Photography News

Having a blurry image isn't always a bad thing. In fact, when it's used in the right place, it can actually make your photos better. Here are a few examples of when blur can be used and a few tips on how to produce the shots.
 

1. Water / Waterfalls

 

1. Use shutter-priority so you can control how long the shutter is open.
2. The slower the speed you choose the more blur there will be.
3. The speed you need will change depending on how much blur you want, how much water there is and the distance between the camera and your subject.
4. Start between 1/8sec to 1/15sec and just adjust until you get the blur you're looking for.
5. If you struggle to get the shutter speed low enough try fitting an ND filter to your lens. 
6. Always use a tripod to prevent shake spoiling your shot and if possible use a remote / cable release. 
7. Meter carefully as large areas of light tones can fool the camera into underexposing your shot.
8. Slow shutter speeds will blur anything that moves so if you don't want what's surrounding your subject to be blurred, try taking two shots: one with the slower shutter speed then the other with a speed that will freeze movement. You can then combine these in editing software such as Photoshop.
9. Try blurring the movement of waterfalls, rapids, waves breaking along the coastline, a fast-flowing river and water flowing from a tap

  2. Action Photography

 

1. For people, animals or vehicles which are moving, adding a touch of blur to the image can give the impression of speed, emphasising motion and creating a sense of drama in the shot.
2. If you use too higher shutter speed you'll just freeze the motion, too slow and there can be too much blur and the background and your subject will seem like they're merging together. So it's worth experimenting with a variety of shutter speeds to get it right.
3. Try panning with the subject as they move. Start panning, release the shutter button and then continue the pan even after the camera's captured the image. If you get it right the subject will appear sharp as it hasn't moved position in the viewfinder, but the background will be blurred making the subject look as though it's hurtling along.
4. Try to get enough blur so the background isn't distracting and the movement of the wheels on the vehicle you're photographing are blurred to create the sense of motion in the shot. This will also help the eye focus on what it's meant to.
5. Try using slow sync flash which is where you use a slow shutter speed and flash together to freeze your subject but blur the background. The low shutter speed continues to record the ambient conditions and further subject movement. It's used mostly by sports photographers recording cycling events or motorsports but can also be creative in any environment that has a moving subject in the foreground. Try using it next time you're photographing your child playing on a swing.

 

3. Light Trails 

 

1. Do not try and drive the car and work the camera at the same time. Get yourself a driver or you drive and get a friend to operate the camera.
2. Make sure the windscreen is very, very clean otherwise smears will spoil the final shot.
3. Make sure the tripod is secure before you set off so the camera doesn't get broken from it falling over during the drive.
4. Try positioning the camera so you can only see the view through the windscreen but don't worry if you have the roof or dashboard in shot as you can always crop it out. The lights and shape of the dashboard can also add an extra element of interest to the image, giving the trails something to contrast against.
5. Focus on the distance - you want the lights sharp ideally.
6. Use a small aperture to give you front to back sharpness. It'll also mean you can use longer shutter speeds.
7. 10-30 second exposure will capture the light trails. If you want longer shutter speeds, use the B setting.
8. Use a remote trigger, cable release or self-timer to fire the shutter.
9. Twilight is a good time and you need a location with a variety of light sources.
10. Towns are good locations for this as they'll be streaks of light on various levels and of several shades on offer. Motorways are also good but here you'll get more continuous long light streaks.

 

 

4. Abstract Shots 

 

1. Sometimes you don't need anything to be sharp and in focus to make an interesting image.
2. If you're using lines try to find a location that gives you a shot that has lines that vary in size and colour. Bolder lines will have more impact than small, faint ones and do remember they will still guide the eye through the shot and tell the viewer where they should be looking.
3. Shapes are obviously softened so make sure you're photographing something that's interesting and bold, otherwise your image won't have any impact.
4. Strong, bold colours work well because you're losing texture and detail you see in sharp shots. Make sure your tones don't clash and check to see if any shades are overpowering certain areas of the frame.

