Photography News

The PolarPro Center Split Filter is the latest in-camera optical tool designed for photographers and filmmakers who want to push their visuals beyond the ordinary. Rather than relying on digital effects during post-production, this filter creates a dreamy aesthetic during capture.

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ePHOTOzine members can enjoy exclusive savings on PortraitPro 24 from Anthropics Technology.

Edit whole shoots in just minutes. Highly rated by leading industry publications, PortraitPro 24 is the world’s first intelligent retouching software, powered by advanced Generative AI and smart tools for fast, professional results.

 

"PortraitPro 24 takes the whole process that took hours, or was virtually impossible, and reduces it to just a few minutes, sometimes mere seconds per photo when editing greater volumes!"

SLR Lounge

 

Enhance your portrait work for pro-style portraits with powerful features:

 

Key New Features:

• New gender and age detector
• Mouth inpainting & teeth replacer
• Face recovery
• Skin and hair masks
• Glasses reflection remover

  Improved Workflow:

• Seamlessly switch between faces in group shots.
• Effortlessly share presets.
• Utilise a streamlined preset search box.
• Explore more image save options.
• (Exclusive to Studio Max) Apply multiple presets to each picture.

 

"This feature alone (Glasses Reflection Remover) would pay for the upgrade after repairing just a couple of shots spoiled by the reflections in a subject's glasses, mainly in time saving."
 

Professional Image-Maker

 

 

Download your free trial today and discover what PortraitPro can do for your portraits!

Buy PortraitPro 24 or upgrade at 50% off, plus enjoy an exclusive extra 20% off with the code EPJ26.

 

 

All PortraitPro purchases qualify for a FREE Anthropics software gift.

See Anthropics Bundles for further savings.

 

Therese Asplund winning image.

 

The Society of Photographers is thrilled to reveal the winners of the prestigious 2025 Photographer of the Year awards, proudly sponsored by Loxley Colour.

Therese Asplund has been crowned Photographer of the Year, an accolade that celebrates outstanding photographic talent and creativity.

The 2025 Monthly Image Competition attracted an impressive 5,725 submissions across 28 categories, showcasing the remarkable diversity and skill of our talented membership. Gold Award-winning images from each category were shortlisted, with the best of the best selected for this year’s top honours.

 

Judges’ Comments

“Demonstrating outstanding skill, narrative depth, and execution, this bold and distinctive image emerged as a clear standout and generated animated discussion among the judges.”

 

For full details on The Society of Photographers - Photographer of the Year Awards please check out the website: https://thesocieties.net/the-society-of-photographers-photographer-of-the-year-2025/

 

2nd Place Photographer of the Year 2025 was awarded to Cecile Stuedal Norway from Finnmark, Norway.

 

3rd Place Photographer of the Year 2025 was awarded to Terry Donnelly from England, UK.

 

Colin Jones, The Society of Photographers’ CEO and Terrie Jones The Society of Photographers’ Personal Development Manager presenting Therese the Photographer of the Year Award.

 

For more information, please visit the The Society of Photographers' website.

 

People and cultures category winner and overall winner: ‘Kartika Vrata’ by Tanveer Rohan

 

The winners of the 2025/2026 Penda Travel Photography Competition have been announced, showcasing exceptional images from photographers around the world. The winning entries feature colorful cultural portraits, dramatic wildlife encounters, and breathtaking landscapes that capture the beauty and diversity of our planet. Judges selected images that tell compelling visual stories, with the overall winner earning a place on a Botswana Photo Safari. This year's competition highlights the power of travel photography to inspire wanderlust and forge connections between people, places, and nature.

 

From Penda Photo Tours

London, UK & Cape Town, South Africa — The winners of the 2025/2026 Penda Travel Photography Competition have been announced — showcasing breathtaking imagery that captures the heart of travel, culture, wildlife and landscapes from around the world. The annual competition attracted entries from talented photographers across the globe, with judges selecting standout images that tell powerful visual stories of place, people and nature.

