Features

PetaPixel's Features are in-depth, heavily researched stories designed to answer the most important questions on a topic. Where we flex our journalistic muscle, expect to find the best storytelling and original reporting the photo industry offers.
Interviews
Jeremy Gray
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A vivid image of a nebula in space, showcasing bright colors with swirling patterns. Orange and red clouds contrast against a dark background, with a striking blue formation resembling a gaseous arc. Twinkling stars are scattered throughout.

This Astrophotographer Captures the Universe Unlike Anyone Else

Through his fantastic images, Finnish astrophotographer J-P Metsavainio shows how photos can be breathtakingly beautiful when art meets science. One of Metsavainio's recent images, WR 134 as a Rising Phoenix, is a brilliant example of the aesthetic wonders of the cosmos and the extreme technical precision required to do astrophotography.

Walkthroughs
Charlie Pinder
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On the left, a close-up of a marine iguana resting on a rock. On the right, a fisherman stands by the sea holding a fishing rod and a fish, with boats in the background.

Echoes of Life: Stories of Galapagos

As a multidisciplinary creative, I was brought on by Craghoppers UK a couple of years ago to help execute a brand refresh. The brand’s look and feel had lost its consistency, so my role was to realign its identity. This involved establishing new typefaces, color palettes, and a comprehensive toolkit that would guide future creative decisions.

Equipment
Shane Balkowitsch
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A hand holding a small wooden pinhole camera with brass fittings and a cylindrical lens. The camera has a simple, boxy design with a polished finish. The background is black, providing contrast to the camera's warm wood tones.

Smaller is Better: My Tiny Wooden Wet Plate Camera

When it comes to camera’s they can come in all shapes and sizes. I want to tell the story of this little, as I call it “Klein Special”, wood box wet plate camera made by my good friend Kevin Klein in Valley City, North Dakota. Coincidently “Klein” means “small” in German. Something that I was unaware of at the time of giving the camera its name.

Features
Jeremy Gray
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A woman with long brown hair, wearing a white blouse, smiles while sitting with her hands folded. She is positioned next to a large red circular Leica logo on a black background.

Leica’s Art Director on Galleries and Promoting Photography as Art

Since its inception, Leica has made an indelible impact on photography. Whether through its cameras and lenses or its Leica Galleries, the company has consistently demonstrated a passion for photography as an art form. While the Leica Gallery initiative traces its roots back to the 1970s, the company's efforts have been reinvigorated by Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, Leica's Art Director and Chief Representative for Leica Galleries International.