Photography News

Photos by Joshua Waller

 

1. Use A Longer Lens

When shooting portraits a standard zoom is fine but a longer lens will give you more flattering shots and a tripod can be useful if you're using a slower shutter speed due to the amount of light available. Before picking up the flashgun, reach for a reflector to bounce some extra light into your shot and if it's too bright try hanging netting on the window but stay away from colour as you'll get a cast on your image.

 

2. Cloudy Days Are Good

Cloudy days, which we seem to have a lot of at the moment, are perfect for portraits as the light's diffused and if you have a spot or window if you're working indoors that's not in the direct path of the sun even better. Before you start, make sure you clean your window, though, as a dirty one can be a full f/stop darker and turn your house lights off.

3. Use A Reflector 

If you find that the sun is causing shadows to appear under the nose and/or chin of your model use a reflector to add light to the areas in shadow or if you're indoors, move them more into the room, away from the window.

 

Photo by Joshua Waller

  4. Get Your Metering Right

Don't meter from your window when shooting at home as this will have the same effect as snow has on your camera – it will think the scene is brighter than it actually is and your model will, therefore, be underexposed. However, by simply metering from your model's face you'll have no problems. To give your shot more warmth try the cloud or shade white balance settings.
 

5. It's All In The Eyes

The eyes need to be sharp and the front of their face needs to be in the light to draw attention to it. Asking your model to simply tilt their head slightly will bring more/less of their face into the light. You can also move your camera around the scene to find a suitable position to shoot from.
 

6. Create An Angle 

Try sitting your model 45-degrees to the direction the light is coming from or how about shooting side on? For more interesting shots try only lighting half of them or have a go at creating shapes from their silhouette.

   

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

 

The countdown has begun for the 2026 London Photo Trade Show, taking place from 15–17 January 2026 at the Novotel London West, Hammersmith. This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever, with the highly anticipated Live Stage showcasing some of the UK's most talented and innovative photographers.
 

From live demonstrations to insightful presentations, the Live Stage will feature a diverse range of sessions designed to inspire, educate, and equip photographers with the tools and techniques they need to excel in 2026. Whether you're a budding photographer or an established pro, the Live Stage offers a golden opportunity to learn from the best in the industry.

Live Stage Highlights:

Thursday 15 January 2026:

• 10:30 – Terry Donnelly – Wildlife Photography with the Sony Alpha Cameras
• 11:30 – Fabrizia Costa – Eyewitness: Saving Human Memory Before It’s Too Late
• 12:30 – Gavin Maxwell – GFX Challenge Grant Award Project – ‘If The Land Could Speak’
• 13:30 – Canon EOS R6 Mark III – Unleash Your Passion
• 14:30 – Angela Jackson – What is Intellectual Property (IP)?
• 15:30 – Brendan Taylor – How to Fix 2026

 

Friday 16 January 2026:

• 10:30 – Terry Donnelly – Portrait Photography with the Sony A7v
• 11:30 – Ian Martindale – Turning Enquiries into Paid Clients
• 12:30 – Gavin Maxwell – GFX Challenge Grant Award Project – ‘If The Land Could Speak’
• 13:30 – EOS R5 Mark II & R6 Mark III: Benefits of Upgrading
• 14:30 – Angela Jackson – What is Intellectual Property (IP)?
• 15:30 – Brendan Taylor – How to Fix 2026

 

Saturday 17 January 2026:

• 10:30 – Terry Donnelly – Sports Photography with the Sony Alpha Cameras
• 11:30 – Ian Martindale – Turning Enquiries into Paid Clients
• 12:30 – Rebecca Douglas – Exploring Liminal Spaces with Minimalist Kit
• 13:30 – EOS R5 Mark II & R6 Mark III: Autofocus Essentials
• 14:30 – Angela Jackson – What is Intellectual Property (IP)?
• 15:30 – Brendan Taylor – How to Fix 2026

 

  Free Entry Offer!

Photographers and creatives who pre-register before 1 January 2026 can skip the £10 entry fee and gain free access to the Live Stage sessions. However, space is limited, so early registration is encouraged to secure a spot.

 

The Live Stage Speakers for the 2026 event have been generously supplied by our sponsors, ensuring attendees have access to the latest tips, techniques, and gear that will shape the photography landscape in the coming year.
 

About the London Photo Trade Show 2026

The London Photo Trade Show is one of the UK's premier events for photographers, providing a unique platform for industry professionals to discover new technologies, connect with leading brands, and enhance their skills through hands-on demonstrations and expert-led sessions. The 2026 event is set to be an unmissable gathering for anyone in the photography industry.

Register for FREE tickets now!

 

Skylum, the creator behind the award-winning AI photo editor Luminar Neo, has introduced a new feature called AI Assistant that makes photo editing fast, smarter and more intuitive. Released in December 2025 as part of the Luminar Neo update, photographers can now use the AI Assistant to type simple text commands and get tailored editing suggestions to enhance their photos and speed up their workflow.

 

Edit Smarter Through Text Commands

Available in both Presets and Edit tabs, the AI Assistant works by analysing your image’s composition, colours, and objects, then recommends edits that fit the image. Photographers can type requests or prompts such as “Enhance this photo” or “Turn this photo black and white” to instantly see up to three suggested edits, each with previews and short descriptions. 

Once a suggestion is applied, you can fine-tune the results in the Edit tab. This cuts down on guesswork and gives you a clear starting point. The best part? You're never limited. You can keep asking for fresh suggestions as many times as you like, experimenting until you find the look that feels just right.

