2015

Jump to articles by year, month, or day.

Year
Month
Day

Year alone opens that year’s archive. Add a month or day to narrow it.

Interview: Lytro CEO Jason Rosenthal on the Future of Light Field Technology

Lytro’s research into the world of light field technology has produced two consumer devices. Their first camera was released in 2012 and introduced photographers to the concept of being able to refocus images after they had been taken. Then in 2014, Lytro released their flagship: the ILLUM. Armed with an integrated 30-250mm f/2.0 lens, a 40 megaray sensor, and upgraded software, Lytro was ready to show the world that their technology wasn’t just a gimmick.

Have a Flash-Based Photo Website? Now is the Time to Switch

Heads up: if you have a photography website powered by Adobe Flash, you should make plans now to switch to something other than Flash. Flash-based photo sites have long been the source of frustration due to usability issues (and auto-playing music), but now major Internet forces are rallying to kill off the technology.

20 Years Digital: A Migrant’s Story

It occurred to me last night that 2015 marks my twentieth year as a digital photographer. I suspect that many of you geezers reading this (i.e. those of you over 40) are approaching or have already passed a similar milestone. You’ll probably agree with me that it’s been quite a roller coaster ride, one that my younger readers might not fully appreciate. So like any other two bit amusement of questionable soundness, I feel it’s my responsibility to post the following notice right up front: …

I Want the DxO One iPhone Camera Attachment to Succeed, But it Won’t

When Sony announced the QX-100, I jumped on Amazon and pre-ordered it immediately. It seemed to solve the most obvious problems I had with smartphone photography quality: a larger sensor, better low light performance, and better optics. But upon receiving it, the deficiencies quickly became apparent. The display-less design required you to use Wi-Fi to pair it with your camera -- a frustratingly slow experience. I tried shooting blind, but the lens barrel design gave you no indication of …

Photographer Shoots Engagement-style Photos of a Man and His Burrito

San Francisco-based writer David Sikorski was getting tired of the lovey-dovey photos dominating his Facebook feed, so he partnered with photographer Kristina Bakrevski for a photo shoot with his own "one true love": the burrito. The duo trio traveled around San Francisco and shot stereotypical engagement photos showing Sikorski's intense love for his burrito, which was dressed beautifully in foil.

6 Reasons Why Digital SLRs Are (And Will Be) Cool

Digital SLRs don’t get a lot of love these days. Challenged by mirrorless cameras, smartphones, and occasionally even tablets, DSLRs have almost become the embodiment of old, uncool technology. They, for obvious reasons, are still the undisputed go-to choice for most professional photographers, as mirrorless cameras and point-and-shoots are currently the hottest alternative for enthusiasts, and iPhones have become the perfect fit for the clueless average Joe.

Photojournalist Loses Life’s Work After Burglars Steal Hard Drives

Camera gear may be expensive and painful to have stolen, but your photos are priceless and devastating to lose. A photographer's worst nightmare just happened to a well-known photographer: on Monday, Montreal-based photojournalist Jacques Nadeau returned home to find that burglars had stolen all the photos he has taken during his life and career.

Nikon Offers ‘Maintenance Service Initiative’ to D800 and D700 Owners

Nikon has begun contacting owners of D800 and D700 DSLRs with an offer to participate in a new "Maintenance Service Initiative." Photographers who are interested can have their camera sent to Nikon's repair center, examined, cleaned, and repaired (if there are any issues discovered). The entire program -- including shipping both ways -- is being offered for free.

Seagull Grabs GoPro and Helps Tourist Capture Aerial Shots of the Coastline

If you'd like to shoot some aerial images but don't have a drone or balloon handy, see if you can get a seagull to help you out. German Martin Lozano tourist was visiting the Cies Islands off the coast of Spain recently when a seagull grabbed his GoPro, flew away, shot some breathtaking views of the coastline, and then flew back to return the camera. Everything was captured in the 1-minute video above.

RED Cameras Get New Still Photography Features via Firmware V6.0

More and more still photography cameras are getting advanced video features, so it only makes sense that cinema cameras are moving more into the world of still photos as well. Last week, RED launched a new version 6.0 firmware for its cameras, which brings a number of powerful new features for shooting photographs alongside video.

Timelapse: Restoring an Old, Ripped-Up Photo

Here's a great look at how far Photoshop can go in restoring a heavily damaged photo print. Argentinian photo restorer Hernan Folmer made the time-lapse above showing how he reconstructed an old photo last year using Photoshop CC. The video shows 2 hours of work in Photoshop CC condensed into 2 minutes.

