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The Historic Practice of the Hidden Mother in Photography

Two vintage photographs side-by-side, each showing a baby held by a person completely obscured by a dark, draped cloth.

The “Hidden Mother” is a genre of photography that has been practiced since the infancy of the photographic process. Many examples date back to 1839 and the daguerreotype. A shroud or sheet would be thrown over the adult in the composition, or the mother hid behind a cloaked chair. They used varied methods and had varying degrees of success, depending on what worked for the photographer and the sitter. Sometimes an adult stabilizing the child would be just out of frame, and the photographer …

What I’ve Learned After 20 Years of Photographing Fall Color

A triptych showing a rustic water mill by a stream, a porcupine perched in a tree, and a misty forest landscape at dawn.

After 20 years of photographing fall color, I'm sharing the lessons that have helped me plan better outings, find stronger compositions, and build a more varied portfolio. Growing up in the Northeastern U.S., autumn has always been one of the times of year that draws me outside with its explosion of color and fleeting window of opportunity. Over the years, though, I've learned that creating great autumn photographs isn't simply about being in the right place when the leaves reach their peak.

A silver smartphone rig with two side handles and a circular camera lens attachment mounted over the rear camera array.

ShiftCam and Apple Partner on New ProRig for iPhone

ShiftCam Gear, best known for its iPhone camera lenses and grips, has announced ProRig. Launching later this month as ShiftCam's 10th Kickstarter campaign, the company says it partnered directly with Apple on the new product, an entire camera system built for iPhone.

Nat Geo’s ‘Africa’ Doc Features Six World’s Firsts and Required 300 Days of Filming In 33 Countries

A triptych showing a close-up of a tortoise, a gorilla's face, and a cheetah sitting in a landscape.

National Geographic's newest documentary series, Africa: Earth's Wild Home, is among its most ambitious to date. The seven-part series is the first in a new multiyear natural history franchise for National Geographic, and features cutting-edge camera technology across the board. PetaPixel spoke to showrunner Gavin Boyland about the incredible diversity of place, subject, and cameras in the new series.