Indholdsfortegnelse for No. 280 i Digital Photographer

“As photographers, we make our own rules and follow them for no other reason than that they exist”. I can recall a moment on a press trip, several years ago, when our group of assembled photo magazine editors and photographers all rushed to shoot a beam of light in an apparently nondescript back street in Rome. Our guide was confused (why weren’t we shooting the Colosseum behind us instead?) and our hosts from Fujifilm, who were accustomed to this kind of behaviour, chuckled in resigned bemusement. It was a perfect example of how, as photographers, we make our own rules and processes and follow them sometimes for no other reason than that they exist. Who says we can’t shoot landscapes in harsh light, for example? We might have conditioned ourselves…

Since the launch of the Canon EOS R system, Canon has been selective with which third-party manufacturers can develop AF lenses for the mount. However, 2024 is set to be a year of change as Sigma has announced it will launch six RF-mount lens options for APS-C Canon bodies. Until now, mirrorless Canon users have been missing out on third-party RF options, so this news will be welcomed. The first six lenses to feature the RF mount options are the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | C, which is scheduled to launch in July, and the Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN | C, Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN | C, Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN | C, Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN | C, and the Sigma 23mm F1.4 DC…

Love the speed of a trinity lens, but hate the size? If you tend to shoot at the widest end of your wide-angle lenses, Sony might have the perfect solution: the Sony FE 16-25mm f/2.8 G. This is the companion lens to the recently released Sony FE 24-50mm f/2.8 G. In both cases, Sony has taken the two most popular trinity lenses (the 16-35mm and 24-70mm) and focused on the widest end to maintain the speed but drastically reduce the size and cost. In the case of the Sony FE 16-25mm f/2.8 G, that results in a lens that measures just 91mm in length, weighs 409g and costs £1,249. Compare that with the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II, which measures 111.5mm, weighs 547g and costs £2,299, and you can…

While it might seem as though every inch of the planet has already been photographed, the universe is one subject that remains under-explored and full of mystery. Ever since he was a child, astrophotographer Josh Dury has been interested in astronomy and celestial events. “I was inspired by children’s science fiction programmes, dreaming of life on other planets and I wanted to be closer to them,” he says. “So I pursued astrophotography during my education and then took a degree in it, documenting our place within the universe.” Dury graduated with a first-class honours degree from the University of the West of England (UWE) and, today, is an established award-winning landscape astrophotographer, displaying his work and sharing advice across many outlets, from magazines (including Digital Photographer) to TV and radio…

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OVERLAP FRAMES Start on the left side of the scene and take the first shot. Then adjust the camera position to the right. Overlap each frame by around one-quarter so no elements are missing STEADY SUPPORT Mount your camera on a sturdy tripod and shoot in portrait ratio and in manual mode. Deactivate any image stabilisation to avoid auto compensation of the camera producing blurry results ADJUST SETTINGS Use apertures starting from f/11 to achieve a wide focus field. Focus manually to prevent focus shifting between shots. Use focal lengths of 50-85mm to avoid distortions MERGE SHOTS For higher-resolution, run the images through the Super Resolution command. Go to File > Automate > Photomerge. Select the images and choose a layout option Finding unique landscapes to photograph doesn’t have to…

1 Level it Before capturing your shot, make sure to set up your tripod to avoid any unwanted shake that causes blur. Activate horizontal guidelines in the camera menu to ensure a straight horizon. 2 Dial in settings Shoot in M mode to gain control. Choose Evaluative metering, which analyses the entire scene to calculate exposure based on factors such as brightness, contrast and colour distribution. 3 Set White Balance Access the camera menu to adjust the White Balance settings and test some presets. Experiment with unconventional WB settings to create a more dramatic and artistic effect in your photos.…

1 Batch process In your chosen RAW editor, select your best shots and synchronise them so that identical edits are applied to all of the frames you wish to use. With the main Basic settings toggled on, I set the Black and White Points and increased Exposure and Contrast. 2 Remove colour bias We need to neutralise an unnatural warm cast to restore the bright and fresh colour of this familiar crop. With the Sync still active, I adjusted the Hue of the Reds, Oranges and Yellows to cool them and used an S-Curve to add mid-tone contrast. 3 Stack images I shot an image with shallow DOF and a static short exposure plus a frame shot at f/16 with cloud movement but distracting foreground sharpness. I loaded these into…

