A Brief History of Olympus, From the Six to OM Digital
Throughout the history of photography, few names have endured for as long and few have left as significant of an impact on the medium as Olympus.
Minolta: Tales of a Forgotten Camera Maker
Today, most of the consumer-grade camera landscape is dominated by less than half a dozen brands. Canon, Sony, and Nikon take the lion’s share in terms of sales and public recognition, while almost all the gaps are filled by smaller companies like Fujifilm and Pentax.
Lost Photos Taken in 1845 of Doomed Arctic Explorers up for Auction
Historic photos taken in 1845 of an ill-fated Artic explorer crew days before they set sail are to be sold via auction.
US Reconnaissance Photos Taken During World War II Revealed
A collection of 3,600 aerial photographs taken by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) is being shown publically for the first time.
Large Format Photographer Considered ‘Underrated’ is Finally Recognized
In her lifetime, Evelyn Hofer was underrated in photography circles mainly because she was seen as too "commercial." But, the incredible body of work she left behind is challenging this assessment.
Rare Photographs of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake up for Auction
A rare set of photographs taken in the immediate aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake are set for auction today in California.
Presidents Who Were Photographed with Other Presidents Before They Became President
A surprising number of eventual U.S. presidents have been photographed with other presidents long before reaching office.
Vintage Video Shows What It Was Like Being a Pro Photographer in 1946
Camera technology has evolved dramatically since the advent of photography and as a result, being a professional photographer has significantly changed too. A vintage video created by Vocational Guidance Films, Inc. in 1946 shows what being a professional photographer used to be like.
US States Can Still Steal Your Photos, Despite Repeal of ‘Blackbeard’s Law’
Although overshadowed by more recent, highly publicized court cases, the U.S. Supreme Court made a significant, controversial ruling that upheld North Carolina's "Blackbeard's Law" in March 2020, a decision that protected states from being sued for copyright infringement. As CityView reports, the divisive law has now been repealed by the North Carolina state government.
Melania Trump’s Apollo 11 NFT Violates NASA’s Photo Rules
Melania Trump's latest NFT drop that celebrates the Apollo 11 lunar landing prominently uses a photo from NASA's archives, which is a violation of the space agency's image usage rules.
The Moment TV Went From Black-And-White to Color For The First Time
Resurfaced footage has emerged of the historical moment a television channel in the U.S. switched from its black-and-white programming to color for the very first time.
You Could Own the Custom Camera Used to Shoot ‘Blade Runner’
The custom-made 65mm VFX matte camera used to shoot Blade Runner (1982), Batman Returns, Species, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind is being offered for sale, letting fans of motion pictures own a major piece of cinema history.
A Brief History of the Very First Moon Photos Ever Taken
As soon as photography was invented, there was a very obvious subject for photographers to turn their cameras toward -- the brightest object in the night sky -- the Moon.
Rare Leica 35mm Camera That Holds 250 Photos Sells for Nearly $1M
A rare 1936 Leica 250 GG Reporter with the unusual ability to hold 10 meters of film (or 250 consecutive 35mm shots) has sold for a whopping €900,000, or about $976,500 at the 2023 Leitz Photographica Auction.
Art and A.I.: Debating the Definition of Creativity
We have all marveled at the latest imagery artificial intelligence (A.I.) produced. This remarkable technological tool enables the swift creation of imagery by providing the algorithm with concise textual prompts.
Artist Photoshops Historical Figures Back to Life
An artist has used Photoshop to bring legendary historical figures -- such as William Shakespeare, Abraham Lincoln, Pocahontas, and Harriet Tubmman -- back to life.
Can a Photograph Change the World?
Portraying injustices is not something novel. From the beginning of the twentieth century to the present day, many photographers have been concerned about leaving their mark. But can we try to change the world – even make it a better place – through a photograph?
Google Doodle Honors Corky Lee, Photographer of Asian-American Life
Visitors to Google today will see a striking Google Doodle celebrating the life and work of photographer Corky Lee.
The Rise and Fall of the Press Camera
If you were an aspiring photojournalist during most of the 19th and early 20th centuries, then your dream machine was likely not a Hasselblad, a Rolleiflex, a Leica, or any of the other vintage film cameras commonly cited as the most desirable collectibles nowadays.
A Look Back at RawShooter, the Predecessor of Adobe Lightroom
Digital photo editing has come a long way in the past two decades, and two software programs that have impacted the field are RawShooter and Lightroom.
Exclusive: A Look at the Ultra-Rare Cameras in the 2023 Leitz Photographica Auction
The biannual Leitz Photographica Auction will take place on June 10 in Wetzlar, Germany. In anticipation of the auction, Leica hosted PetaPixel as part of a special one-on-one preview in New Jersey, the home of Leica's North American operations.
The Story Behind ‘Earthrise,’ One of NASA’s Most Iconic Images
Apollo 8, the first crewed mission to the moon, entered lunar orbit on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1968. As the Apollo 8 crew members Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William (Bill) Anders orbited the moon aboard the spacecraft, Anders spotted and captured Earthrise, one of the most iconic space photos ever made.
Sony Tricked DSLR Makers into Thinking Mirrorless Was Not a Threat
A former Sony camera developer says that part of the company's strategy in the early days of mirrorless was to lull brands like Canon and Nikon into a false sense of security that the new technology wouldn't be as good as DSLRs -- until it was too late.
How Photographs Were Transmitted by Wire in 1937
An old video published by Charlie Dean Archives on YouTube shows a dramatization of how photographs were captured in the field and transmitted by wire in the 1930s, fueling fast-paced news decades before the internet was even an idea, let alone the global communications network it is today.
Historic Photos of New York Socialites Attending the Easter Parade
The New York Easter parade grew from churches simply displaying flowers into a significant cultural event where well-to-do New Yorkers could show off their fashion sense.
Explore the Underground Home of 11 Million Priceless Photos
Around 50 miles (82 kilometers) north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and 220 feet (67 meters) underground, there are roughly 11 million images protected by armed guards.
How John Glenn’s $40 Camera Forced NASA to Rethink Space Missions
We're about to take a trip back in time to the early 1960s and learn how a $40 drugstore camera forced NASA to rethink its space missions. Yes, it’s true. A simple camera purchased at the local drugstore played a pivotal role in shaping the future of space exploration and set the stage for space photography in a non-scientific domain.
These Are the Only Photos Ever Captured of the Surface of Venus
There aren't many good photos of Venus, and even fewer have been captured from the planet's surface. Distance alone can't explain the relative lack of pictures of Earth's second-nearest neighbor.
This Collector Has So Many Leica Cameras, He Opened His Own Museum
Leica cameras have long held a special allure for many photographers and the brand's prestige is arguably unmatched in the photography world. For avid photographer Douglas So, his love for Leica and photography is too big to keep to himself.
Victorian-Era Photos Prove Electric Cars Were Popular Way Before Tesla
Electric vehicles seem like a new invention, but these fascinating photos from over 100 years ago show that EVs existed long before Elon Musk and Tesla.