 

Explore Tools With Guided Assistance

The AI Assistant is not only about quick fixes. For guidance-type queries, the AI Assistant highlights the most effective tools and provides direct access to them. This makes it easier to explore Luminar Neo’s features while you’re actively editing, helping you learn the software step by step without interrupting your workflow.

 

 

Enhance and Create With AI Suggestions

AI Assistant can suggest general enhancements, help boost colours, adjust white balance, and apply toning styles directly to your photo. It also provides guidance for edits like brightening, adjusting contrast, dehazing, or using tools for creative effects such as sky replacement, adding a sunset, perspective fixes and background replacement. These suggestions help you choose the right tools and approach for each image, whether you want subtle improvements or bold transformations.

 

Integrated With Luminar Neo’s Features

AI Assistant works seamlessly with Luminar Neo’s existing tools such as Relight AI, Sky Replacement and Portrait Background Removal. This integration means you can combine automated suggestions with advanced manual controls, creating a complete editing workflow inside one platform.

 

Try Luminar Neo and AI Assistant Today

Luminar Neo’s AI Assistant is available now for all users with version 1.26.0 or later. Download the software to streamline your workflow and enjoy faster, smarter editing.

Special Offer: Use code EPHOTOZINE at checkout for 10% off and explore the entire range of Luminar Neo features today.

Get Luminar Neo Now

 

 

London Camera Exchange has announced that entries for its Photographer of the Year 2026 competition will close on 21 January 2026. Now in its third year, the contest offers a £10,000 prize fund across 14 categories, including the popular Emerging Talent section, and welcomes submissions from photographers of all levels.

All entries will appear in the official online gallery, with the public able to vote in the People’s Choice category, while other sections are judged by a panel of industry experts. Shortlisted work will be showcased at The Photography & Video Show at the NEC in Birmingham this March, where winners will receive trophies and prizes including £2,500 in LCE vouchers for the overall champion.

 

From London Camera Exchange

The deadline for the 2026 LCE Photographer of the Year competition is fast approaching. Now in its third year, the national photography contest will close at midnight on 21 January. Photographers of all levels of experience are welcome to submit their work, with 14 varied categories to choose from, and a substantial total prize fund of £10,000.

Every entry will be featured in the LCE POTY 2026 online gallery, and will be open to public voting in the ‘People’s Choice’ category. All other categories are judged by an expert panel.

Last year’s ‘Emerging Talent’ student category was won by Martina Aguirre Torres, with her stunning image entitled ‘Abigail’ (above), shot during British indie rock band The Last Dinner Party’s 2024 tour. Two £500 prizes are granted in this category – one to the photography student and one to their photography course – providing resources to support the growth of up-and-coming photographers in the future.

Judges for the 2026 contest include SheClicks founder and journalist Angela Nicholson, Chris George, content director at Future Publishing, professional portrait and travel documentary photographer Jimmy Cheng, and Lee Harasyn, managing director of LCE. Some helpful advice from the judging panel for potential entrants to this year’s competition can be found below:

 

 

Angela Nicholson commented, “As a judge, I’m drawn to images that reflect the photographer’s interpretation of a scene and their connection with the subject. I’m looking for a creative vision, thoughtful use of light, technique and composition, and photographs that feel personal, expressive and intentional.”

 

 

Jimmy Cheng remarked, “Aside from technical brilliance, I will be looking for images that express emotions and creative presentation.”

 

 

Chris George added, "It was winning a photo competition that spurred my interest in photography and then taking it up as a career, so I love the chance to judge contests myself. I am always on the lookout for a shot I haven't seen before – or an image taken way better than similar ones I have seen in the past.”

 

 

Lee Harasyn said, “I’m naturally drawn to great technique, but sometimes a photographer can capture an image so powerful that this becomes irrelevant. The best photos connect with the viewer – and that’s what I’m hoping to find.”

Winners will receive a share of the £10,000 prize pot and an impressive trophy, presented at The Photography & Video Show at the NEC in Birmingham (March 2026). The overall winner will be awarded £2,500 in LCE vouchers to spend on products of their choice. All shortlisted images will be displayed in a prominent exhibition space at the NEC and included in a special edition commemorative book.

LCE POTY 2026 is supported by leading photo industry brands including headline sponsors Canon, Fujifilm and OM System, as well as partners Lexar, Nikon and Sony, and affiliates Cewe and Sigma.

The competition is open to photographers aged 18 and over. Entries will be accepted from photographers worldwide, however, prizes will only be awarded to UK residents. 

 

LCE Photographer of the Year 2026 categories:

• Action
• After Dark
• Birds
• Creative
• Emerging Talent
• Events
• Landscape
• Macro
• People’s Choice
• Pets
• Portrait
• Street
• Travel
• Wildlife

 

Entries can be submitted online or in person at any of the 26 London Camera Exchange stores.

For full details, including terms, conditions, rules and FAQs, please visit the competition website.

 

 

Photo by Joshua Waller 

 

1. Shooting outside

When you're taking outdoor portraits in sunlight the results can be a little harsh with dark heavy shadows spoiling the image. As a result, a blip of fill-in flash is needed to balance the image. Many cameras when the integral flash is used have a fill in flash mode which forces the flash to fire. Adding a little flash can flatter your model's skin, remove deep shadows that can appear in places on the face such as under the nose and it will give your model catchlights in their eyes which is a big bonus. It's also useful on overcast days as it can breath life into dull portraits. You can also use a 'pop' of flash to highlight foreground interest in landscape shots.