Saturation control is often a blunt instrument that doesn’t produce a pleasing or natural result. But thanks to the HSL and Calibration controls in Lightroom, it’s possible to make fine-tuned global adjustments that can ultimately improve the appearance of colours in landscape photos. With the ability to work with individual colour channels and to produce natural saturation, it’s a powerful approach. What you’ll be using • Basic adjustments • Hue • Saturation • Luminance • Calibration 1 Basic processing Make the necessary standard adjustments to your image, such as White Balance, Exposure, Tone, Presence and Contrast using the Tone Curve. Don’t make any adjustments to Vibrance or Saturation because these will be covered with precise controls for a more refined result. 2 Make localised adjustments Before moving on to the…

Having spent more than 20 years working in editorial and privately commissioned photography, there are still times when it all gets too much. My main specialism is gardens and plants, and this brings its own special stresses. As well as the normal challenges of online image theft, equipment failure and last-minute changes to the brief, garden photographers also have to contend with the weather. Rain and wind do not play well with garden photography. Neither does getting up at 3am to arrive in a garden to a grey, dreary start to the day when the weather apps have all promised a golden sunrise. More recently, climate change is playing a growing part in unpredictability. This spring, for example, our normally desert-dry East Anglia has had a great deal of rain,…

SONY A1 MPB says: The Sony A1 offers new dimensions of imaging performance as well as efficient workflow, giving the user greater creative freedom. The A1 offers an extraordinary combination of high resolution and blazing speed. SONY 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II MPB says: There are no compromises in the design and technology of this new constant f/2.8 zoom lens that can fully exploit the performance potential of current and future high-resolution camera bodies. SONY 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS MPB says: This is a high-performance professional telephoto lens with a wide aperture of f/2.8, making it an ideal lens for genres including sports, reportage and wildlife photography. BILLINGHAM HADLEY PRO 2020 CAMERA BAG MPB says: An upgraded version of the popular Hadley Pro, the FibreNyte version, fits most DSLRs (without a…

Tell us about yourself and what you do… I’m a former teacher and relative latecomer to photography. I did a landscape photography course in Slovenia when I lived there for a few years. This developed into a love of capturing people and candid moments. I started out doing ‘favours’ for friends who wanted events covered and found myself shooting my daughter’s dance workshops or my son’s football matches. I gradually turned this to my advantage and now work as a freelance event photographer covering events from local festivals to corporate conferences, dance studio photography and theatre performances. I’m also the co-founder of PhotoHound (photohound.co), a travel photography app to help find and get to the best photo spots. What do you enjoy most about photographing events and what aspects do…

1 Sony A9 III The world’s first full-frame global shutter camera has been dethroned this month For the first three months of our Kit Leaderboard’s run, the A9 III sat in the envied position of Camera of the Month – the highest rated postion on the list. Although it has finally be moved down a place, it is still a tech monster, packed with the latest bells and whistles, not least that global shutter and full-frame sensor. If you want a do-it-all camera that offers incredible speed and futuristic features, then look no further than this Sony, which still retains the title of best Full-Frame camera on the market today, for a balance of specification and value. ▪ Read our review in Issue 276 SPECIFICATION Resolution 24.6MP Sensor Full-frame EXMOR…

Fujifilm GFX 100 II The latest GF-mount camera furthers Fujifilm’s quest to make medium format accessible to all Fujifilm reinvented the wheel with the introduction of its larger-than-full-frame GFX cameras. While it’s still more expensive than consumer mirrorless cameras, the GFX 100 II and its siblings bring the higher resolutions associated with monster cameras like those from Hasselblad and Phase One and squash them into DSLR-like bodies. The GFX 100 II provides 8fps continuous shooting, which is astonishing for a 102MP camera, while the processor enables 8K video. It’s not cheap, and although it only builds on its predecessor’s work, this recent model represents the most well-rounded, medium-format camera on the market right now. ▪ Read our review in Issue 277 SPECIFICATION Resolution 102MP Sensor GFX CMOS II HS (43.8mm…

