Camera equipment is expensive, making it hard for beginners to build kits and get started. Because of this, it can be tempting to opt for budget-friendly options for some pieces of equipment. Unfortunately, that's not always wise.
One of the single most worthwhile investments you can make as a photographer is paying for a bespoke website. Whether you’re a commercial assignment photographer looking to showcase your best work, a batch shooter wanting to create a home for your purchase galleries, or anything in between, an online presence outside of social media is a crucial component of any creative’s toolkit.
Texture layers are photos that are normally blended with other images as part of a composite rather than being used on their own. They can be color, monochrome, detailed, or blurred. The idea is simply to add an extra level of interest to a picture. In this guide, we will look at various ways of collecting and using texture layers for your photography projects.
Many serious photographers say you must calibrate and profile your monitor, and maybe they’re right. But most camera users in this world enjoy their pictures without getting bogged down by such technicalities.
There's no denying that photography is a gear-focused endeavor. We are constantly pitched fancy new equipment with the idea that more gear will make us better photographers. For some photographers and their needs, that's absolutely true. But for those just starting, some equipment simply isn't necessary.
Printing your photos at home can get complicated and confusing rather quickly. Between choosing a printer and paper and problem-solving why the colors don't look like what you see on your display, it can be overwhelming, especially if you are just getting started.
Professional photographer Stephen Wilkes has a multi-decade career that melds artistic and commercial photography and has taken him around the world. He's worked with National Geographic, Apple, and Netflix, among others.
For most photographers, color is a crucial component of their images. As a result, it only makes sense to want the colors that you envision to come through in the same way when others view your photographs. That can be easier said than done, however.
HDR photography may seem complex, but it is a surprisingly simple tool that can open new photographic doors. Most people have encountered HDR photography without thinking about it since smartphones automatically produce HDR images.
Wherever you are right now, take a moment to look around. What patterns and shapes do you see? What objects, scenes, buildings, or other designs just look like they “make sense?”
As 2023 comes to a close, it’s time to look back on the biggest events, moments in pop culture, and news over the last year. Of course, one way the year will be remembered for decades to come is through photographs. Here, we’ll look at the 10 most photographed of 2023.
Drones are awesome. Much more than just being fun novelties you might see buzzing around your neighbor’s backyard piloted by a young child, they are amazing creative tools that allow for camera shots that you simply cannot get in any other way, and are used in everything from music videos to live sports to the biggest blockbuster films.
Ensuring you have chosen the right tools for the job can be a daunting task and selecting the right computer to handle your photo editing is no exception to this rule. You'll want to be sure the machine is as high performing as possible but also consider the price, ease of use, serviceability, and even connectivity to be sure you've selected the right computer for your photography workflow.
It is difficult to overstate just how big of a deal the Sony a9 III is, at least on paper. As is always the case with press events, and especially ones where hands-on time is limited, pre-production firmware is installed, and shooting opportunities are cultivated, you should consume pre-release content with (many) grains of salt. Hypertension be damned.
One of the best things I’ve purchased as a photographer (and videographer) was an editing console. I own probably eight at this point, all with their own purposes and advantages.
Merriam-Webster defines “retro” as “fashionably nostalgic or old-fashioned.” With the rise in popularity of shooting on film over the past few years and the extraordinary success of instant cameras among the general populace, I think it is fair to say that retro cameras are likewise lusted after by many.
I write about a lot of things here at PetaPixel -- reviews, guides, technical articles, opinion pieces -- but one of my favorite topics to write about is the history of photography. As an avid user and collector of vintage cameras and lenses, I have passionately absorbed as much knowledge about their history as possible over many years. Like studying world history, there is much value in understanding where we came from and what got to us where we are now.
Autumn has officially begun in the northern hemisphere, meaning foliage season is just around the corner. Much of New England, a popular region in the United States for fall photography, experiences peak foliage in early-to-mid October, but what about other places? Where can photographers find the best information to plan their leaf-peeping adventures?
Ahead of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro series smartphones launching this Friday, Apple has released the latest version of iOS. Rolling out to iPhone users starting today, iOS 17 brings with it a bevy of exciting new features. Here are some of the best new features and functions available in iOS 17.
