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Trina Merry is a bodypainting artist based in San Francisco. There's a good chance you've seen her work before, as a number of her projects have enjoyed widespread viral success on the Web.

Is Amazon attempting to patent an age old photography lighting technique? A recently published patent seems to suggest that, and it's getting some photographers up in arms.

It’s probably safe to say many -- if not all -- of us know how to remove a background from an image in order to separate the subject of that image. But, thanks to a convenient website called Background Burner, the process has been simplified for when you need speed more than specificity.

Back in 2012, the Republican Study Committee caused widespread debate over intellectual property law after publishing and then pulling a paper on copyright reform. Derek Khanna, the conservative staffer behind the paper, was fired by the committee shortly afterward.

Created by photography magazine COOPH, this handy little video follows photographer Leo Rosas showing off 7 little photography hacks to help create more unique images with minimal investment, in either time or money.

If you think your camera collection is impressive, you might want to check out the camera shop of Harry Mueller. Deemed “The Camera Magician,” Mueller’s shop holds over 4,000 cameras at any given time.

This post contains absolutely no mathematics. Explaining MTF without math is sort of like doing a high-wire act without a net. It’s dangerous, but for any number of reasons is more likely to keep the audience interested.

Photographer JP Danko recently put together the above video that takes a 20-minute behind-the-scenes look at the editing of an underwater photo. Detailing from beginning to end, Danko shares his personal technique for turning a straight-out-of-camera shot to something ready for publication.

For those of you who already have an Amazon camera gear purchasing infatuation, leading to a slim wallet and empty bank account, this may be NSFL (so turn your head away): Amazon has teamed up with social media giant Twitter for a new feature that allows you to now add items to your Amazon cart directly through the social network.

If you care about endangered animals that are hunted for their parts, here's something important you should keep in mind: make sure you scrub the GPS data on the images prior to sharing them online. Poachers have reportedly been turning to geotagged photos on social networks in order to find out where they can make their next kill.

Timelapse projects involving one photo or video per day have seen a surge in popularity in recent years ever since videos such as Noah Kalina's everyday went viral. Matt Bray wanted to do something similar to Kalina's project... but different. He set up a camera and captured himself doing the exact same dance in his room for 100 days, and then turned it into one impressive time-lapse dance.

There are times when actually creating and composing a photo are key. But, there are also times – especially to the general population – when just capturing an ‘alright’ photo is hard enough. Here to help solve this problem is a new iOS app called Vhoto, which blurs the line between capturing videos and photos.

I first heard about 5 Pointz in a Wall Street Journal article in the summer of 2011. The article detailed the recent attempts by the owner to knock what had become an internationally-reknown street art mecca down, and build high-rise condominiums.

Have you ever watched a movie and wondered what single frame could perfectly summarize the entire film? Well, Geoff Todd did and his resulting creation is One Perfect Shot, a Twitter account that does just that.

It’s no surprise that a market as vast and broad as photography is going to have problems with counterfeit gear, but the problem might be more prevalent than you think. According to a recent study commission by Canon, it's estimated that some 18% of consumers have purchased counterfeit goods without knowing it, despite the fact that companies like Canon often try to educate customers about this sort of thing.

Be careful who you let photograph you on the job... you might get suspended. That's what happened to a woman named Debbie Heald who, last week, was put on “administrative suspension” after a photographer from the local Guardian newspaper snapped her photo for an article.

Cinematographer Andy Newman has put together a series called Why We Create in an effort to gain a glimpse behind why we, as artist, make what we do.

Would you like to photograph the Upper Yosemite Falls by drone? Attach a GoPro to your newly-acquired DJI Phantom 2 and just have at it, capturing views that Ansel Adams would envy? Well, you can't, because it turns out "use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones)" is prohibited in Yosemite National Park.