The travel tripod market is a crowded one, with plenty of choice. The Benro MeFoto RoadTrip Pro is a great alternative and currently features in second place below the Novo Helix T50 in our Kit Leaderboard (see p103) and is also a little cheaper. Meanwhile, the Peak Design Travel Tripod is a firm pro favourite – the carbon fibre version is considerably more expensive than the aluminium variant though, so you’d have to decide whether cost or maximum portability and sturdiness are the priority. For the best portability, try the Vanguard VEO 3GO 235CB, which is lighter still and much cheaper at around £150 ($220).…

Image retouching has become an integral part of the photographer’s workflow. However, with portrait photography in particular, the level of work carried out and the effects this can have on the representation of the ideal body form have been heavily scrutinised in the general media. On the other hand, most of our clients expect (indeed, often demand) that we retouch images of them and so the old saying that everything in moderation is the best solution applies to this genre. Pro photographers understand that sensitivity is required and therefore, we should always aim to promote our subject’s best qualities. Even when the situation calls for extensive editing, we can still work to retain a sense of authenticity in our portraits. This can be achieved by first defining why each action…

Sharpening is my secret step – I believe this really brings everything together. No matter how careful you are with retouching, you may realise that a few of the hairs are slightly softer than their neighbours. Start with the Sharpen Tool to go over those areas to add texture (with Mode set to Normal and Strength at 30 per cent). Then, I would usually apply an overall sharpen by going to Filter > Other > High Pass. From there, you can tweak the Radius and preview how much sharpening will be applied before clicking OK. Change the Blend Mode to Soft Light.…

1 Test the light Shoot in Evaluative metering mode. Analyse the camera’s histogram and note any signs of overexposure. When many areas are clipped, it might be best to reconsider your composition or to use supporting tools, for example, a gradient ND filter so that you can better manage the exposure. 2 Be precise To master challenging lighting, you need to work precisely. To create measurements from smaller areas of highlights or shadows, switch the Metering Mode to Spot or Partial Metering. Both of these settings typically ignore the edges of the frame and minimise the exposure reading area. 3 Compare Take a reading from both the darkest and the brightest elements and the camera will suggest exposure settings (in EV stops). If tones are one EV out of range,…

Difficulty level: Intermediate Time taken: 2.5 hours Landscapes can play tricks on you. Seeing an incredible vista, capturing it as best you can and then being disappointed by the results later in the review process is a common phenomenon for landscape photographers. Part of the reason is the variety of colours present in the scene and the limitations of your camera to perceive all of these, compared with your eyes. When we look at a landscape, we’re also capturing a lot of peripheral information that goes into creating the overall emotional reaction we have when standing there on location. This is missing in a still image, as only a single moment has been captured. The strength of a high shutter speed to freeze time works against the landscape photographer, as…

Studio lights aren’t just for indoor photography; they can also transform your outdoor shoots in remarkable ways. By including them in your setup, you work in a more controlled way while opening up a world of visual possibilities that are hard to achieve with natural light alone. Contrary to the soft and often unpredictable nature of natural light, studio lights let you craft a more controlled and stylised photographic look. This is because, unlike the soft, diffused look of natural light, working with artificial lighting offers the opportunity to craft bold, high-contrast images with dramatic highlights and shadows. This style lends itself particularly well to fashion, portrait and commercial photography, where creating visually striking images is paramount. Having control over the light direction, consistent illumination and the ability to shoot…

The collodion process, invented by Frederick Scott Archer, revolutionised photographic printing in the 19th century by introducing glass negatives that provided unparalleled clarity and detail. The distinctive look of this effect remains popular among photographers today, as it sharply focuses on the subject’s features with high concentration. We show you the steps you’ll need to achieve this look in Affinity Photo 2.0. What you’ll be using • High Pass Filter • Elliptical Blur • Black and White Adjustment Layer • Curve Adjustment Layer • Levels Adjustment Layer 1 Sharpen As we will blend in some effects, sharpness matters. So first copy the Background layer. Next, go into the Filter menu, open the Sharpen section and select the High Pass option. Now select a Radius of about 10px and apply this…

Name: Cloud over houses Date: March 2024 Kit: • Canon 5D Mark IV • Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM • Focal length: 170mm “I wander the world with my camera, seeking to capture solitude, serenity and beauty and to connect with others through my photography.” Dab of colour The houses are neatly lined up, providing symmetry to the image composition, but one window stands out as an element of interest. Located in the centre-left of the foreground, the colour in this window distinguishes it from other elements in the image. “The window reflected the lingering orange glow of the post-sunset clouds. I toned down the reflection in Lightroom to maintain the compositional balance,” he says. Moody tones Colour grading is a popular technique that’s used in post-processing to create…

