See How Canon Makes their Digital Cameras

Michael Zhang (PetaPixel) dug up this promotional video that shows in great detail how digital cameras work and how they are made. If you are a photographer (and I know you are) or have an engineering background then you will find this video fascinating.


Canon Premium Library:
"An introduction to how digital cameras work that also highlights Canon's unique

The Light Eater: The Biggest Challenge of Large Format Portraiture

Shooting portraits in large format film is extremely rewarding. There's a simplicity of the process, from the posing to the static camera position, that helps ground both the photographer and the subject in the moment. Beautiful images may be your reward for such patience, but it's not without its challenges. For me, the biggest challenge shooting portraiture is not working with the camera, but the insane amount of light you need to throw at it. For the uninitiated, here are some facts about the format and its light-eating characteristics that you may need to consider.

Phottix Brings a Collapsible, Soft Box-Style Beauty Dish to Market

About two years ago, Chimera showed us the first collapsible beauty dish at WPPI, something that promised to make traveling with the bulky, often heavy modifier a lot easier. However, with a price point of $230, it was a bit pricey for many. In the past few days, Phottix has released their version of the collapsable beauty dish. It has several distinctly different features that separate it from the Chimera version, but there is one thing that will stand out: the price is only $75.

Sony a9 III Global Shutter Versus High-Speed Sync

Have you heard the buzz? Sony just unveiled the Sony a9 III, boasting the groundbreaking feature of being the first full frame camera equipped with a global shutter. This technological leap has sent shockwaves through the photography industry, but it's also sparked a flurry of questions, particularly regarding its compatibility with flash and whether it outperforms high-speed sync. But before we delve into that, let's demystify what a global shutter is and how it revolutionizes flash photography.

Is the Surface Book 3 a Macbook Pro Killer?

The newly announced Microsoft Surface Book 3 is reportedly their most powerful laptop ever. So could it be good enough to destroy the competition? Namely, the new Apple Macbook Pro 2020. Photographers and creatives alike love Apple products for editing workflows, but could this be the beginning of the end for Apple's domination of the creative market?

Tutorial on Photographing a Nude Body (NSFW)

Who doesn't like a little artsy nudity now and again? The guys at PHLEARN certainly aren't against it in their latest tutorial that teaches one of the many methods for this type of photography.

The Problem With Lightroom Presets

Lightroom presets come with a mixed bag of acceptance. Some think they are an abomination to a learned skill and craft and should never be used, whereas others enjoy the look and feel they provide to their images. It's not just as black and white as that, and it's down to the individual whether to use them or not, but one thing to make no mistake about is the time it takes to create them.

[Game] Color – A Color Matching Game That Tests Your Vision And Knowledge

Color, a simple yet addicting game that will test your patience and vision. In the industry, we deal with color all the time. Everything from shooting to dealing with calibrating screens, color plays a huge role in what we do. The game runs through varying level of difficulty, starting with hue, saturation, complementary colors, and goes up from there. It's very easy to play but hard to master.

The Demise of Olympus: How and Why Did It Happen, and What Does the Future Hold?

Olympus was once the doyen of the photographic industry, with the OM range beloved for its svelte lines and high-quality manufacturing. Revitalized by mirrorless in the digital era through its collaboration with Panasonic, their OM-D range is iconic. So, why were they bought by the private equity fund Japan Industrial Partners — specialists in restructuring — and what are the portents for the future?

4(+1) Things You Need To Be a Photographer in 2022

There is a ton of advice on what gear to buy and what gear not to buy as a photographer. It is written from a billion different standpoints, each one with a slightly different take. I didn’t feel any of those articles resonated with me, so here is one that I hope will resonate with you regardless of the genre or niche you’re going for.

Five Essential Tips for Building a Professional Photography Website

A photographer's online portfolio is paramount in this day and age, but you already know that. However, we are at a juncture in which the caliber of a photographer's website can be the difference between being hired and being overlooked. Here are five essential tips for ensuring your website gives you the best possible chance of being hired.

How To (And Not To) Shoot Underwater Pt.1 Natural Light

This year my family and I escaped the cold of NYC and went to South Florida to celebrate the holidays. I was so glad to be heading to some warm weather, and I planned some shoots that wouldn't be typical of the winter weather up North. I had never shot underwater before, so I wanted to challenge myself and try it out. I contacted BorrowLenses to see if they had an Aquatech housing that I could

BTS of Getty Photographer Larry Busacca Making the Most of a Small Tent Studio

Larry Busacca of Getty Images was given a very limited time and cramped space to create some of the most memorable images from the Sundance Film Festival. The video showcases Busacca in action, blowing through group shots, pairings, and solos without missing a beat. With some of the most well known faces in Hollywood no less.

