Best Buy’s starts rental program, cover of Elle Australia shot on iPhone 7, photographing loneliness in Japan’s megacities,the very first smartphone picture… read about all this and more in our weekly roundup of photography news.

1. Best Buy starts try-before-you-buy program

Best Buy will start offering tryout rentals. The service will be offered in partnership with Lumoid, a gear rental startup based in San Francisco. Customers will be getting about 20% of the rental fees in Lumoid credits, which can be used for the actual purchase of the item. This can be a great way to test drive a camera before making a major gear investment.

Arrow strikes the Hunter by MAY1004 on 500px.com

Source: Recode

2. Elle Australia’s cover was shot on an iPhone

The evolution of smartphone cameras has created controversy among photographers on the future of photography gear. Elle magazine was only the most recent magazine to feature a cover photo shot with an iPhone, following Billboard and Conde Nast’s Traveller. Elle Australia editor-in-chief Justine Cullen notes that with the increased accessibility of high-quality cameras, the photographer’s “eye” and storytelling skills are becoming increasingly important in order to stand out.

Source: Stuff

3. Alone in the crowd – Photographer captures lonely moment in Japan’s megacities

The rapid economic growth in Japan has been accompanied by a series of social problems for the population— problems that are often overlooked. Karoshi, a Japanese expression that literally means “‘overwork to death”’ is an illustration of this issue. Tokyo-based photographer Hiroharu Matsumoto explores the theme of loneliness in the city, a theme often portrayed in contemporary Japanese literature. “With this work I wanted to find the silence that occurs for a moment in a huge public space where many people come and go,” comments Hiroharu.

sunlight by Hiroharu Matsumoto on 500px.com

19 by Hiroharu Matsumoto on 500px.com

Source: Feature Shoot

4. Phone photography just turned 20

20 years ago, Phillippe Kahn was responsible for the first photo shot on a phone. The picture was taken in a hospital, after his son was born, and shared instantly with his friends and family. After the breakthrough, Kahn proposed the idea to Kodak and Polaroid but was rejected as the companies believed phones would remain focused on voice. Regardless, Phillippe can still claim the title of father of smartphone photography. Watch the video below on how Kahn made his discovery.

1997: The Birth of the Camera Phone from Conscious Minds on Vimeo.

Source: Digital Trends

5. Photoshoot brings attention to stories of people affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting

After the one-year anniversary of the shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, a photoshoot by Daymon Gardner gathered a series of images featuring stories from individuals that were in some way connected to the tragedy. The compilation was developed by Dear World, a group that features people’s personal stories along with powerful portraits

Picture by Daymon Gardner from Dear World

Source: Dear World

6. 360 Photography: How to Photograph Interiors

Dave Fitzsimmons, professional interior photographer and 500px photo editor, has put together a tutorial on how to take great 360 interior shots. The tutorial includes tips and tricks on the shots and an editing tutorial using Photomatix Pro by HDRSoft. Read more on 500px ISO.

Source: 500px ISO

500px Spotlight

The photos we’re currently loving, curated by 500px photo editors.

Redemption by Adeolu Osibodu on 500px.com

?? by ArdenChen on 500px.com

Fading Lines by Nikolaus Brinkmann on 500px.com

Edith the Drag Queen by Eivind Hansen on 500px.com

Shadows by Siri Roenning on 500px.com

* by Aust?ja Liupševi?i?t? on 500px.com

Untitled by Alex Mok on 500px.com