Photographer: Petros Markidis Title: Crossing through Lefkada’s lagoon Location: Peratia, Aetolia-Acarnania, Greece @Iron_Drone_X About the shot: “I was on my way to a photographic trip on the island of Lefkada in the west of Greece and stopped at my first place of interest, which was Griva Castle. I sent my drone up and, as it reached an altitude of 100m, I turned the gimbal to catch a glimpse of the area below. I was amazed by the perfect contrast between the road leading to the island and the lagoon waters through which it passes.” Tag us @dphotographermag for a chance to feature here Every issue, we’ll be sharing the best images from our Instagram community. Tag us on @dphotographermag WIN! SAMSUNG 256GB PRO PLUS MICRO SDXC MEMORY CARD WITH SD…

1 Fujifilm X-T5 Retro power is the order of the day with this APS-C modern classic from Fujifilm The single-digit Fujifilm X-series cameras have settled into a niche of their own, catering not only to high-level photographers but also to video shooters. The latest version took things up a notch with the introduction of a new 40.2MP sensor, making it one of the highest-resolution APS-C models around while maintaining an electronic frame rate of 20fps. Fuji controls take some getting used to but the compact, high build quality, 7-stop stabiliser and 1/180,000 top shutter speed make this the perfect travel and documentary camera. It also has the bonus of 6K advanced video. ▪ Read our review in Issue 263 SPECIFICATION Resolution 40.2MP Sensor APS-C X-Trans CMOS 5 HR (23.5mm x 15.6mm)…

PRICE: £1,249/$1,198 FOCUS DISTANCE: 0.17m (MF) WEIGHT: 409g Build and handling Everybody loves ‘trinity’ wide-angle, standard and telephoto f/2.8 zoom lenses, right? Actually, you can count me out. I tend to prefer ‘slower’ f/4 zooms that are smaller and more lightweight, especially for mirrorless cameras. The FE 16-25mm is remarkably small and light for a constant f/2.8 aperture wide-angle zoom, but it also feels well built and features extensive weather-seals, as well as a metal rather than plastic mounting plate. As with the companion FE 24-50mm zoom, handling exotica includes an aperture control ring that operates in one-third f/stop click steps and comes complete with a click/de-click switch, making it ideal for shooting video. Performance Like many compact mirrorless lenses of late, including the FE 24-50mm, the FE 16-25mm relies on…

PRICE: £1,399/$1,297 FOCUS DISTANCE: 0.2 - 1.2m WEIGHT: 725g Build and handling I’m generally a fan of ‘super-zoom’ lenses for walkabout and travel photography. That said, super-zoom optics tend to compromise image quality in favour of a supersized zoom range. As an all-in-one lens, the Z 28-400mm is designed to take you further. I like that it sweeps through a wealth of favoured focal lengths but just how ‘convenient’ is it? The lens isn’t particularly lightweight but is easily manageable at 725g. Physically, it’s not overly long either, at least at its shortest zoom setting, measuring 142mm or a shade over 5.5 inches. Like other super-zoom lenses, the length greatly increases as you stretch towards the longest zoom setting. Build quality feels pretty good and, despite not being an up-market…

Fundy Designer V11 Pro Suite Price $290/year, ($29/month annual lease) Website fundydesigner.com Fundy Designer V11, released in January this year, is the newest version of the album and print design software, which is aimed at wedding, portrait and social photographers who are eager to boost their product sales without lots of extra work. V11 allows photographers to create and order albums, wall art and cards from their preferred labs, in some cases directly from within the software. This version introduces an all-in-one ‘Design Wizard’, building on the previous ‘Auto Design’ feature that enabled album creation at the click of a button, and now includes wall art and card creation. The software is designed to fit seamlessly into existing workflows, supporting image import from Photo Mechanic, Adobe Bridge, and Lightroom. Once images…