Dramatic Beauty Tutorial Part 2: Preparing Your Image for Retouching Using Lightroom and Camera Raw

In Part 1 of our Dramatic Beauty Portrait Tutorial, we looked at the lighting setup, gear breakdown, and shooting of our dramatic beauty shoot. In Part 2 of the tutorial we will now look at two different ways of exporting and preparing your image for retouching. The first method involves creating versions in Lightroom and exporting directly to Photoshop. The other method utilizes Adobe Camera Raw and the ability to make variations within Photoshop. I will also discuss the overall goal of our pre-edit stage.

Five Tips for Boudoir Posing to Maximize Album Spreads

Posing a client during a boudoir session can be tricky if you are not comfortable yet in your flow. Creating a set of images that you can move through without disturbing the energy in the room takes practice and a few simple tricks.

3 Simple Steps to Booking the Jobs You Actually Want to Photograph

Tired of booking the same types of shoots? There’s an easy answer: stop posting them. Instead, only post the type of work you want to get hired to do. Coupling strategic use of Instagram with a strong portfolio of the types of shoots you actually want to book is the best way to increase getting the work you want!

The Ultimate Camera Carrying System?

If RoboCop were a photographer, what kind of camera carrying system would he use? A simple shoulder strap? No way. Some kind of belt holster? Hmm, getting warmer. The Cotton Carrier Systems G3 Camera Harness? Ding ding ding!

Miss Aniela Creates Fine Art Images Celebrating the Power of Birth Undisturbed [NSFW]

Natalie Lennard, the British photographer popularly known as Miss Aniela, is well known for her stunningly surreal fashion work. Her new personal project, however, is leading her in an entirely different direction; showcasing childbirth through world history, celebrating the power of women who give birth on their own terms. The fictional narrative series draws inspiration from figureheads of birth philosophy, such as Michel Odent and Dr. Grantly Dick-Read, to shine new light on how we view childbirth.

UPDATED: Why Did Facebook Buy Instagram? Introducing Facebook Camera

UPDATE 2: Huffington Post has edited their original article. They now state that the Instagram app deal will close later this year, not the whole app.

In case you were as baffled when you heard that Facebook purchased Instagram for $1 Billion, you weren't alone. But news today shows the reason. Facebook has announced their next product: Facebook Camera.

Stop Looking at Other Photographers' Work

We all get lost in the Internet from time to time, and some of us way too much. We see a great photo online, or perhaps read an interview with a successful photographer, and then Google them and spend time pouring through their portfolio and blog. “How did they do it?" "I wonder what type of lighting that is?" "Where did they take that?" Half an hour and a cup of coffee later we close our laptop relatively depressed and completely diverted from our own path as unique and creative individuals. We start to scroll through our Lightroom catalogs in search of an amazing image we may have forgotten about that competes with what we just saw, or look at our measly social media following and wonder what we did (or are doing) wrong.

Why Digital Is Better Than Film

Painting is an art form. So are music, prose, and dance. No one argues otherwise. But photography, since its very inception, has had to justify itself as a legitimate art form.

Using Heavy Cross-light To Make Headshots That Glow

Recently, I have been experimenting with creating a sort of more intense style of headshot for certain clients who are interested in a more surreal, vibrant, look to their headshot as opposed to the more traditional headshot which is designed to to more closely emulate realistic lighting. The heavy cross-light look uses powerful lights that are positioned perpendicular to your the main light to create a strong highlight to the side of the face while living a distinctive shadow down the subject's cheek. Heavy cross-lighting can do a great job of building a sense of three dimensionality without sacrificing the soft, flattering, feel of a traditional headshot.

How an Elementary School Teacher Took the Most Popular Viral GoPro Photo To Date

Elementary school teacher turned shark tour intern, Amanda Brewer, recently took a photo of a great white shark emerging from the depths with her GoPro. After sharing the image with GoPro on Instagram and it being published as their Photo of the Day, the image has received international press coverage, amassed over 360K likes, and already been commissioned for a billboard near the port at which it was taken. In this interview with Jared Polin, of Fro Knows Photo, Amanda tells the story of how the photo was taken and, in Jared's words, "What to do when your photo goes viral, real bleeping viral."

Why You Don’t Have to Fear Street Photography

If you have a camera and access to a street, you can play with street photography. Like landscape photography, it’s one of the most accessible forms of the craft. If you’re anything like me, however, it scares the hell out of you. But it doesn't have to.

How Off Camera Flash Elevates Your Market Value

Many photographers start their careers by learning natural lighting techniques. Once these skills are established, complacency can set in and the photographer might choose not to stretch themselves to learn more advanced lighting skills. When photographers do this, they leave a significant amount of value on the table.

Atlas With the Sun - The Most Complicated Photo I've Ever Shot

About a year and a half ago, I was walking on a local beach and realized that for a few weeks of the year, the sun would set in a perfect line of sight down the beach. I thought it might be a fun photographic challenge to create a super telephoto picture with a body builder "holding" the sun in an Atlas style pose. In my mind, the entire scene would be lit rather than have a typical sun silhouette image. Little did I realize how much work I was getting myself into.