Images of Italy’s Charming Corner Stores

In his photo series “Heroes,” Italian photographer Francesco Pergolesi preserves the charm of mom-and-pop shops before they’re overrun by corporate brands. Tapping into his memories as a young child where he wandered the streets of his home village Spoleto, Pergolelsi captures the exterior of old-school corner shops throughout Italy and the dutiful owners that watch over them each day. From grocers to florists, butchers, woodworkers …

Interview: Photographer Michael Muller

How he takes his mesmerizing, intimate shark portraits (hint: get out of the cage)

LA-based photographer Michael Muller has captured celebrities (including Rihanna for her album cover Unapologetic) to mutants and superheroes (the movie posters for “X-Men Apocalypse” and “Captain America: Civil War” to name a few), but the most fascinating subject that’s challenged him continuously over the past decade lives far from the hills of Hollywood. Since 2007, Muller has been swimming among the sharks, shooting in a …

Notes: Prime, Fast and Wide

Sigma's 20mm f1.4 Art Series lens is muse-worthy

Prime and fast. As a photographer, these are the two most important words that describe the lenses I use. Prime, meaning one focal length—not a zoom lens. Fast, meaning a wide aperture to let in lots of light. Prime lenses not only deliver sharper and crisper images, they also force me to think more about where to position my camera in space to get a …