 

Top Honours and Standout Winners

 

Overall & People & Cultures Category Winner
‘Kartika Vrata’ by Tanveer Rohan — A dynamic and richly composed image that immerses viewers in vibrant colours and cultural expression. Tanveer’s work also secured the overall competition title, earning a coveted place on the Botswana Photo Safari.

 

2nd Place — People & Cultures
‘Circles of Life’ by Pranab Basak — Celebrated for its compelling narrative and visual harmony.

 

Wildlife category winner: ‘Lioness Eyes Behind Birds’ by Willem Kruger

 

Wildlife Category Winner
‘Lioness Eyes Behind Birds’ by Willem Kruger — A layered and evocative capture combining wildlife behavior with artistic depth.

 

2nd Place — Wildlife
‘Life Hangs by a Thread’ by Xiaoping Lin — Recognised for its remarkable moment and technical skill.

 

Landscape Category Winner
‘Money Tree’ by Xu Zhang — Praised for its unique viewpoint and visual balance.

 

Landscape category second place: ‘Bozzhira’ by Galip Cetiner

 

2nd Place — Landscape
‘Bozzhira’ by Galip Cetiner — Awarded for its dramatic light and colour composition.

 

Celebrating Visual Storytelling that Transcends Borders

The judging panel, comprising leading professional photographers and visual storytellers, chose winners based on creative strength, technical excellence, and the ability of each image to communicate a unique travel story. These powerful photographs reflect both diverse cultures and spectacular natural environments, reinforcing the role of photography in inspiring exploration and connection to places beyond our own.

The overall competition winner now joins a select group of photographers for an exclusive Botswana Photo Safari, an immersive experience in one of Africa’s most remarkable wildlife landscapes.

 

About the Penda Travel Photography Competition

The Penda Travel Photography Competition celebrates visual storytelling from around the world and welcomes entries from photographers of all backgrounds. Through multiple categories:  People & Cultures, Wildlife and Landscape, Penda supports creative expression and invites photographers to share their vision of the world’s beauty and diversity.

For more information and to view the winning images, visit: https://www.pendaphototours.com/blog/meet-the-winners-of-our-travel-photography-competition/

 

About Penda Photo Tours

Penda Photo Tours creates photography-focused travel experiences designed by photographers for photographers. Their trips are built around photography excellence, guiding participants to the right place at the right time with small, expert-led groups and professional photographic instruction. From wildlife safaris to cultural explorations and landscape workshops, Penda trips blend travel expertise with artistic growth, all grounded in ethical and respectful engagement with people, wildlife and environments. Penda Photo Tours is part of the Impact Travel Group.

You can lose a morning at the coast even when the light looks promising, and the reasons are not always what you think. This video focuses on one pier shoot where timing, tide, and filters collide in ways that will feel uncomfortably familiar.

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Aperty, professional portrait retouching software, has released a new update designed to integrate more seamlessly into photographers’ existing workflows. Here are the details from Aperty.

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You can make a strong landscape photo with a basic kit, including a 16-50mm lens, if the rest of your process is solid. The video is a reality check on the habits that quietly decide whether you come home with a usable frame or just a memory card full of “almost.”

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The Leica Q3 Monochrom is the kind of camera that forces a decision: commit to black and white at capture, or keep color as an escape hatch. If you care about low-light street work, high-ISO texture, and files that hold together when you push them, this one sits right on the fault line between “tool” and “habit.”

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This step-by-step guide will give you a great basic introduction to the world of still life photography so if you're new to the subject, or are short on time, this could be the perfect place to start. 

 

1. Backgrounds

Keep it simple! Plain, crease-free backgrounds are a good place to start then you can always add a few extra bits of fabric or scarves, draping them over the background or table if necessary. White or coloured card/paper make good backgrounds or you could even use a plain wall. 
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2. Composition

Don't rush setting the scene, take your time to make sure it looks right, moving objects around until you can get the best composition you can. Think about it in terms of a triangle that are higher at one end and taper off. Use items that differ in size, colour and add different textures to your shot. Try moving your camera around too as just moving it a few inches to either side might make all the difference to the shot. Don't forget the photographic basics such as the rule of thirds, using negative space and guiding the eye.