 

5. Drag Landscapes 

 

1. Overcast days are perfect for this technique.
2. Find a scene that has strong lines – fences with flowers in front of them and trees work well.
3. Basically, you need to press the shutter button and as the exposure processes, dragging your camera up, down left or right as it does.
4. Don't stop panning until you're past your subject as you won't get the blurry lines you're looking for.

 

6. Zoom Blur

 

1. You have to get the zoom right – too much and you won't be able to make out your subject, too little and it will just look like a normal shot.
2. Use a small aperture to get the slower shutter speed that's needed. Use a low ISO too. This is particularly important when your subject is backlit.
3. Fit a neutral density filter or a polarising filter if you can't get a slow enough shutter speed.
4. Make sure you meter from your main focus point.
5. You need to set the zoom to either the short or long end of the focal length range, open the shutter, wait for a while then in one, smooth, quite quick movement, zoom out. By pausing at the start your subject will have a little definition before the blur kicks in.
6. Stained glass windows are good subjects for this technique but try it in a forest with the light that flows through the trees too.

 

7. Remove Distracting Backgrounds 

 

1. If you're working somewhere that has a busy background use a larger aperture to throw it out of focus. This blur will hide whatever was distracting the eye, allowing all focus to fall on your subject.
2. If you're using a compact camera try switching to the appropriate mode (portrait for people, macro for close up work) so the camera knows you want to throw the background out of focus.

 

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We have for review two exciting Leica products that can be bought as a kit or separately. The Leica SL3-P brings a hybrid stills/video offering to the table, and the Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 Asph completes the picture. First, the lens, with the camera review hot on its heels as I write. A Leica quality standard zoom lens that pushes the wide angle to a very useful 24mm is a very attractive proposition. Couple that up with the 44.9MP Leica SL3-P body as a package that is equally at home with stills and video and this looks to be an exciting voyage of discovery indeed. Let's get straight to it and see how it all works out.

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH Handling and Features

The lens looks big and chunky, weighing in at a solid 856g without the hood, and 906g with the metal hood. No hood was provided with the loan sample but one should be expected in the box when purchased. Some lenses still perform well without a hood, but it's always a good idea to use one even if only to protect the front of the lens from impact damage. Dimensions are 123mm x 88mm. The illusion of size is probably partially caused by the large, chunky lettering.

Starting our tour of the lens, within the bayonet fit for the hood is a conventional 82mm filter thread. Just behind this is the focusing ring, electronic and absolutely as smooth as silk. AF is driven by a very fast and virtually silent stepping motor, and focusing speed is aided by just one element being moved during the AF process. Closest focus at 24mm is 18cm, for a maximum magnification of 1:2.9; at 70mm this becomes 38cm for a maximum magnification of 1:4.5. It is a pity that the greatest magnification is found at the widest setting as this means an uncomfortably close working distance that can make lighting the subject more difficult.

 

 

Optical construction is 19 elements in 15 groups, with a total of 6 aspherical surfaces, plus elements with anomalous partial dispersion. The diaphragm comprises 11 blades, aiming to improve the bokeh. The lens as a whole is dust and splash water sealed, something that is by now almost a requirement for any lens intended to be seriously used outdoors.

The lens description follows and then the boldly labelled zoom ring. There are accurate markings provided at 24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 70mm. The zoom action physically moves the lens, so although smooth, it does need more effort to move as it extends the length.

Finally, the metal L mount fits positively on to the Leica SL3-P camera body and there are no glitches either in terms of mechanical fit or in terms of electronic communication.

Just about the only handling caveat is that of weight and bulk. Metal and glass equals heavy lenses and camera bodies, and Leica does not shy away from the consequences. However, this is accompanied by finesse in quality, so the operation of all controls is smooth and slick. It is also a million miles away from the diminutive form factor of, say, an M series rangefinder. The Leica name in itself demands something special, so let's have a look at the performance and see if this expectation is borne out in practice.

 

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH Performance

At 24mm, central sharpness is excellent from f/2.8 to f/11, very good at f/16 and good at f/22. The edges are very good from f/2.8 to f/11, good at f/16 and fair at f/22.

