The Backward Index

How do dictionary makers keep track of similarly suffixed words, like those ending in -ism, -graphy, -ness, or -ology? With a computer, it’s simple, but how did they do it before the computing age? Starting in the 1950s, lexicographers at Merriam-Webster typed all of the…

On The Fuel Efficiency of Launching My Enemies Into The...

On The Fuel Efficiency of Launching My Enemies Into The Sun. Incredibly nerdy and fun: does it require more power to eject a person from the solar system or launch them into the Sun?

The Rise & Fall Of ‘Petty Tyrants’ . “The energy...

The Rise & Fall Of ‘Petty Tyrants’. “The energy required to deceive is unsustainable. Reality is relentless. The tyrant who chooses to fight it is doomed.”

Down with -maxxing! Searching for the absolute best...

Down with -maxxing! Searching for the absolute best option isn’t always the wisest course of action. Better to make a good-enough choice so “a great deal of energy gets freed up for living, instead of being spent on wondering about how to live”.

There are no lightsabers in The Mandalorian and Grogu, a...

There are no lightsabers in The Mandalorian and Grogu, a first for Star Wars films. There are also no Wilhelm screams in the movie, which is weird because I thought I heard snippets of it everywhere (even Mando’s blaster sounded a little Wilhelm-ish).

Leica’s New Color Option Is Subtle, Modern, and Absolutely Beautiful

Leica has introduced some iconic cameras and lenses over the years. While the company had two color variants, black and silver, Leica is now keen to further expand the design language with a third option: metallic gray tone. This is quite different than the limited editions that…

100 Iconic Moments From Sir David Attenborough

Let’s the keep the David Attenborough love going: this is a six-hour video featuring 100 of the most iconic moments from the famed naturalist’s work. I got this via Enrique, who rightly asserts that “There’s no such thing as too much David Attenborough.” See also…

Consider the Sister : an interview with Amy Wallace....

Consider the Sister: an interview with Amy Wallace. “It was hard work being David Foster Wallace’s little sister. It still is. The job of preserving the memory of her brother as a complex, vibrant, often joyful person has fallen to her.”

I, Sisyphus, Am Ninety-Five Percent of the Way There ....

I, Sisyphus, Am Ninety-Five Percent of the Way There. “Honestly, folks, we are so, so close. The summit is largely visible. It is nearly visible. There is a concept of visibility at play here that is impossible to ignore.”

How PGYTECH Reinvents the Camera Bag for the City Under $200

Camera bags are some of the most important accessories for many outdoor and indoor photographers. A good camera bag can not only keep the gear safe outside, but also can help to store it indoors as well. Of the various offerings, one can now rely on PGYTECH, a company that conti…

I Did a $324K Shoot for a Grocery Store

Each month, we analyze a recent cost estimate, contract, or purchase order and present it in the form of a Pricing & Negotiating article. Redacting the names of the photographer and client allows us to share useful information that would otherwise be confidential. You can learn…

The Best Nikon Camera Kit for Bird Photography

Nikon has some wonderful cameras for various genres of photography. The company has perfect models for streets, events, and something more challenging, such as bird photography. If you are someone who needs a camera and a lens for the latter, then this duo will do the job with e…

7Artisans 35mm f2.8 Review: They Were Showing Off When They Made This

There are times that I make photographs with my Nikon Zf, chimp the screen, and say something along the lines of, "Goddamn, that's fine." And when combined with the right Picture Profiles, I found myself saying this over and over again with the 7Artisans 35mm f2.8 attached and u…

Time Machine Conversation

Make Way for Beavers

A Tube station in West London used to have a flooding problem. Instead of opting for an expensive reworking of the landscape via reservoir & levee, local officials reintroduced a family of beavers into the area. The beavers are part of an unlikely effort to bring back a van…

After 16 Years Running The Phoblographer, Here’s What Actually Made Me a Better Photographer

This has been a very long time in the making, and I'm very excited to finally make this happen. The Phoblographer is launching workshops for photographers who want to find ways to grow beyond just what all the social media content developers and YouTubers tell you you need. And…

American Wealth, Sliced Up

Using the Federal Reserve’s Distribution of Household Wealth in the U.S. since 1989 data, Ryan Thorpe imagines a pizza party with 100 guests and 100 slices of pizza as a stand-in for the United States: We’re having a pizza party with 100 guests! Let’s divvy up the sli…

As part of the Ocean Census project, “scientists...

As part of the Ocean Census project, “scientists have discovered 1,121 marine species in a single year”. Discoveries include “a new species of deep-sea ghost shark, a symbiotic bristle worm…as well as corals, crabs, shrimps, sea urchins, and anemones”.

Caught In Joy: Music for Flow, Rest, and Reset

The moment I clicked through to the Caught In Joy YouTube channel, I knew I was going to love it. The description: Over 80 albums designed to focus, flow and reset. Instrumental electronic music for you brain to wander. And from the website: Caught In Joy (Karol Pokojow…

A recent study of 2.5M scientific papers found ~146,900...

A recent study of 2.5M scientific papers found ~146,900 fake citations, presumably hallucinated by AI. The fake citations “were not limited to a handful of bad apples but appeared across many papers, each containing a small number of fake references.”

To Land a Job in AI, Try Reading Kant . “If a...

To Land a Job in AI, Try Reading Kant. “If a for-profit AI company signs your paycheck, might that compromise your research? By playing Aristotle to AI Alexander, do you risk your work becoming an instrument for hype-building and myth-making?”

The Best Canon Camera Kit For Bird Photography

Canon cameras have been quite wonderful. The DSLRs, for instance, have been quite loved by many photographers. Similarly, the company has introduced good mirrorless variables, which can be of help to those shooting wildlife. If you are a serious photographer who wants brand-new…

“Observe the moth in its monumental fight for life,...

“Observe the moth in its monumental fight for life, and do likewise. We gain life’s powers by knowing that eventually they will be taken away. There is beauty in this struggle. Murmurations of starlings occur only in the evening.”

Going Focaccia Crazy

I have a pizza oven and baked very underwhelming bread twice during the pandemic, but I’ve found it difficult to fall into a proper rabbit hole when it comes to dough-making. Focaccia might do it for me. My daughter and I had been wanting to experiment with focaccia (and sch…

The Best Third-Party Lenses for Nikon Portrait Photographers Under $400

Portrait photographers often rely on faster lenses that result in nice bokeh. While they can often be expensive, one must also remember that third-party lenses offer some options that will not break your bank. If you are someone who is looking to buy a lens that costs less than…

These Presets are Designed for Photographers, Not AI

When we made our presets, we made them with the intent of having photographers be able to work without the need for AI replacing what they do. Indeed, these presets are all about authenticity and replicating a look that AI can't necessarily do.

This Fujifilm Camera Now Sells for Double Its Original Price

Some cameras have a much better shelf life even after they are introduced. This is very true for some iconic models introduced over a decade ago, such as the Contax G2 or G7X series. Of the various cameras revealed in recent years, Fujifilm cameras are perhaps the best. And the…