Guides

Looking for the best products for photographers? PetaPixel's experts are constantly testing a wide range of cameras, lenses, accessories, computers, services, and more to let you know where your money is best spent. Our Guides are regularly updated, so check back for our most up-to-date recommendations.

How to Download Photos from iCloud

With Apple's iCloud, it's easy to download photos from your online photo library to any device. If you own an iPhone, iPad, or Mac this can be set up to happen automatically. From a Windows computer, there are a few more steps required and the same is true for an Android phone or tablet.

How to Get a Press Pass as a Photographer

Shooting from a photo pit or area is an important part of photography niches such as concert and sports photography, but how do you get access in the first place? This is not an easy task but with a little work and dedication, you can position yourself to be allowed in this coveted area.

What is a Rangefinder Camera?

In the photographic arms race, mirrorless systems are on the rise, having pushed DSLRs into the history books. But, just as film isn’t dead, neither are rangefinders. This seemingly obsolete design remains sharp, fast, and challenging enough to suit even the most confident photographers.

ISO in Photography: A Complete Guide

When compared to the other components of the exposure triangle (shutter speed and aperture), ISO appears to be the most intuitive on the surface. It is also the most misunderstood component, and everything from its definition to its usage has been discussed extensively.

Types of Camera Lenses: A Complete Guide

There are many types of camera lenses out there, and it can be a bit confusing and even frustrating trying to sort it out because not every lens will be right for the type of photo you are trying to capture in a particular situation.

The Best Drawing Tablets for Photo Editing in 2026

Anyone who has spent any extended time editing photos with a mouse will find that often, it's just not the best experience. That's why so many editors switch to a drawing tablet (also known as a pen tablet), but picking the best one has gotten surprisingly challenging in recent years.

Photojournalism: A Complete Guide

Photojournalism tells a story not in thousands of words but in a series of photos. Just as a written news story presents a complete picture by providing an overview, a thesis, subjects, and various points of view, photojournalism achieves this same objective pictographically.

Best 35mm Film

The Best 35mm Film in 2026

Film is back, and with its booming popularity, there are a lot of options to try. These are our top picks for the best 35mm film you can find today for a range of use cases.

Shutter Speed in Photography: A Complete Guide

As perhaps the most important parameter to understand in photography, shutter speed should be one of your first considerations when making a photograph. It’s one of the biggest reasons that photographers might find themselves unhappy with their shots, and having a great understanding of it is crucial to making great images.

A Photographer’s Guide to Networking

We’ve all been there. Walking into a room of complete strangers, business cards at the ready, with a feeling vaguely reminiscent of stepping onto a used car lot. Welcome to the monthly Chamber of Commerce networking luncheon: a hellscape of desperate Realtors, indifferent bank managers, and the guy who just quit his job at the car wash to become a personal trainer.

How to Delete All Photos from Your iPhone

Apple makes it very easy to delete a photo from an iPhone but removing all of them at once can be quite a bit more challenging. There are also some complications to be aware of, like accidentally deleting photos from iCloud. Knowledge is power and with a few tips, you'll be able to delete only what you'd like from your iPhone and make it take effect immediately.

TikTok Photo Mode

How to Share Photos on TikTok

Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter have all been chasing TikTok's domination in short-form video for some time now. But while its competitors focus on short-form video, TikTok has made the unexpected pivot to photography.

What is a DSLR Camera?

If it seems like there’s more new photography technology than what you can keep up with, you are probably correct. However, don’t let that deter you from learning the industry standards and terms within it. One of those terms that you’ll likely come across is the digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera, which has been the leading type of camera for still photography throughout the past decade.

Complementary Colors in Photography

Photography, as the name suggests, is the process of creating images with light. But if you use only light, the entire image will be pure white (or any other color). So we also need the absence of light, or shadows, to create and showcase what we want. It's the interplay between light and shadows that creates the final image.

How to Use a Light Meter in Photography

For decades, there’s a piece of gear that I’ve always had in my camera bag. This would be a handheld light meter. I feel I’m in the minority these days by still using a handheld light meter and that’s too bad this is so.

