Indholdsfortegnelse for April-May 2024 i Australian Photography

Are there any five words that will put a shiver down the spine of a photographer faster than these ones? Something about photographing a wedding makes all but the most seasoned of us break out into a cold sweat – the thought of missing a key shot, managing expectations, and something going wrong on the big day that you can’t just go and reshoot. It’s probably no surprise then that I’ve always (politely) declined when I’ve been asked this very question. And yet despite this, I’ve always had a niggling desire to photograph one – not for some sort of ego-stroking exercise, but because I think there’s something really special about being able to photograph a couple’s big day. So, when I heard Anthony McKee, AP’s very own Image Doctor,…

PEOPLE’S CHOICE: WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2023 A STUNNING image of a young polar bear drifting to sleep on an iceberg by British amateur photographer Nima Sarikhani has won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award. “Sarikhani’s breathtaking and poignant image allows us to see the beauty and fragility of our planet,” Natural History Museum director Dr Douglas Gurr said. “His thought-provoking image is a stark reminder of the integral bond between an animal and its habitat and serves as a visual representation of the detrimental impacts of climate warming and habitat loss.” Sarikhani captured the image after three days searching for polar bears through thick fog off Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. Four other outstanding finalists were highly commended in the competition which also saw two Australian photographers shortlisted:…

MAGAZINE The latest photography news, reviews and tips delivered to your door DIGITAL Instant access to each digital copy via Zinio SUBSCRIBE VISIT GREATMAGAZINES.COM.AU/AUSTRALIANPHOTOGRAPHY OR CALL 1800 807 760 AND QUOTE AUTO-RENEWAL Conditions: This offer is only available to readers with an Australian postal address. By subscribing via auto-renewal you give Yaffa Media authorisation to charge your nominated credit/debit card account or direct debit bank account regular amounts, in regular instalments, as set out in the terms of the subscription you are purchasing, until you request it to be stopped, or your card or account expires. You may voluntarily stop your subscription at any time by providing Yaffa Media’s customer service department (subscriptions@yaffa.com.au) with written notice. For full terms & conditions, visit www.greatmagazines.com.au.…

Once, rumours of film’s imminent death seemed plausible, but hindsight shows the obituaries were premature. Even in an era of digital domination, a small cadre of artists have continued to create powerful and emotion-laden work on film. Now in 2024, film sales are up, a new film has just been launched, and new film cameras are about to hit the shops. Clearly a lot of people are inspired to look for alternatives to digital and for an aesthetic that can be achieved with vintage film cameras. So, if you’re someone who can see film’s creative possibilities but are new to analogue photography, where do you start? STARTING OUT In 1888 Kodak advertised, ‘You press the button, we do the rest’ and modern pre-loaded single use cameras continue in that tradition.…

Portable power is something we increasingly need in an era of battery-powered everything, but what do you do when that wussy little powerbank won't cut it? Well, get a bigger one! Having reached the limits of what my little USB-C powerbank can deliver, I've been reviewing EcoFlow’s River 2 portable electric generator this summer. It’s been slung in the back of the car and acted as a portable power option for our camping holiday, charging everything from my camera, to smartphones, tablets, my running watch, and even our coffee grinder (yes, I'm one of those people who camps with a coffee grinder…) So, how has it performed? In one word, brilliantly. WHAT IS IT? You can think of the EcoFlow River 2 as a big, easy-to-use, powerbank. The 3.5kg box…

Photography is a powerful medium for expression. It allows us to capture moments, evoke emotions, and tell stories that words often fail to convey. Recognising the immense power of conceptual art photography, the CAPA - Conceptual Art Portfolio Award, was born. The CAPA is not another photography competition; in fact, it is aimed at members who wish to develop their photographic talents through an avenue other than competitions. With four prestigious levels - Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum - it offers artists the opportunity to showcase their talent and, through its mentorship program, take their artistic journey to new heights. Upon entry, participants are matched with experienced mentors who guide and advise. These mentors, accomplished photographers themselves, provide valuable insights and technical expertise, helping participants refine their portfolios and elevate…

