Michael Zhang

Founder, Editor

Michael is a photography enthusiast, entrepreneur, and programmer based in Northern California near San Francisco. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with two degrees in computer science.

Articles by Michael Zhang

You Can Grow Plants in Used Film Canisters

Houseplants and film photography have both seen renewed interest among younger people in recent years. Here's a neat way to combine these two loves: you can recycle used film canisters by turning them into tiny pots for plants.

Aurora Aperture Unveils Next-Gen Rear-Mount Filter System

The Irvine, California-based photography gear startup Aurora Aperture has announced a new next-generation rear mount filter system. It's designed to be an elegant solution for photographers to use filters on ultra-wide lenses that don't have a front filter thread.

Moment Unveils New Rugged Slings, A Step Into Bags for Larger Cameras

Moment started as a company that designed high-quality lenses for smartphones, but the startup is quickly becoming a general brand that outfits photographers and filmmakers with everything from straps to filters to bags. Now the company is stepping into the world of bags for full-size cameras with the launch of its new Rugged Camera Sling.

This is an Infrared Photo of Jupiter

Scientists have created the highest-resolution photos of Jupiter ever captured from the ground, including this gorgeous infrared photo created by stacking a large number of exposures.

Photographers Turn Their Homes Into Cameras to Capture Pandemic Life

Billions of people around the world have had their lives turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Brazilian photographer Bruno Alencastro recently came up with an interesting concept for capturing what life is like during these difficult times. He and other photographers turned their homes into camera obscuras and created portraits in their isolated upside-down worlds.

American Idol is Being Shot on iPhone Rigs During Lockdown

As photo/video production crews and their high-end equipment are locked down in the COVID-19 pandemic, companies are getting creative with getting the shots they need. Supermodel Naomi Campbell recently shot her own portrait for a magazine cover with an iPhone, and now it has come to light that American Idol has gone that same route.

This Photographer is Printing Photos on Algae

There are various mediums and techniques you can use to create prints of your photos, but have you considered using algae? That's what photographer Russell Marx has been experimenting with, and the result is impressive.

Photos of Prague’s Rooftop Creatures

Like countless others around the globe, Prague-based photojournalist Amos Chapple has been locked down at home due to social distancing measures to combat COVID-19. And like many other photographers, he has been taking regular photo walks in his city, and one of the subjects he has been focusing on are the "rooftop creatures" found in the Czech capital.

This Night Sky Timelapse is Not What It Seems

Here's a beautiful new short film titled "Night Light" by UK-based photographer and filmmaker Arthur Cauty. While it may look like timelapse photography, it's actually comprised entirely of still photos with motion and lighting added in.

Creepy Monkey Spy Camera Befriends Curious Baby Macaque

For the new PBS series Spy in The Wild 2 – The North, a wildlife documentary crew used a creepy-looking monkey spy camera to capture footage of Japanese macaques bathing in mountain hot springs. While on its mission, the robot monkey befriends a curious baby macaque for a brief time before its mother pulls it away from the stranger.

This Sun Eruption Photo Was Shot from a Backyard

When most people hear the words "backyard astrophotography", they probably think of photos of the Milky Way, planets, or galaxies, but did you know it's possible to capture some amazing close-up photos of the Sun as an amateur photographer?

This Once-in-a-Lifetime Meteor Photo Was Captured by Accident

There are some types of photography that can be planned down to the tiniest detail. Capturing shooting stars? Not so much. This picture-perfect photo of a meteor is one of photographer Prasenjeet Yadav's most popular shots, but it's also perhaps his luckiest: it was captured accidentally while he was asleep.

NYC Mayor’s Social Distancing ‘Photo Hotline’ Flooded with Obscene Pics

New York City's mayor took to social media this past weekend to encourage New Yorkers to report each other for social distancing violations by snapping photos and texting them to a special tip line. The program has been highly controversial, to say the least, and the number was even briefly shut down due to the overwhelming flood of obscene photos being sent in.