Having a solid keyboard is crucial for any desk setup, whether that’s in an office or at the dining room table. But not all keyboards are built equally, and not every model is best suited for each task. These are the best keyboard options across use cases.
We don’t often extensively cover video gear here at PetaPixel, but we thought it might be helpful to cover some of the best hybrid cameras out there -- those cameras geared toward both photographers and videographers.
With the recent excitement surrounding the release of the film Oppenheimer, there have been lengthy discussions about the best way to watch it – mostly because of something called an aspect ratio and the way that it affects the viewing experience. This is a term that is used widely in film, and it’s just as important for photographers to understand.
The compact camera, also known colloquially as the point-and-shoot camera, has been a staple of the photography world for over a century. Perhaps the first mass-market compact camera was introduced in 1900 by Eastman Kodak, costing a mere one dollar (about $36 today).
Photographers of all skill levels should strongly consider insuring their camera equipment. Whether you are an amateur who cannot afford to replace damaged to stolen gear or a working professional who cannot risk missing out on paying jobs, you should consider protecting your equipment with photography insurance and/or camera insurance.
A couple of weeks ago, a guide published on a respected publication suggested that iPhone owners should disable a specific feature to ensure the best image quality. "This iPhone camera feature could be ruining your photos -- disable it now," it asserted.
Like most people, photographers are rarely caught without their smartphones. There are so many great apps available on iOS and Android devices that a photographer's phone can become an integral part of their kit.
PetaPixel has long been a fan of SanDisk products due to their once-sterling reputation and often excellent performance. However, some of SanDisk's portable SSDs fail so frequently that we can no longer recommend them. So with that in mind, what are the best alternatives?
Many photographers will say that your camera lens is as important (or even more important) than your camera body. All of the light that your camera body captures has to go through some sort of lens, which affects sharpness, distortion, amount of light, perspective, and many other variables.
It's no surprise that smartphones have become the new everyday camera that we all use and love and they absolutely are legitimate creative picture-taking tools. So why even consider getting a more traditional camera with its bulkier size and expensive lenses?
For photographers who cannot get enough of photography in the real world, there are plenty of ways to enjoy it in the virtual world.
Peter Baumgarten is an award-winning nature photographer, educator, and OM SYSTEM Ambassador based on Canada’s Manitoulin Island. The island’s dark sky location provides Baumgarten with stunning nature and minimal light pollution, which allows the photographer to capture bright stars, the Milky Way, and northern lights from right outside his front door.
It’s never a bad day to capture landscape photography on the dunes. This day, in particular though, was truly one to remember and I share a variety of techniques for how I take photos of sand dunes.
Determining the "best" camera for photography depends heavily on what someone intends to photograph. The best camera for portraits may differ drastically from those for landscape photography, sports, wildlife, or event photography.
Finding subjects for wildlife photography in summer is a challenge. As I look forward to arguably my favorite time of the year – the fall mating season for big mammals such as elk, moose, bighorn sheep, and so on – I first have to make it through the summer. Long days filled with harsh light provided by the sun directly overhead and heat, that unbearable heat.
Twice each year, the setting Sun aligns perfectly with Manhattan's street grid, illuminating the north and south sides of every cross street on the island. The event, called "Manhattanhenge," delivers beautiful vibrant colors and, unsurprisingly, is a major draw to locals and tourists alike in New York City.
One of the most exciting things to photograph is a live concert. Rock concerts in particular have an air of electricity about them that you can feel. When you are hired to photograph one you automatically feel like you are a part of that excitement.
Photographers and filmmakers know lighting matters, and that can extends to both light as a method of exposure and light as a way to convey a scene's vibe.
If you shoot headshots and/or portraits, clamshell lighting is something you should definitely become familiar with. This versatile and easy-to-create lighting setup produces a very flattering look useful for a variety of portrait situations.
One of our favorite types of video to make is buying guides, to help our viewers decide what products are best for them. It also presents an opportunity for me to share my personal preferences about what I would choose. Our latest episode is all about Canon RF mount lenses, and I give you my favorites in the following categories: ultra-wide, normal primes, standard zoom, telephoto zoom, portrait lenses, and macros.
Product photography is a major branch of commercial photography that is ubiquitous in our world, as product photos are used for everything from billboards and print ads to catalogs and store displays. If you'd like to learn how to become a product photographer, you've come to the right place.