You may find it easier to start out photographing just one object and avoid shiny items such as glass and metal to start as these can be trickier to capture. After a while, try introducing more items and as mentioned above, play around with different textures, colours and items to see what interesting set-ups you can create. Don't be afraid to experiment; just because plenty of other people photograph flowers etc. doesn't necessarily mean you have to.  
 

3. Support

A tripod is good - especially if you're using slower shutter speeds, however, it's not always an essential piece of kit. Having said that, putting a camera on a tripod does keep your hands free to adjust your set-up and to also control the light with a reflector. If you do use a tripod, don't forget to adjust its position from time-to-time. Lower it, raise it up and move it to one side just to see if you can capture a better shot. 

 

4. Lighting

If you want to keep things simple, just use one light. A studio light is fine but a high-powered standard energy-saving bulb in a lamp is great too as it produces a soft light.  Experiment with the position of your light as moving it just a little can add extra depth and interest to your shots. 

A tip that came from an ePHOTOzine member is to 'remove the lampshade, cut a hole in the side of a Pringles tube - imagine you're cutting doors in the tube – cut a T-shape and then fold back the 'doors' which help direct the light. Pop that over the top and you get nice directional light (cut a hole in the Pringles tube lid and attach that to the light fitting)'.

You can use a reflector (try making one out of foil if you don't own one) to bounce extra light into the shot if needs be.

If you don't want to use artificial light just set-up near a window and use a reflector to light the side of your subject the natural light doesn't reach. If you find the light's a little too strong you can use blinds as diffusers (so long as they're not coloured at this will create a colour cast) or simply pin a sheet up. 

  5. Focus

Stopping down the lens will increase the depth of field in your shot to get everything in focus but this may result in slower shutter speeds so have your tripod to hand. Take a few images with different focus points too. Invariably just one shot is fine but it's handy to have the others in case you want to combine the best bits from each. Ensure your images are sharp and as your subjects won't be moving or get bored, there's no real excuse for capturing blurry images. Take your time, check the set-up, check the frame and always check your shot on screen after you've captured it.    

 

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

 

Lens manufacturer Meike has announced the release of the SE Series 85mm f/1.8 Mark II full-frame autofocus STM lens for Canon EF mount, priced at $229.99 USD.

The new lens improves on the earlier Mark I version with reduced chromatic aberration, faster autofocus, enhanced image quality, and a closer minimum focusing distance of 0.65m.

 

Meike SE Series 85mm f/1.8 Mark II Specs:

• Model: EF 85mmF1.8 STM SE II
• Focal Length: 85mm
• Format: Full Frame
• Aperture Range: F1.8–F16
• Filter Thread: 62mm
• Diaphragm Blades: 11
• Minimum Focus Distance: 0.65m
• Lens Construction: 11 elements in 7 groups
• Angle of View (Full Frame): Diagonal 27.8°, Horizontal 23.4°, Vertical 10.8°
• Angle of View (APS-C): Diagonal 18.67°, Horizontal 15.53°, Vertical 10.38°
• Weight: about 346g

For more information, visit the Meike website where the lens is now available to purchase.

 

  1. Do Your Research

Knowing what wildlife will appear where and when will save you time and stop you walking around for a shot you may never find. Knowing what they eat is also important as, for example, it can mean you end up capturing a shot of a Blackbird rather than a Blue Tit in your garden.

 

Make sure you know how your camera and any other gear you have out with you works before you're outside in your hide. It may sound like a daft statement but knowing how to quickly adjust a setting can make all the difference when you only have a few seconds to take a shot.

2. Feed The Birds

Winter can be hard work for wildlife as they have to work harder to find food sources, but this can make them slightly easier to track down. In nature reserves, look for places you can set up near hedgerows used for feeding and back home you can set up your own feeders to attract birds who are still around for the winter months. Don't just suddenly start feeding them then stop once you have your images though.