Photography is both an art and a science and, as such, there are a plethora of confusing technical terms to get to grips with. Luckily, we don’t often need to think about this jargon, except perhaps when buying a new lens or investing in new tech. However, understanding how your camera works and what these terms mean can improve your appreciation of the medium, help you make better buying decisions and shoot better images as you progress. Here are some of the ones we wish we had known from the beginning. Acutance The subjective perception of the sharpness of a photographic image, as defined by the contrast between edges, independent of pixel resolution. Additive colour Colour created by mixing light from different light sources, starting with black, red, green and…

At the Adobe Max London event at Evolution in Battersea, the company announced a range of new features for Photoshop CC – all contained within the new version of its generative Firefly Image 3 AI Model. So why have AI features become the main obsession for Adobe? What can they offer photographers? And what are the newest additions to this toolkit? Adobe’s Firefly AI isn’t about replacing photographers, but helping them improve their photos without a lot of time-consuming effort. The two most-used features in Photoshop are now AI tools: Generative Fill and the Contextual Bar, a taskbar that anticipates the next most useful action in your workflow. That’s right – they are now more popular than the Crop tool, which has been relegated to third. So whether you love…

Image location: Bourne, Lincolnshire, UK Type of commission: Personal Shot details Camera: Nikon Z 7 Lens: Nikkor Z 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 IS Settings: 1/4000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 1600 ‘Good things come to those who wait’ might be a familiar saying among wildlife photographers – in this genre, patience is a virtue, as Alex Ditch knows. “Capturing a Kingfisher was always on my bucket list,” he says. “but the first time I headed out to photograph the species, it only appeared for a brief few seconds.” However, Alex didn’t give up and another visit to the same site a couple of months later proved to be far more rewarding. Kingfishers can reach speeds of up to 40kph (25mph), so they are challenging subjects to capture. “With these beautiful birds, you need a…

1 Check the weather First of all, weather is paramount for astrophotography, so keeping an eye on the forecasts is key. Don’t make the mistake of relying on just one forecast, though. BBC Weather and The Met Office, for example, are good places to start. 2 Know your environment When shooting, it is good to have an idea of your surroundings and the level of light pollution. Light Pollution Maps determine the intensity of pollution, using the Bortle Scale on a measure from 1 (Dark Sky) to 9 (Severely light-polluted). 3 Look for Dark Sky sites If you live in a light-polluted area, even a half-hour drive can make all the difference. For even better results, travel to a Bortle Scale 1 location. Weather permitting, you will observe the clearest…

In today’s digital age, we are spoilt for choice for stunning summer landscapes we can shoot. Indeed, many of these locations have become famous through social media, inspiring landscape photographers from all corners to travel great distances to capture their beauty. While the summer light presents a wide range of photographic opportunities, it can also produce high contrasts and harsh shadows that are challenging to work with. This is especially true for those new to this genre, who may find mastering summer lighting a greater challenge than the smoother and more subtle light of autumn, for example. However, by incorporating a few techniques, while optimising your camera’s features to support you, it is possible to capture dynamic landscapes and atmospheric scenes, regardless of where you are based. Over the following…

FOCUS ON SHAPES Leading lines such as a path or street or repeating shapes in the form of trees add interest to the frame. Also, pay attention to any shadows created by the harsh summer sun to take your composition further. ADD INTEREST One strategy for creating further elements of interest is to lower your perspective and include more foreground. This way smaller objects are blended into the composition, offering the viewer a ‘step’ into the frame. MIRROR ELEMENTS When working around lakes and other smooth water surfaces, pay attention to the reflections of the landscape and the sun. By integrating mirrored elements, you create an additional layer and enhance the scene. ELEVATE THE VIEW Get on a high viewpoint, such as a nearby mountain and discover how the scene…

In landscape photography, dynamic skies have a profound impact on composition and viewer engagement, adding an extra layer of interest and drama to the scene. Stormy skies are commonly observed in the summer months, due to the increased heat and humidity during this season, bringing a sense of mystery and intensity. Of course, monitoring weather forecasts is key to anticipating stormy conditions. To maximise your chances of capturing dynamic clouds and stormy conditions, scout locations known for dramatic skies, such as coastal areas or mountain ranges, where weather patterns are prone to rapid changes. The changing light under dynamic skies amplifies contrasts and alters colour temperatures, creating high-contrast scenes with dramatic shifts in hue. As sunlight penetrates the clouds, it spotlights specific elements. Those spotlights are not controllable and may…

