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