Culture

Photography is about far more than capturing an image. How photos are shared and what social issues are impacting the profession are just as important. PetaPixel regularly covers the stories around the culture of photography, how it affects society, and what cultural changes affect the art.
A collage of three images: a gloved hand examining a photo with a ruler, a close-up of a vintage camera viewfinder and lens, and a black Leica 110 camera showing its lens and viewfinder.

The Most Special Cameras, Lenses, and Photos in Leica’s Archives

Leica counted down the days to Christmas in style, delivering daily videos that showcase "the most special things" in the company's archives. As is tradition, the photographic advent calendar of sorts concluded yesterday, Christmas Eve, and we thought a nice little Christmas present to our passionate readers was a recap of Leica's Christmas countdown.

A smartphone displays the TikTok logo on its screen, positioned in front of a blurred American flag in the background.

The Long-Discussed US TikTok Deal Is Finally Happening

Chinese company and TikTok owner ByteDance has signed a deal to transfer the majority of its U.S. operations to a group of investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX. This deal arrives after months of stops and starts, deadline extensions, and even failed deals.

On the left, a black-and-white image shows a crowd of distressed people reaching out. On the right, a person walks through a landfill carrying a large sack of waste on their back, surrounded by trash and birds under a cloudy sky.

These Are the Winners of the Huge, Annual $67,500 Photography Grant

The winners of the annual W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography -- one of the largest grants in support of the photographic arts that opened for entries in July -- have been announced and the winner is Palestinian-American Maen Hammad, for his project Amira’s Castle, an ongoing exploration of his grandparents’ lives and his own documentation of the Palestinian present.

A collage-style movie poster featuring "THE STRINGER: THE MAN WHO TOOK THE PHOTO" with layered images of a photographer, people reviewing photos, and a pensive man, all set against a misty landscape.

Dave Burnett Says ‘The Stringer’ Used His Photos Without Permission or Attribution

Earlier this week, world-renowned photographer Dave Burnett broke his silence on the issue of Nick Ut and his authorship of the photo "The Terror of War" through an opinion piece published in The Washington Post. Yesterday, he elaborated on that story and not only doubles down on that stance, but also alleges "The Stringer" used his photos without permission or attribution -- a blatant violation of the law.

Colorful illustration of a pink-haired person holding a camera and smiling, with vibrant yellow, blue, and pink background. The image includes the logo and text: "CP+ Camera & Photo Imaging Show 2026.

The 2026 CP+ Photo Show in Japan Will Be the Biggest Ever

The CP+ Camera and Photo Imaging Show is returning to the Pacifico Yokohama Convention Center just outside of Tokyo from February 26 through March 1, 2026. In recent years, it has become as important as the now-defunct Photokina once was, and the 2026 show is cementing that: it will be the largest CP+ ever.

Four women in colorful, form-fitting 1960s dresses and white heels stand on a city sidewalk near a storefront, chatting and posing. Two are facing the camera, while two are turned slightly away.

This Colorful Joel Meyerowitz Photo Is the Leica Picture of the Year 2025

American photographer Joel Meyerowitz (b. 1938) has been an exceptionally influential photographer since the 1960s. He helped color photography earn respect in fine art circles, and his street photography exudes unmistakable style. One of his most famous photos has been named the Leica Picture of the Year 2025.

Two men sit at a table with colorful One Piece anime artwork spread out in front of them, against a plain white background. Both men are wearing glasses and formal jackets.

How a 150MP Medium-Format Camera Preserves Japan’s Historic Manga

For many, digital cameras are tools for creating art. However, in some very specialized applications, high-resolution digital cameras are used to preserve it. In Japan, Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage is using 150-megapixel Phase One medium-format cameras to digitize manga, ensuring that fast-fading artwork is preserved for generations to come.

A person lies in bed under a blanket at night, staring at a smartphone that emits a blue glow, illuminating their face in the dark room.

TikTok and Instagram Reels Cause Real Brain Rot, Major Study Finds

Anyone using the "eye test" would probably find that short form video, popularized by TikTok and now found everyone online, is bad for the brain. But a new study from the American Psychological Association now directly ties short form video content with significantly diminished mental health. In short -- pun intended -- it's rotting brains.

A split image showing two scenes: on the left, a woman and a man laugh and clap in a stadium; on the right, two men in casual clothes chat and smile while holding drinks, surrounded by fans in yellow shirts.