Dance Photography: A Complete Guide

Shooting dancers can be one of the most daunting photographic subjects but also one of the most rewarding in terms of the final images captured. Dance can be an unforgiving subject, and unless one delves deeper and tries to understand the movement, the choreography, the piece, and how to capture the light hitting the dancers, it will prove tough to achieve award-winning imagery.

Best-Camera-Drones-of-2022

The Best Camera Drones in 2026

For anyone who has flown a camera drone, there is a lot of fun and excitement unlocked with the new creative angles with their ability to get views and vantage points otherwise inaccessible to a photographer on the ground. While learning how to fly them can be challenging, an epic new view of the area captured from the air is a worthy and exciting reward. Since so many makes and models exist currently on the market, which one is the right choice for you?

The Best Camera Bags and Backpacks in 2022

The Best Camera Bags and Backpacks in 2026

A photographer's camera bag is the unsung hero of the working professional. Without it, photographers simply could not do their jobs. But for as many good bags out there, there are hundreds of bad ones. Let's sift through that noise.

How to Get Your Photography in an Art Gallery

At some point in their career, an artist will be approached by a gallery or will approach galleries looking for representation or to have an exhibition. You’ve had some success at local art shows and fairs and have made some inroads selling your photography online, but now you want to get your work out there and start looking for galleries to show your work or represent you.

How Much Do Photographers Make?

Over the next ten years, the number of photographers is expected to grow by 17%, or more than double the average growth rate for all industries, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Where to Develop Film in 2026

The digitized, Internet-connected world has actually made film photography easier. As one-hour photo labs began to disappear and many camera stores ditched the darkroom, mail-in photo labs have filled the void.

Best Disposable Cameras in 2026

Once a staple of photography for the general populace, disposable (or “single-use”) cameras have become something of a niche -- most people who never stopped shooting film or those younger audiences who are coming to it for the first time choose to use an affordable SLR or point and shoot camera. The image quality is quite superior and a single roll of film is less expensive (though typically not by much) than a disposable camera.

Where to Buy Film in 2026

The delayed gratification of film photography pays dividends. While computers speed up the process incredibly, digital photography remains mere data until printed. Film photography rewards photographers with the tingle of suspense, a purely mechanical workflow, and tangible results on physical film. It's a great idea for serious photographers to experiment with film at some point in their journey, especially because it’s still very easy to find.

U.S. Passport Cover with DSLR and iPhone

How to Take Your Passport Photo at Home in 2026

A passport is almost always a necessity when traveling outside your country, and a photograph is required along with identity documents, filling out a form, and paying a fee when applying. The photograph is potentially the most challenging part of the process. The good news is that the photo can be taken and printed at home as long as careful attention is given to the rules.

What Gear Do You Need To Start Your First Photography Studio?

Opening your own photo studio can be an incredibly large undertaking. There are many things to consider, the least of which is what pieces of gear you'll need. Having recently helped out a friend in setting up their first studio, I’d like to share a few ideas on what you may include.

14 Best Free Online Photo Editors in 2026

Looking to make basic adjustments to photos without having to shell out a lot of money for image editing software? There are a large number of online photo editors these days that can be used completely for free within your web browser.

Drobo Alternatives

The Best Drobo Alternatives in 2026

Drobo, one of the most popular brands for storage among photographers, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. While this doesn't mean the brand will disappear, it might be time to look for an alternative option just in case.

Histograms in Photography: A Guide

If you didn’t believe your grade school math teachers when they said you’d use graphs in the real world, you’re about to. In photography, histograms can seem intimidating, but they are incredibly useful tools that are much easier to understand than they appear. Learning about histograms will help you understand exposure, post-processing, and the overall structure of a photograph.

How to Resize an Image in Photoshop

Resizing images in Adobe Photoshop sounds like it should be a trivial and simple operation, and for many uses and users, it is. It’s when one starts looking closely at the details in a resized image that it becomes apparent you should be looking into the options of the resize image dialogue box.

