Tye Martinez: A True Artist with Cyberpunk Renaissance Horror (NSFW)

All images by Tye Martinez. Used with permission.

“I think true creative art is rare,” says Washington based photographer, Tye Martinez (aka Tye Died.) “But when an artist gets exceptional at creating their own unique style, that is when they truly contribute to the artistic world.” For The Phoblographer, Tye is undoubtedly someone who has taken their style and ran with it. His moody, dark and sometimes twisted concepts are in their own way, stunning. Every idea has meaning, and each detail is an essential cog in his creative wheel. Online he is somewhat of a mysterious character. He says very little, however, whatever he does say delivers a significant impact – that’s why we were so intrigued by his work. Eager to know more about the person behind these marvelous creations, we reached out to Tye; who in return gave us one of the most insightful and engaging interviews to date.

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Domke Honors US Military Veterans with Limited Edition Camo Camera Bags

Domke encourages us to honor and show our support for the US Military veterans with their limited edition camouflage camera bags.

Whether you’re still looking for the perfect camera bag to upgrade to or just want to add another eye-catching yet functional piece to your collection, Domke’s new releases let you grab one while also paying tribute to the US Military veterans. The limited edition collection comes in the popular F2 and F-5XB models, with both sporting distinct camouflage designs unique to each bag.

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Go For Broke Spirit Vol. 2 Photo Book Nearing Completion

The second “Go For Broke Spirit” photo book is gearing up to tell the story of the Nisei veterans of the East Coast and other parts of the US.

Two years ago, Los Angeles-based photographer Shane Sato turned to Kickstarter to fund the production of the second Go For Broke Spirit photo book. This entailed traveling to the Midwest and East Coast to continue documenting the Japanese-American World War II veterans or the Nisei — the second generation veterans of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service. Well, he’s glad to report that he was able to do just that, but he still needs help with funding for publishing the book. Hence, the need for a second Kickstarter campaign with the goal of raising $15,000.

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The 10 Best Performing Lenses Per DXOMark For May 2019

If you’re in the market for a new lens, check out the 10 best on the market according to DXOMark.

DXOMark are known for putting lenses, and other photography gear through stringent tests, and then they publish their findings so that consumers can make more educated decisions before dropping large chunks of change on new equipment. Their lens tests check for sharpness, distortion, vignetting, transmission, and chromatic aberration. When you couple DXOMark findings with our reviews, you can be absolutely sure that you’re getting the best information from both controlled environments, and real world tests. A lot of people take DXOMark findings with a pinch of salt, but if they help you make a better purchasing decisions, go ahead and soak up their findings, and then read our reviews which are linked here as well. Below are to the 10 best performing lenses according to DXOMark for May 2019.
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An Easy Way to Create Moody Shadows and Hard Light With a Softbox

If you want to know how to create hard light, but still want some control over your light source, this video is for you.

You’re probably wondering why anyone would want to create hard light with a softbox. Isn’t the point of a softbox to create gorgeous, flattering light with soft shadows? Well, the answer is yes to that, but as we all know, many items have multiple uses, and it turns out that a softbox can be a great tool for creating hard shadows. After the break, we have a video for you that demonstrates how you can create moody shadows with a small softbox. Continue reading…

Photo Book Project Documents America’s Bowling Alleys and its Bowlers

“Bowling the American Dream” could very well be an interesting addition to a sporty photographer’s photo book collection.

Looking for fresh documentary photography projects that you can explore in the photo book form? We spotted an interesting project by Jeff Sonnabend, who is currently funding a print run of his art quality photo book titled Bowling the American Dream. Whether you’re interested in sports-related projects, have fond memories of bowling alleys in your town, or are curious about this particular slice of the American Dream, this could be a photo book project that you can support.

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Nate Rochefort: Photographing Imaginary Planets Made of Everyday Stuff

The mysterious imaginary worlds made and photographed by Nate Rochefort are worth checking out if you’re looking for an original photography project that will inspire you to get creative with your own.

Mankind has been turning to the stars and planets from our solar system and beyond in the name of art and science. With so much still out there to discover, the cosmos remains a potent source of creative inspiration for many. Take Nate Rochefort, for example, who has been busy making planets out of everyday things and photographing them. He’s got quite a fascinating selection of imaginary worlds now, all of them guaranteed to tickle the fancy of space fans and astrophotographers (who definitely have photographing real planets on their bucket list).

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Cheap Photo: Who Wants Over 1000 Text Overlays for Just $29?

These text overlays will save you a ton of time and will expand your creative possibilities.