Shots of birds on feeders are good but for more natural-looking images try placing perches such as branches or even a spade near the feeder which they can land on before going for the food. You can also put nuts, berries, seeds and fat balls in holes and cracks in trees to attract them to land.
 

3. Be Patient And Ready

Animals and birds scare easy so don't think you can just head outside, get your camera out and start shooting. Nature reserves usually have hides dotted around you can use and when you're out in the field or in your own garden, set up a portable hide. Once your hide is up, be prepared to wait a while before any wildlife comes your way as it'll take them some time to realise you're not a threat. Although in nature reserves and parks where wildlife is more used to human contact you probably won't have to wait quite as long. Don't make any sudden movements and take some time to just look at the scene around you instead of getting your camera out straight away. By doing so your subject is more likely to return and you don't have to spend as much time out in the cold.

If you're working at home and have a window you can shoot from, set up inside and either shoot through the glass (make sure you're close up to the windowpane to cut down on reflections) or open up the window if you can. You can then stay warm with the heating on and still get the wildlife shots you're looking for.
 

4. Gear Choices 

Longer lenses (400mm is a good place to start) are generally a must, however, you can use slightly shorter lenses it just means you have to work harder at getting closer to your subject. When using longer lenses and sitting, waiting for long periods of time you don't want to be holding your camera so take your tripod out with you. If you're out walking a monopod is a worthwhile consideration as they're easier to manoeuvre, however, a tripod will work just fine if you don't own one. Of course, if you can remotely trigger your camera via your Smart Phone or other trigger devices, you won't need a lens that's quite as long. 

 

5. Be Quick

Wildlife doesn't hang around for long and some, such as hares, move quickly so quick shutter speeds are needed to freeze movement and to capture skittish behaviour. If your shutter speed is too low there's a chance your shot will have blur in it as they move quicker than you think, especially birds who quickly turn their heads into different positions. To get the quicker shutter speeds you'll most likely need to crank up the ISO but as most digital cameras now cope with ISOs up and beyond 800 without noise becoming too much of an issue, you shouldn't have any problems with doing that.

6. Backgrounds And Composition

No matter where you're shooting your wildlife shots you need to have a good look around the viewfinder to make sure there's nothing in the background that will distract the viewer. Throwing the background out of focus can look great, however, this can cause parts of your subject, particularly when working with small subjects such as birds, to also go out of focus. If this happens try using a slightly smaller aperture as getting the subject sharp is what's more important.

You may have to work quickly but this doesn't mean you should forget about composition altogether. Do give your subject space and try not to capture them when looking out of frame as your viewer will follow their gaze and move their eyes out of shot. Do shoot while they're in different positions too as you may find a side profile shot works much better than one where they are head-on, for example.
 

7. Be At Their Angle

A low position gets you down to the animal's level and can help avoid messy backgrounds. Out in the field, this could mean laying on the ground to get a shot of a squirrel foresting for food and in your garden, you could end up placing feeders lower than you first thought so your lens lines up with them more easily.
 

 

 

8. Shoot When It Snow

Not that many places in the UK have had much snow as of yet but when a bit of the white stuff does fall it gives photographers the chance to shoot against clutter-free backgrounds that really create the essence of winter. Snow also gives you the chance to find tracks wildlife have left so find a well-trodden path and set up nearby. Dawn and dusk are good times to be out but do wrap up warm and take a head torch with you so you can see what you're doing. Pay attention to where the wind is blowing too as wildlife are good at picking up scents.

Do be aware that snow can confuse your camera and you can end up with shots that are underexposed. Keep checking your histogram to make sure the exposure's OK and use exposure compensation if needs be to brighten your shot.

9. Popular Areas

There are places in the UK and right around the world that are more popular than others for wildlife photography. There's nothing wrong with visiting these popular places but please respect the wildlife and don't overcrowd them. You may also want to spend some time finding places you can shoot in closer to home as not only do they stand the chance of not being as popular, you don't have as far to travel which means you can spend longer brushing up on your technique rather than travelling.