At 50mm, central sharpness is outstanding from f/2.8 to f/5.6. Excellent at f/8 and f/11, very good at f/16 and good at f/22. The edges are excellent from f/2.8 to f/11, very good at f/16 and good at f/22.

At 70mm, central sharpness is excellent from f/2.8 to f/11, rising to outstanding at f/5.6, very good at f/16 and good at f/22. The edges are excellent from f/2.8 to f/8, very good at f/11 and f/16 and fair at f/22.

Wide open, close up flat subjects such as text do suffer a lack of sharpness at the edges, but stopped down this soon clears and the results become crisp.

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70 f/2.8 ASPH. MTF Charts Previous Next

How to read our MTF charts

The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Leica SL3-P body using Imatest software (www.imatest.com). Want to know more about how we review lenses?

 

CA (Chromatic Aberration) is not a problem and there is virtually no sign of colour fringing.

Distortion is virtually zero. We measure this to two decimal places, and at 24mm pincushion distortion yields a result of just +0.01%. At 50mm and 70mm, the result is actually zero. Clearly the lens is very suitable for architectural photography.

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70 f/2.8 ASPH. Chromatic Aberration Charts Previous Next

How to read our CA charts

Chromatic aberration (CA) is the lens' inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software.

Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements (aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence they usually cost more.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Leica SL3-P body using Imatest software (www.imatest.com).

 

Bokeh is smooth and satisfying. The out of focus areas make a beautiful backdrop, especially for portraits and flower studies.

Flare is minimal, with no sign of artefacts even in the most severe lighting conditions.

Vignetting is very modest for such a zoom lens.

 

Aperture 24mm 50mm 70mm f/2.8 -1 -0.9 -0.8 f/4 -0.6 -0.6 -0.5 f/5.6 -0.6 -0.6 -0.5 f/8 -0.6 -0.6 -0.5 f/11 -0.6 -0.6 -0.5 f/16 -0.6 -0.6 -0.5 f/22 -0.6 -0.6 -0.5

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70 f/2.8 ASPH. Sample Photos Previous Next

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70 f/2.8 ASPH. Aperture range Previous Next

You can view additional images in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own reviews, photos and product ratings.

 

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Value For Money

The [AMUK]Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH|Leica+Vario-Elmarit-SL+24-70mm+f/2.8+ASPH[/AMUK] is priced at £2590

Possible alternatives in L mount:

• [AMUK]Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 28-70mm f/2.8 ASPH|Leica+Vario-Elmarit-SL+28-70mm+f/2.8+ASPH[/AMUK], £1750
• [AMUK]Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm f/2.8-4 ASPH|Leica+Vario-Elmarit-SL+24-90mm+f/2.8-4+ASPH[/AMUK], £4900
• [AMUK]Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN II Art|Sigma+24-70mm+f/2.8+DG+DN+II+Art[/AMUK], £1129

Certainly in terms of bald cost, the Sigma lens looks rather attractive, but the solidity of the Leica version and the match with the Leica camera bodies will for many be a major consideration. This is an area where “want” and “need” may be poles apart.

 

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH Verdict

What price quality and what price that revered Leica name? Frankly, if we can afford the Leica camera body, then it is to be hoped that we can also afford the Leica lens to match its style, its quality and its performance. There is no doubt that the Leica lens plus the Leica SL3-P body sent for review match each other beautifully, producing exciting quality images that do “sing” and are an aesthetic pleasure. However, realistically, some will find the Leica too bulky and too heavy and exciting images can be produced by much less expensive kit. It is about perceptions, and about the enjoyment and satisfaction that can be felt when using cameras and lenses that gel with the photographer/videographer.

Price aside, the lens is a joy to use and the results are great. It is Highly Recommended.