Have you ever wanted to be able to create professional looking invitations, greeting cards, announcements, and souvenirs quickly, and efficiently? If so this fantastic sale is for you. We have found a limited time deal that will get you over 1,000 incredible text overlays that will help you create all of the above and more for just $29! This bundle is usually $150, but for a limited time, it has a discount of $121! Check out all the details about this deal after the break. Continue reading…

Cheap Photo: SanDisk Ultra 64GB Card for $11.99; ND Filter Kit for $21.99

These photography accessories will help you get the most out of your craft.

Work smarter not harder. That’s what I was always told growing up, and the same rings true today. These photography accessories will definitely allow you to work smarter, and they will help you create amazing images. Need some more SD cards? The SanDisk Ultra 64GB is just $11.99! Want to play with ND and graduated filters? The Neewer Complete Cokin P ND and graduated filter kit is only $21.99. If it’s a new tripod you need, the Vanguard Alta Pro 263 AGH with grip head has a discount of $62.75, bringing it down to just $169.95. The Godox AD600 rechargeable strobe is a steal at $529, and the Wacom Bamboo One Drawing pad is a bargain at just $147. Check out all of the photography accessories and their deep discounts after the break. Continue reading…

Lomography Announces First Petzval Art Lens for Mirrorless Market

Lomography steps up its Petzval lens lineup with the new Petzval 55mm f1.7 for Canon, Nikon, and Sony mirrorless cameras.

Those who are looking into adding some bokeh goodness to their photos may want to check out the latest in Lomography’s Art Lens lineup. Say hello to the new Petzval 55mm f1.7 MKII, which the company has recently announced as the first Lomography Art Lens specially designed for mirrorless cameras.

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YASHICA Adds New Black and White Film to Kickstarter Campaign

YASHICA just dropped a new 400 ISO black and white film to entice more film photographers to pledge their support before the Kickstarter campaign ends in eight days.

With the YASHICA Absolute – [Premiere] campaign now in its last days, the Hong Kong-based company has announced a new black and white film joining its roster. But the bigger question is, why the hell are they even doing this? WHY? Well, to rake in more money, of course.

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Video: Why the Fujifilm GFX 100 Needs In Body Image Stabilization

We spoke with Justin Stailey at Fujifilm USA about the new Fujifilm GFX 100 and exactly why it needed image stabilization built into the camera.

With 102 Megapixels at the heart of the new Fujifilm GFX 100 camera, there is a very justified reason for having image stabilization built into the camera. While traditional medium format users wouldn’t necessarily think this, Fujifilm has been working hard to change the way we think about the larger sensor space. So with the Fujifilm GFX 100, they brought image stabilization to it partially because it’s a camera designed to be handheld and used for professional lifestyle work. So while you can still use this camera in the studio or locked down onto a tripod to shoot a landscape, the image stabilization helps you to do things like adventure and sports photography.

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The Best Gear for Successful Wedding Photography in 2019

This gear will make wedding photography that much easier for you, and your clients will love the results.

Wedding photography is one of the most demanding, most challenging genres of photography around. Photographers usually find themselves in dimly lit churches, cathedrals, and gathering places, and they usually have a list of demands from their clients as long as Mt. Everest is tall. There are things we can do to make it easier on ourselves, but perhaps the best thing we can do is use cameras, lenses, and accessories that can not only cope with the rigors of wedding photography, but that can also make it easier. Continue reading…

First Impressions: Fujifilm GFX 100 (And Why It Needed IBIS)

The Fujifilm GFX 100 features a 102MP sensor with image stabilization and backside illumination.

Last week, Fujifilm invited us to a top secret briefing on the west side of Manhattan where they unveiled the long-awaited addition to the company’s Medium Format Mirrorless camera lineup: the Fujifilm GFX 100. We had seen renderings of the GFX100 before and even got to fondle a mockup of it in Las Vegas during WPPI, but this is the first time that we got to spend some hands-on time with the genuine article itself, albeit in pre-production but near-final trim. The star of the Medium Format GFX 100 show is the brand new 102 MP sensor that is not only backside illuminated but also stabilized. In fact, it’s the first medium format digital camera to have image stabilization on the sensor.