 

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

Bored of "perfect" sharpness? These five optical oddities force you to see the world differently.

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Buying a camera in 2026 can feel like getting cornered into more megapixels, more features, and more expense than your shooting actually demands. If your gear keeps getting bigger while your camera stays in the bag, the real cost is lost time and missed photos.

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Rugged yet refined, spacious yet sleek—the FocusPoint 30L RollTop is the camera backpack that keeps up with your photography, whether that’s on the road or at your favorite local coffee shop.

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You can own the same camera as your heroes and still come home with flat, forgettable frames, even on a trip that should have been a sure thing. The tension in this video is whether the real advantage has nothing to do with gear and everything to do with how you decide what a photo is supposed to say.

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A lens like the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG II | Art isn’t just about getting more light, it changes the way depth and perspective sit together in a single frame. If you shoot people, street, or any scene where the background needs to fall away without turning into mush, 35mm at f/1.2 can be the difference between a photo that feels ordinary and one that has bite.

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That itch to upgrade hits hardest when the camera on your desk is already “good,” but your photos still feel stuck. Using the Sony a7R V as a real example, tTom the emotional noise that makes a checkout button feel like a solution.

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Photo by Joshua Waller

 

The nights are still rather long at the moment in the UK and with the sun setting so early, now's the perfect time to try your hand at night photography as you don't have to be out that late to capture some cracking images. Plus, if you time it with rush-hour, you can use long exposures to shoot some cracking light trails. 

 

1. Get The Right Accessories

As we are dealing with longer shutter speeds, a tripod is an essential piece of equipment if we want our images to be sharp. Do remember that traffic can cause a small amount of movement and don't forget to turn off the image stabilisation function as when using longer exposure times and a tripod, this function can actually cause shake which will result in a blurry image. A cable or wireless (IR) remote is useful but you can also use your camera's self-timer to start the exposure to reduce shake.
 

2. Camera & Lens Options 

The type of camera you use isn't all that important as it's your own creativity that'll create a good image. However, a DSLR or other type of camera that offers manual control will make the task easier. The type of lenses you use for night photography will change depending on what you want to capture. If you like pictures of street views, use a wide-angle lens, however, if you want to focus on just parts/details of the street use a zoom lens between 28 - 200mm. Having said that, you'll probably find a wide-angle lens to be most useful. 
 

3. Metering & Exposure Time Tips 

Exposure times aren't set in stone and it's worth trying different shutters speeds. Shooting with spot metering can help exposure levels and I find working in manual tends to produce better results. If you have the time, photograph the same scene with various exposure times and look through them to see which has produced the best results. 

 

Photo by Joshua Waller

 

4. Composition Is Key

Consider changing to a portrait orientation to help exaggerate the height of buildings and do take your time when composing your shots at night as it can be harder to see small details through the viewfinder due to the lower light levels. 

 

5. Panning With Traffic 

Traffic is a popular subject at night as it gives photographers the chance to be particularly creative when combined with a bit of panning. When panning, try to follow the subject with your camera/eye then hit the shutter button in the middle of the pan and continue the smooth movement through to the other side. It's similar to swinging a baseball bat, hitting the ball at the middle of the swing and following through.

Although you can pan hand-held a tripod can be very useful when panning at night as the low light levels mean you can experiment with slower shutter speeds. If you want a little more of the shot to be sharp you can add a 'pop' of flash to freeze the movement of your subject.

   

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

Your iPhone is more powerful than you think. Buried in iOS is an app called Shortcuts that most people ignore entirely, and those who do open it often close it immediately, overwhelmed by the programming-like interface. That's a mistake. Shortcuts can transform tedious, repetitive photography tasks into single-tap operations, and once you understand the basics, you'll wonder how you ever managed without them. I've made five useful Shortcuts exclusively for Fstoppers readers.

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Noise and messy detail can ruin an otherwise strong subject, especially in wildlife shots where the background turns into a crunchy distraction the moment you lift exposure. This video focuses on a Lightroom approach that gets the background looking smoother without turning the subject into plastic.

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