isn’t always that simple.
Hasselblad needs no introduction. Ever since the launch of its 500C, the boxy, modular medium-format waist-level SLR has defined the output of genres ranging from street to fashion photography throughout the mid-20th century and beyond.
While cleaning one of my camera sensors, I noticed my incredibly pocketable and convenient 12mm f/2.0 Olympus lens developed a fatal flaw. A rather large reflective fragment became dislodged inside the lens and was robbing me of precious photons. I couldn't fully clean the rear element with compressed air and a microfiber cloth, so I decided to dig a little deeper and disassemble the lens.
It’s not often that you get your hands on a Hasselblad, so when we received the $5,750 Hasselblad X1D II 50C in the office, to say we were excited would be an understatement. According to Hasselblad, the medium format camera is described as compact, powerful, and enhanced, and we can attest to it.
Sometimes, having an original idea isn’t everything. Innovation can strike at the wrong moment, fizzing out before it has a chance to materialize.
I write about a lot of things here at PetaPixel -- reviews, guides, technical articles, opinion pieces -- but one of my favorite topics to write about is the history of photography. As an avid user and collector of vintage cameras and lenses, I have passionately absorbed as much knowledge about their history as possible over many years. Like studying world history, there is much value in understanding where we came from and what got to us where we are now.
When making PetaPixel’s documentary about Blair Bunting’s U2 photo shoot at the edge of space (which you should really watch now if you haven’t), one thing we decided not to focus on was the camera gear. But we love talking about cameras and lenses, so Chris sat down with Blair the evening before his epic shoot to discuss the equipment he was bringing up in a U2 spy plane.
Throughout the history of photography, few names have endured for as long and few have left as significant of an impact on the medium as Olympus.
With the recent excitement surrounding the release of the film Oppenheimer, there have been lengthy discussions about the best way to watch it – mostly because of something called an aspect ratio and the way that it affects the viewing experience. This is a term that is used widely in film, and it’s just as important for photographers to understand.
Today, most of the consumer-grade camera landscape is dominated by less than half a dozen brands. Canon, Sony, and Nikon take the lion’s share in terms of sales and public recognition, while almost all the gaps are filled by smaller companies like Fujifilm and Pentax.
Photographers of all skill levels should strongly consider insuring their camera equipment. Whether you are an amateur who cannot afford to replace damaged to stolen gear or a working professional who cannot risk missing out on paying jobs, you should consider protecting your equipment with photography insurance and/or camera insurance.
Many photographers will say that your camera lens is as important (or even more important) than your camera body. All of the light that your camera body captures has to go through some sort of lens, which affects sharpness, distortion, amount of light, perspective, and many other variables.
The context and process behind a photograph can be interesting on a technical level when it comes to the gear, film, lighting setup, and any artistic emotion or guidance that may have gone into it from a photographer with an interesting backstory to them.
It's no surprise that smartphones have become the new everyday camera that we all use and love and they absolutely are legitimate creative picture-taking tools. So why even consider getting a more traditional camera with its bulkier size and expensive lenses?
Photographers wanting to capture beautiful Milky Way photos need the right plans, the appropriate gear, and some basic knowledge of optimal camera settings.
It’s never a bad day to capture landscape photography on the dunes. This day, in particular though, was truly one to remember and I share a variety of techniques for how I take photos of sand dunes.
Finding subjects for wildlife photography in summer is a challenge. As I look forward to arguably my favorite time of the year – the fall mating season for big mammals such as elk, moose, bighorn sheep, and so on – I first have to make it through the summer. Long days filled with harsh light provided by the sun directly overhead and heat, that unbearable heat.
