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.
Jeremy Gray
Left side: A mountain goat grazes in a vibrant alpine meadow with flowers, overlooking a lake and rugged mountains under a clear sky. Right side: Three whales swim gracefully in deep blue ocean water, viewed from above.

‘Nat Geo Your Shot’ Celebrates Your Best Landscape and Wildlife Photos

National Geographic has long been known for its incredible photography, with professional photographers frequently capturing powerful, visually striking photos that are as artistically incredible as they are culturally impactful. While the magazine covers and pages are reserved for the pros, the "Nat Geo Your Shot" puts the spotlight on everyone else.

Matt Growcoot
A person holds a giant light blue sneaker with a blue swoosh. To the right, two mannequins, dressed in athletic wear, are on treadmills in a metallic lab environment.

Surreal Photos Taken Inside the Sprawling Nike Factory

Photographer Alastair Philip Wiper is no stranger to entering spaces rarely seen by others -- having previously visited a cryogenic chamber and a doomsday underground house. Wiper continued his modus operandi of taking viewers inside restricted locations when he was invited to document the inside of Nike.

Jeremy Gray
A collage with four images: two people with textured cards obscuring faces, a diverse group of people marching in a forest, hands reaching out to touch, and a close-up of two people embracing affectionately.

How Four Award-Winning Women Change the World Through Photography

On March 8, International Women's Day, Leica announced the four winners of its annual Leica Women Foto Project Award. Each woman's award-winning project demonstrates the power of visual storytelling and exemplifies this year's competition theme, unity through diversity. PetaPixel spoke to each winning photographer to learn more about their work.

Kate Garibaldi
Two contrasting images side by side: Left shows a person silhouetted against a fiery volcanic eruption with orange and gray smoke. Right depicts a person in a white dress inside an icy blue cave, admiring the intricate formations.

Photographer’s Beautiful Self-Portraits Embrace Volcanoes and Glaciers

Anna Isabella Christensen is a professional photographer whose self-portraits reflect an intimate connection between human beings and nature. Her work embraces nature in its purest forms, whether peaceful and calm, like when she works alongside glaciers, or powerful and violent, like when shooting during storms or near volcanoes.

Jeremy Gray
On the left, an owl with outstretched wings flies through a forest. On the right, another owl perches on a tree branch, illuminated by warm light against a background of dark foliage.

How Photographers Celebrated Flaco the Owl’s Year of Freedom

The Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) Flaco escaped from his longtime enclosure in New York City's Central Park Zoo in February 2023, attracting many admirers and enchanting millions. While his life was ultimately cut short a year after his escape, Flaco left a lasting impact on many, including enthusiastic birders and photographers Jacqueline Emery and David Lei, who celebrate Flaco's journey in the form of their book, Finding Flaco: Our Year With New York City's Beloved Owl.

Jeremy Gray
Three-photo collage: Left shows a silhouette of a person with glasses in a dark hallway. Center depicts a side profile of a man wearing a yellow helmet with "LOVE" written on it. Right features the shadowed legs of a person walking on a sunlit street.

The Best Images Photographers Captured Using Ricoh GR Cameras

Given how popular Ricoh GR series cameras are with a broad range of photographers, it should come as little surprise that people capture amazing photos using their GRs. The Ricoh GR Photo Festival, which started in 2022, celebrates some of these incredible shots.

Jeremy Gray
A person holding a Sony Alpha camera in one hand and a large camera lens in the other. Various camera accessories, including adapters and rings, are spread out on a wooden surface.

You Can Create an Affordable and Wacky Portrait Prime Using Vintage Projector Lenses

Many photographers over the years have toyed with adapting old cinema projector lenses to their modern cameras. Projector lenses encourage creative experimentation because they are plentiful online, relatively cheap (some can be found for around $50 and sometimes even less), and produce interesting images full of character. James Warner, who goes by Snappiness, created a new video explaining how photographers can create their own "amazing portrait lens" using projector lenses.