How the Amazing Photos in the ‘I Spy’ Books Were Captured

Did you ever dive into an I Spy book as a kid? These photo books were filled with incredibly detailed images that showed tens, sometimes hundreds of objects in a single shot, and challenged children to find specific items within those pictures. And each illustration was captured using real objects by photographer Walter Wick.

Fuji Service Advisory Warns About GFX 100 Shutter Button Issue

Fujifilm has published a "notice" (read: service advisory) informing users of its new 100MP mirrorless medium format GFX 100 that they may have a faulty shutter button. Fortunately, Fuji claims only "a very small percentage" of cameras are affected, and they'll fix those cameras for free.

Sony Shares Specs for Six Full-Frame Sensors, Including a Quad Bayer Chip

Sony recently published the spec sheets for six of its full-frame sensors, including a quad-bayer version of the 61MP chip found inside the Sony a7R IV. Given the ubiquity of Sony's BSI-CMOS sensors, it's possible we'll see tweaked versions of these sensors in some next generation full-frame cameras.

High-Quality Binaural ASMR for Photographers

Capitalizing on the increasing popularity of the ASMR video movement, Jared Polin of Fro Knows Photo has created a high-quality, binaural ASMR video for all the photographers out there who really enjoy the sounds of the trade.

Attorney Explains How Gigi Hadid Got Her Copyright Lawsuit Dismissed

Earlier this week, supermodel Gigi Hadid's lawyers successfully got a copyright case against her dismissed despite the fact that most people thought this was a clear cut case of infringement. The important question for photographers now is: how did her lawyers manage to pull this off?

How To Bracket For Perfectly Exposed Landscape Photos

Perhaps one of the more difficult aspects of landscape photography is determining how to properly expose your scene under less-than-ideal lighting conditions. These types of situations are a common occurrence with outdoor photography as it’s often a struggle trying to properly expose an image consisting of a bright sky and a dark foreground in a single image.

Sony Unveils RX100 VII with 90fps Bursts and a9-Level AF Performance

Sony has just unveiled the RX100 Mark VII, and the latest iteration of their popular, powerful point-and-shoot camera is a veritable speed demon. Thanks to a new sensor, the RX100 VII can shoot at 20fps with no blackout and full AF/AE, can perform 90fps bursts with AF/AE locked, and promises Sony a9 level autofocus performance.

The 4 Worst Types of Photographers You Know

If you're looking for a quick laugh, Marc Newton over at The School of Photography put together a short video describing "the 4 worst types of photographers that you probably know or will definitely meet at some point."

Photography Challenge: Using a $3 TV Dinner to Capture 5-Star Food Photos

Photographer Taylor Jackson has started a new series on his YouTube channel called Photography Challenge, where he will (you guessed it) take on a different challenge every episode. And this week, he's been challenged to turn a $3 frozen TV dinner into professional food photography worthy of a 5-star restaurant.

Comparing Real Film Grain to Adobe Lightroom Film Grain

In my never-ending search for that “special” photographic look that sets me apart from the competition, I recently discovered that overexposing film increases the grain and adds a vintage pictorial look to my images. So I wanted to explore that look further. To that end, I wanted to find out if this film grain can be copied in the digital world using Adobe Lightroom.

10 Dirty Little Secrets of the Commercial Photography Industry

In an industry that’s overcrowded with photographers trying to get a piece of the client pie, commercial photography has an irresistible allure, especially to those new to the industry. Social media fails to show the full picture of what goes on behind the scenes, and photographers rarely talk about the many downfalls of being a commercial photographer.

The New DisplayPort 2.0 Standard Can Run Three 10K or One 16K Monitor

VESA has announced the first major update to the DisplayPort Audio/Video standard since 2016, and it's a doozy. DisplayPort 2.0 triples the bandwidth of the standard to a mind-blowing 77.37Gbps, which will allow support for up one 16K signal at 60Hz, two 8K signals at 120Hz, or three 10K signals at 60Hz, all at 30 bits per pixel.

One of the Most Iconic Kissing Photos Was Staged

What's up, photography fans? It's Martin here from All About Street Photography, and today I want to talk about the story behind the famous photo Le baiser de l'hôtel de ville (Kiss by the Town Hall) by French photographer Robert Doisneau.

US Drone Pilots Can Now Get Near-Real Time FAA Airspace Authorization

If you're a recreational drone user in the United States, there's cause to celebrate. Yesterday, the FAA announced that they have expanded their LAANC system to include recreational drone pilots, allowing users to get "near-real time" approval to fly in controlled airspace, as long as you stay below 400ft.

I Found All of My Stolen Camera Gear in the Nearest Pawn Shop

Do you ever wake up in the morning and just know that there’s something amiss? On Saturday, June 22nd, I woke up with a knot in my stomach as I realized I had left my camera outside in my truck. I wasn’t positive I’d locked the doors.

This Entire Music Video Was Shot in One Take… Backwards

Rock/Americana artists Lake and Lyndale spent the past 4 months preparing for a very special music video shoot. Front woman Channing Marie learned the entire single "There's a Weight" backwards, so they could film the whole thing in one reverse take. Take that OK Go.