1 Adjust WB Fine-tune the colour temperature to match the mood of the landscape, whether it is warm and inviting or cool and mysterious, ensuring an accurate representation of natural tones. 2 Boost contrast Increase the overall contrast to add depth and drama to the scene. By emphasising differences in light and shadow, you intensify the landscape’s visual impact. 3 Overwatch details By balancing the exposure via the Tone Curve, you ensure details in Highlights and Shadows are preserved, and control Lights and Darks, maintaining a natural and balanced look. 4 Adjust tonality Refine Saturation and Vibrance to enhance the richness of the summer landscape’s colours. When doing so, avoid oversaturating as this makes the natural colours appear fake. 5 Balance exposure Add a graduated filter to selectively adjust exposure…

1 Stay steady As we are working with long exposures, mount your camera on a sturdy tripod to ensure stability and reduce the risk of motion blur. This helps deal with demanding angles and allows you to handle long exposures effectively. 2 Turn off VR/IS To ensure sharp results, deactivate VR/IS (Vibration Reduction/Image Stabilisation) on the lens and body. This is to prevent image distortion caused by movement, otherwise, the stabiliser may introduce vibrations, leading to blurry images. 3 Select Manual Switch to M mode forprecise exposure control. Use a higher f/stop to widen depth of field, keeping more in focus. Select low ISO as enough light will enter the sensor during the long exposure for clear images. 4 Add the filter Attach the ND filter to the lens. To…

1 Watch your foreground With a carpet of seasonal flowers or a field of crops, gaps can be a powerful distraction. To create the feeling the colour rolls on beyond the frame, place yourself so that you can control the foreground detail through careful composition. 2 Set elevation Control the horizon by experimenting with camera height. For this shot, I placed the tripod head so it was level with the top of the rapeseed plants, which created engaging depth-of-field fall-off while removing a housing estate behind the distant hillside. 3 Compress the scene We need to minimise gaps in the crop and remove any further colour distractions. Either use a telephoto lens or the longest setting your optic has to bring the scene together. Here, we shot a 70-200mm lens…

The bleach bypass effect is a classic style in film-making, where the bleach step is reduced or skipped during colour film processing. This results in a bright, high-contrast desaturated look because silver was retained on the emulsion. The effect can be easily mimicked in Photoshop and as well as creating a stylised desaturated look, it also accentuates detail thanks to increased clarity. What you’ll be using • Levels Adjustment Layer • Black & White Adjustment Layer • Curves Adjustment Layer • Blending modes • Layer Opacity 1 Add deep contrast Create a Levels Adjustment Layer and set the white point below the histogram to 200 before closing the dialogue. Next, change the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply, a Blending mode that will darken the image while boosting contrast with…

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND GET DIGITAL ACCESS TO ALL AVAILABLE BACK ISSUES See page 22 for details Print & Digital Issue 279 What’s inside: Shoot your very best black and white images, bursting with depth and drama. Next, learn how to use shutter speed for creative effects and take advice from the pros on how to market your photography and maximise your sales. Print & Digital Issue 274 What’s inside: Shoot golden0hour colours in our dazzling sunset landscape Creative Project, capture wildlife shots in challenging conditions and, in our main feature, you can dive into our complete 10-page guide to landscape photography composition. Digital Issue 269 What’s inside: Read Ross Hoddinott’s top tips for mesmerising macro photography. We also review the awesome Nikon Z 8 full-frame mirrorless camera to see whether…

SONY A7 IV Time used 14 months With a 33-megapixel full-frame sensor, this pro-favourite mirrorless camera uses a Bionz XR processing engine for speed and efficient shooting SONY 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II Time used 14 months A major Sony ‘trinity’ lens, this zoom has a constant f/2.8 aperture that allows Dawn to capture a pleasant background blur in her animal portraits SONY 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 KIT LENS Time used 14 months As a kit lens, this model lacks a constant aperture however, it does feature an Optical Stabiliser, which is useful for sharp shots in lower lighting TENBA SOLSTICE BACKPACK 20L Time used 12 months For photographers who frequently need to carry lots of kit, especially when working on the move and on location, a backpack can often be the…