JOSH WELLS Josh is a portrait photographer who writes about better photography through science and philosophy as UV Filter Monocles on both Medium and Substack. He has a solo exhibition at Victoria Park Arts Centre this June. See more at joshwellsphotography.com DARRAN LEAL A photographer for more than 40 years and a photo tour guide for more than 30 of those, Darran has photographed all over the world. See more at worldphotoadventures.com.au PAUL JOHNSON A survivor from the pre-digital era, Paul learnt to process and print film at school and, for the past fifty years, he’s kept trying to make better prints. His work has been shown in South Australian galleries and, since 2022, he’s shown some of his work on Instagram @anima_loci_south_australia MATTY GRAHAM Matty Graham is a photojournalist…

FLIGHT THIS MONTH’S WINNER ROSS DUNCAN Feeling insignificant EDITOR’S COMMENT What made Ross Duncan’s shot a winner is it shows more than just a plane or object frozen in the sky, but also some of the environment around it – something that’s often difficult to capture when shooting up against a sky. He tells us the image was captured while hiking along the famous Via Francigena in Northern Italy, following the path of an ancient glacier. “I could hear a buzzy little engine somewhere, straining at its task, when suddenly out of the deep shadows a tiny plane bobbed into view, the backdrop of the Italian alps putting us all in our place.” The result is an image that’s got a real feeling of story – the little plane dwarfed…

The world is already full of articles contemplating the best lens: The best lens for street photography, the best lens for portraiture, the best lens for wildlife. Inevitably these all seem to conclude that while the author’s personal preference is for one such lens, there are merits to all focal lengths, and it ultimately depends on your shooting style as a photographer. This is not that article. Such advice is often meaningless to beginner photographers. Any photographer who has spent a decent amount of time with their glass will develop preferences for different focal lengths, be they 35mm for its ability to hone in on details, 85mm for its gentle background compression, or 24mm for exaggerated perspective and long leading lines. The Best Lens, the one I am talking about…

Using Lightroom’s presets are a handy way to speed up your workflow. They allow you to use commonly applied settings at the touch of a button, saving valuable editing time. And while Adobe has greatly expanded its own preset offerings over the years, there’s something much more satisfying about creating your own, and in your own style. So, let’s take a look at how you do it. STEP 1 PROCESS THE IMAGE Firstly, you’ll want to start by applying any basic RAW processing required before applying your unique preset. To save even more time, you could create a preset for your basic RAW adjustments, but as every image will need its own unique basic adjustments it may be best to do these manually – cropping or noise reduction are good…

Sirui has been making great photography products for some time now, and over the past couple of years the Chinese company has refocussed on developing a growing and impressive range of affordable fast aperture prime cine and photography lenses. However, up until now the company has never offered any lenses with autofocus, with its new, and fast f1.2 autofocus APS-C Sniper trio for Fuji X, Sony E & Nikon Z mount its first offering of this kind, making the lenses an intriguing option to review. Currently Sirui’s Sniper series of lenses are available in 23mm, 33mm and 56mm formats. We checked out the 56mm f1.2 version for Fuji X mount to see how this fast budget sharpshooter stacks up. THE TECH All three Sniper lenses have a very similar size,…

THIS MONTH’S WINNER DITCHING THE DISTRACTIONS “I captured this image of the Wheel of Brisbane after meeting a friend for lunch in Southbank, Brisbane. The sun broke through the clouds at the right moment on that overcast day and I wanted to show the Wheel’s scale. I found zooming in worked better at capturing the size of the Ferris wheel instead of as a whole with a wide angle, but I’m unsure if this was the right decision. I would love some feedback on this shot!” ANTHONY’S TIP: Hi Etienne, and thanks for sending in this image; we don’t often get to see images shot on film anymore! You mentioned that you zoomed in rather than shooting wide to get the whole wheel in the picture, and personally I think…

