2022 fall trends to start shooting now!

With the back-to-school season on the horizon, and the fall and winter holidays arriving shortly thereafter, we’re entering a busy time for retail and marketing. What’s more, research from McKinsey indicates that more consumers in the US are trying new brands than they did in 2020 and 2021, meaning that companies and advertisers will have… Continue reading 2022 fall trends to start shooting now!

A guide to get your creative juices flowing

Julia Margaret Cameron taught herself how to use a sliding-box camera. Edward Steichen famously photographed the same cup and saucer more than a thousand times. For fifteen years, Edward Weston wrote in a diary—about his personal life and creative struggles. More recently, Stephen Shore challenged himself to share a daily iPhone photo on social media.… Continue reading A guide to get your creative juices flowing

How to effectively capture texture in your commercial content (Part 2)

More than a decade ago, the camera brand Leica revealed an eye-catching print and outdoor ad campaign in Switzerland, featuring photographs of various textures found throughout everyday city life: wood, metal, bricks, and more. The ads were installed on real-life walls of the same texture, revealing the up-close details of each surface. The goal was… Continue reading How to effectively capture texture in your commercial content (Part 2)

How to take landscape photos that stand out to content buyers

Within the 500px collection on Getty Images, some of the most popular photographs include landscapes: wild yaks traversing the terrain of Ladakh, India; a lush river bend or a panoramic view of the mountains in Germany; the peaks of New Zealand; a peaceful lake in the Dolomites; a waterfall tucked away in the forests of… Continue reading How to take landscape photos that stand out to content buyers

Surf’s up: 11 tips for jaw-dropping surf photography

More than a hundred years ago, a photographer by the name of A. R. Gurrey self-published The Surf Riders of Hawaii, the first book dedicated entirely to the subject of surfing. By the 1930s, John Heath “Doc” Ball helped establish surf photography as a profession. In the 1960s, Leroy Grannis documented the surf scene at… Continue reading Surf’s up: 11 tips for jaw-dropping surf photography

Why our eyes look for patterns in architecture

From Andy Yeung’s gravity-defying pictures of urban density in Hong Kong to Dany Eid’s atmospheric nighttime shots of Dubai, we’re living in a golden age for architecture photography. From Germany to Spain and beyond, the architecture student Julia Isaak captures minimalist shots, transforming building façades into eye candy, while Eric Dufour plays with colors and… Continue reading Why our eyes look for patterns in architecture

What is the blue hour? (and how to make the most of it)

While exploring the Bavarian Forest National Park one day, Kilian Schönberger happened upon this spooky sight: a carriage, straight from a fairytale, abandoned in the woods and reclaimed by nature. But the setting alone didn’t make the photograph; the pale cerulean light, eerie in the mist, transformed the landscape into a scene from a ghost… Continue reading What is the blue hour? (and how to make the most of it)

The photographer’s guide to thrifting

Earlier this year, The New York Times reported on the comeback of 35mm SLR film cameras. Even as smartphone cameras improve, millennials and Gen Zers continue to rediscover the joys of buying second-hand gear on Etsy and eBay. According to eBay, vintage camera sales have been on the rise since 2015, and the pandemic era… Continue reading The photographer’s guide to thrifting

How your gear can uplevel your photography

Irving Penn built his own “light tent” using painted white boards. Yousuf Karsh swore by tungsten lights so he could make adjustments in real-time. George Hurrell invented the “boom light,” modeled on the boom microphone. For these historic photographers, gear was so much more than just camera equipment. All the details, from lighting patterns to… Continue reading How your gear can uplevel your photography

Licensing Contributor Kristina Shavratskaya on capturing complex and creative narratives in food photography

At 500px amazing photography is at our core, but these photos would not be possible without the talented people behind the lens. The 500px Spotlight series highlights the global and diverse photographers that are part of the 500px Community. This week we are excited to introduce you to Licensing contributor and food photographer, Kristina Shavratskaya. Kristina… Continue reading Licensing Contributor Kristina Shavratskaya on capturing complex and creative narratives in food photography