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH Pros

• Very Good to Outstanding sharpness
• Fast f/2.8 constant aperture
• Well controlled CA
• Virtually distortion-free
• Very good flare resistance
• Dust and water splash sealing
• Close focusing
• Excellent AF performance
• Ultra-wide 24mm very useful

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH Cons

• Weaker edges close up at open aperture

• Closest focus at widest focal length

 

[REVIEW_FOOTER]R_features=4|R_handling=4.5|R_performance=5|R_value=4|R_overall=4|A_level=4.5|A_text=Highly Recommended – A beautiful standard zoom lens that gives beautiful results.|E_id=8027[/REVIEW_FOOTER]

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Interesting skies can pop up at any time of the day, at any point during the year so really it's just about keeping an eye out on the weather forecast and sticking your head out of the window to see what's happening. If you're out and find one spot you particularly like it might be worth setting up for the day to just see what happens. You never know you could end up with a series of shots that feature a brilliant sunrise and interesting cloud formations all from the same place.

 

1. What Gear Do I Need?

A wide-angle lens will help you make the most of big, interesting skies. Just keep an eye on what's creeping in at the edges of the shots as the wide view can mean less interesting parts of the sky end up in the frame. Pack tripod in the car and pocket an ND Grad to help you capture a more balanced exposure and a solid ND filter for when you're just shooting the sky.

2. Look At The Sky Before You Take Your Shot

If the sky's boring and flat don't let it dominate the scene. Instead, move the horizon up slightly so you have more foreground interest. For times when the sky really does sing do the opposite and move the horizon down, cutting more of the foreground out so all attention falls on the clouds, sunset colours or whatever other feature makes the sky stand out.

 

3. Get The Exposure Right

Getting the exposure right can be a little tricky due to the differences in contrast between the sky and ground. It could even be the ground that's a lot lighter than the ground, rather than the usual bright sky syndrome many people usually have to face. This will happen when there's a storm brewing or just after the rain's stopped falling.

When it comes to metering, most of the time you just need to focus on the highlighted areas of the image (which is usually the sky) and the darker areas will sort themselves out. However, if you find the foreground ends up too dark use exposure compensation to increase the exposure by one stop.

 

 

4. Tips On Using Filters

If you find the sky's still a little too bright fit a Graduated Neutral Density filter to even out the exposure. If it's the ground that's too light try rotating the filter so the dark part of the graduation sits over the ground.

 

5. Use Clouds In Your Shots

If you have a sky full of interesting cloud formations the key is to make sure the clouds aren't too bright. Check your histogram if you're unsure. Make sure you're ready to shoot an interesting formation as soon as you see it as they change shape quickly and if the clouds are rather breath-taking remember to lose some of the ground to make the sky your focus.

Blurring the movement of the clouds is an interesting effect that can also help create leading lines to guide the eye through the photograph. If you're shooting on a bright-ish day you'll need to fit an ND filter so you can use the slower shutter speeds without too much light reaching the sensor.

 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition

You can push a photograph a long way before anyone notices. Shift the color of a jacket, a wall, a car, a plate of food, and most viewers will never flinch, because they have no fixed idea of what those things are supposed to look like. Three colors do not get that latitude. Move skin, sky, or foliage even slightly off, and the image reads as wrong immediately, often to people who cannot say why. Those three are the memory colors that matter most for photographic naturalness, and they are the reason a technically clean edit can still look broken. 

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The latest winner of our popular daily photography theme which takes place in our forums have been chosen and congratulations go to snursey (Day 24 - 'Portrait Landscape').

 

Daily Theme Runners-Up

If you didn't win this time, keep uploading your images to the daily competition forum for another chance to win! If you're new to the Daily Theme, you can find out more about it in the Daily Theme Q&A. 

Well done to our latest runners-up, too, whose images you can take a look at below.

  Day 16

Interesting Angles

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Day 17

Waterfall Close-Ups

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Day 18

Close-Up Faces

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Day 19

Stone Circles

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  Day 20

Repetitive Patterns

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Day 22

Carnival Photography

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Day 23

Sunsets By The Sea

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You’ll find the Daily Themes, along with other great photo competitions, over in our Forum. Take a look to see the latest daily photo contests. Open to all levels of photographer, you’re sure to find a photography competition to enter. Why not share details of competitions with our community? Join the camaraderie and upload an image to our Gallery.