Okay, to be fair, if you're of the photographic persuasion (and chances are good seeing as you're reading this) then your desire to visit places like New Zealand and Iceland doesn't need any more 'awakening.' It's like a wanderlust itch that just won't go away until you book that flight, pack the gear you do own, rent the gear you don't, and get you a** out there.

The most recent video to come out of Adobe's "Photoshop Playbook" series of tutorials offers a quick and useful tip for if you ever find yourself having to resize a low res image. It's meant for relative newbies to Photoshop, so it's not anything groundbreaking by any means, but if you use Photoshop CC it could come in very handy (and yes, this particular method is limited to Photoshop CC).

Who knew a dipperful of seawater contained so much life? Well, photographer David Liittschwager, that's who, because in 2006 he captured this eye-opening photograph for National Geographic.

There are quite a few options in the form of applications and even other devices that will allow you to take photos with your phone via a remote, but none are quite as integrated as Selfy.

We hope you’re ready for a gorgeous BTS look at one of the most beautiful cameras to ever hit the market, because this short video takes you behind the scenes with the revolutionary “WALLEY POS–86” camera. Featuring a 483mm long design, a 183mm lens, and coming in at only 25lbs, this thing is an absolute beauty from the ground up.

"Documentary wedding photography" is a style of photography which a small, but growing, number of couples are turning to for their wedding day. Of course, there have been photographers documenting life ever since there has been photography. In the last 10 years or so, more and more couples have decided against the traditional style of endless posed group photographs and portraits, and are commissioning photographers who do not direct or pose people during the day.

Want a crafty way to show off your travel photos? Try creating a personalized photo map, with states, provinces, or countries in the map replaced with pictures showing you in those locations.

In an effort to document the intense and widespread damage of the tornados that ripped through Arkansas this past week, storm chaser and videographer Brian Emfinger made use of a drone, flying it above the damage and rescue efforts to bring to light just how bad the damage was. Unfortunately for Emfinger, the Federal Aviation Administration may have an issue with his drone use.

This story is not going to be a technical how to. It's not about lighting gear, cameras or lenses. It's not about technique in camera or post production. It's about the unexpected things that can happen, the people you can meet and the work you can make when you travel.

What happens when someone proficient with Photoshop, such as a wedding photographer identified only as Wan, wants to make something sweet for his girlfriend of four years? You end up with this: a collection of Photoshopped photographs as creepy as it might be romantic.

In this short, put together by Phase One, renowned fashion and commercial photographer, Albert Watson shares a nice look into the story of his photography. From speaking on his introduction and passion in photography to how he managed to capture some of his most iconic images of Kate Moss, Alfred Hitchcock, and Steve Jobs, it’s quite obvious the love and passion Watson has when it comes to the world of photography.

Just look at this necklace. It’s a beautiful wood cutout necklace made to look like a DSLR – a piece of jewelry Rick Ross would be proud of if he were into photography (and if it were adorned with a few diamonds, maybe). But, if you think this little fashion accessory is only that, you’d be greatly mistaken. What you see above is a digital camera fitted into a 1/2” thick sheet of walnut.

Back in 2010, a series of volcanic eruptions in Iceland captured the world's attention. Although they were relatively small in scale, the ash that was spewed into the air disrupted air travel across Europe for a number of days. Photographer Sigurdur Stefnisson witnessed the eruptions first hand, and was able to capture a series of jaw-dropping photographs showing the power and scale of the ash clouds, lightning, and lava.

It came as quite a surprise to everyone – including their own employees – when Calumet camera stores went out of business quite literally overnight. As is to be expected in such a downfall, much of their capital has been sold off in hopes to gain back as much as possible. But, as much as anything else, the fall of Calumet has left people wondering what will happen to the brand that many photographers came to know and trust.

Feel a bit dry when it comes to being creative with your photography? Try taking a walk -- or, more specifically, a photo walk. A study over at Stanford has found that walking around can give you a significant boost in creativity.

