Perfectionism vs Creativity: Letting Go of the Need to Conform
“Perfect photographs do not move the heart.”– David DuChemin, The Vision Driven Photographer …
“Perfect photographs do not move the heart.”– David DuChemin, The Vision Driven Photographer …
Khan Academy recently teamed up with the team at Pixar to create a free online course for people who are interested in seeing how Pixar artists "do their jobs." But lest you think there's nothing there for photographers, think again. One of the classes in this course will definitely appeal to still shooters.
Well this is... interesting. It doesn't seem like the very public failure of Google Glass—due, in large part, to the built-in camera—has deterred Google from pursuing wearable camera tech. A recent patent shows that they're at least considering putting a camera and microphone onto a baseball cap.
I initially refused to believe it when this photo came across my feed. My eyes aren't broken! I can see they're strawberries, and they're definitely red. They have to be trolling us with this image, right?
Lensbaby's creative selective focus lenses like the Composer Pro will run you around $400; even the relatively affordable Spark costs $90. If all of that sounds too expensive for your taste, you should definitely check out this hacked version Mathieu Stern created for just 30 bucks!
I’m a firm believer that photography is a game of inches. So today I’ll share with you what I’ve learned about mastering autofocus shooting in a variety of difficult situations.
The tone curve is one of the most powerful tools in photo editing, allowing you to change multiple values and essentially doing the job of several different adjustment layers. But it's also complicated, and hard for beginners to understand. These two videos should help.
In late 2015, I stumbled upon a strobe called the Godox TT685: a fully-featured speedlight that has radio master and transmitter capabilities built right in. Being a Nikon user, I had never experienced that type of wireless connectivity, and I bought 3 despite being leery of the price.
Photographers, especially wedding photographers, might be tempted to start playing around with video or even offering some video services alongside their still work. This short tutorial will cover some basic tips that will help you navigate the chasm between shooting photos and capturing video.
Fashion and portrait photographer Jeff Rojas is back with another simple, incredibly useful lighting tip. This time, he's showing how to use a single reflective umbrella to create three distinct looks by simply moving your light source around your subject.
German company Porsche Design just unveiled their first Windows laptop, and disgruntled MacBook Pro users would do well to pay attention—the 13-inch 2-in-1 powerhouse might just tempt you to finally jump ship to (or back to) Windows.
Arriving in Kyoto, I am holding onto Fujifilm’s X-T20 pre-production unit #48. I’ve had it for 3 months now and, to be honest, it competes for attention with the other cameras in my dry-box, all of them waiting for their turns to come out and play.
Photographer Sam Forencich recently created something really special. It's a timelapse of Oregon's beautiful landscapes that stands out from the hundreds (if not thousands) of other Oregon nature timelapses out there, because he shot it entirely with infrared converted cameras.
After one full year using the Sony mirrorless system for my professional work, I believe I can give a very honest and helpful review of the system that can help others decide if it's right for them.
Same setting, same model, three different lighting scenarios. In this demo, Toronto wedding photographer Derrel Ho-Shing shows you the difference between shooting with natural light, regular strobe, and high speed sync.
There's a useful new tool on the Interwebz, and it promises to help you decide what lens you should purchase next. Just select a category and pick 20 favorite photos as you scroll through, and What The Lens will reveal your lens preference.
Hasselblad doesn't want to lose the momentum they gained by being the first to announce a mirrorless medium-format digital camera system with their exciting X1D. Which is why they've decided to announce not one, not two, not even three, but four lenses for the new system coming in 2017. One is available today.
In case you missed the slightly over-the-top announcement video, Nikon is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. And part of the celebrations involves putting out some seriously limited edition DSLRs and lenses that will have all the Nikon fanboys drooling.
DJI's newest Matrice 200 drones were designed for industrial use, but adventure photographers and photojournalists are going to love this ultra-rugged, extremely versatile drone.
Godox is quickly making a name for itself as a go-to lighting brand for photographers looking to save a buck without sacrificing quality or functionality. But the new AD200 is less about saving money than saving space: it's a "pocket flash" with two different heads that is literally the size of a decent candy bar.
Remember Sony's crazy smartphone image sensor we told you about earlier this month? Well that sensor, which can shoot up to an insane 1,000fps in HD, is already making an appearance in Sony's latest flagship smartphones.
In this article, we won't be talking about cameras and film only. Today I also want to share with you a beautiful region of Ireland that I discovered recently. It's called the Ring of Kerry. But before we start our exploration of the Emerald Island, let me introduce our travel buddy: Kodak Ektar 100.
The Seattle man who lost control of his drone and knocked a woman unconscious in the process has been sentenced to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine for his transgression.
Photographers join photo-sharing sites for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s as simple as a need for recognition and the occasional pat-on-the-back. In fact, I suspect that’s the reason most people join these sites in the first place; a little bit of recognition is worth big dollars in the feel-good bank.
One of the major ways smartphone cameras fall short of even old point-and-shoots is zoom. How are you supposed to squeeze an optical zoom mechanism into that little space? Chinese company OPPO has figured it out.