 

Signs aren't the most difficult subject in the world to photograph but there are a few things you can do to ensure your shots are perfect.

 

1. Why Photograph Signs?

Signs can be interesting and/or funny in their own right and they can give the person who's viewing your work more information about the areas you visited too. Older parts of towns will have signs that look a little more battered while newer signs which look less worn and more modern will suggest you spent quite a lot of time in newer areas of town. They also suggest if you've ventured beyond the tourist areas as signs tend to just have the language of the country you're visiting once you're over the edges of the tourist trap. These, in particular, are the signs that can be funny too due to the different language or images used to illustrate what the signs telling people. You may also find people have added their own diagrams to the signs which can often bring to odd grin or two.

 

2. Give Your Collection Direction

As well as having them as photos that sit among your collection you can use signs to organise your galleries, albums and portfolios. They make great headings that will help the viewer understand they're moving into a new collection of images.

 

 

 

3. To Zoom Or Not?

If the sign is particularly interesting or tells a story on its own without its surroundings you'll want to fill the frame with it, making use of your zoom if you can't physically get close to the sign. If you're using the sign within its surroundings you'll probably want to use a small aperture to ensure front to back sharpness. Double-check you can still see what's on the sign too as, after all, it's still our focus. Where possible, try shooting straight on to the sign too so it's easier to read.

  4. Reflections

Modern signs are more likely to have a reflective surface and when you're working with bright sunshine or flash, glare can bounce back off the sign spoiling the shot. As a result, it's usually best to turn the flash off or if you're using a flashgun leave it in the bag. If sunlight is your problem then try a different position to see if the glare goes away or return later or come back early the next day when the sun's moved positions.

  5. Shop Signs

If you come across an interesting shop sign chances are it'll be high up and shooting from the ground, looking up won't look right in the final shot so if you can, find something to stand on to give you more height or stand further back if that's not possible.

 

 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition

Over the last two decades, polar bears have become a popular symbol for climate change. To evaluate the threat, let's consider that the scientific community has reached a consensus: if we continue our current consumption and emission patterns, certain polar bear subpopulations will very likely reach a point of no return as early as the 2030s to 2040s.

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Tina Sokolovska is a newly appointed Nikon Ambassador, as well as an American-Ukrainian photographer, creative director, and educator based in New York. Her 2017 breakout image, "On the Wave," was noted by 35photo.pro as one of the Top 100 Best Photographs in the World, and has been reposted on social media more than two million times. Here she talks about personal connection, working fast, and not obsessing about reposts (even when you get more than two million).

 

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Teleconverters split photographers into two camps: people who swear by them and people who say they wreck image quality, slow autofocus, and belong in a drawer. Both camps are right, and which one you land in comes down entirely to how you shoot. 

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When three cameras are on the chopping block and only one gets to stay, the choice reveals a lot about how you actually shoot. The Canon R6V, up against the C50, the C80, and the R6 Mark III, ended up winning that fight for reasons that have less to do with specs on paper and more to do with what a camera lets you do in the field. 

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A litter bin by the beach with the front panel missing became a compelling black-and-white image, and the whole thing took a change of approach rather than a change of location. The idea runs through the entire session: the most mundane object can hold your attention if you photograph it the right way. 

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First there was the word, from a creative point of view, but in terms of reasoning, first there was light. Image and content travel within it. If light travels faster than sound, its content is also received much earlier. If, before speaking, we communicate through sight, we must restructure the way we learn.

 

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Look back at a street photo from 1955, then look at one shot this morning. The old one carries something the new one can't quite reach, and it isn't that the photographer was talented. 

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There's a camera on my shelf that changed how I look at the world: a Yashica Electro 35 GSN. Heavy. Honest. A rangefinder that asked nothing of me except to slow down and pay attention. The 45mm lens acts as a "normal" or standard field of view on the camera's 35mm full frame format, allowing you to make everything from street photography to portraits. That camera is part of why I photograph the way I do today. The company that made it doesn't exist anymore.