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Review: Viltrox PFU RBMH 85mm f1.8 (Sony FE)

The Viltrox PFU RBMH 85mm f1.8 is an aggressively priced manual focus portrait lens for Sony Full Frame Mirrorless Cameras

During last year’s PhotoPlus Expo, Viltrox announced that they have begun designing and manufacturing their own camera lenses. Up until that point, the Chinese company was known principally as a manufacturer of photography accessories as well as lens adapters. As we had already reviewed the ultrawide Viltrox PFU RBMH 20mm f1.8 ASPH lens previously, the focus of this review will instead be on the other lens that Viltrox announced during PPE: the portrait-centric Viltrox PFU RBMH 85mm f1.8 for Sony FE Mount. Housed within a brass body, the Viltrox 85mm f1.8 feels sturdily built in hand. While you can adjust the aperture of the Viltrox 85mm f1.8 using your camera’s aperture dial, focusing is a completely manual affair. Aggressively priced at just under US$300, the Viltrox  PFU RBMH 85mm f1.8 for Sony Full Frame Mirrorless is certainly worthy of consideration for any portrait photographers on a budget. Read on to find out how well the freshman lens maker fared.

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9 Powerful, Entry Level Cameras Perfect For Beginners and Beyond

These powerful entry level cameras are perfect for beginners, hobbyists and beyond. 

When the term entry-level was muttered by photographers in years gone by, one would instantly think of incredibly poor performing, nothing to write home about cameras that really didn’t inspire anyone to pick up the thing to create images, but my how times change. Today, entry-level cameras are powerful, feature-rich devices that are capable of creating truly stunning images when paired with nice glass. In this roundup we will take a look at nine entry-level cameras that are perfect for beginners, hobbyists, and even pros looking for a backup camera. Continue reading…

“Legacy of War” Photo Project Conclusion Being Funded on Kickstarter

If you’ve been curious about the Legacy of War project of documentary photographer Giles Duley following his exhibit, you might also be interested in showing your support for the final leg of his work.

We’ve first heard about Giles Duley from an Ilford Inspires episode, which featured a selection of photos from his long-term photography project, Legacy of War. Now, the documentary photographer and writer has decided finally cap the project in the next twelve months. To do this, he’ll need our support on Kickstarter to fund the rest of the activities, collaborations, and stories that he has planned for the last leg of the project.

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Fascinating Portrait Project Explores Our Shared Genetic Past

“The Sum of the Some of Us” is a fascinating portrait photography project that seeks to change the way we look at cultural identity and genetic lineage.

If you’re 100% sure of your heritage, ethnicity, race, nationality, or whatever else you think makes you distinctly you, taking a DNA journey might surprise you. Who could forget that eye-opening short commercial film celebrating the (often surprising) ancestry of 67 people randomly chosen from all over the world? Well, this portrait project beautifully called The Sum of the Some of Us that is currently being funded on Kickstarter is another one like it, with the same goal of exploring, revealing, and celebrating the bits of our ancestry that we probably aren’t aware of.

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Every Photographer Should Learn How Photograph Darker Skin Tones

Darker skin tones can still use some extra attention from photographers and even industry professionals like make-up artists and stylists.

Portrait and fashion photography should be an all-encompassing craft, especially at this time and age when we’re supposedly more open-minded and accepting of other cultures and perspectives. This means that photographers today should be able to use their expertise to create photos of darker skinned models and individuals in a way that highlights their natural beauty. A video by Buzzfeed reinforces this idea with a photoshoot done with dark-skinned models, encouraging photographers and even industry professionals like make-up artists and stylists to do the same.

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Useful Photography Tip #194: You Need This if You’re Manually Focusing a Telephoto Lens

Want more Useful Photography Tips? Click Here.

One would easily think that focusing with a telephoto lens manually would be a peace of cake; but the reality is that there a ton of complicated physics happening. In fact, it’s both exhausting and requires the photographer to be incredibly deliberate. Perplexed at how this is so difficult? Well let’s break it down for you.

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The Olympus TG-6 is the World’s Most Modular Point and Shoot

Capable of working down to 50 feet of water, the Olympus TG-6 is an incredible modular point and shoot camera.

The Olympus tough camera lineup has always been pretty darned good for what they are, and the new Olympus TG-6 is promising to be even better–if not take it over the top. The company’s latest offering is pretty much as modular as a DSLR or Mirrorless camera without being a DSLR or Mirrorless camera. Instead, Olympus allows photographers to have all the accessories they could possibly want. This camera is designed for the enthusiast that is afraid to bring their phone back from a swim and also always to be able to shoot great images underwater. However, it’s also a great, pocketable option for the photographer going on an excursion of some sort into more remote regions. Unfortunately, Olympus hasn’t given the camera a Four Thirds sized sensor; which is what I really wanted personally. However, it looks like it’s very capable of taking stunning photos. There are lots of other great things going on here.

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