Culture

Photography is about far more than capturing an image. How photos are shared and what social issues are impacting the profession are just as important. PetaPixel regularly covers the stories around the culture of photography, how it affects society, and what cultural changes affect the art.
A cartoon character with a camera and backpack walks through a field of flowers surrounded by floating polaroid photos.

Toem 2 Is a Cozy Adventure Video Game About Capturing Photos

Toem 2's developers, Swedish independent studio Something We Made, describes its new video game as a "wholesome adventure about taking photos." In the striking-looking black-and-white game, players grab their camera and set off into the world, tasked with making friends, exploring, and, of course, taking photos.

A man with short blond hair and light facial stubble looks to the side, wearing a black shirt, with a blurred dark background and circular lights behind him.

Another Coach Complains About Photographers at the World Cup

England national team coach Thomas Tuchel made headlines last week for two reasons. One, his team sailed to an easy 4-1 victory over European rival Croatia. And two, Tuchel complained about how the gaggle of photographers positioned between Tuchel and his players ruined a really important pre-game moment during England's national anthem. Another coach, German manager Julian Nagelsmann, is 100% on Tuchel's side.

A person with a light brown backpack stands in a white-walled gallery, looking at framed black-and-white photographs displayed on the walls. The floor has a geometric tile pattern.

Engaging With the Arts Slows Biological Aging

Researchers in the United Kingdom found that people who engage with the arts biologically age more slowly than those who do not. These results echo others over the years that show a correlation between exercising creative muscles and improved health outcomes.

A round pin with the Flickr logo in blue and pink text is centered in focus, with several blurred pins featuring the same colors in the background.

Flickr: The First and Last Great Photo Platform

As the global population of photographers swells, so do their digital libraries, leaving everyone with the same question: where and how to share their best work. Flickr was among the first online communities designed to address that dilemma, and it remains one of the best. Some demand sweeping overhauls or argue the price isn't justified.

On the left, a black-and-white vintage portrait features two women, one standing behind the other. On the right, a headless flamingo stands on white sand near gentle blue ocean waves.

A Necessary Critique of Fontcuberta’s Algorithmic Photography

This March, Spanish conceptual artist and photographer Joan Fontcuberta published a new book in Italy. Immagini Latenti concludes with a chapter on AI and photography, referencing the debates surrounding Boris Eldagsen’s submission of an AI-generated image to the Sony World Photography Awards in 2023 and Miles Astray’s submission of a photograph in the AI category of the 1839 Award in 2024.

A man holding a camera with a large lens stands outdoors. Beside him, a green sign reads "Photographer No. 24 Masters" with the Masters golf tournament logo.

New Doc Follows Ken Griffey Jr.’s Photography Journey at The Masters

Hall of Fame baseball player Ken Griffey Jr.'s passion for photography is well known. The slugger-turned-photographer is a mainstay at major sporting events, including NFL games, soccer matches, and last year's Masters Tournament at the iconic Augusta National Golf Club. Griffey's experience behind the camera at The Masters is the focus of a new documentary, "Photographer No. 24."

Mario and Princess Peach stand together on a rooftop at night, gazing at a sky filled with colorful shooting stars and glowing trails. The scene is vibrant, magical, and illuminated by the falling stars.

Anamorphic Lenses Are Everywhere in Hollywood, Even Animated Movies

Anamorphic lenses are everywhere these days. From the small screen of television to the big screen of IMAX theaters, cinematographers often reach for anamorphics. These lenses not only deliver an ultra-wide, cinematic look but also feature distinct oval bokeh and exaggerated flare. The look is so prevalent in live-action filmmaking now that even animated movies, like the brand-new "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," are following suit and simulating the "look" of anamorphic lenses.

Three posters: left shows small, clear camera lens adapters labeled "4.1g" with the word "Air"; middle has a colorful quilted backpack on a tripod outdoors; right displays a white CineMaster-V 16K cinema camera.

The Best April Fools’ Day Photography Jokes of 2026

April 1 has once again delivered a fresh roll of photographic absurdity, with brands and creators leaning into the strange, the impossible, and the technically questionable. While some years feel phoned in, 2026’s crop of April Fools’ Day gags shows the industry still has a sharp sense of humor about its own obsessions.