 

2. Shooting into the sun

When shooting into the sun when your subject would usually be silhouetted, by exposing for the scene as normal then adding a pop of flash you'll lighten your subject without affecting the background. When exposing for the scene you need to find the right balance between the shutter speed, which you need to set so it adds enough ambient light, and the size of the aperture which you use to expose for the flash. You have to do it this way round as every time you fire the flash there will be the same amount of light so speeding up or slowing down the shutter speed won't make a difference.

Remember, though, that you cannot set a shutter speed faster than the camera's flash sync speed or the picture will be unevenly exposed. There are some camera/flashgun combinations that will sync at every shutter speed but these are usually top-end models. Check your instruction manual if you are unsure what is the correct flash sync speed.

 

Photo by Joshua Waller 

 

3. Should I use external flash?

Your camera's built-in flash can work fine for fill-in but you can do more using a separate flash used off-camera. Models are available from your camera brand as well as independent names. By using off-camera flash you can move it around the scene to help evenly light your shot. Off-camera flash used in dark conditions also has the advantage of avoiding red-eye. If needs be you can change the strength of your flash with flash exposure compensation if you're using the camera's built-in flash or one on your hot-shoe.

To maintain full flash automation when the flashgun is used off-camera you will need a dedicated cord, although some camera/flashgun combination offer wireless flash metering control. Wireless control can work fine but can struggle in bright daylight so you need to check how your DSLR performs before doing an important shoot.

Do be careful when using fill flash as it can make your portrait shots look a little artificial. Set a minus value on the flash exposure compensation control or turn down the output of the flashgun. It's important to remember that less is more and use fill flash to subtly lift your portraits.  

  What's A Long Exposure?

Generally used in low light situations, long exposures keep your camera's shutter open for longer so more light can reach its sensor. If you're working when there's too much light around you can slow your shutter speeds down by fitting an ND filter to the front of your lens.

You will need a tripod when using longer exposure times as working hand-held will more than likely result in shake spoiling your shots.

Before you open your shutter, make sure your battery has plenty of charge, as you don't want to get halfway through an exposure to find your camera's no longer alive.

 

When And Where To Use Long Exposures

There are various practical as well as artistic reasons for using longer exposures but for this article our focus will be on using them to create more aesthetically pleasing, memorable shot.

 

1. Spooky, Atmospheric Shots

If the sea's choppy or you're out on a misty morning you can use long exposures to capture the movement of the waves and mist. Both will turn into a white, smooth blanket that circles any still objects it's close to. It can help create an eerie atmosphere that works just as well by the sea as it does in a graveyard or in the woods.

 

2. Northern Lights

Not many of us get the chance to capture the Northern Lights, however, if the opportunity does arise, long exposures or even a camera with a Bulb setting so you can keep the shutter open for as long as you see fit would be handy. By using longer exposure times you'll be able to capture some foreground detail in your shots which will add scale to your shot and really emphasise how big the aurora display really is.

  3. Blurry Water

We know it's something that's overdone but its popularity means it's something we can't ignore when talking about long exposures.

The slower the shutter speed, the more blur/softer the water's movement will be. 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.

Remember to meter carefully as large areas of light tones can fool the camera into underexposing your shot and slow shutter speeds will blur anything that moves not just water. To combat this, 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. You may also need to cover your eyepiece up to stop light flowing through it spoiling your shot.

Take a look at this tutorial for tips on using long exposures at the coast: Coastal Photography

 

4. Give A City Shot More Interest

The short days we have at the moment make it the perfect time to shoot some night shots in the city. Buildings dotted with lights and neon shop signs decorating the streets look good on their own but to add even more interest, use long shutter speeds to blur any moving subjects with lights into streaks of colour. It can work well with those giant wheels many cities now have as the white lights will be blurred into a circle of white light while its surroundings will remain static. Near round-a-bouts or in busy, built-up areas set up near or above a road to turn traffic invisible, leaving their lights as streaks of colour that circle the buildings nearby.

If you're in an area with lots of people you can use long exposures to 'hide' distracting crowds of passing people as their movement will mean they're not captured in your frame (unless they stop walking of course). 10-30 second exposure will capture the light trails but if you want longer shutter speeds, use the B setting. Use a remote trigger, cable release or self-timer to fire the shutter to minimise shake and use a small aperture to give you front to back sharpness.

 

5. Capture Movement

We know that stars, the moon and clouds move but have you ever thought about recording their movement? Long exposures mean you can capture star trails as they move across the night sky and turn white, dots of clouds into long fluffy lines sat against a blue sky. You can also do the same with storm clouds as they darken and approach from the horizon.

For tips on capturing star trails, have a look at these tutorials:

• Star Trails Part One
• Start Trails Part Two

  6. Paint A Scene With Light

Torches, LEDs, sparklers and even the light from your phone can be used as a 'brush' to paint lines of colour into a scene. You can use the light streaks on their own, writing or drawing images against dark backgrounds or you can use them to add an extra level of interest to a night-time scene. You can paint colour onto static objects, drawing the eye to them as a result or you can add light-painted objects and shapes, such as stick men, to your scene.

For more tips on light-painting, have a look at these tutorials:

• Spirograph-Style Light Painting
• Light Painting
• Writing With Sparklers

 

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.

 

You shouldn't be without your camera during the Christmas season as there's so much going on for you to capture. So, with your camera in hand, let's look at how you can create a great Christmas photo.
 

 

Select A Mode

The first thing to do is capture the picture and most digital cameras make the job easy. If you're new to photography, simply select an Auto mode and the camera takes all the exposure technicalities out of your hands, leaving you to concentrate on the shot. 

 

Indoor Portraits

For indoor shots, compact cameras have the appropriately titled Portrait Mode. Do check your shots if the flash fired, though as it can be a little harsh so it might be worth trying to diffuse it slightly.

