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.
A sepia-toned triptych: a winding dirt road through a forest, a wooden cross grave marker, and an overturned car beside a trailer in a wooded area, evoking a somber, vintage atmosphere.

Photographer Retraces Oregon’s Brutal Trail of Tears With Wet-Plate Camera

By any measure, photographer Nolan Streitberger has built a practice that bridges art, history, and the profoundly personal. His work, particularly his acclaimed project Oregon’s Trail of Tears, transforms beautiful photography into both historical document and dialogue, a means of reclaiming memory and giving voice to stories long overlooked. But Streitberger's photographic journey began almost by accident.

A person holds a camera up to their face, focusing and preparing to take a photo of light pink flowers on a leafy green plant outdoors.

Why the Shutter Button Matters So Much to Photographers

Henri Cartier-Bresson’s famous idea of the "decisive moment" has changed with the advent of smartphones. What was once always a physical action to control the camera's shutter can now be achieved by tapping a digital screen or even using voice. A new research paper investigates how the humble shutter button shapes, and is shaped by, photography.

A wide-angle view of an empty football stadium at night, with bright lights and a large buffalo logo at midfield. A few people stand on the turf near the center. Blue seats fill the stands in the background.

How 6,500 People Lit an Incredible 360° Nighttime Panorama of an NFL Stadium

RIT Big Shot 37 at Highmark Stadium in Buffalo, New York, was the biggest light painting photo in the series yet, attracting approximately 6,500 Buffalo Bills fans, RIT alumni, and Western New York locals to the historic stadium during its final season. The incredible 360° Big Shot was the result meticulous planning, two dozen Nikon Z9 cameras, and thousands of people armed with flashlights joining forces to bathe a massive football stadium in light.

Split image: Left side shows a pangolin walking on the ground against a black background. Right side features a close-up of a pangolin’s face and overlapping scales, highlighting its unique texture.

Photographers’ Incredible Pangolin Photos Help Save Endangered Animals

The Remembering Wildlife photography book series has released its 10th book, 10 Years of Remembering Wildlife. The series has raised nearly $1.6 million for wildlife conservation to date and features incredible wildlife photos from some of the world's most talented and renowned photographers. This milestone book focuses on pangolins, one of Earth's most threatened species.

A hand holds a green Kodak film canister on a wooden surface, flanked by two strips of damaged, partially visible black-and-white film negatives.

What Happens When You Shoot Film That Expired in 1946?

"Expired film is always unpredictable," says photographer and YouTuber Mathieu Stern, known for his "weird lens" videos. "But what happens when the film expired almost a century ago? Can you still get an image?" To find out, Stern shot with the oldest rolls of film he could get his hands on, including one from as far back as 1946.

A woman standing outdoors in a grassy field holds a large professional camera with a long telephoto lens, smiling at the camera. The sky is blue with scattered clouds.

How ‘Girls Who Click’ Empowers Young Women in Nature Photography

Girls Who Click (GWC), a San Francisco Bay Area–based nonprofit founded by award-winning wildlife photographer Suzi Eszterhas, has opened applications for its flagship Ambassador Mentorship Program, with entries accepted until October 13. The organization is dedicated to helping young girls and women become powerful, influential nature photographers.

A lioness crouches and drinks water from a pond, staring directly at the camera. The photo is in black and white, highlighting her intense gaze and muscular form.

It Took a Photographer 10 Years to Finally Nail the Perfect Lion Photo

Some photographs happen in an instant. Others take years to arrive. For more than a decade, I carried a very specific picture in my mind: a lion at complete ease, drinking from still water, everything calm and in balance. I knew how it should look, the light, the posture, the mood, but in the field, the moment always slipped away.