On the left, a large Buddha statue appears to hold a small object inscribed "What I take." On the right, a close-up of the statue's hand seems to grasp a distant airplane in the sky. Text at the top reads, "What I see... What a Street Photographer Sees vs What He Shoots
Two black-and-white portraits: On the left, a man, woman, and young child sit close together among leaves. On the right, a woman sits on grass holding a young child; both are partially undressed, posing in a natural outdoor setting. Soviet Union Photographer Captured Public Nudity When Such Images Were Illegal
A collage with three images: colorful aurora over Earth's curve, a large orange moon behind a city skyscraper at night, and Earth rising above the gray, rocky lunar surface. Seven Mindblowing Space Photos Taken This Month

Features

PetaPixel's Features are in-depth, heavily researched stories designed to answer the most important questions on a topic. Where we flex our journalistic muscle, expect to find the best storytelling and original reporting the photo industry offers.
Matt Growcoot
A collage with three images: colorful aurora over Earth's curve, a large orange moon behind a city skyscraper at night, and Earth rising above the gray, rocky lunar surface.

Seven Mindblowing Space Photos Taken This Month

Each week, there are thousands of incredible photographs taken in space by NASA, ESA, telescopes, satellites, rovers, and beyond. Sometimes it feels like there is too much space content so PetaPixel has devised a handy article where you can see all of the best images of the cosmos this month.

Jeremy Gray
A man wearing glasses and a suit jacket, shown in black and white, looks upward with a contemplative expression. The background is dark, creating dramatic lighting on his face and hair.

The Cameras and Creativity That Brought the First Feature-Length Film on Apple Vision Pro to Life

As immersive video content becomes a prominent way to tell visual stories, talented visual artists like Elad Offer not only face greater challenges, but they have fresh new possibilities to deliver something the world has never seen before. One such example is Bono: Stories of Surrender, a new film available in both 2D and immersive versions, marking the first feature-length Apple Immersive Video film for the Apple Vision Pro headset. Offer was the film's Creative Director, tasked with making both 2D and immersive versions the best they can be for two very different mediums.

Matt Growcoot
A split image: on the left, a junkyard with debris and the New York City skyline, including the Twin Towers, in the background; on the right, a man in a tank top and painted jeans holds a small dog.

Fascinating Documerica Photo Project Focused on US Pollution in the 1970s

In the early 1970s, the United States was facing growing public concern over pollution, environmental degradation, and the future of the natural landscape. In response, the newly formed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a wide-ranging photographic initiative known as Documerica, aimed at capturing the state of the American environment and the lives of people affected by it.

Johnny Martyr
On the left, a vintage film camera with its lens cover open. On the right, a black-and-white photo of a musician playing an electric guitar on stage under bright lights.

Concert Photography with a 1950s Folding Rangefinder

Most concert venues do not allow interchangeable lens cameras into shows without special permission. But this simple means of distinguishing unauthorized professional photography and unstoppable casual snapshooting can invite creative photographers to blur the boundaries between these types of photography with unlikely cameras.

Michael Bonocore
Three men pose against green backgrounds: one wears an elaborate horned costume with armor, another sits in a patterned silver suit with medals, and the third wears a parka with a fur hood and has long dreadlocks.

A Decade of Discovery: Felix Kunze’s Iconic Explorers Club Portraits

For over a century, The Explorers Club Annual Dinner has stood as a prestigious gathering, celebrating those who relentlessly push the boundaries of human endeavor. For the past ten years, photographer Felix Kunze has been its visual chronicler, capturing portraits of attendees with a distinctively simple, yet timelessly classy style.

Sarah Teng
A collage with three sections: an elderly man in a keffiyeh sitting outdoors, a street scene with colorful banners and a tall minaret, and a mustached man in traditional clothing adorned with gold necklaces.

Photographing Iraq: This Isn’t the Country You Think You Know

When I mentioned to friends and family that I was heading to Iraq, the reactions were a mix of surprise and concern. Questions like, “Is it safe?” and “Why Iraq?” were common. But as a photographer driven by curiosity and a desire to capture unique experiences, I saw Iraq as an opportunity to explore a land rich in history, culture, and resilience.