Educational

PetaPixel's editorials are in-depth stories, thought-pieces, and opinions on the photography industry led by the minds of our editorial team.

How John Glenn’s $40 Camera Forced NASA to Rethink Space Missions

We're about to take a trip back in time to the early 1960s and learn how a $40 drugstore camera forced NASA to rethink its space missions. Yes, it’s true. A simple camera purchased at the local drugstore played a pivotal role in shaping the future of space exploration and set the stage for space photography in a non-scientific domain.

The Photography Terms Glossary

The world of photography is full of terms and phrases that can be confusing for new photographers, so PetaPixel has put together a complete glossary of everything you may want to know the meaning of if you're just getting started.

How to Use a Graduated ND Filter in Landscape Photography

In landscape photography, it is helpful to have three specific lens filters in your camera bag. These are the circular polarizer (CPL) filter, the neutral density (ND) filter, and the graduated neutral density filter (GND).

michael shainblum photo

5 Tips for Capturing Breathtaking Woodland Photography

Capturing images in the woods can be a fulfilling experience, and I have fond memories of wandering through the forest with my camera in hand. However, finding a good composition can be a challenge and sometimes stressful.

Caffenol: A Guide to Developing B&W Film with Coffee

One of the greatest things about film photography is its friendliness toward do-it-yourself approaches. Want to hack together a working camera out of discount hardware store supplies? All the power to you! Want to shoot on art paper coated in a home-concocted emulsion, contact-printed using authentic techniques from the 1800s? Why not?

Glossy vs. Matte Photo: Which is Best for Printed Pictures?

Printing your photography is a great way to display it, give it as a gift, and experiment with different ways to present your work. One aspect of printing that will inevitably come up is the type of paper that you want to print on -- should you choose glossy or matte?

Grizzly 399: Where to Photograph the World’s Most Famous Bear

When a grizzly bear appears in Wyoming's Grand Teton or Yellowstone National Park, traffic comes to a grinding halt. Hundreds of cars get stuck in a traffic jam that can go on for miles - called a bear jam - and everyone's heart rate goes up in the hopes of spotting this legendary predator. Seeing a wild grizzly is the highlight of many family vacations.

6 Ethical Considerations When Doing Street Photography

I love street photography, I teach street photography, I promote street photography, I defend street photography, and want everyone to experience the fun of doing street photography!

Food Photography: A Complete Guide

Food photography is one of the easiest photography disciplines to start out with. You can arrange food however you like. It doesn’t scamper away mid-shoot and doesn’t get tired. It’s also relatively contained and easy to practice.

The Best Way to Access Camera Raw Photos on Your Smartphone

It seems like a small request to a simple need... you shoot an event using your main standalone camera and want to upload a few choice shots to social media or send to a client to give them something to post straightaway. Or - as I've done - undertake some quick processing on your phone before sending it to an Instax printer and giving your customer an instant print.

Why to Use Tilt Shift Lenses for Product Photography

Many people think of tilt shift lenses as something only used by specialist architectural photographers. Some actually don’t realize that they can do more than the tilt shift miniature effect emulated by the Photoshop filter (although it can give some fun results!)

A Beginner’s Guide to Zone Focusing in Photography

Zone focusing (ZF) is a great way to pre-set your camera's focus and aperture, then use that setting for multiple shots. Street shooters love it. And it's also great for sports, pets, jumpy kids, parties, or any subjects in motion.

Good Hobby vs. Great Hobby, and Why Photography is One of the Best

What makes a great hobby? Most people don’t have to ask themselves this, they just naturally gravitate to activities they enjoy and make time for them–but I’ve had to think about this for years. It’s an important question, particularly when your time is being pulled in multiple directions!

2022 Was Officially the Year of the Mirrorless Camera

Camera manufacturers have long told us that the future was mirrorless and - as if there was any doubt - Canon and Nikon even joined the party as far back as 2018, yet compact cameras and DSLRs have stubbornly refused to die. With 2022 well and truly over, we can now safely say that it was the year of the mirrorless camera and this marks some profound changes across the board for the industry as a whole.