The World Photography Organisation has officially announced the winners from all 14 of the categories of the Sony World Photography Awards. From 140,000 photographers across 166 countries, 14 photographers’ works have been chosen as some of the greatest imagery captured this past year.

In the never-ending chase to create the most unique camera around, San Francisco-based Centr Camera Inc. has launched a Kickstarter for a new style of camera. Called Centr, this 360º, 60fps, 4K-resolution panoramic camera will allow you to capture incredible footage all around you, in a device roughly the size of a hockey puck.

This behind the scenes video takes a look at a unique advertisement shoot by photographer Tim Tadder. The shoot takes place in a circus big-top and in the video Tadder demonstrates how to handle an incredibly complex shoot that involves a handful of trapeze artists and 15 various lights mounted 42 feet in the air.

The week is coming to a close, and if you find yourself in desperate need of a giggle or two, we have just the thing for you: none other than Kai from DigitalRev offering tips for taking selfies without looking like a tool.

Time-lapse photographer Ole Salomonsen once referred to the aurora borealis as the 'polar spirits,' and characterized their movements as dancing. Well, after seeing the image above by photographer John Chumack we're tempted to conclude that the polar spirits have pets that do some jumping while their parents dance.

As part of The Invisible Photograph documentary series being put together by Carnegie Museum of Art, the short film Underground takes a look inside one of the largest photo collections on the face of the Earth.

A slew of new technologies are making it possible (even easy) to document everything around you without much effort or input. Wearable, automated cameras represent the most extreme end of this spectrum - devices like Autographer and the Narrative Clip record your daily life with a mind of their own.

It’s always interesting to hear how photographers ended up with the career they did. Photography is interesting because, unlike most jobs, it’s something that can be completely self-taught. This leads to a photo community made up of incredibly varied backgrounds and fascinating cross-over stories, and headshot master Peter Hurley has just such a story.

Two months after being in Sochi to cover the 2014 Winter Olympics, photographer Guy Rhodes is sharing some of the images he captured there. But they’re not just any images. They’re analog images. 4x5 images, to be exact.

We're not sure how most of the world missed this time-lapse for the first 10 months of its existence, but we're thrilled it finally made it onto our radar. Put together by writer/director Sean Collins of Bodhi Films, it's his "tribute to the beautiful city of Boston" -- and it rocks.

Talented photographer and web designer Sasha Juliard just won Craigslist for photographers everywhere, because even if you're not in the market for a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens, you're going to end up reading his entire classified ad from start to finish. (Warning: The ad contains a big helping of strong language).

Since the last A-Mount Sony came out with, we've seen the a7, the a7R, the a7S, the a3000, the a5000, the a6000 and the a3500. But don't let the names fool you, not a single one of those was actually an A-Mount. This has led many to wonder if Sony had given up on the A-Mount.

I have a feeling this is something every photographer does or has done at some point in their life. Walking through a flea market or thrift shop, they look around and see an older camera. Not one they have any interest in purchasing, but one they do have interest in. Why? For what could be inside. They are in the search of film... film that isn’t theirs. They hope to find photographs from a time long gone and possibly forgotten.

We’ve shared his work before here on PetaPixel, but this time filmmaker Simon Smith has stepped up his game.

When it comes to product photography, the smallest changes in lighting and setup can completely alter the final image, for better or worse. This applies doubly to objects like perfume bottles where you have both transparent and reflective surfaces to deal with.

Brandon Stanton, the photographer behind the now iconic Humans of New York photo blog and #1 NYT bestselling book Humans of New York recently sat down with some students and faculty at the University College of Dublin to receive the James Joyce Award.

At first glance, this little black camera looks like a tiny, worn-out shooter from a hundred years ago. But upon closer examination, the camera’s black paint coating contains scribbles and etchings, with cities and locations and dates, similar to location decals on an old steamer trunk. Bordeaux, France. Liverpool, England. Camp Custer. Camp Genicart. Camp Merritt. S.S. Ascania. S.S. Chicago.