Google is serious about better skin tone representation in the digital world

The Pixel 6a brings the company’s flagship Tensor processor to a mid-range phone for the first time. Google Late spring is always an exciting time for Android fans, as that’s when Google traditionally takes the wraps off its latest hardware, software, and services at its annual Google I/O event. Things were especially exciting this year,… Continue reading Google is serious about better skin tone representation in the digital world

B&W challenge: Channel the early greats, show us your best monochrome photos

Marissa Wu B&W photography is having a moment—with historic German film manufacturer Orwo releasing a new monochrome film stock (the brand’s first in 50 years), and Wes Anderson filming parts of “The French Dispatch” on B&W motion picture stock, there is definitely a nostalgic appeal that beckons artists—film and digital shooters alike—to eschew color in… Continue reading B&W challenge: Channel the early greats, show us your best monochrome photos

Sony unveils the world’s first smartphone with optical zoom—but is it all it’s cracked up to be?

The zoom lens’ focal range is intended to appeal to portrait shooters. Sony Electronics Sony has just unveiled the Xperia 1 IV, the world’s first production phone with an optical zoom lens as well as ultrawide, standard wide, and front-facing cameras. It’s a pretty serious smartphone photography package that, at $1,600, comes with a pretty… Continue reading Sony unveils the world’s first smartphone with optical zoom—but is it all it’s cracked up to be?

Identifying scams and avoiding fraud in NFT spaces

In January, a non-fungible token collection known as “Frosties” generated quite a bit of buzz online. The collection included 8,888 NFTs based on cartoon ice cream scoop characters, and investors were promised perks, including access to a metaverse video game and 3D versions of their characters. The NFTs sold out in under an hour. The… Continue reading Identifying scams and avoiding fraud in NFT spaces

The roles and possibilities of NFTs in the metaverse

Earlier this year, Reese Witherspoon and her dog Minnie entered the metaverse. Her sunlit virtual art gallery, created in collaboration with the mobile metaverse platform some·place, featured work from influential NFT art collections such as World of Women, Cool Cats, Flower Girls, Boss Beauties, and more. In the near future, the rest of us might… Continue reading The roles and possibilities of NFTs in the metaverse

DJI Mini 3 Pro review: our new favorite travel drone

Always on the lookout for obstacles, the Mini 3 Pro has three sets of binocular optical sensors that scan forward, behind and beneath the drone. Mason Marsh The sub-250 gram drone market is flooded with flying toys, but today’s launch of the DJI Mini 3 Pro is giving us a travel-friendly aerial marvel with 3-way… Continue reading DJI Mini 3 Pro review: our new favorite travel drone

The future of photography may be lensless

First row: The subjects. Second row: Patterns captured by the sensor. Remaining rows: The reconstructed images. Xiuxi Pan from Tokyo Tech Every photographer knows this truth: When it comes to cameras and gear, things can get huge—and fast. Especially in the lens department. Though mirrorless was first touted as the smaller, lighter alternative to chunky… Continue reading The future of photography may be lensless

Historic film manufacturer ORWO launches its first new 35mm stock in 50 years

A sample image shot with the new ORWO Wolfen NP100 B&W film stock. ORWO The analog photography industry is going through some strange times. Film photography hasn’t been this popular in years, yet film stock is getting harder to find—or it’s increasing dramatically in price—left, right, and center. It’s always a joy, then, when we… Continue reading Historic film manufacturer ORWO launches its first new 35mm stock in 50 years

Capturing motherhood in commercial advertising

Last year, the parenting products company Frida released its first TV commercial during the Golden Globes. Featuring moms in real life, the ad highlighted the moments we rarely see in commercial media: the clogged ducts, the cabbage compresses, and other lactation hurdles. Within a few days, the original version of the ad had racked up… Continue reading Capturing motherhood in commercial advertising