 

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Fab’ are one of Canada’s top camera strap manufacturers. They have a wide range of leather and rope camera straps and harnesses, and everything is made by hand in Montreal. They’ve built up an extremely good reputation for making the highest-quality straps, yet they refuse to rest on their laurels.

 

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Historical ruins such as churches, castles and abbeys decorate our countryside and seaside towns but you'll also find a few smaller, but still impressive ruins closer to home. Walls, arches and columns are still dotted around a few towns and villages which are still photogenic even if there's not much of the structure left to photograph. If you're off on your travels, have a look online and at local tourism centres to find out what ruins are near to where you're staying.

 

1. What Gear Do I Need? 

For general shots of the building and the surroundings you'll need a wide-angle lens but take your longer zoom along too for getting in close to interesting architectural detail. A tripod's handy but if you want to travel light, try taking something smaller such as a tabletop tripod and use a wall to help you steady your shot. If there are any windows left in your building of choice a polarizer will reduce reflections and the blue of the sky will be enhanced giving your image more contrast.

 

2. Do Your Homework

Many of our abbeys and other ruins are now looked after by the National Trust or English Heritage so you could be charged to walk around them, they'll have specific opening times and there may be restrictions if you want to use your images commercially so it's worth a quick look on the internet or a chat on the phone to find out everything you need to know. That way you won't waste your petrol money.

 

 

3. Take A Walk

The first thing you should do when you arrive is stretch your legs on a walk around the ruin. This will give you the chance to scout for interesting detail and look for the best angle. Don't just stand and photograph the first pile of rubble you see as this won't give your viewer any clue into what the building is or what it was used for. Look for areas that have a more definite shape and if you can, parts where nature hasn't completely taken over. Of course, some walls look great with roots growing through them and it can really emphasise how ruined the building is, so keep that in mind.

 

4. Look Closer

Look for unique parts that make the building stand out from any other and if the outside isn't very interesting you could always take a peek inside to see if the hidden details give more of an idea of what the function of the building was. If the building still has an inside watch your exposures and check your histogram before you move on to make sure it's OK. Try shooting inside out through a broken window or use a long corridor to lead the viewer's eye through the image.

Signs are a direct way to explain more about the building you're photographing and they can often be quite interesting in their own right with features such as peeling paint and rusty bolts worthy of a quick photograph.

 

5. Tall And Wide

If you're working with a particularly tall building converging verticals may be a problem but by shooting from a height this can easily be rectified. Steps, hills or shooting from another building are all ways you can correct the distortion or you could try stepping further back which gives you the opportunity to use the surroundings to give the building context.

If the grounds really do add to your image try shooting a panorama. Some cameras come with this function built-in but if yours doesn't just shoot several images moving from right to left or left to right and stitch them together with specifically designed software when you get back to your computer.
 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition

L-R: Ian McKellen, Love, London, 2023; Chappell Roan, Fashion: Chanel Haute Couture, New York City, 2025; Isaac Julien and Queen Conch Shell, London, 2023; Miriam Margolyes, Clapham Cream Teas, London, 2023 / Image Credit: National Portrait Gallery

 

The National Portrait Gallery has announced full details of Tim Walker's Fairyland: Love and Legends, a landmark new exhibition from acclaimed British photographer Tim Walker. Running from 9 October 2026 to 7 February 2027, the show brings together 250 specially created portraits made over five years, capturing Queer activists, storytellers, performers and icons including Ian McKellen, Chappell Roan, Isaac Julien and Miriam Margolyes. Curated by Susanna Brown, the exhibition traces over fifty years of Queer history and culture, from the campaigners of the Gay Liberation Front through to today's changemakers, before closing with a bold exploration of fashion, performance and fairy tale reimagined through a Queer lens.

 

From National Portrait Gallery:

Today the National Portrait Gallery reveals details of a major new exhibition created by renowned photographer Tim Walker, presenting a body of new work celebrating Queer culture and life. The project is the result of five years of connecting with Queer people and their allies in Britain and beyond and marks a decisive shift in Walker's artistic focus.