Episode 154 of the PetaPixel Photography Podcast.
Download MP3 - Subscribe via iTunes, Google Play, email or RSS!
Featured: Photographer and educator, Mark Wallace
The art of photography lost one of its most influential and controversial voices today. Ren Hang, a renowned and oft-censored Chinese photographer whose work has been displayed around the world, died this week. He was 29 years old.
Hot on the heels of Sony's "world's fastest SD card" announcement, the SD Card Association has announced a new, much faster standard for SD and microSD memory cards: UHS-III.
For as long as I’ve been photographing, I’ve always had a soft spot for gear and the technical side of photography. In the beginning, I was obsessed with getting the best camera I could afford, which, ironically, was a refurbished entry-level Nikon DSLR—not exactly the pinnacle of camera technology at the time.
Nikon has been conspicuously silent since the Japanese camera giant suddenly cancelled their long-awaited Nikon DL line released a "recognition of extraordinary loss." But Nikon executives broke their silence yesterday in the Japanese press, revealing, among other things, what's next for Nikon's camera business.
Many street photography tutorials discuss the same topics over and over—focussing techniques, composition, candid shooting, etc. However, I believe that one topic is underrepresented: storytelling.
Instagram has become one of the most powerful tools for modern photographers.
A Siberian tiger farm in China’s Heilongjiang Province was using a drone to exercise their rather chubby ambush of tigers (yes, that's the correct term) when one young tiger proved, yet again, that technology is no match for fierce mother nature.
Earlier today, photographer Danny North was at a paid Fujifilm UK event to try out the much-anticipated medium format GFX 50s when something shocking happened. After the technical talk, Fuji UK brought out a topless model for the predominantly male audience to test the camera on.
There are a ton of options out there for building your own product photography lightbox, but this is one of the simplest and most functional creations we've seen. For under $50, you can build it for yourself.
I will probably get a bunch of hate for this article, but whatever. Hopefully, my message will help someone. I realize this site is frequented by enthusiasts, professionals, camera geeks, etc. but this post is pointed more at people that want to make it as a portrait or fashion photographer.
In my photography I draw a huge amount of inspiration from film and tv series. One of my favourite recent series has been Mr. Robot. This is how this series proved to have a profound effect on the way I compose my photos.
Here's a fun little tip from the folks at Adobe: did you know there are 7 different ways to move/adjust the sliders in Adobe Lightroom? Well there are, and Benjamin Warde shows you all of them in the latest episode of Lightroom Coffee Break.
Every Fashion Week I learn something new. This is my tenth or so New York Fashion Week by now and I’m still forgetting memory cards, wandering aimlessly trying to find the backstage entrance at Skylight Clarkson, getting kicked out of areas and wondering why Dropbox doesn’t sync faster on Starbucks WiFi.
Sigma is undoubtedly, tantalizingly on fire. Their Art series lenses consistently undercut and outperform the competition, as they proved yet again by manufacturing an 85mm f/1.4 lens that is not only $600 cheaper than Sony's top-of-the-line 85mm GM, but according to DPReview, it's better 'across the board.'
I miss India. The explosions of bold colour alongside subtle, pastel textures and hues. The juxtaposition lurking on every corner. The people—friendly, welcoming and warm. The insane city streets and the almost forgotten village walkways.
When it comes to taking photos of stars, the best camera/lens combos are the ones that capture the most light.
For us photo-people, the insane price tag on some Cinema zoom lenses makes zero sense. Why not just use really nice photography glass? What makes a Cinema zoom lens worth it? A lot, actually, and this short little comedy bit illustrates the difference between the two options perfectly.
When FujiFilm’s X-Trans III sensor was introduced in the X-Pro2, many users began noticing a strange new artifact in their backlit photographs. Upon further experimentation, it became apparent that the same artifact could also be found in images from cameras using the older X-Trans II sensor.
Many a blockbuster movie and several popular travel photo/video creators out there use something called the 'Orange and Teal look' when they color grade their work. Today, Parker Walbeck of Fulltime Filmmaker will explain what that look is, why it's used, and how to apply it to your creations.
If you do a lot of basic product photography, you might want to check out this video. In it, you'll learn how to build and operate your own 360° product photography turntable, and it'll only cost you about 15 or 20 bucks.
Episode 153 of the PetaPixel Photography Podcast.
Download MP3 - Subscribe via iTunes, Google Play, email or RSS!
Featured: Fashion and portrait photographer Don Mupasi
Japanese Instagrammer Hotkenobi is making quite a name for himself, gaining thousands of followers who appreciate his talent for bringing superhero action figures to (often humorous) life.
What's better for portraits? Is it the versatility of a great 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens, or the bright bokeh-tastic performance of a solid 85mm f/1.4 lens? That's what photographer Manny Ortiz set out to discover this week.
Recently a few things came up that makes me ask if or when does the idea of copying someone else’s photo go too far, or is it just a form of flattery derived from a source of inspiration via the route of imitation?
