Spotlight

Cameras are great, but it’s what is done in photography with that technology that really matters. To that end, PetaPixel regularly shines a Spotlight on the incredible photos and videos created by talented artists from around the world.
Three sci-fi and fantasy scenes: left, a cyborg dinosaur with a large gun; center, a group of armed heroes battling robots; right, a person faces a roaring T. rex holding a soldier in its mouth.

Photographer’s Cinematic Toy Worlds Bring Plastic to Life

Chicago-based photographer Chuck Eiler transforms action figures into cinematic, story-driven miniature worlds that blur the line between toy photography and film. Through meticulously crafted sets, practical effects, and careful lighting, he creates immersive scenes that bring nostalgia and storytelling to life.

Three black-and-white portraits of a dark-skinned person with elaborate, sculptural headpieces and bold, artistic styling; each headpiece is unique, made from abstract shapes, foam rollers, and clothespins.

South African Photographer Zanele Muholi Wins 2026 Hasselblad Award and $218,000

The Hasselblad Foundation has named South African photographer Zanele Muholi the 2026 Hasselblad Award laureate, the world's largest photography award. Muholi has won SEK 2,000,000 (over $217,000 at current exchange rates), a gold medal, a Hasselblad camera, and a lengthy solo exhibition at the Hasselblad Center at the Gothenburg Museum of Art in Sweden.

A man wearing a cap stands on a city street beside a large camera on a tripod. Next to him are two black-and-white photographic negatives, one showing the Eiffel Tower. A supermarket is visible in the background.

Photographer Makes Pinhole Camera Out of Chinese Roast Duck

You can make a pinhole camera out of just about anything -- as an Italian photographer recently proved by building one from pasta. Continuing that playful nod to culinary heritage via the medium of photography, Martin Cheung has been creating images with a Chinese roast duck as his camera.

Three images side by side: a skier performing a flip on a snowy mountain, a thermal view of an Olympic hockey game, and an overhead view of people playing curling on an ice rink.

Three Photographers Captured the Winter Olympics Like Never Before

Many exceptional photographers captured jaw-dropping photos of world-class athletes performing incredible feats at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. In most cases, these photographers used the expected equipment, the latest full-frame mirrorless cameras and telephoto lenses. However, a select group of Getty Images photographers took a very different approach, and documented the Winter Olympics with thermal, infrared, and vintage film cameras, and using unique processing techniques.

A speaker stands on stage beside a large screen displaying a great white shark underwater, with an audience seated in front. The stage is lit in blue with "Xposure" signage on both sides.

Xposure 2026: The Largest Photo Festival in the World

Xposure 2026 celebrated its 10th anniversary with A Decade of Visual Storytelling, featuring more than 570 creative events in Sharjah, UNESCO-designated Cultural Capital of the Arab World (1998), from January 29 to February 4, 2026.

A hand holds a black film camera with a large lens and a viewfinder, outdoors in front of a blurred airplane and the word "SPACE" partially visible on a building in the background.

This 3D-Printed Camera Can Make You Fall in Love With Panoramic Analog Photography

I love panoramic photography. There is just something special about a super-wide aspect ratio that flexes my creative muscles. I'm far from the only one. Photographer Jace LeRoy, who goes by analog_astronaut on social media, has also been bitten by the panorama bug. He recently showed off a camera he built, the Infidex 176, which uses 35mm film to capture 72 x 24 millimeter frames, and it's awesome.

A triptych showing close-ups of fashion accessories: left, a person holds a green utility bag filled with red-handled tools; center, a foot in a black shoe and blue disposable shoe cover; right, a belt with tools and cords over denim.

‘Assistants’ Celebrates the Unsung Heroes of Fashion Photography

Behind nearly every iconic studio fashion photo is a stylist assistant. These unsung heroes often go entirely unnoticed to the outside world, but they are essential to the photographic process and vital members of the team. A new photography book, Assistants, brings fashion stylists from the background and puts them front and center.

A Canon EOS R10 digital camera body without a lens is mounted on a tripod, with a blurred background showing shelves and equipment.

DIY Digital Iris Animates and Customizes Lens Bokeh

Adapters to use DSLR lenses on modern mirrorless cameras are very common parts of photography kits. They are extremely useful tools that enable photographers to use their existing, older lenses on new mirrorless cameras. However, as New Zealand builder James, who goes by Ancient on YouTube, shows, these adapters can be so much more and capture photos and videos that would otherwise be impossible.

On the left, a man in sunglasses and a cap smokes in a busy street; on the right, in black and white, a person in a suit covers their face while a woman in front looks tired or sad among a crowd.

