A year ago, PetaPixel brought long-time camera experts Chris Niccolls and Jordan Drake on to lead a new YouTube initiative. Looking back, it’s the best decision we’ve ever made.

PetaPixel‘s goal from the very start has been to educate, inform, and inspire in all things photography. I don’t think there is a duo in the YouTube space that lives up to that mantra as well as these two. Looking at what Chris and Jordan have been able to do in just a year, it’s honestly astounding — and we have all of you to thank for helping make them successful.

Reviews, guides, opinions, and deep-dives into new technology, the two have pushed into new territories while never straying from what made them popular way back in The Camera Store days. That’s actually been our goal: let Chris and Jordan do what they love doing, the way they want to do it.

That has meant bringing you hands-on first impressions and deep dive reviews into just about every new piece of equipment that has been announced in the last year — plus some that we only recently were able to get our hands on. As has always been the case, PetaPixel gives a truthful opinion of how this gear stacks up versus the competition, and that can mean praising it, to wondering why it exists, and everything in between.

We also started The PetaPixel Podcast and are rapidly approaching our 50th episode! Our goal with the podcast has been to provide information about current events in the photo and video space but do it in a way that’s casual, approachable and — perhaps — even entertaining. If you haven’t given us a listen yet, I hope you’ll give it a try sometime soon.

We also recognize that image-making isn’t just reserved for standalone cameras and have done more in the smartphone space than ever before, including hands-on time with Google, Samsung, and Apple devices. Heck, Chris even reviewed the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses: if it has a camera, he has thoughts.

At the same time, we recognize that photography isn’t just camera and reviews. Often it’s adventures in photography — like seeing a new place — and sometimes it’s looking at impressive imaging technology — like seeing the world’s largest camera up close and in person.

Just as much as we like new technology, PetaPixel cares about its application — about art, and the creation of it. That is and always will be a major factor in what we choose to cover and how we choose to cover it.

Personally, I feel like this past year flew by. Speaking for everyone here at PetaPixel, we truly enjoy bringing the best possible content to you every week and have big plans on how to continue to grow what we do and how we do it all with the same goal in mind: educate, inform, and inspire in all things photography.