When photographing children you'll find they tend to smile unnaturally or pull a face when asked to pose, but there are ways around this to ensure you capture a more natural expression. Try and joke with them, making them laugh and smile in the process. Another approach is to shoot candidly so they don't get bored waiting for you to pose them. 
 

Red Eye

Many cameras have a red-eye reduction mode that fires a pre-flash to reduce the devil-inducing effect. Make sure this is switched on when you're shooting your portraits to reduce the chances of red eye spoiling the shot. 

 

Natural Light

You can also try turning the flash off (this mode appears as a small lightning symbol with line through it) and using natural light from a window or patio doors. Window light will cast a shadow on the unlit side of the portrait which can be reduced effectively with a reflector. If you don't have one make your own by using tin foil, spray mounted onto a large sheet of card. Position this reflector so it points at the subject from the shadow side. As you move the card you'll see light reflect onto the person and the shadows will disappear.

 

Making The Person Your Main Point Of Focus

With DSLRs you can go into manual or aperture priority and select a large aperture to reduce the sharpness of the background to make your subject stand out. With compact cameras, just switch to portrait mode for shots of people and macro mode for close-ups as this lets the camera know you want to use a large aperture to throw the background out of focus. 

Try using the camera's zoom at the telephoto setting to magnify the subject and home in tightly on their face. You'll fill the frame with their face ensuring they are the main focus of your photograph.

 

Understanding White Balance

If you take pictures using room lighting you may need to switch the camera to a different white balance setting. This is usually set automatically, but you can manually correct it by selecting the light bulb option when the pictures are coming out too yellow. You can also override auto to force a colour cast, if you so wish.

 

Snow Fun

The first sign of snow and children will be out sledging, building snowmen and throwing snowballs. Take this opportunity to get some great candid pictures. But watch out for the pitfalls, snow is very bright and will fool the camera into thinking the scene is a lot brighter than it actually is. To stop this, switch to a program scene mode called Snow which compensates automatically ensuring the snow appears lovely and white.

Keep an eye out for colour cast too as snow can sometimes end up looking a little blue. Changing to a different white balance setting should fix the problem quickly though.  

Happy Christmas Everyone! 

  

  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  

Photo by Joshua Waller 

 

City streets, particularly at this time of year, are an abundance of jewelled lights from traffic, shops, and festive bulbs. Their colour and a good bit of sky detail make city locations perfect for urban winter shoots. Dramatic clouds or the subtle gradation of twilight hues make good backgrounds for winter lights but as the light fades and your background turns black, you can turn your attention to the Bokeh effect to really make your urban work shine.

When out-and-about, focus on your subject from about 10 feet away with a long lens and a wider aperture and your background lights should glow like coloured jewels in the night.

As it's dark you'll be using a slower shutter speed so a tripod or monopod are an essential item. Applying a gentle touch to the shutter button and remembering to take your shot when you've exhaled and not while you're holding your breath will also reduce camera shake and help you produce a shake-free, perfect image. A good lens is always useful too and using a lens with a focal length of 70-200mm or above will help ensure those backgrounds are out of focus and the lights are twinkling.

 

Photo by Joshua Waller 

 

Once you're set-up and your picture's framed, take a look at your white balance settings. Auto white balance will work with the majority of these shots but by choosing tungsten balance, any ambient daylight goes a lovely rich blue. It also helps ensure the lights in the background are glowing the colour they're meant to be.

As well as using the Christmas lights, why not use the other lights of the city to create some dynamic images? Illuminated advertising can add an interesting twist to urban portraits and so can reflections. Wet paving stones, wet tarmac and windows are all exciting items to hold reflections. You just have to learn to look for them and incorporate them into your images.

If you're out to shoot specifically winter/festive lights then why not plan your shoot around a Christmas shopping trip or a visit to a Christmas market. There are usually plenty of incentives to wrap up warm, grab a brolly and enjoy a mulled wine and the odd bag of roasted chestnuts, all of which make excellent festive inspired images. You could also grab a window seat in a cafe, order the drinks, then pop out onto the street, shoot a frame or two then back into the warmth. You can also use the cafe as a setting for a few of your shots, using steaming mugs of hot chocolate and coffee to add another level of interest to your portraits. 

 

The low position of the sun in winter makes it a perfect time to shoot silhouettes. You just need to find a bright background (the sky's perfect) and the right subject to give you a shot with series impact.

 

1. Pick A Subject

As there are no textures or tones to grab people's attention strong subjects that are instantly recognisable work the best. In winter, wildlife (deer in particular) work well. Even more so if you're shooting on a cold morning when the breath can be seen in the air. The bare, skeletal-like trees that cover our landscape at this time of year also work well as subjects for winter silhouettes. Higher up, turn rolling hillsides into dark shapes that curve across your shot. Fog can help add interest and contrast to the shot and exposing for the lighter, foggy parts of the shot will give you the silhouetted hillsides you're looking for.
 

2. Adjust Your Exposure

You need a bright background for this technique to work and the sky, particularly when there's a colourful sunrise, works particularly well. You can also use a large expanse of water if you live near a lake or the coast too.

To create a silhouette, expose for the brighter background rather than your subject as by doing so your subject will underexpose, appearing very dark if not fully black. Using the spot or centre-weight light measurement modes on your camera should give you the results you're looking for or you can use exposure compensation and select -1 or -2 to deliberately underexpose your shot.

If you're using a compact camera simply point the camera at the brightest part of the scene you're photographing, press the shutter half way down and don't let go of it. Next, re-frame the shot then press the shutter button the rest of the way to take your shot. This should fool the camera into giving you the exposure you want, but you may have to try exposing from different parts of the image to create the silhouette you're looking for.