Walker rose to prominence in the 1990s with his unique style of fantastical photography. Since then, his fashion pictures and portraits have graced the pages of magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, W, Love, Another Man and i-D. He has published seven books and staged solo exhibitions at museums around the world, while his short films and projects with musicians have won international acclaim.

Curated by Susanna Brown, the exhibition engages with the historical gallery setting, presenting both unsung heroes and established giants of Queer history. Designed by Walker's longtime collaborator Shona Heath with support from the National Portrait Gallery, Walker spotlights some 250 activists, social workers, nightlife performers, musicians and superstars in a spectacular display. Tim Walker's Fairyland: Love and Legends purposefully reclaims the word 'fairy' for Walker and his sitters, resisting homophobia and transphobia with his original blend of wit, joy and sensitivity.

The exhibition opens with portraits of trailblazers who spent the 1970s and 80s bravely advocating for the right to love. They include founding members of the Gay Liberation Front and Stonewall, among them Olivette Cole-Wilson, Andrew Lumsden, Lisa Power and Tom Robinson. Walker memorialises his own 'queeristocracy' in a style inspired by sixteenth-century portraits of Tudor aristocracy by Hans Holbein the Younger and Nicholas Hilliard.

 

L-R: Andrew Lumsden (1941–2023) (after Nicholas Hilliard), London, 2023; Olivette Cole–Wilson and Blackbird, London, 2025; Sunil Gupta, London, 2023; Jill Nalder Holding a Photograph of Dursley McLinden (1965–95), London, 2023. / Image Credit: National Portrait Gallery

 

A further group of Queer changemakers, such as Ted Brown, Caroline Paige, Gilli Salvat and Peter Tatchell, are shown alongside storytellers who made Queerness visible in the late 20th century, including James Ivory and Sarah Waters. Walker invited each sitter to bring a meaningful object to their portrait session: author Jane Cholmeley presents the original shop sign from Silver Moon Women's Bookshop, founded in 1984; photographer Sunil Gupta holds his camera; and filmmaker Isaac Julien clasps a conch shell, a motif from his pioneering 1989 film Looking for Langston. Walker then photographed those working today for a better future, among them Liz Carr, Shon Faye, Francis Lee, Lady Phyll, E-J Scott, and Kae Tempest. Nearly all these portraits are set against deceivingly simple white backgrounds, in a style reminiscent of the work of Richard Avedon, whom Walker assisted in the 1990s.

 

L-R: Lady Phyll, London, 2024; Kae Tempest, London, 2023; Francis Lee, Ode to Edward Carpenter, London, 2023; Shon Faye, London, 2025 / Image Credit: National Portrait Gallery

 

The exhibition pays tribute to the many people who came together in solidarity and action in response to the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s. Walker's photographs of nurses and healthcare professionals who developed effective treatments for the disease are displayed alongside musicians who soundtracked the era, including Marc Almond, Holly Johnson, and Jimmy Somerville. Walker explains, "The brilliance of their music boomed despite the fear of mortality and discrimination. I wanted to bring that disco to the ward, to celebrate the tireless work to spread awareness and pursue proper care and solutions."

A room at the centre of the exhibition is dedicated to large-scale portraits of post-punk collective the Rebel Dykes, inspired by Karlheinz Weinberger's photographs of 1960s biker gangs. These are accompanied by a short film in which the women reflect on the importance of community and their campaigns for nuclear disarmament, environmentalism, sex positive feminism and HIV solidarity.

 

L-R: Aphra and Jo Barwick, Siobhan Fahey and Emily Witham, East Sussex, 2024; Maartje Convens and Marin Céleste, Camfield Place, Hertfordshire, 2022; Paul O'Grady (1955–2023) and Julian Clary as the Glitter Queens, with Harry Browse, Rae and Liam Elias as the Glitter Boys, London, 2022 / Image Credit: National Portrait Gallery

 

The second half of the exhibition looks at the transformative power that fashion, makeup and performance have long held for Queer people. It features portraits of designers Jean Paul Gaultier and Michaela Stark, drag performers Paul O'Grady, David Hoyle and Midgitte Bardot, personalities Alan Carr and Sue Perkins, and actors Ncuti Gatwa, Hunter Schafer, Fiona Shaw and Ben Whishaw, among many others. International music stars and icons Björk, Lady Gaga, Boy George, Frank Ocean, and Chappell Roan are also pictured.

