Inspiration

Johnny Martyr on photographing comedian Nikki Glaser

How I Shot Nikki Glaser’s Tour Promos on B&W 35mm Film

Recently, I took tour photos at the Lyric Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland, of my favorite comedian, Nikki Glaser. Nikki's team is using my photos to create graphics that she shares on social media to promote The Good Girl tour.

Sandra Bartocha interview on nature photography

The Emotion of Nature: Sandra Bartocha’s Creative Photography

German photographer Sandra Bartocha has been making fantastic and ethereal nature photography for many years and is among the most creative landscape photographers working today. PetaPixel chatted with Bartocha about her interesting techniques, artistic vision, and the importance of authenticity in photography.

Motion Emphasizing Stillness in Photography

Breaking a pattern can work to bring attention to that pattern. You may not notice how quiet it is until some subtle noise disrupts that silence, reminding you of the context it is punctuating.

Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2023

Jaw-Dropping Climber Portrait Wins Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2023

A woman won the grand prize for the first time in the 17-year history of the Red Bull Illume Image Quest contest, the world's largest action sports photo competition. Australian photographer Krystle Wright wowed the more than 50 contest judges with an incredible photo of climber Angela VanWiemeersch scaling a cliff in Long Canyon, Utah.

Photographing Idaho’s Picturesque Sawtooth Mountains with Matt Suess

With each passing year, more photographers find themselves exploring the endless miles of pristine rivers, remote backroads, and stunning landscapes of Idaho. Even with the influx of tourism, Idaho still has plenty of solitude for those who seek it. OM SYSTEM Ambassador and photographer Matt Suess recently traveled to the state's Sawtooth Mountains in search of portfolio-worthy images and a distraction from an unexpected change in his personal life.

NANPA Showcase 2024

The Splendid Nature Photos That Won NANPA’s 2024 Showcase

The North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) has announced the winners of the 2024 edition of its flagship photo contest, the NANPA Showcase. Featuring 24 beautiful winning images across six categories, the 2024 Showcase delivers some of the most spectacular nature photography of the year.

Photographing a Local Protest Against Foreign Conflict

Over the last month, communities around the world have felt passionate responses to the developing conflict in Israel, Gaza, and surrounding areas. As simple or complex as one might find the hostilities in the abstract the ripples of geopolitics affect us all, sometimes very obviously, and sometimes subtly.

Light Painting Under Red Skies on the Salt Flats of Uyuni

We recently visited the Salt Flats of Uyuni in southwest Bolivia for the fourth time, having previously visited in 2015, 2017, and 2018. What a big surprise! We were not expecting to see the colors that we did.

Photographing Mushrooms in Their Natural World

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. I wrote a specific article about this back in 2020.

Why Your Photos Suck… (And How to Fix Them)

Do your photos suck? Feeling discouraged by your photography lately? Not making the progress you expected? The good news is, it’s completely normal — all photographers grow at different rates and hit speed bumps along the way.

How (Not) To Photograph Car Meetups

I’m a native of Las Vegas, having lived here my entire life, and I have been a professional photographer here for over 25 years. With Formula One coming here soon we’re we’re about to be thrust onto the world stage of motorsports but many don’t realize the city is no stranger to car enthusiasts.

Why You Should Follow Lesser-Known and Local Photographers

Between 2008 and late 2016, I took tens of thousands of pictures and proudly vomited the vast majority of them online. While I’d toyed around with things like depth of field and long exposures, I didn’t understand anything about photography, so my camera rarely left ‘auto’. I’d checked out an online tutorial or two, but as far as I was concerned, ‘exposure compensation’ was something victims got after winning a public indecency lawsuit.

The Indecisive Moment: Street Photography and AI

I’ve spent countless hours walking streets both near and far from home with My Precious in my hand and a muscle memory for it in my fingers that made it effectively part of me — an extension of my arm. My Precious is, of course, my camera.

What Camera Do You Bring on a Trip to the Edge of Space?

When making PetaPixel’s documentary about Blair Bunting’s U2 photo shoot at the edge of space (which you should really watch now if you haven’t), one thing we decided not to focus on was the camera gear. But we love talking about cameras and lenses, so Chris sat down with Blair the evening before his epic shoot to discuss the equipment he was bringing up in a U2 spy plane.