3. Focusing Tips

You might want to meter from your background, but you don't want this to be your main point of focus. So, to ensure your main subject is sharp, use a smaller aperture to maximise depth of field. You can also try pre-focusing your shot before you set your exposure or switch to manual focus. If you're using a compact camera try using Landscape mode as this will let the camera know you want to use a small aperture so your shot has front to back sharpness.

 

4. The Sun's Position

Try to position your subject in front of the sun when you're framing up as you should never look through the camera directly at the sun as you can permanently damage your eyes. If you want the sun to be in frame, use the Live View feature so you can frame up safely.

  5. Turn Flash Off

If your flash is set to go off automatically make sure you switch it off otherwise it'll light up your subject and you won't get the silhouette you're looking for.

 

6. Framing Advice 

Don't think you have to fill your frame with your subject as a little space around them will leave room for the brighter, colourful background to show, giving your shot more interest and impact. This is where a wider lens comes in handy as you'll be able to get more of your background in shot. Of course, getting close to a shy animal with a wide-angle lens is easier said than done but you could try putting your camera on a tripod and use a remote release to fire the shutter button. Just remember to focus the camera on a fixed spot before you go into hiding. Having said that, if you're using a long telephoto lens to capture your winter wildlife from a distance you should still have plenty of room around your subject for the lighter background anyway.

ePHOTOzine is delighted to confirm that Samsung will once again support the much-loved Photo of the Week award, celebrating an impressive 11th year of this successful partnership.

Thanks to Samsung’s ongoing commitment, this long-standing collaboration continues to recognise outstanding photography, shining a light on creativity, technical excellence and artistic flair across our community. We’re excited to welcome another year filled with inspiring images.

Samsung continues to inspire the world and shape the future through innovative ideas and cutting-edge technology, and ePHOTOzine is proud to welcome the global electronics brand back as supporter of our prestigious Photo of the Week accolade for the eleventh consecutive year.

We’re pleased to announce that throughout 2026, Samsung will once again reward our Photo of the Week (POTW) winners with its reliable, high-performance memory products. Each weekly winner will receive a Samsung 128GB PRO Plus microSDXC memory card with SD Adapter, providing fast, dependable storage suitable for a wide range of devices.

The Samsung 128GB PRO Plus microSDXC memory card, complete with a full-size SD adapter, is ideal for use with cameras, laptops and more. Compatible with Android smartphones, tablets, action cameras, drones and gaming consoles, PRO Plus is designed to help you capture more, faster and without compromise. With impressive U3, Class 10 read/write speeds of up to 180/130MB/s, transferring and storing large volumes of images is seamless. UHS-I, V30 support ensures smooth 4K video recording, while six-proof protection guards against water, extreme temperatures, X-rays, magnets, drops and wear. The card is backed by a 10-year limited warranty. Further details are available on the Samsung website.

Photo of the Week is selected every week by the ePHOTOzine team. To be in with a chance of winning, simply upload your images to the Gallery.

All 52 weekly winners will then have their images showcased in our POTW forum. In January 2027, the community will be invited to vote by hitting the ‘like’ button on their favourite shots. The ePHOTOzine team will tally the votes and crown the overall Photo of the Year winner, who will take home the top prize: a rugged, ultra-fast 1TB Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield.

Best of luck to everyone taking part, we look forward to seeing the diverse and inspiring images submitted by our community of photographers each week. Our sincere thanks go to Samsung for its continued and valued support.

 

Photo by David Burleson
  Food plays a big part in the Christmas festivities so why not spend some time capturing some food-filled shots which look good enough to eat! 
  Preparation 

Professional food photographers have stylists and chefs working with them but even though you probably don't have this luxury still make sure you're picky about your food. It doesn't matter if you're photographing vegetables you've bought from the supermarket or mince pies you've baked yourself, make sure you take a good look at your subject and only select the best of the bunch.

A tripod will keep your hands free for adjusting the food in your shot and it'll also ensure your shots are sharp when working indoors with lower light conditions. 
 

Set Your Scene

We are not all lucky enough to have large, light kitchens we can work in but this isn't an excuse to take a messy photo. The odd bowl, spoon or floured rolling pin may work in your image but a table full of objects from everyday life won't. If you don't have much space just fill the frame with your product or use a wide aperture to throw the background out of focus. You could also hide your clutter with a background - something as simple as a coloured piece of card or even wrapping paper can work well. Just frame up correctly so what's behind the background doesn't sneak in from a corner.

You need to think carefully about what you set your food on, too. If you want a clean, simplistic feel go for a white plate while something more colourful can work better for Christmassy food.
 

Use Your Eyes

You're not putting food on a plate to just eat it so make sure you think about how it's presented. Grouping items in odd numbers works well but so does pairs with certain foods and objects. Take a good look around the plate for crumbs and sauce that may have run as too as this will just distract the viewer from your main subject.

Don't automatically shoot your food like you'd sit to eat it. Look for the most interesting angle and work from there. However, there are occasions when shooting directly above can work, such as when creating patterns or working with a particularly distinctive plate. 

Finally, watch your white balance and make sure there's plenty of light – setting up near a large window is a great idea. But avoid using direct flash as it will leave you with food that doesn't look appetising.

For more food photography tips, have a read of this article: 10 Top Tips For Taking Better Photos of Food 

    During the winter months, the sun's low and the sunrise isn't quite as early so you can venture out a little later if you wish. Your local news channel or a quick search online will give you the time of the sunrise. You can just stay in one place, shooting a particular view or scene but taking the time to walk a few steps to find the best angle of your subject is always advised. If you're feeling a little more adventurous plan yourself a route that circles back to where you park your car.