 

L-R: David Hoyle, Prawn Cocktailed, London, 2023; Ben Whishaw in Crystal Prism, London, 2020; Fairyland Parade, Joe Sweeney, Matthew Keller, Harry Keita, Bolly Illusion, James Corbin, Oliver-Bijan Daryoush, Jack Newman, Yos Clark and Joseph O'Rourke, London, 2023; Alex Gorey and Matías Montes (after Yannis Tsarouchis), London, 2021 / Image Credit: National Portrait Gallery

 

The exhibition climaxes with a room of staged erotic scenes which subvert fairy tales and nursery rhymes through a Queer lens. Walker contextualises these works saying, "the greatest thing I learned from the activists, storytellers and performers who make up Fairyland is how essential eroticism and humour are. It's the very heart of what we're talking about when we talk about Queerness. A place where you can desire and be desired. A place where you can be whoever you want to be."

"The Fairyland exhibition is me finally placing myself in the queer realm with confidence and greeting all the other friends who live here. Just as I learned from the queer artists who came before me, some of whom I'm lucky enough to have met and photographed here, Fairyland is me saying you are not alone. I want visitors to the exhibition to remember that your difference is your power. It is a precious and beautiful thing." 

Tim Walker, Photographer

 

"This is the most ambitious and important project of Tim Walker's career. He takes exhibition visitors on a journey that begins with protest and outrage and ends with joy. For some visitors, the content will resonate with their own lived experiences, for others it will broaden their understanding of unfamiliar subjects. It's been an honour to collaborate with him and to witness the creation of this powerful and uplifting body of work."

Susanna Brown, Exhibition curator

 

"Tim Walker's Fairyland: Love and Legends takes us on an extraordinary journey through half a century of history. It is a vivid tapestry of Tim's many inspirations and influences and presents lavish, fantastical scenes alongside intimate and singular portraits. This timely exhibition is both deeply personal and profoundly universal and we are proud to host it at the Gallery."

Victoria Siddall, Director of the National Portrait Gallery

 

The exhibition is accompanied by a new book featuring contributions written by Travis Alabanza, Susanna Brown, Russell T Davies, Shon Faye, Lisa Power and Joelle Taylor.

For more details, please visit the National Portrait Gallery website.

 

1. Why Photograph Vertical Lines?

Lines going up and sometimes out of the frame can convey a sense of growth, strength and power as well as create interesting patterns within your images.
 

2. Shoot Portrait Or Landscape?

Switching from landscape to portrait mode lengthens the frame you're working with, emphasising the length/height of the vertical lines. Turning the camera back around to horizontal format works well when you have multiple vertical lines going through the frame as you'll be able to get more in the shot and it can help create the impression that the objects you're photographing are so tall that you can't fit them all in the frame.
 

3. Straight Lines

Make sure your vertical lines run parallel to the sides of your frame as wonky, slopping lines will mean your shot lacks impact. Keep an eye out for converging verticals too. If you find you're having a problem with them try and work from higher up to put you more in line with the object you're photographing, switch to a focal length that's not as wide or you can take the shot and adjust the photo in Photoshop or another similar piece of editing software later on.

 

 

4. Framing

Putting a vertical line in the centre of the frame will cut your image in half which does create a strong impact and maybe something you like, however most of the time it's best to position the object/shape more to the left of right of the image.
 

5. Get Repetitive

Repeating patterns and symmetry works well when you have multiple vertical lines in your shots. Just remember to have a play around with the orientation of the shot to see which way emphasises the pattern you're trying to create more.
 

6. Adds Depth

When you have lots of the same object in a line, take a line of trees along a path, for example, you can stand at the top of the path, point your lens down it and you'll see the trees, or whatever lines the edge of your shot, create depth as they vanish towards the back of your image. Just remember the items creating the vertical lines need to be of roughly the same height.

 

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