Shooting Video with a 100-Year-Old Kodak Vest Pocket Lens

A few weeks ago, we showed you how one photographer retrofitted a 100-year-old Kodak Vest Pocket lens onto his Canon DSLR to photograph the rodeo. Now, YouTuber Mathieu Stern has created a similar setup that allowed him to to capture some very unique video footage.

Modern Cameras, or: A Look at Two Decades of Progress

Twenty years. They have gone by fast. I can remember the first time I saw a camera with a screen on the back of it at a sporting venue, and now a camera without one is considered vintage. However, the look of modern cameras is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to changes.

RED Founder Blames Chinese ODM for Hydrogen One’s Poor Performance

When it was first announced, the RED Hydrogen One smartphone promised to be a game changer for photo and video pros; when it arrived, it fell far short of that mark. Now, RED's founder is speaking out about what happened with the Hydrogen One, and sharing what's next for the Hydrogen product line.

Pixelmator Pro Extension Adds Layers, RAW Editing and More to Apple Photos

Earlier today, popular macOS Photoshop alternative Pixelmator Pro just released a major update. Pixelmator Pro 1.4 'Hummingbird' adds a slew of useful new features, but the biggest news is the addition of an Apple Photos extension that turns Apple's built-in photos app into a full-blown editing suite by integrating all of Pixelmator's features.

iPhone 11 ‘Smart Frame’ Feature Will Let You Reframe Photos in Post: Report

By now it's common knowledge that the upcoming iPhone 11—or whatever it ends up being called—will feature a triple camera design that adds a wide-angle camera to mix. But according to a new report, it'll use that wide angle camera for a new feature called 'Smart Frame' that will let you adjust perspective after your photo has already been taken.

Explaining Bit Depth and Debunking a Common Myth

Each year, someone new comes along to try and demystify bit depth for the masses. In 2017 it was Tutvid, in 2018 Greg Benz did a great job in this article, and now StyleMyPic has created a comprehensive and easy-to-follow video that explains exactly what bit depth is, how it works, and debunks a common myth.

How I Shot a Time-Lapse of the Total Solar Eclipse in Argentina

One of the best things time-lapse photography has given me is my interest in astronomy. When I started shooting the night sky, I needed to learn basic astronomy in order to understand what I was photographing. Thanks to that, I was able to capture a time-lapse of the total solar eclipse this past July 2nd in Córdoba, Argentina.

Building The Ultimate Photo Editing Workstation

Building a solid workstation is critical to photographers and retouchers. We find ourselves sitting at the desk for 7-10 hours a day to meet deadlines. If you dread going to your editing station, it can make post-processing a chore that you don't look forward to, which means delayed deadlines and unhappy clients.

Three Months with the Panasonic S1R

If you’re wondering why someone who loves Sigma cameras and gets called the ‘Foveon Wizard’ by his peers is writing about the Panasonic Lumix S1R, I need to take you back to 2007.

First Look at Full-Res RAW Files from the 61MP Sony a7R IV

A lot has been said about the quality of the images coming out of the 61MP Sony a7R IV, but most of the first impressions we've seen are based on JPEGs. Now, thanks to Jared Polin of Fro Knows Photo, you can get take a close look at full-res RAW files captured with Sony's new camera and see how they hold up.

Instagrammers are Getting Sick After Posing in Toxic Turquoise Lake

It's been less than two weeks since we reported on the toxic lake in Siberia that has become a popular photo location for Instagrammers. Now, another bright turquoise lake, this time in Spain, is attracting would-be influencers. Except this one is so toxic it's actually making people very sick.

Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So D*mn Selfish and Disrespectful

What does it take to push a farmer to this point? The point where, fed up of thousands of disrespectful photographers, wannabe “influencers” and narcissistic tourists, they feel the only way to get them to stop damaging their business and property, is to damage those people’s photographs?

Amateur with Fuji GFX 50R Takes On Pro with Google Pixel 3

The folks over at popular tech channel Linus Tech Tips recently did something fun. They combined your standard Amateur vs Pro photography challenge with the Pro Gear vs Smartphone trope to answer a different kind of question: Can a rote amateur with an expensive camera beat a professional who's using only a smartphone?

Zhiyun Unveils Cheap, Compact Crane-M2 Gimbal for Compact Cameras

Earlier today, Zhiyun added a lightweight, affordable, compact gimbal to their Crane lineup. Called the Crane-M2, the small 3-axis gimbal is targeted at travel shooters and vloggers who want to capture the smoothest possible footage with their compact camera, smartphone or action cam.

Photos of Sandhill Cranes Raising a Baby Goose

This spring, here in Michigan, something quite unexpected happened. It started out as it always does in early April, with the sandhill cranes preparing their nest. A week later, they laid their first egg and then a second egg appeared. The devoted parents incubated both eggs and in early May the first egg hatched. This is where the unexpected turn occurred.

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.
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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.