 

1. Kit Requirements

When it comes to kit, a tripod is essential when working with low light levels and make sure you pack the wide-angle lens for capturing sweeping shots of the landscape. A longer zoom won't be out of place either, plus pack a range of filters including grads and a polariser. A graduated neutral density filter would be useful in case you find the sky's a lot lighter than the ground. While a polarising filter will reduce glare and deepen blue skies

If you want to shoot wide vistas with foreground detail use your wide-angle lens while telephotos let you pull in detail and are also excellent at putting objects within their environmental context.

 

 

2. Adapt To Your Conditions

Morning light can be cool sometimes so try using the cloudy or shade white-balance settings on your camera to give the shot a little more warmth. You'll also need longer exposures and this is where your tripod will be useful as you don't want shake spoiling your shots. It will also slow you down, making you stand back and evaluate the scene in front of you.

While you're out early, try capturing a sunrise shot. If the sky was clear the night before there's a good chance you'll be able to capture a cracking sunrise but if a little bit of cloud starts to appear don't worry; it will help diffuse the light. As the sky's bright and the ground's dark your camera may struggle to expose correctly but bracketing can solve this or if you just want to focus on the sun try spot metering. Never look at the sun through the lens, though as there is the risk of eye damage. Instead, make good use of your camera's LiveView feature or just compose with the sun shielded behind something solid.

- Partner Content - 

 

 

From Luminar Neo to the Ecosystem

Luminar Neo has long been loved by photographers for making complex edits simple. Its AI-powered tools, starting with the legendary Sky Replacement, let you bring your vision to life with ease, turning ordinary shots into something extraordinary. And now, the all-new Luminar Ecosystem takes it even further, connecting mobile and desktop editing, streamlining your workflow, and opening up new creative possibilities. With this major upgrade, reviving memories, enhancing flat lighting, and sharing your work has never been easier or more inspiring.

 

Keep Your Creative Flow Going, Anytime Anywhere

The Luminar Ecosystem isn’t just powerful, it’s flexible. With cross-device editing, you can start a project on your phone and finish it on your desktop without any interruptions. Every adjustment, from sliders to masks, syncs automatically across devices, ensuring your work is always up to date.

This workflow is perfect for photographers who are on the move. Capture a stunning scene while travelling, start your edits on your tablet or mobile, and finalise them at your desk, without losing a single tweak.

 

Share Your Stories with Friends and Clients Instantly

Once your photos are edited to perfection, the Spaces feature allows you to turn them into beautiful, shareable web galleries. In a few clicks, curated photo collections can be published online, creating a personal showcase for friends, family, clients, or fans.

Spaces isn’t just a gallery, it’s a storytelling tool. It gives your work context, emotion, and impact, helping you share memories, projects, or professional portfolios without needing design skills or a website. Transform your photos into immersive experiences, making it easier than ever to connect with your audience through the power of imagery.

 

 

Bring Old Photos Back to Life 

One of the standout features of the new Luminar Ecosystem upgrade is Restoration, a tool that makes bringing old or damaged photos back to life completely effortless. In just one click, Restoration can remove deep scratches, restore faded colour, or do both at once.

With Restoration, all you need to do is upload your image, select the type of restoration, and let AI handle the rest. The results are natural, polished, and packed with emotion, turning old snapshots into vibrant, memory-filled images you’ll be proud to share.

You can easily enhance an old family heirloom, a scanned black-and-white image, or a damaged print with Restoration that ensures every photo feels brand new again.

 

 

Add Dimension and Drama with Light 

Another major highlight is Light Depth, a smart enhancement tool designed to give your photos professional-level depth and contrast. Light Depth automatically identifies where your image needs highlights and shadows, sculpting a more dimensional, visually striking result.

It’s especially useful for images that appear flat or under-lit. Instead of manually dodging and burning, which can take 10–15 minutes per photo, Light Depth achieves sculpted lighting in a single click. It draws attention to key subjects, enhances natural contrast, and helps your images truly pop, making it ideal for portraits, landscapes, and fast-paced workflows where time is precious.

 

 

Edit Smarter and Faster with AI suggestions

The Luminar Ecosystem will also introduce AI Assistant soon, an intelligent built-in guide that will help you edit photos with confidence and efficiency. By analysing each image, it will suggest optimal adjustments, from fine-tuning colour and contrast to improving overall balance, allowing you to apply one-click enhancements or use its recommendations as a creative starting point. AI Assistant will also simplify navigation, helping you quickly locate tools such as Develop / Develop Raw, Curves, Colour, and Colour Harmony, making even advanced features more accessible. It will be ideal for speeding up your workflow, understanding the product faster, and unlocking the full potential of every image.

 

Get More Editing Power at Your Fingertips

As mentioned, the Luminar Ecosystem includes a mobile app that brings powerful editing tools directly to your device. With features like Enhance AI, Structure, Sky AI, and advanced portrait tools, you can edit with precision anytime, anywhere. Full RAW support, crop, erase, and curves adjustments give you complete creative control on the move. 

For its convenience and versatility, it was recognised as Best Multi-Device App of 2025 by Google Play. Luminar Mobile is available for iPhone, iPad, Android devices, and ChromeOS, allowing you to edit wherever you are on your preferred device.

 

Seamlessly Integrate Luminar into Your Existing Workflow

Beyond the powerful new features, the Luminar Ecosystem is built to fit effortlessly into the editing setup you already rely on. 

It can function as a standalone editor or as a plugin for Photoshop or Lightroom, allowing you to incorporate its AI tools into your existing workflow without disruption.

