Mike Kelley

Michael Kelley (mpkelley.com) is a Los Angeles-based architectural and fine art photographer with a background in digital art and sculpture. Using his backgrounds in the arts, he creates images that are surreal and otherworldly, yet lifelike and believable. A frequent traveler, Michael's personal work focuses on the built environment of unique

Articles written by Mike Kelley

[Fail] You Won't Believe This Enormous Photoshop Failure

A user on the popular social website Reddit was the first to bring our attention to this enormous Photoshop fail. A recent Target advertisement left one of the models sporting a little something extra. You won't believe your eyes when you see this, nor will you believe that somehow, nobody caught the mistake.

[News] And the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography Goes to...

Massoud Hossaini, who is also the first Afghani to win a Pulitzer Prize. Hossaini's work captures the horrors of violence that occur in Afghanistan on a regular basis. The photo was captured just as a suicide bomber took his own life and that of many others in the vicinity. A girl dressed in green screams as blood runs down her face, and she is surrounded by bodies of the wounded and dead.

[BTS] The Anatomy of a Luxury Interior Shot

When it comes to interior and architectural photography, there is often much more involved than what meets the eye at first glance. In order to create a photograph that is realistic and enticing, careful planning, staging, lighting and a healthy dose of patience is imperative. In this Fstoppers Original, we dive into a luxury interior shot and see what it takes to construct a mouth-watering interior photo from the ground up.

[Video] Breathtaking Timelapse of an Insane Asylum

There are some styles of photography which have been beaten into the ground. Take, for example, the trip to an old asylum; it seems like we've all seen a thousand HDR images of the local loony bin. Graffiti-covered walls, derelict operating rooms and spooky wheelchairs ad-nauseum. But every once in awhile, something comes along which makes my jaw drop and revisits what is possible in an ages-old subject. Drew Geraci's Asylum is exactly what I'm talking about.

[BTSV] Blast from the Past: Creating a Nat Geo Cover in the Studio

National Geographic recently released this video of the creation of one of their cover shots. While there is no exact date on it, I'd bet that it was shot sometime in the early 2000s or late 1990s guessing from technology being used. Some real ingenuity was at work here, as evidenced by the custom-built pneumatic jaw, the hand-cast Tyrannosaurus skull, and not to mention what appears to be at least ten cameras all triggered at the same time via laser in an effort to capture the decisive moment.

[News] Boston Pays $170k To Settle Video Incident

Simon Glik, a resident of Boston, MA, was recording an arrest of another man in 2007 via his camera. It didn't take long before a police officer noticed this and placed Glik under arrest. The case has finally been settled, and Glik has been awarded $170,000 in compensation.

[Journalism] World Press Photo's 2012 Multimedia Contest Winner

Remember the World Press Photo contest winners from earlier this year? Well, World Press Photo recently introduced (just last year, actually) a similar contest for multimedia and video entries. The winner is a stark, harrowing, and sobering documentary view into the Kommandokorps in South Africa, an apartheid-era relic that still lingers in the country.

[BTSV] The Making Of Canon's 5d Mark III Promo Video, Radball

You may remember Canon's promo video for the 5d Mark III that I posted a couple of weeks ago, which showcased the, ehem, interesting sport of Radball. Love it or hate it, I think we can at least agree that it was pretty entertaining. Canon recently released a companion to the promo video which goes behind the scenes into the filming of the piece.

[BTS] Behind The Scenes Photos of Iconic 'Star Wars' Scenes

We recently came across this collection of behind-the-scenes photographs from the filming of the original Star Wars trilogy (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and The Return of the Jedi). To see Sir Alec Guinness working on his tan in a pair of oversize sunglasses, Chewbacca unmasked, and Carrie Fischer about to get intimate with C-3PO, check this out!

[Wildlife] Amazing, Intimate Shots of Lions In Their Natural Habitat

Brothers Will and Matt Burrard-Lucas make quite the team. They're wildlife photographers based in Britain who have devised some clever means to get closer to some of the world's most dangerous animals. In 2009, they created a remote-controlled camera nicknamed BeetleCam and set out to photograph animals in their natural habitat. Armed with the knowledge they gained from the first trip, they went back a second time, and their results are nothing short of stunning.

