debate

The First Look Debate from a Wedding Photographer’s Perspective

Normally when I write articles about photography, I’m not very polemic -- I try to stay neutral and give advice that photographers can apply to their own personal wedding photography style even if it differs from my own. I care more about giving people solid advice than worrying about clickbait.

Natural Light vs. Strobes: Everything They Say is a Lie

During the dark ages of digital photography, also known as the early 2000s, I was spending an awful lot of time trying to get my Canon 430EX Speedlite to work as an off-camera flash. Speedlites, by design, were clearly never meant to be used that way.

The Problem with Presets: Why You Should or Shouldn’t Use Them

A month ago, a photography podcast slammed the preset industry in a scathing episode that was all about how presets and the photographers who sell them are terrible. Now, the photographer duo behind the popular YouTube channel Mango Street are speaking up and sharing their thoughts on this contentious topic.

Is This Plagiarism or Crazy Coincidence in Landscape Photography?

It often happens that other photographers have a similar shot to yours. Especially in landscape photography, where there are lots of amazing locations where a lot of photographers go. Having a similar shot is often not really a problem -- most of the time these shots are still different because of light, conditions, and different compositions from the same spot.

The DSLR vs Mirrorless Debate is Silly, Here’s Why

Photographer Ted Forbes of The Art of Photography recently published a well-reasoned and logical response to the Mirrorless vs DSLR debate that recently peaked with the announcement of the Nikon D6. In his video, Forbes offers a much more nuanced take than many of the arguments you've probably seen in various corners of the Internet.

Wedding Photographer Loses Photos in a Fire, Only Offers 90% Refund

If you lost all of your client's wedding photos in a house fire, would you give them a full refund? This question has been spreading across the Internet the past few days after a couple complained that their wedding photog only offered them a 90% refund after his house burned down, because of the time he already invested.

Yes, Peter Lik’s ‘Moonlit Dreams’ IS a Composite

Photographers have been talking this month about best-selling landscape photographer Peter Lik's new photo, "Moonlit Dreams," pointing out that the image appears to be a "faked" composite instead of a single "real" exposure. It has since been confirmed that the photo IS a composite.

Peter Lik Called Out by Photographers Over ‘Faked’ Moon Photo

Photographer Peter Lik is purportedly one of the bestselling landscape photographers on Earth, having sold a reported half a billion dollars worth of prints by 2015. He also claims to have sold a single print for $6.5 million in 2014, which would still be the world's most expensive photo today. But one of Lik's new prints is raising eyebrows and eliciting cries of "Photoshop!"

‘Informed Consent’ and Why it Doesn’t Work

Photographers are increasingly being asked to seek “informed consent” from people they photograph in development and humanitarian situations. The stated intention is to protect their rights and dignity.

The Line Between Photo Illustrations and ‘Pure’ Photography

What's the place of digitally manipulated photo illustrations in the world of photography? The age-old discussion was rekindled this week after renowned Australian landscape photographer Ken Duncan spoke out, saying the Australian Professional Photography Awards (APPA) have been "hijacked by manipulators."

A Predictable Trend in Photography Criticism

There’s an article, published here on PetaPixel, that’s currently making the rounds on social media. It's called “A Disturbing Trend in Photography.” In it, long-time photographer and photo educator Neal Rantoul makes the argument that the art photography of today is heavy on words and light on quality.

Why Its Absolutely OK to Give RAW Files Away

I started reading about how to become a professional wedding photographer some time in late 2010. Whether it was on DWF, POTN or Whirlpool, the same advice was being recycled.

Never give away your RAW files

But why?

In Defense of Sony’s Pro Mirrorless Cameras

The photographer Sator has created quite a buzz with his article "Why Sony’s Full Frame Pro Mirrorless Was a Fatal Mistake." I thought long and hard about whether I should response to this or not. I think there are many things omitted in his analysis and I want to point out some of those points.

The Myth of Color Management

It is often stated that, for photography, it is vital to use color management within your workflow, so that you can ensure accurate colors for your work.

David Hobby Calls MagBeam’s Claim ‘100% Bulls**t’

Since launching the MagBeam via a Kickstarter campaign two weeks ago, MagMod has raised nearly $200,000 for the flash extender and gobo. But at least one notable photographer has an issue with how the product is being marketed: David Hobby calls one of MagMod's claims "100% bulls**t."

Man Pulls Shark from Sea for Photos, Sparks Outcry

Beachgoers in Argentina sparked outrage around the world last week after purportedly killing an at-risk baby dolphin by passing it around for photos. Now a similar video has emerged from Palm Beach, Florida, and this one is sparking new debate.

The 1.5-minute video above shows a man pulling a shark from the water and posing for photos with it before setting it free.

Is Shooting 4K Resolution Worth It for Web Video?

Linus of LinusTechTips just published the 9-minute video above that explores whether shooting video at 4K resolution is worth it. Using both a Panasonic GH4 and a Sony FS700, Linus and his team take to discovering the links between video resolution, video bitrate, and downsampling.

Photographer Trades Open Letters with the Band Garbage Over Free Photo Request

The photography and music worlds are at odds in a dispute between a music photographer and a popular band. Photographer Pat Pope was miffed by a request from the band to include his photos in an upcoming book without any payment, while the band Garbage argues that they've already paid Pope for his work, and that they were simply giving him a chance to have his work represented in the publication.

Is Black and White Photography a Gimmick?

In an age where digital photography is ubiquitous, and post processing allows everyman to bump saturation levels and create hyper-real images, black and white photography seems like a curious anachronism.

Color film went mainstream in the 1930s with the introduction of Kodachrome, but black and white has stubbornly persisted not only in newspapers, but also as an expressive outlet for many photographers who choose to shoot photojournalism, weddings, portraits and more by converting color digital files to black and white.

“Why I Want to Switch to Nikon, But Can’t”: Tony Northrup Throws Gas on the Canikon Debate

Photographer and educator Tony Northrop is stirring the pot again, offering a bit of education on a hotly debated topic. Don't worry though, this isn't about crop factor... it's arguably worse.

This time, he's taking a well-informed, in-depth look at the Canikon debate, meticulously going through the comparisons between each companies lineup of camera bodies, lenses, and flashes, and explaining why he will continue shooting Canon, despite wanting to make the switch to Nikon.

Should Artists Be Different From Inventors When It Comes to Intellectual Property?

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.

He may have lost the platform afforded by the RSC, but Khanna is still pushing to have his views on copyright reform heard. His latest writings continue to cause quite a discussion on how copyright should be handled in the United States.

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against Photog, OKs Reprinting of “Limited Edition” Pics

If you sell a number of prints of a photograph as a "limited edition," should you be allowed to later reprint that photo in a different size, format, or medium and then sell the new pieces as a new edition? Apparently the US legal system believes the answer is "yes."

A judge has dismissed the lawsuit filed against photographer William Eggleston by art collector Jonathan Sobel, who claimed that Eggleston's decision to sell new prints of old photos hurt the value of the original "limited edition" prints.

New Service Turns Facebook Photos Into Products Without Your Friend’s Consent

Want to turn your friend's Facebook photograph into a mug to sip your morning coffee from? A new service called Photos At My Door can help you do that. It's an app that can access any of your Facebook friends' public photographs and turn them into products ranging from photo prints and canvases to mugs and mouse pads.

If the thought of having your photos sold as commercial products without your permission makes you uncomfortable, you're not alone: the app is attracting criticism for it's apparently flippant views on photo copyrights.