Preset collections, advanced masking, and layer support give you creative control, while AI-driven enhancements save time and maintain quality. Whether you’re working on portraits, landscapes, or creative composites, Luminar Ecosystem adapts to your needs—streamlining the editing process while giving you powerful tools to explore new styles and techniques.

  A Few Final Words

The Luminar Ecosystem is more than just an editing suite, it’s a full creative platform. From restoring old memories to sculpting light, editing across devices, and sharing work in beautiful web galleries, these tools help both beginners and professionals simplify complex processes and achieve polished results with ease.

Discover the power of AI-driven editing and transform your workflow today. Your memories, stories, and images deserve it.

Click the link below and use code EPHOTOZINE at checkout for 10% off and experience the full power of Luminar Ecosystem today.

Get Luminar Neo

 

Taken during an early morning visit to Hartlepool Headland, Rolling In by DaveRyder shows the sea pushing towards the shore. The headland sets the location, while the main focus is the movement of the water.

A longer exposure smooths the waves into flowing lines across the scene. Dark clouds sit above softer light in the sky, adding contrast, while wind turbines on the horizon give the image a modern touch. Together, these elements create a strong coastal photograph that reflects the conditions well.

Every Photo of the Week (POTW) winner will be rewarded with a Samsung 128GB PRO Plus microSDXC memory card with SD adapter, providing top-tier storage for all your creative needs across multiple devices. But that's not all! In January 2026, we’ll crown our 2025 Photo of the Year winner, who will take home the ultimate prize of a Samsung Portable 1TB SSD T7 Shield, courtesy of Samsung. It’s time to shoot, submit, and showcase your best work for a chance to win these incredible rewards!

 

What planning do you do before going on a landscape shoot?

Always check the weather forecast, and if walking is involved, make sure I know the route. Proper clothing, make sure people know what time I should return, etc.

Although weather plays a great part in landscape photography, I firmly believe there is no such thing as bad weather – simply different types of lighting. Rain, snow, wind etc can all create interesting landscape pictures. In fact, living in the lakes, a clear blue, cloud-free sky is probably my least preferred lighting conditions. Once you get to know an area well, you know what direction light comes from, but I try to go on every shoot with a totally open mind, I hate pre-planning shots, because when you reach the location, if the light is different from you planned, you feel that you're not getting the shot. I would far sooner react to the light that is there, and work with what is available to create the style and type of shot that works on that day.

That's not to say some lighting conditions suit certain locations better than others – I have my favourite spots for rainy days, and I have some shots I am still waiting for the 'right' light after many years.
 

What are your top 6 tips for landscape photography?

 

Tip 1

Learn the rules of composition - golden mean, rules of thirds, lead lines and so on, then compose your pictures as you see fit. I believe in balance of the picture, which may break all of the rules, but for good reason.

 

Tip 2

Don't limit yourself to the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset – you waste far too much of the day. Great pictures can be taken at any hour – there are a few barns in the Lakes which make great features in a landscape, where the light hits them perfectly between 12 noon and 1pm.

 

Tip 3

When you see a picture, take it – get the shot – even handheld if necessary. I see too many photographers spend an age setting up the tripod, selecting the right lens, deciding which graduated filter to use, fitting the grad, taking the meter reading, then missing the shot because the light has changed. Get a shot in the bank, then take more care to get another, if the light has held on – you might have a winner, if the light's gone, at least you have a shot!

 

Tip 4

Never refer to weather as dull – if you think "dull" you will take "dull" pictures – because you'll go out with the wrong attitude. All weather conditions can give fabulous landscape shots – never pre-plan a shot on the basis of weather and lighting, because if it is different from what you planned, you may overlook even better opportunities for outstanding images.

 

Tip 5

Try to get as much right in camera – I tidy up foregrounds, use the appropriate colour balance (often preset), and I hear all the time - “I can sort that out in PhotoShop” If you start out lazy in your approach, things will just get sloppy. Also, it means I need to spend less time sitting in front of a computer sorting out pictures and can spend more time out taking photos.

 

Tip 6

Taking a digital picture costs nothing, if you're unsure about depth of field, take a range of shots at varying apertures, it's easier to select the best looking shot on a huge computer screen than on the back of your camera, and many a good shot has been lost because of too little (or too much) depth of field.

  Article by John Gravett of Lakeland Photographic Holidays - www.lakelandphotohols.com

Shooting successful landscapes in black and white is not quite as easy as it might seem. I have to admit that when I first started photographing landscapes with black and white film, I was so disappointed with the results that I gave up for several years. What I didn’t realise is that I was breaking one simple rule that if I had understood it, would have made life much simpler. Basically, my images lacked separation.

 

 

The Fundamental Rule Of Black And White

To achieve a good black and white image you need to have separation between the elements in the frame. If you can’t distinguish or find it difficult to distinguish between the elements the image will lack impact and the viewer will struggle to understand it. The problem I had and one that many people trying to shoot black and white landscapes have is that whilst in colour the different elements are easy to see. Once converted to black and white, many of the tones of the landscape blend together.

 

What’s needed are ways to separate the elements for the viewer. Here are some ideas to help you.

  1. Conversion

The tools we now have available in the digital darkroom make life much easier. Ideally, you need a conversion technique that allows you to target different colours so they appear as different tones in the final image. For example, you might darken a blue sky whilst lightening grass and foliage. If you were using black and white film you would use a Green or Yellow filter to achieve this effect but tools such as Photoshop and Lightroom make this easy to achieve.

A further tip you might like to try is selectively changing the colour for some areas of your image. This will make them respond differently during the conversion to Black and White and help provide separation.