I’ve been asked to photograph an event where there will be lots of well-known celebrities. The client I’m doing the job for said I could sell the images to the press but I don’t know how that would work. Any ideas on where to start? Anonymous The easiest way to sell your images to the press is to have a stock photo agency do it for you. There are some obvious choices, such as Getty, Alamy and Shutterstock, but these are highly competitive stock websites that don’t always offer the returns. Smaller agencies like SWNS (swns.com) could be a better option. On its website, it states: “SWNS is completely incentivised to earn you the maximum fee possible. We split all content proceeds with the copyright holder, meaning it’s in our…

The title of this interview was borrowed from Chris Jackson’s talk at The Photography and Video Show in Birmingham earlier this year and, although we have already heard him give out some excellent pro advice and tell some fascinating stories in his talk, Digital Photographer is eager to find out more about him and share the inside scoop on the work of one of the best photographers in his field. Chris has worked with the Getty Images agency for 21 years, covering some of the world’s biggest news stories on assignments in places ranging from Los Angeles and Nigeria to Japan and Dubai, among many others. He has photographed diverse events, such as the drought in the Horn of Africa and the inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI. Along with capturing…

For our latest competition in association with Photocrowd, we challenged you to submit your best still-life magic images. After working through all the entries, the winners have been selected. As a prize, the expert winners will receive a licence for Affinity Photo professional editing software. Congratulations to all of the winners – as usual, the standard of submitted images was extremely high and it was a difficult task to select the best ones. 1ST PLACE WINNER Angel house Photographer bianca There is a wonderfully painterly feel to this shot – it’s like a scene from an Edward Hopper work. All of the objects are relevant, which is a common mistake when setting up a still-life shot, the lighting is lovely and the colour is well balanced. An intriguing scene that…

Welcome to the Digital Photographer Photo Kit Leaderboard! The digital world moves fast and photo kit comes and goes in no time at all. The continuous march of development and progress means there can be a confusing array of potential cameras, lenses, software and accessories to choose from. Some products see yearly updates and replacements while others stick around for longer, a testament to their quality, usefulness, value and popularity. We review a huge variety of items, but these summaries are often time-specific to the tech generation in which the products were launched. A five-star review might be awarded for ingenuity, marking something that is ahead of its time, but several months later, the competition has caught up. Conversely, as a product’s price drops over time, its value proposition may…

Panasonic Lumix G 9II The latest flagship for the M4/3 format has plenty of features If you thought Micro Four Thirds was a dead format, think again. The Lumix G9 II reinvigorates the system and demonstrates Panasonic’s dedication to maintaining it, despite the burgeoning L-Mount alliance. The G9 II features a 25.2MP sensor, which allows excellent telephoto images, especially when combined with the 2x crop mode of the format. Also pushing the camera to the top of the tree is 5.8K 30p video, 60fps shooting with AF (75fps with AF locked) and excellent ergonomics. Furthermore, coming in at less than £2,000, it offers superlative value for money. ▪ Read our review in Issue 273 SPECIFICATION Resolution 25.21MP Sensor Micro Four Thirds Live MOS (17.3mm x 13mm) ISO range 100-25,600 Frame…

Price: £2,199/$2,400 Website: explore.omsystem.com The OM System OM-1 Mark II has a lot to live up to. The original OM-1 was universally considered a success – a rare example of the industry giving love not only to a Micro Four Thirds camera but also to OM Digital Solutions as a company in its first true post-Olympus product. While the OM-1 Mark II is similar to its predecessor in many ways, it can’t be denied that it now features some significant improvements – and also that there is no other camera that can do what it does. For instance, its signature feature, the Live GND filter – a brilliant software-powered graduated ND filter – is single-handedly enough to transform the way that you shoot landscape photos. It is probably the coolest…

My trip to Borneo had multiple objectives. The first was capturing the five species of wildcats living in tropical forests. Within a week, I knew it would be a real challenge but we managed to find the Leopard Cat and the Marbled Cat, which was a great achievement. However, since wildcats are usually active at night, we spent a lot of time in the dark. So, as the second part of my project, I set myself the goal to capture Borneo’s diverse wildlife in the dark – the island has so much more to offer than just wildcats. From a photography standpoint, taking beautiful pictures at night in such a hostile environment was challenging; from the leeches that would find a way to attach themselves to me to the humidity,…