Celebrities Are Changing How Pro Sports Photographers Work

Photographer Tammy Ljungblad has worked at The Kansas City Star for 36 years. She has never seen anything like the impact of megastar Taylor Swift on NFL games at Arrowhead Stadium and the broader Kansas City community.

A metallic figurine of a woman photographer with a camera is shown on the left; on the right, a black-and-white photo shows a woman wearing glasses taking a photo of people outdoors with a camera.

‘Army Men’ Figure of Pioneering Combat Photographer Helps Kids Process War

War Toys has worked with the estate of the late, great photojournalist Dickey Chapelle to create a remarkably accurate and detailed 1:32 scale figure of the photographer. This figure, which includes Chapelle's trademark glasses, earrings, and Leica and Nikon cameras, will join a larger set of noncombatant figures for an educational board game that focuses on the people who work for peace in war and combat.

A grumpy-looking black and white cat in front of a chalkboard covered with scientific equations. Large text above the cat reads, "WHY SO CUTE?" and a square with "NS" is in the bottom left corner.

Photographer Uses Science to Explain Why Humans Think Cats Are Cute

Animal photographer Tim Flach has taken hundreds of photos of cats and, through his time with them, finds himself asking questions about why they are so important to humans. He has partnered with scientists to find out exactly why they elicit the emotions they do, and how he, as a photographer, can better highlight those aspects of their form.

Two side-by-side photos show a woman holding a camera. On the left, she sits while getting her hair styled. On the right, she smiles at the camera while sitting on a couch, holding the same camera.

The Enduring Desirability of the Fujifilm X-Pro

Last week, Vogue France published a short snippet from an interview where Jisoo -- an incredibly popular member of the K-pop group Blackpink -- talks about her love of the Fujifilm X-Pro3. Describing the photos it takes as "cinematic" and "atmospheric," she also touches on another angle of why she and her friends like it: how it looks.

A red Coca-Cola truck drives down a snowy, tree-lined road at night, with holiday lights on the trees and a starry sky above. Mountains are visible in the background.

Generative AI Is Here to Ruin Christmas

Despite the controversy surrounding its use of generative AI to create a trio of Christmas advertisements last year, Coca-Cola has once again returned to the world's driest well, churning out yet another terrible AI-generated advertisement.

A woman with blonde hair, wearing a black coat and plaid scarf, smiles while holding a vintage film camera outdoors. There is a close-up inset of the camera in her hands. The background is blurred greenery.

Sabrina Carpenter Spotted Using a Gorgeous Contax G2 Camera

It is becoming more common to see celebrities and pop stars using classic cameras as the vintage aesthetic continues to burn white hot. However, most tend to stick with digital -- Taylor Swift and Selina Gomez both really like the Olympus EM-10 Mark IV, for example. Sabrina Carpenter is going even further back in time though as she has been spotted sporting a beautiful Contax G2.

A camera mounted on a tripod is positioned in front of a large aquarium tank, with a shark and several fish swimming in the blue water background.

This One-of-a-Kind Lens Was Disney’s Biggest Gamble

Photographer and YouTube creator Mathieu Stern saw an incredible piece of cinematic and optical history show up on an auction site. While it was outside his price range, it was not beyond the reach of Atlas Lens Co., known for its Orion and Mercury series cinema lenses. The lens in question was a Bausch + Lomb CinemaScope anamorphic lens attachment, which could turn a traditional cinema lens into a then-groundbreaking anamorphic optic.

A collage on a blue background with travel photos, a group of friends dancing, and icons for photos, music, and camera. A "New York, NY" location tag and Facebook logo are included.

Meta Wants Its AI to Learn From Your Camera Roll

Meta wants access to the photos on Facebook users' smartphone camera rolls. The company's new feature is designed to help people find "shareworthy" photos they haven't yet published, but the privacy concerns are obvious and there are important considerations about how these photos may be used to train AI.

A group of emergency responders surrounds and assists a person lying on a stretcher with a neck brace, preparing to move them in a hallway with beige tiled walls.

NPPA Condemns ICE Assault on Journalists ‘In the Strongest Possible Terms’

The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) has condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the actions taken by ICE officers against journalists in Federal Plaza in New York City earlier this week. "The assault on an a New York reporter and the serious injury inflicted on another journalist represent an unacceptable, blatant attack on press freedom," the organization writes.