Girlgaze is a multimedia company that highlights the work of female-identifying creatives and is dedicated to closing the gender gap by providing paid job opportunities for its global community.

Girlgaze’s inaugural zine, out today, was created primarily using Pixel 2, and today we’re also releasing a collection of Live Cases featuring Girlgaze photographers. We spoke with the creator of Girlgaze, Amanda de Cadenet, about the origins of the initiative and their work with Google.

The Keyword: Tell us about why you started Girlgaze. Why is it important to you to have more women represented behind the lens, not just in front of it? 


Amanda: When we began the #girlgaze initiative we realized quickly how many girls were eager to have a platform to share their perspective on the world. Within a matter of a few months we had close to 1 million submissions. When there is a need for something—in this case, a community for girls to connect on activism, creativity, and the challenges young women face—it will grow quickly. We’ve now had over 2.8 million submissions of images.

We felt it was our responsibility to not only draw attention to how the female perspective is so underrepresented in media, but also try and create a solution. It’s not enough to say, “Yes, the female perspective is hugely marginalized in these creative industries.” We also wanted to create a platform where we could showcase the incredible talent that is out there and create tangible jobs for our global community.

How did you get involved with the Pixel team? 


Girlgaze’s audience is made up of digital natives—they’re mostly Gen Z. With the launch of our inaugural zine—which is 100 percent digital—it was a natural fit to partner with Google.

Tell us about how you used Pixel for the new Girlgaze zine. What was different about this project?

Well, this being our inaugural issue of the zine makes it unique from any other! But also, shooting it almost entirely on the new Google Pixel 2 was pretty extraordinary for us. Although our community is very in-tune with using smartphones day-to-day, shooting industry-standard work on a smartphone was a first for us. We’re thrilled with the outcome!

Has the internet opened up new opportunities for women 
photographers/creators to gain more visibility? If so, in what way? 


The fact that we all have our phones on us at almost every moment, giving us access to technology to take and edit images at a whim, gives everyone a platform, without necessarily having studied or trained to become a photographer.

And social media has created a global platform for photographers around the world, some in very remote areas, to create and exhibit their work. In an industry that is heavily dominated by men, the internet has given the opportunity for female-identifying photographers to create their own community to share their point of view.

Tell us a little a bit about the Live Cases. How did you select which photos to turn into 
cases? Was there a particular aesthetic or theme you wanted to express?

We selected images from girls in our community whose work translated well to the wallpaper format, but not necessarily in a traditional sense. We wanted the imagery to be uniquely Girlgaze, images that strongly conveyed how our girls see the world.

What advice would you give to women who are interested in pursuing a creative career? 


Surround yourself with a good support system and community and utilize those you connect with to help you in your pursuit. I’ve always had an incredible female support network to see me through not only the struggles but also to celebrate the achievements. And the more you help those around you, the more you will realize how willing people are to help you. So don’t be afraid to reach out.

Team Pixel is on the move this week, capturing everything from Italian chapels to a serene sunrise scene. So grab your favorite fall beverage and let these adventures inspire you to see more of the world.

With portrait mode on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, you can take pictures of people, pets and even objects like flowers that keep what’s important sharp and in focus, but softly blur out the background. Portrait mode is powered by computational photography and machine learning, which identifies what to keep in focus and what to blur out. We’ve put together some tips to help you make the most of the new feature. Check it out—you’ll be a master portraitist in no time!

Get closer. This is the most important tip for getting great portraits. The less distance between you and your subject, the more likely your photos will have beautiful blur. Compare the photos on the right, below, with those on the left which are taken from farther away.

Increase distance between your subject and the background. The farther your subject is from the background, as on the image on the right below, the more the background will be blurred. In the left image, the background isn't far enough away.

Tap that. For the best results, tap to focus the Pixel 2 on your subject, whether a person’s face or an object. Tapping also tells the Pixel 2 what’s most important to you in the photo and adjusts the exposure to prioritize your subject. This is especially useful when your subject has strong light (the sun or windows) behind them. Remember—you can always adjust the exposure by tapping on the screen and dragging your finger up or down.

Put the subject in the front. Seems obvious, right? But you’ll get more blur and beautiful bokeh if your main subject stands out, is prominent, and is clearly located in the foreground, like the image on the right below, not the middleground, as on the left.

Change your perspective. A unique angle adds visual interest to your photos, as in the examples below. Get low to match the eye level of a child or an animal, or shoot from above to emphasize shapes and graphic components in an object. 

Remember the rule of thirds. Pixel 2 makes it easy to follow this classic photography recommendation. Tap the grid icon in the camera app to activate the 3x3 grid on your Pixel 2’s screen. Placing the subject along one of the lines or where the lines intersect can improve your composition.

Keep it simple. A photo’s success can be compromised if too many details compete for attention with your subject. You can avoid this fate by filling the frame and shooting in front of clean backgrounds. And don’t forget to check the outside edges of your photo before you press the shutter button to prevent clutter from protruding into the sides of your picture.

Get in line! This is one of our favorite tips. Look for lines, like bricks or tiles, staircases, or a building’s grid. Lines can enhance the sense of depth in photos and emphasize your subject.

Lighting is everything. You can’t always control lighting conditions, but you can find better light. Outdoors, find better light by changing your location or the camera’s orientation, repositioning subjects, or taking photos in the shade (especially at midday). Clouds are your friend, creating a more soft, diffuse light. At night, try lighting up your subject from the side with a friend’s phone in flashlight mode.

Ditch the crowds. Portrait mode works best when all your subjects are the same distance from the camera. This is easier with small groups of people.

We’d love to see how you put these tips to work. Share your Pixel 2 portraits on social media with #teampixel—we may feature them in one of our upcoming posts!

Sweater weather is here, and #teampixel is out there playing in the leaves. From urban art adventures in LA and Chicago to ancient exploration in Petra, plus picturesque autumnal scenes, treat yourself to some of our favorite #teampixel photos from the past week.

We’d love to share your Pixel shots, so be sure to tag your work on Instagram with #teampixel for an opportunity to be featured.

With Google Pixel 2 making the rounds, new #teampixel members are joining our squad each day (and we couldn’t be more excited). If you’re tuning in for the first time, we’re a community of Pixel photographers sharing our experiences on social one photo at a time.

We’d love to share your Pixel shots, so be sure to tag your work on Instagram with #teampixel for an opportunity to be featured. And without further ado, here’s a look at this week’s photos from #teampixel members, old and new.

With autumn in full swing, we’re taking note of the warmer colors being whisked into our feeds. This week, #teampixel wonderfully captures fall’s color palette, from burnt siennas to bright oranges. So grab a cup of tea, cozy up to the fire and flip through our favorite fall finds.

You can also join @verizon and #teampixel as we pass along a Google Pixel 2 from coast to coast on Instagram. Check out some of the stunning photos from the trip—in scenic Athens, NY, historic Paris, TX, and delicious Venice, CA.

Want to get featured on The Keyword and @google? Make sure to tag your photos with #teampixel and you might be next.