Photographer’s New Book Is a Time Capsule of Life in New York City

After surviving his fight with cancer and leaving behind his career as a lawyer, Xiomáro pursued photography as a career. His latest book, "Street Photography of New York City: Street Haunting in the Big Apple," embraces a candid, gritty look at New York City, seeking to capture culture and history as it happens.

A bat flying against a clear blue sky, its wings fully outstretched showing the veins and structure in the wing membranes. The bat is viewed from below, centered in the image.

Photographer’s Unique Image of a Flying Fox Carrying its Pup Mid-Flight

High above the rainforest canopy of Christmas Island, a fleeting silhouette crossed a narrow gap in the trees. To the naked eye, it was little more than another bat passing briefly through the afternoon sky. To photographer Chris Bray's camera trained patiently upward, however, the moment revealed something far more intimate, a mother flying fox carrying her newborn pup mid-flight, now photographed for what many believe to be the first time.

A collage of three wildlife photos: a bobcat pouncing on a bird, a close-up of a polar bear's face in snow, and a green insect with textured skin perched on a red plant.

The Final 24 Images of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025

Photographers from 113 different countries entered a record-setting 60,636 photos to the 61st Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition in 2025. The outstanding contest winners were unveiled last fall, but now it's time for the people to have their say. One of these 24 beautiful wildlife photos will win the prestigious People's Choice Award, and voting is open now.

A triptych of black and white photos: left, a woman in a robe sits by a window; center, close-up of ballet feet en pointe; right, a dancer in a leotard sits on the floor with a leg raised high.

3 Photographers Capture Ballet’s Artistry in 3 Unique Ways

Leica Gallery New York’s upcoming exhibition Ballet pulls back the curtain on one of the most demanding art forms, revealing the discipline, vulnerability, and devotion behind life in movement. The show features never-before-seen photographs of Misty Copeland from her final performance and offers an intimate look at a historic moment in contemporary ballet. Through the work of Henry Leutwyler, Diana Markosian, and Kylie Shea, Ballet captures what remains when the performance ends.

A split image: left side shows a bird perched on a red-yellow tulip with a blurred vibrant field of flowers; right side is a black-and-white photo of two people floating close together in water, looking up.

The Best Photos and Videos Captured Using Tamron Lenses

Tamron Americas has announced the winners of its third annual Photo and Video Contest. The competition invited photographers and filmmakers from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to enter their best photos and videos captured using Tamron lenses.

A hand holds a color photo in front of a small yellow and blue Kodak-branded photo printer on a wooden table, with window blinds in the background.

Photographer Builds Mini Kodak Kiosk That Actually Prints Photos

Photographer James Warner, known for his excellent YouTube channel, snappiness, is always taking on new photography projects. They often involve taking things apart and putting them back together in new, exciting ways. Warner's latest project involves building a mini retro Kodak photo printing kiosk for his desk.

A collage of three images: a house engulfed in flames, a red sun in a smoky sky above homes, and two people wearing masks sifting through rubble in a burned area.

Filmmaker Uses His Camera to Preserve Life, Loss, and Love

From intimate family stories to documentary and vérité filmmaking that captures life in motion, Myles Matsuno has spent decades turning everyday moments into unforgettable narratives. The photographer discusses the influences that shape his creative vision, the flow states that bring an image to life, and the deeply personal projects that preserve memory and history for generations.

On the left, a person in a tall, pointed hooded robe walks at night. On the right, a large cat pounces on a deer-like animal in a mountainous landscape.

Travel Photographer of the Year Inspires Wanderlust

The winning images from the 2025 Travel Photographer of the Year awards (TPOTY) have been revealed. Athanasios Maloukos' atmospheric photos of the Sema ceremony in Turkey and the Holy Week in Zamora, Spain, impressed the judges enough to see him crowned overall winner.

A collage of three wildlife photos: a veterinary team treats a sedated chimpanzee, birds flock around a watchful lion, and a close-up of a crocodile's eyes with several butterflies resting on its head.

Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 Winners Show the Wonders of Nature

The British Ecological Society has announced the winners of its annual Capturing Ecology photography competition, showcasing the best images captured by international ecologists and photographers. Among the winning shots are an American crocodile staring down the lens, a flying frog, and a chimpanzee rescue mission.

A collage of three photos: a horse standing in clear water, a group of monkeys grooming each other, and soccer players leaping for the ball in front of a goal during a match.

These 10 Up-and-Comers Are Vying to Be ‘Youth Photographer of the Year’

Alongside the shortlisted Student photographers, the Sony World Photography Awards also announced the 10 Youth photographers who are vying to be named Youth Photographer of the Year in the Sony World Photography Awards 2026. These 10 photographers are all 19 years old and younger, and each demonstrates artistic talent far beyond their years.