The Lumenati CS1 ‘Smartcase’ Turns Your iPhone Into a Classic Cinema Camera

The Lumenati CS1 is a cinematic smartphone case aimed at bringing a more enjoyable experience to shooting video. Designed by Lumenati, a collection of filmmakers, animators, and designers in Denver, Colorado, the CS1 looks to "combine the technological features of a digital device with the cool design, ergonomic ease and natural narrative that the lo-fi classic camera is known for." Basically, it transforms your iPhone 6 into an old-school cinema camera.

Fujifilm to Raise Prices and Kill Film Lines Yet Again

In response to struggling film sales, Fujifilm has repeatedly discontinued unprofitable lines and raised prices over the past several years. The company has now announced its latest round of price increases and film discontinuations for its Japanese market in an attempt to make sure that its popular and profitable films can live on.

Microsoft Discontinues Photosynth’s Mobile Apps

Fan’s of Microsoft’s Photosynth technology may be a bit disappointed to learn that the company is retiring their mobile applications for iOS and Windows Phone. Microsoft won’t be ditching their entire Photosynth efforts. However, they note that they will be instead focusing on the more immersive solutions introduced in the Photosynth technical preview. Those who have already downloaded the applications can continue to utilize them, but they are now officially unsupported.

Look for Leading Lines When Shooting Street Photos

Early on in my street photography career, I went on YouTube and searched for some inspiration on other street photographers. I came across the work and approach of Bruce Gilden, who absolutely blew me away. He would photograph people at very close proximities (about an arm's-length away), while shooting with a flash on a 28mm lens.

On Shooting at f/0.95 for Wedding Photography

My name is Will Chao, and I'm a wedding photographer based in Melbourne, Australia. I’m a huge fan of large aperture lenses. I shoot every lens almost 100% of the time at the maximum aperture possible. At any given wedding, over 90% of my photos are taken with 35mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.2, and 200mm f/2.0, each at its widest aperture setting. I’m also one of the few people who use f/1.2 and f/1.4 for group shots.

The World’s First 360º Video Shot Inside North Korea

Want to experience what it's like to travel into North Korea? Photographer Aram Pan, best known for his 360-degree panoramas, has just released the world's first every 360º video shot inside the country. The 19-minute video embedded above is an interactive journey that starts with a train trip from Beijing, China, and includes views of various places inside DPRK.

A Sports Shooter Shoots Shooters Shooting Sports

Last week, freelance photographer Manuel Lopez of Thun, Switzerland, attended the annual Athletissima athletics meet in Lausanne, Switzerland. In addition to photographing the athletes and events, as all the photographers were doing, Lopez decided to turn his camera on the other sports photographers.

How to Photograph Swirling Splashes of Liquid

Shooting splashes is always great fun, even if it’s a simple image with a coffee cup and a falling piece of refined sugar. Plus, there is always so much room for experimentation for even more fun!

Impatient Prince Philip Caught Dropping F-Bomb on Photographer

Queen Elizabeth II's 94-year-old husband, Prince Philip, is making headlines today after he was caught on camera cursing at a photographer. The prince was at an event honoring the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain yesterday, where he was asked to pose for a group portrait with six surviving veterans. Displeased with how much time the photographer was taking in setting up the shot, the Prince tells the man to "Just take the f***ing picture!" …

Trioplan 100mm f/2.8 Rebirth will Bring ‘Soap Bubble’ Bokeh to Modern Cameras

Since Globell Deutschland revived the Meyer-Optik-Görlitz brand, they have been committed to continuing the legendary engineering of lens optics that began in 1896. As of late, they have introduced a number of high-quality lenses designed and crafted in Germany. Now, Globell wants to breathe life into a modern 100mm f/2.8 Trioplan ‘soap bubble bokeh’ lens, a piece of glass known for its unique bokeh. The company has launched a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign that has already raised …

Video: An Intro to Polarizing Filters in Photography

If you're unfamiliar with the subject of polarizing filters in photography, here's an educational video that can bring you up to speed. Mark Ryan Sallee of Michromatic just released this 12-minute primer that covers the purpose of polarizers, the science behind them, and tips for purchasing a polarizer for yourself.

This is the Upcoming Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 for Nikon

We reported at the end of last year that Yongnuo was planning to expand beyond Canon lens clones and begin offering thrifty lenses for Nikon DSLRs by the end of 2015. It looks like the lenses are just around the corner: Yongnuo is already showing off the new lenses over in China, and here's a first look at them.