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Chinotechs L.D. Meter Review: Light Meter and Rangefinder in One

A close-up of an L.D. Meter device designed by CHI mounted on a camera, with the PetaPixel Reviews logo overlaid in the foreground and a blurred green background.

As I've delved deeply into the old and the niche of film photography, I've found myself loving cameras that either have no light meter, no viewfinder, or... neither. In those cases, I have found the L.D. Meter from Chinotechs to be the near-perfect solution.

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A Commercial Photographer’s Take on When to Use AI (and When Not To)

On the left, a woman in a flowing white dress sits on a small rock in calm water. On the right, a woman in a silky cream camisole and beige pants stands indoors near a round mirror, looking to the side.

Last year, a client came to me with a straightforward brief: they needed a full lookbook for their new clothing line. But there was a catch. “We don’t want a shoot,” they said. “Just take our phone photos and make them look professional with AI.” I could have said no. Instead, I said yes -- and it changed how I think about my entire career.

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Photographing Hokkaido: The Japan North of Tokyo That Most People Never See

A collage of three photos: an elderly man uses an ATM, a modern apartment building against a blue sky, and an elderly woman smiles at a table with covered dishes.

In March, Jaron Schneider and I traveled to Japan for press coverage at the CP+ photo and imaging show in Yokohama. After four days covering the show, we had a decision to make: go home, or continue the trip and head somewhere else. So, we decided to go north.

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