In the quiet stillness of 4am, I found myself lying awake, perched at 1,446 metres in Tasmania, contemplating how the relentless onslaught of three days of rain and storms had set our team back. My body, worn from consecutive projects leading up to this moment, desperately needed a break. Ahead lay the prospect of a 25km hike with a 40kg backpack for the next 4-5 days. However, I was determined not to let this moment slip away, nor disappoint the team, no matter how strongly the urge to quit tugged. A few years earlier, at the age of twenty-one, I found myself in a job that had left me questioning where I had strayed from my dream of becoming a sports photographer. Seeking a change, I impulsively booked a trip…

UPCOMING COMPETITION THEMES JUNE 2024 FRAMING 31 March 2024 AUGUST 2024 WATER 31 May 2024 OCTOBER 2024 RURAL 31 July 2024 DECEMBER 2024 SPORT 30 September 2024 THE ANNUAL ISSUE AUSTRALIA 31 October 2024 YOUR ENTRY 1. Email your entry to yourbestshot@australianphotography.com with the name of the competition theme in the email subject line, for example: Weather, Abstract, Landscape, etc.2. The image file must be the same as your name, for example Jane Smith.jpg. If you enter multiple images, each new image file name should be appended with a unique number, eg Jane Smith2.jpg3. A maximum of three images can be entered per person.4. Images must be in JPEG format.5. Email file size must not exceed 7MB.6. Please include the following information about your entry in the body of your…

Wildlife photography is a thrilling adventure where you get to explore and capture magnificent creatures in their natural habitats. It’s not just about photography alone; it demands a deep understanding of animal behaviour, and an appreciation for the art of blending into their world. To capture perfect shots, you need to predict animal movements and patiently wait for just the right moment. At the same time, you need the right gear and to be passionate, patient, and respectful towards nature. Here’s five quickfire tips to help you reach your wildlife goals. 1 THINK LOCAL While it’s easy to assume you must travel far to photograph wildlife, the reality is almost anywhere in Australia will have wildlife you can capture in one form or another, including in cities. Nature groups or…

Think Micro Four-Thirds and you probably think about OM System, formerly called Olympus. The brand has a strong pedigree in the crop sensor camera game and in 2022 introduced the OM-1, the brand’s all-singing flagship camera that offered blistering frame rates and a truckload of computational features. The OM-1 attracted praise for its probuild and ease of use, reinvigorating interest in the Micro Four-Thirds sector. Fast forward nearly two years and the replacement has arrived, but rather than a whole new camera, the Mark II is more of a refinement. Let’s take a look at this facelift model to see what’s been improved. THE BUILD First up, let’s talk about the design, which is almost exactly the same as the original OM-1. The only differences found on the Mark II…

My photography is inspired by my connection to the natural environment, enabling me to dabble in genres from portrait to aerial landscapes with natural light. At a time when we are inundated with imagery, I believe the challenge of creating unique images lies in making the familiar strange. This image was taken when my partner and I lived in our motorhome for five years, travelling and working remotely. I love waking up with the sunrise to connect with the natural world while serendipitously discovering photo opportunities. At the time, the dew drops on the chain link fence was the first thing I saw when I woke up early morning at our camp site in Kilcoy, north of Brisbane. The harshness of the fence against the softness of the spider web…

Congratulations to Etienne van Rooyen who has won a 12-month subscription to either Australian Photography or Capture magazine for taking out Image Doctor this month! AP has been celebrating the work of Australian photographers for more than 70 years. Published quarterly, Capture is Australia’s leading journal for emerging and professional photographers. Find out more about AP at australianphotography.com, and Capture at capturemag.com.au HOW TO SUBMIT AN IMAGE • Email entries to: imagedoctor@australianphotography.com with “Image Doctor” in the subject line.• Include your name, image title and up to 150 words about how you created it.• Only one image per person per month.• Images must be saved in JPEG format. Maximum file size is 5MB. Include your name in the filename of the image.• An Australian address is required in order to…