Just starting out in photography and want to learn how to blur your backgrounds when shooting portraits? Here’s a 4-minute video from Sheldon Evans that looks at how you can create a beautiful bokeh in your photos.
A soft background, or bokeh, is achieved by using a shallow depth of field. This comes from using a lens […]. petapixel.com
Zone focusing (ZF) is a great way to pre-set your camera's focus and aperture, then use that setting for multiple shots. Street shooters love it. And it's also great for sports, pets, jumpy kids, parties, or any subjects in motion. [Read More] petapixel.com »
2023-02-25 21:44
Yes, the beginning of this video was meant to be a funny, but shockingly extreme example of sensor dust. And it was removed very easily with the basic sensor cleaning technique described below. Author’s Note: Your sensor is an expensive area of your camera. If you are unsure in any way or feel that you […] petapixel.com »
2020-08-11 00:50
The comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) has arrived in the night sky here in the northern hemisphere, delighting skywatchers and photographers alike. With planning, patience, and clear skies, you can capture an unforgettable image of this celestial event. petapixel.com »
2020-07-15 17:54
Focus stacking is a fun and easy technique you can do right at home with nothing more than your camera, lens, and editing software. In fact, the Fujifilm X-T2, X-T3, and X-T4 series of cameras—and many others—contain a “focus bracketing” feature that lets you do this automatically. petapixel.com »
2020-05-01 19:57
Video journalist Logan Baker over at Shutterstock put together a handy primer for anybody who is looking to get into black-and-white photography for the first time. The tutorial amounts to an easy-to-follow beginner’s guide that we highly recommend you check out if you’re just getting started in this genre. Baker starts the video by admitting […] petapixel.com »
2019-10-29 21:52
One of the greatest challenges in macro photography is the depth of field, or DOF for short. Not only does the zone of sharpness drastically fall off as we get closer to our subjects, other factors such as the lack of light and diffraction softening make it tricky to use narrow apertures on top of […] petapixel.com »
2019-10-02 20:42
I'm often asked about my process when it comes to photographing strangers. How do I approach someone? What if they say no? Should I shoot in manual mode? These are just a few of questions I receive as people want to start their own journey in street portraiture. thephoblographer.com »
2019-01-14 08:00
Lens flare can either be an annoyance or an interesting creative tool. In this 6-minute video, Jay P. Morgan of Slanted Lens demonstrates how to master lens flare for your photography. It’s pretty easy to add lens flare to an image in post, but intentionally introducing it while you are on location can result in […] petapixel.com »
2017-05-26 22:50
Posing is a tough skill for beginners to wrestle with; it’s hard to know where to even start. That’s why this video by photographer Manny Ortiz is so helpful. A beginner’s guide of sorts, the tutorial simplifies posing into a easy “building up” process. petapixel.com »
2017-04-11 19:47
A video is made up from 25 single photos per second, that, when placed back-to-back, trick our mind into seeing motion. But what would happen if we only took one photo every minute, and then played them back at 25 frames per second? The result is a magnificent hyper-realistic compression of time. We call this […] petapixel.com »
2017-04-05 19:01
Running a shoot from start to finish can be pretty demanding—working with creative staff, managing your camera, adjusting settings, directing, and ensuring that everything is going smoothly. It can be pretty daunting with the prospect of trying to handle all of this right? One of the more challenging aspects when starting out can definitely be […] petapixel.com »
2017-03-13 23:48
This guide is intended for you if you currently own a smartphone (iPhone, Android, etc) and want to learn how to take better photos. Looking into the future, I see 99.9% of photographers using an iPhone or a smartphone for their image-making needs. thephoblographer.com »
2016-10-11 09:56
I’ve taken quite some mushroom photos over the last few years and most of them were done with my macro lens. Mushrooms are often tiny, and it’s very inviting to single them out with a beautiful soft background.
There’s something about the passion that exists between a mechanic and a motorcycle. Their hands and tools are their paintbrushes, and their grease-stained nails are their paint.
No doubt most of us have found ourselves in the following situation. . . You’ve discovered a beautiful landscape scene that you’ve carefully composed in your camera’s viewfinder.
Since the early days of photography, photographers have framed photos after making a print for display. Frames help focus a viewer's attention on the subject of the photograph or on the entire picture in itself. [Read More]
Photographer Karl Taylor and artist Ethan Davis both created the same still-life scene of an Apple Watch. Taylor used traditional photography techniques while Davis created one using only computer graphics. Which is which? [Read More]
I’ve often been asked that question and it’s relevant, so let’s examine it for a while. Let’s start at the very beginning -- the actual exposure of a negative. [Read More]
The year was 2014. I was seven years younger and because of that, it was a very good year. Do you remember the time when it didn’t hurt to get out of bed? When camera bags didn’t feel like bags of wet cement, and when your eyesight was so good you could spot a discounted […]