2019

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Losing My Photography Mojo and Finding It Again

On the way out of the Terai Plain in Nepal, I stopped in the town of Janakpur. The town has a beautiful temple and I was all geared up to shoot some nice stuff. But as I wandered around, I could not “see” any images despite a religious ceremony that was taking place at the time of my visit.

How I Shot a Concept Photo of an Organ Market

A surgeon at a meat market. It's an absolutely simple yet ridiculous idea, so it had to be done for real! China has been harvesting organs from detainees, so maybe this absurd project of mine isn't so far from the truth!

A Letter to New and Aspiring Wedding Photographers

I have read so many magazine articles, social media posts, and had discussions in which ‘established’ photographers don’t think new and aspiring photographers should be allowed to chart the same course that they once did (and perhaps still do). I’m referring to the general idea of starting with little or no fee to gain experience and establish themselves.

Ep. 325: Is the Sony a7R IV Underwhelming or Not? – and more


Episode 325 of the PetaPixel Photography Podcast.
Download MP3 -  Subscribe via iTunes, Google Play, email or RSS!
Featured: Photojournalist and author, Steve Simon

Photographer Turns Huge Shipping Container into Working Camera

For three weeks earlier this year, if you visited Northernhay Gardens in Exeter, UK, you would have found one of the largest and most unusual cameras in the world. It's called the Container Camera, and the large-format-camera-and-darkroom-in-a-shipping-container was created by photographer and educator Brendan Barry.

Behind the Scenes: What It’s Like on a Commercial Film Set

My name is Liam Hawe, and I work as a video editor. When I started out in the industry I worked for a creative services agency where I had the opportunity to document behind the scenes of commercials. Four great years have passed and now that I am about to take on a new role at a different company, the process of tidying up my old files has brought on a wave of nostalgia.

Sony’s FE 35mm f/1.8 Lens is Cheaper in Canada, are Trump Tariffs to Blame?

If you live in the United States, you may be surprised to hear that you'll pay a premium to buy the latest Sony FE mount lens. As pointed out in a recent report by Sony Alpha Rumors, the new Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 lens is selling for about 19% less in Canada than it is in the US, which has the photo community wondering if the latest round of Trump tariffs are to blame.

Who is the King of Compacts? Ricoh GR III vs Fuji X100F

If you’re going to get serious about shooting all the time, the best camera you can buy yourself is a quality compact. High-end DSLRs and interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras can be intimidating to shoot with for the everyday photos, not to mention an unnecessarily heavy load to carry. A compact is a camera you can take everywhere that will distinguish you from other "phonetographers" in both improved control and image quality.

The Lie of ‘Medium Format-Level Image Quality’

I, like many of you, watched the Sony a7R IV announcement live stream on Tuesday. I saw them put up the video of the camera and its specs, which I thought looked good as an evolution of their R platform. However, when the lights came back on in the room, the kind man that is the VP of their alpha division debuted the camera to the world with the line: “medium format level image quality”

Fujifilm Unveils GF 50mm f/3.5 R: Its Smallest Medium Format Lens Yet

Earlier today, Fujifilm unveiled its lightest, smallest medium format lens yet. The GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR expands the lineup of lenses available for the GFX series mirrorless medium format cameras, adding an incredibly portable, almost pancake-style 50mm that weighs only 335g (11.8 oz.).

Sony a7R III vs a7R IV Image Quality Comparison

How much of a difference can an extra 19MP and a newly-designed really make? Apparently, quite a bit, as you can see in this quick side-by-side comparison of JPEGs shot on the 42MP Sony a7R III and the newly released 61MP Sony a7R IV.

This is the World’s First Solargraphy Timelapse

Solargraphy is a technique for photographing the sun's path through the sky by using a pinhole camera to expose photographic paper for anywhere from a few hours to over a year. Photographer Sam Cornwell has created what he believes is the world's first solargraphy timelapse.

Sony a7R IV: First Impressions and Real-World Photos

A few weeks ago, Sony asked me if I wanted to do a quick test run with the (at that time) unannounced Sony a7R IV. I was pleasantly surprised as I (and I am sure many others) expected the a7S III to come out first. I agreed and was excited to be one of the first in the world to test the new camera.

Some Thoughts on Lenses: A Different Perspective?

I recently arrived at what I think is a worthwhile insight into the lenses I use. The material that follows should become instantly obvious once read, but the several photographers I discussed this with all commented that they had never thought of the matter that way and that it was worth some thought. Those comments inspired me to share my viewpoint here.

Sony Unveils a7R IV: The World’s First 61MP Full-Frame Camera

During a live presentation in New York City this morning, Sony revealed its latest full-frame mirrorless camera, breaking new ground in this ever-more crowded market with the Sony a7R IV: the world's first 61MP full-frame camera, with a burst speed of up to 10fps, and a reported 15 stops of dynamic range.

Why I Got Rid of My Photography Gear, Revisited

I had everything I could ever need, all the dream gear. Broncolor lighting, the latest professional Canon cameras and all the faster canon lenses. I had the latest Apple laptop, tethering equipment, software, c-stands, tripods, light modifiers, Polaroid cameras, all the gear I could have ever dreamed of.

Building Hyper Realistic Photography Sets Underwater

Being an Underwater Photographer I've always been drawn to creating dreamscapes below the surface, it's just part of the allure for me, and trying to build a whole room underwater was one of the goals I'd set myself quite a while ago.

What Does an Unprocessed RAW File Look Like?

What does it mean to look at a "straight from camera" RAW photo file? How do RAW processors like Lightroom change the files after they're loaded, and are RAW files actually images? Those are some questions we'll be exploring in this article.

One Photographer’s War In Ukraine

Andriy Dubchak is one of the only photojournalists to have covered the conflict in eastern Ukraine from its beginning. In this article, he shares deeply personal memories from the front lines.

How to Photograph Wild Amphibians and Reptiles Safely and Ethically

It frustrates me to see so many fake wildlife photographs of amphibians and reptiles on social media. That's because those staged photos of captive animals in unnatural positions and situations go viral on a regular basis, and this “success” can inspire other people to follow them in their footsteps.

DJI Teases New Lightweight Gimbal for Mirrorless Cameras

It seems the folks at DJI are preparing to release a new, even lighter weight Ronin gimbal for mirrorless cameras. Shown off on a new teaser page, as well as a blueprint video posted to the brand's Twitter, the new gimbal looks to be a lighter, more compact version of the current Ronin-S.

The Importance of Hiring a Trained Newborn Photographer

Many parents don't realize that anyone can call themselves a newborn photographer; but untrained photographers can make what should be a relaxing experience, incredibly stressful. It's not just about the images, it's about soothing babies and knowing their cues. It is a great job, but newborn photographers really should care enough to invest in training.