[OMG] Nikon Uses 5d2, Phantom HD Footage To Promote D800

In what must be one of the largest faux-pas in camera news ever, Nikon has  used footage shot on Canon 5d Mark IIs and what appears to be a Phantom HD camera to promote their D800. But it doesn't end there. Not only did they use footage from their competitors' cameras  in the ad, but they also allegedly did not ask permission to use that footage in the first place.  Get the scoop after the jump.

[Video] The 5d Mark III and The Jaw-Dropping, Head-Scratching Sport of Radball

Canon France has just released what has got to be the most interesting promo video for a new camera in some time. Not only do we get a sneak peek at the video quality and capabilities of the 5d Mark III, but we also get a look into the sport of Radball: something I can only describe as "soccer meeting BMX meeting Urban Outfitters."

[Video] Behind The Scenes With The Writer And Director Of 'The Artist'

By now, most of us have at least heard about the box-office hit known as The Artist. In case you haven’t, it’s a near-silent film that was met with critical appraise and even managed to win a few Oscars this weekend. In this video, we get a sit-down chat with the writer and director of The Artist, and a behind-the-scenes look at the production of the movie. As a casual movie fan, I can say that upon my first viewing,

[Video] Pennsylvania Photographer Versus The Law

Some of you may remember the post from a few weeks ago titled Photographer Vs. Security: The Ultimate Showdown. Well, it looks like yet another photographer has been harassed and decided to make light of the situation. Jason Macchioni, a Pennsylvania-based photographer, had a run in with police in his area and as is par for the course these days, tempers flared.

Fstoppers Reviews The New Pocket Wizard Plus III Radio Triggers

Today, Pocket Wizard rolled out the newest in their line of wireless flash triggering devices: the long-awaited update to the industry standard Pocket Wizard Plus II, the Pocket Wizard Plus III. We at Fstoppers have been playing with them for awhile, and we're here to give you all the details, including an exclusive video look at the new Pocket Wizard Plus III.

[BTSV] Fighting G-Forces For An Air & Space Cover

This has to be one of the most awesome opportunities that could be granted to a photographer. Last fall, Ed Darack was asked to shoot a cover for The Smithsonian's Air & Space Magazine, and decided to show the world how he did it.

[Video] Erik Johansson Discusses His Mind-Bending Photography

At a recent TED Talk, conceptual photographer Erik Johansson broke down his approach and method into a bite-size chat. While many photographers consider their work finished as soon as they hit the shutter button, apply contrast, and upload to Flickr, Erik decides to take it further (quite a bit further, in fact).

[BTSV] Behind The Scenes At The Winter X-Games

In this behind the scenes video from Vimeo (say that five times fast!), we get a look at the wide variety of gear that is used to capture the action at Winter X. From freelance photographers and videographers to full-scale production efforts, this video has a little bit of everything.

[Video] Photographer Vs. Security: The Ultimate Showdown

How would you react if security officers told you that you were breaking the law by photographing a building from public property? One British photographer was faced with just that question, and here is how he reacted.

[Funny] The Battle at F-Stop Ridge, Part 2

Everyone remembers the original Battle at F-Stop Ridge, the live-action camera battle that had camera enthusiasts everywhere laughing. The creators of the video, The Camera Store, in Calgary, AB, have created a sequel and I'm happy to say that it's just as awesome as the original.

[Op-Ed] The Cameras of Tomorrow: Apps For DSLRs

In July 2008, Apple introduced the second-generation iPhone, which gave users the ability to download and install both paid and free native applications. Since then, nearly all new mobile devices have been equipped to support small applications, more commonly known as apps, made by either a third party or the original manufacturer, to add functionality to a device.

[Video] The Fascinating End Of Kodachrome's 75 Year Legacy

When Dwayne's Photo, based in Parsons, Kansas, ceased processing Kodachrome film, it was the end of an era spanning 75 years. This ten minute mini-documentary by Xander Robin affords us a view into the history of Kodachrome, the process used to develop it, and insight from the employees of Dwayne's who worked with the film regularly.

[Video] Stunning Nikon D4 Release Video

Check out this beautifully shot video made by Corey Rich of Lake Tahoe, CA. The video shows off not only the incredible capabilities of the Nikon D4 (be sure to watch it in HD and full screen), but also offers inspiring footage of three athletes in action: Alex Honnold, a free-solo climber, Dane Jackson, kayaker, and Rebecca Rusch, an ultra-endurance athlete.