Blue Hour: The Photographer’s Guide

The period of time when the sun is just below the horizon is commonly referred to as “blue hour,” and comes directly before or after golden hour depending on the time of day. While most people know about golden hour’s benefits for photography, blue hour is often left out when thinking about optimal lighting conditions.

Best Astrophotography Cameras in 2026

I have said it before in my all-in-one, how-to-do-everything astrophotography guide—astrophotography is more accessible than ever before. Great gear can be purchased even on a tight budget, and the advancements with compact star trackers allow for even greater detail to be captured.

What is a Full Frame Camera? What You Need to Know

Photographers hear about sensor size all the time, especially when looking to buy a new camera. These include APS-C, Four Thirds, 1", and of course full-frame, the reference format to which all others are compared. But what is a full frame camera and does it make a difference?

The Best Photo Contests to Enter in 2026

As a photographer, you’ve got plenty of opportunities to gain exposure. Many opt for the social media route, and you should certainly consider creating profiles on at least one platform. Building a website to showcase your work is also a good idea, but have you thought about entering photo contests?

A Guide to Social Media Image Sizes in 2026

If you have ever uploaded a photo to your social media feed and found that the image quality isn’t as good as you’d like it to be, you're not alone. Most sites that allow you to upload images will use their own set of parameters to resize and compress uploaded images to save file space and bandwidth.

The Basics of Color Gels in Photography

The use of strong and complementary colors is an ever-growing trend in photography. Many modern advertising campaigns feature bold and contrasting colors in order to draw your focus to the product or message they are trying to sell. One way to create such vibrant color in your own images is by using colored gels (also known as color filters, filter gels, lighting gels, or simply gels).

Golden Hour: When Sunlight is Warm and Photos are Magical

If you’ve been outside during a nice sunrise or sunset, chances are good you’ve heard the term “golden hour.” It’s one of the best times to do many types of photography and a beautiful time to be outside. This guide will help you understand golden hour, when it happens, and how to make the most of it through various types of photography.

ND filters

The Best ND Filters You Can Buy in 2026

Neutral density (ND) filters are a must-have for both videographers and landscape photographers, but there are so many options out there of varying cost and quality that choosing the right one can be a daunting task.

How to Transfer Photos from iPhone to Computer in 2026

Transferring photos from an iPhone to a computer is a common task that doesn't have to feel like a chore, yet sometimes it can be frustrating if something isn't working or seems to be taking longer to complete than it should. Thankfully, Apple provides several solutions to move pictures from an iPhone to a computer.

best lightroom and photoshop plugins

The Best Plugins for Photoshop and Lightroom in 2026

Photoshop and Lightroom are mainstays in most photographers’ workflows for a reason. While other options abound, no other set of programs matches the popularity and widespread adoption of Adobe’s signature photography software. But while Photoshop’s manipulation capabilities and Lightroom’s processing and editing power are certainly robust, both offer even more power beyond the software itself in the form of plugins.

Rule of Thirds in Photography: A Complete Guide

The rule of thirds is widely considered to be one of the most important first techniques you can learn to create better compositions and help you progress from “taking pictures” to “making photographs.”

Best Star Tracker for Astrophotography in 2026

So, you have decided you want to take your astrophotography to the next level… maybe you want to capture more detail in the Milky Way core, or perhaps dabble with deep space objects like Andromeda or Orion or maybe you came from my all-in-one astrophotography tutorial. Whatever it is, you know you are looking at buying a star tracker.

7 Types of Lighting in Portrait Photography

Portrait photographers use a myriad of different lights and lighting styles to achieve the results they desire. I’ve seen great portraits done with 10 lights, and even greater portraits done with a single light. The best photographers can do both and play around with lights like tools in their toolbox to create something unique.

Negative Space: How to Add Something with Nothing

Negative space is a powerful concept in art and photography that allows you to say a lot with very little. In this article, we will look at the basics of negative space and how you can use it as a tool for creative and powerful photo compositions.