Interviews

Interviews with photographers and photojournalists working at the forefront of their fields across a wide range of genres, from fine art to documentary to street to travel, and everything in between. PetaPixel allows photographers to share their experience, opinions, and insights to inform and inspire the global photography community.
A compact digital camera with a black and gray design rests on a reflective surface. It features a visible lens and a wrist strap attached to the side. The surface has a blurred, abstract pattern in the background.

Ricoh Says a GR III Successor Will Come ‘Someday’

The GR III was released six years ago and over the course of its many different iterations, photographers have been asking with increasing urgency as the years pass when the next one will come. Ricoh assures photographers that there while will be a GR III successor, it might just not come quickly.

A large collection of camera lenses is arranged in rows. They vary in size and type, including wide-angle, telephoto, and prime lenses, with a few larger white lenses in the back. The background is a light gray gradient.

Sony Embraces E-Mount Competition Because It Believes Alpha is the Best

Since Sony launched its first full-frame Alpha mirrorless cameras, the original Sony a7 and a7R, in 2013, the mirrorless camera space has changed dramatically. Competition has increased from none to a lot, with Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, and others entering the fray in 2018 and 2019. While Sony enjoyed the benefits of being the first across the line, it says it is now embracing today's competitive landscape.

A man in casual wear holds a large camera with dual lenses. To the right, a series of six portraits on red backgrounds show diverse individuals posing with varied expressions, including smiling and neutral faces.

Photographer Creates New Analog Format and Groundbreaking Modular Photo Processor

Photographer Ethan Moses of Cameradactyl is well known not only for his photo skills but also for his remarkable engineering efforts. He has built a 20 by 24-inch instant camera, 3D-printable 35mm panoramic camera, and 3D-printed 4x5 field camera, to name just a few. Moses' latest creation is arguably his most ambitious: the Cameradactyl Master System. It comprises a new analog photography format, a camera that uses it, and a modular photographic processing system.

Two black camera lenses with yellow marking details stand on a stone surface. The background features a soft-focus landscape with mountains and a clear sky.

Zeiss’ Otus ML Lenses Promise Photographers Something Entirely Different

Zeiss made its long-awaited return to the traditional photography space by reintroducing its beloved Otus series for full-frame mirrorless cameras. The Otus ML 50mm f/1.4 and Otus ML 85mm f/1.4 lenses channel a classic, manual-focus photographic workflow that most first-party lenses eschew in favor of clinical sharpness, digital lens corrections, and perhaps most notably, blazing-fast autofocus. For Zeiss, this is the Otus ML's strength, not its weakness.

A split image: Left side shows a modern desk with a computer displaying an art website and a vase with pampas grass; a black-and-white photo is above. Right side shows a wall with five diverse framed artworks above a light gray sofa.

What WhiteWall’s New Shopify Integration Means to Photographers

PetaPixel reported on WhiteWall's new Shopify integration when it was announced late last month, but it is such a big deal, it is worth taking a closer look. PetaPixel chatted with WhiteWall CEO Thomas Alscheid and pro photographer Per Appelgren about the integration and what it means for photographers.

Split image showing two American football players in uniform. Left: Player in color wearing a white jersey with number 15 and a headband. Right: Black and white image of another player looking upward, wearing a headband and a jersey.

What It’s Like Being an NFL Team Photographer During the Super Bowl

Steve Sanders, the Director of Photography for the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs, was on hand in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX. While the Chiefs ultimately came up short of a historic three-peat, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles, Sanders captured many amazing photos of the big game that put a bow on an excellent season for the Chiefs.

On the left, a football player in a green uniform stretches into the end zone. On the right, a coach in black Eagles gear is doused with yellow liquid from a cooler. An official and a crowd are visible in the background.

How AP Photographers Captured the Iconic Moments of Super Bowl LIX

The Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, winning Super Bowl LIX and lifting the Vince Lombardi trophy. The Associated Press (AP) was on hand in full force with its Sony cameras and lenses to document everything, and PetaPixel chatted with the AP to learn more about how it photographs the biggest sporting event of the year.

Left: A person uses a large camera lens on a baseball field. Right: A baseball player in a gray uniform reacts energetically while running, with spectators in the background.

Yankees Chief Photographer Has One of the Best Jobs in Sports

Good photography requires excellent artistic and technical skills. Consistently great photography, on the other hand, relies upon determination, passion, the ability to work under pressure, and, in many cases, strong relationships. Official New York Yankees chief photographer Ariele Goldman Hecht has all these traits in spades, and it shows through not only her photos but how she captures them.

A person in a dark jacket gently strokes the head of a brown horse with a blue halter. The sky in the background is dark and smoky, indicating a potential fire or storm. They are standing on sandy ground, with hills and vehicles in the distance.

Photographer Captures Horses Being Saved From LA Wildfires

In a sobering what-are-the-odds assignment, Reuters sent freelance photographer Carlin Stiehl to document a safe haven for horses and other animals as Los Angeles battled deadly wildfires. The photographer knew the property: he had learned horseback riding there as a boy.

Illustration of a spacecraft with solar panels in space, positioned against the backdrop of a glowing sun. The sun's corona is visible, creating a halo effect around the central black circle, which depicts the sun's obscured surface.

How ESA’s Proba-3 Mission Will Create Solar Eclipses in Orbit

After a slight hiccup and one-day delay, the European Space Agency's incredible Proba-3 mission successfully launched into space. The Proba-3 mission will do something never seen before: it will precisely and repeatedly create solar eclipses in orbit using two satellites. Lining up these satellites is a remarkable technological feat and relies heavily on breakthrough imaging technology.

A split image: on the left, a black-and-white portrait of a bald man smiling. On the right, four individuals in traditional attire stand on rocks with dramatic mountainous scenery in the background.

The Artistry of Self: The Life and Work of Photographer Jimmy Nelson

English photographer Jimmy Nelson, best known for his portraits of tribal and indigenous peoples, was recently announced as the winner of the $100,000 Special Appreciation Award at HIPA, the world's most lucrative photography competition backed by the crown prince of Dubai. PetaPixel sat down with Nelson to talk about the prize, his life, and his inspiring career.

A black device labeled "ATOM" with a red atom symbol and "H1" text on a blue background. The device has a textured surface and a glowing green button.

This New Device Establishes Content Authenticity Using Any Digital Camera

As a research physicist from MIT, Stuart Sevier learned a lot about reality, technology, and perhaps most importantly, the perception of reality. He veered off his hardcore academic track to pursue the concept of reality from a more engineering-based perspective, ultimately founding Atom Images and working with a talented team to build the Atom H1, a tool built for photographers to capture trusted, authentic images in a world where the line between real and fake is becoming blurrier by the day.

A collage of three images: a person in a cowboy hat playing a mandolin against a tree, a person with long curly hair and a formal outfit, and a person wearing a cap and denim jacket smiling.

How to Make Authentic Portraits of Much-Photographed Music Stars

Music and commercial photographer Ed Rode spent decades making pictures of Tennessee’s most iconic brands: country music talent and Jack Daniels Whiskey. The key to making a good photo, he says, is having a healthy respect for the subject, whether it’s a living, breathing being or an object waiting for its moment to shine. Case in point: a bottle of whiskey.

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.