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2. Composition

Strong composition can also help in separating the elements of the image even where they might have similar tones. One good way to ensure a good composition for black and white is to include a strong foreground interest. Seek out strong shapes in the landscape such as walls and trees that might provide a leading line into the landscape. Strong distinctive shapes are easier for the eye to pick out and understand even when the tones are similar.

In this example, I have used the strong shape of the rocks to provide bold foreground interest. I have also used other techniques discussed below to enhance the separation of objects in the scene.
 

3. Contrast

This can be a problem with many black and white landscape images. I find the elements within the frame will become much more distinct when the contrast-enhanced. In the film world, we would use a coloured filter such as a Yellow, Orange or Red placed in front of the lens to help boost contrast. We might also use exposure techniques and higher contrast papers when printing in the darkroom.

In the digital age, the easiest way to add contrast is by applying an S-Curve in your editing package. Also, don’t overlook Midtone contrast as this can really add to the monochrome landscape image. The easiest way to add Midtone contrast is in RAW conversion software that has a Clarity slider, which is essentially the same thing. In the following image of the Polish Tetras, I have significantly boosted the Midtone contrast to help provide some separation between the trees which would otherwise blend into a solid grey tone.
 

4. Dodge & Burn

The technique of dodging and burning an image has been around from the early days of photography and was used extensively by masters such as Ansel Adams. In this image, I have created a conversion that deliberately darkened the ground to create a contrast with the waterfall. I then used the dodge and burn tools in Photoshop to emphasise this as well as lightening selected areas of grass. When you dodge and burn an image it helps to create the feeling of interest in the scene for the viewer.
 

So remember the rule; if you want to capture strong black and white landscapes you need to separate the elements in the frame.

Words and images by Robin Whalley   

Snow can be quite tricky to capture and can leave many beginner photographers asking questions. To help them out, here we will answer some of the most frequently asked questions about snow photography.

 

Photo by David Pritchard

Why can snow appear grey?
This is because your camera's metering system is fooled by the highly reflective tones of the white snow.

As Pete said in a previous article: "All cameras have built in metering systems that are designed to deliver a perfect picture assuming the contrast range is normal. They do this by scrambling the tones and then adjust so the scrambled colour brightness is mid-grey or average. This is fine when the subject has a wide tonal range with everything from black to white being present, but when the subject is predominantly white, such as snow, the camera underexposes so that the white becomes grey."

If you are using a compact camera it most likely has a snow scene mode and by switching to this, your once grey snow should appear white.

For those using more advanced cameras you can get around this by adjusting the exposure compensation setting to either  plus 1 or two stops depending on the amount of snow in the picture.

if your camera has the exposure lock feature, which is usually set by half-pressing the shutter button, point it at a mid-tone in your scene, lock the exposure then recompose your shot.

Why can snow appear blue?
As mentioned above, the camera sees the snow as a mid-tone and underexposes the shot as a result. When your camera does this on a day when you're shooting under a blue sky, you'll end up with blue snow as the scene's being lit by sun reflecting off the sky. You can do as we mentioned above and use exposure compensation or you can try switching from auto white balance to shade. Alternatively, if you shoot in RAW you can make changes to the colour balance quite easily once you're back in front of your computer.

 

Why does my snow shoot look boring?
As mentioned above, stopping the exposure down a little to give a little more depth and atmosphere to the shot should stop your scene appearing as a bland, boring scene of white that doesn't have much difference in tone.

Another reason that your shot may look a little boring is that there's nothing to break the blank white scene up.  Walls, trees, rocks or even people can be used to add a bit of contrast to the scene.

 

Why has my lens steamed up?
Moving from indoors to the cold outdoors can result in fogged-up lenses. As a result you need to let your camera acclimatise before taking photos. Try to avoid wiping the condensation off with a cloth as this can lead to smudges which can be visible in your shots.

 

How can I stop the sky looking boring and grey?
This is a common problem when trying to take snowy photos, as most of the time when it's snowing, the sky will be very overcast and cloudy. To get around this, why not wait until it stops snowing and the sky clears a little. A blue sky will improve your snowy scene, just remember what we said about checking your white balance.

If you do want to shoot while the snow is falling, make sure you turn your flash off because the flash will reflect off the nearby flakes making the picture full of large blurry blobs that distract, plus your image will be dark. A better way to capture snow falling is to put your camera on a tripod and use slower shutter speeds. Take a look at these examples that show a snow shot taken with flash and one without:

 

 

 

What equipment might I need to improve my shots?

Tripod – As mentioned above, this will be great for if you want to capture slow shutter speed shots to really capture the snowflakes falling and create a sense of heavy snow. You may need your camera's inbuilt spirit level if it has one, to make sure your tripod is straight in the snow.

Filters – Graduated grey filters are ideal for darkening light skies to create moody shots.

Rain Sleeve – If you're planning to stay out in falling snow for a long time with your camera out, then you should consider keeping it dry, as after a while snow will start to melt on your camera. The rain sleeve will keep your camera safe while still allowing you to access all your camera settings. If you have a smaller camera and want extra protection against the elements, then you could improvise and use a freezer bag with a hole cut out for the lens. Although this isn't as waterproof!   

 

When you're new to photography and are not quite ready to venture into the manual world, the basic shooting modes available on your camera's dial can help you get a better photo, in certain situations. These are pre-programmed modes which can be used to shoot a particular subject or scene.

Almost all digital cameras these days will have at least macro, sport, landscape, night, movie and portrait modes. Plus, there are a few modes/features that are individual to each camera.

These scene modes are usually easy to find on your camera. They will either be found on the wheel which sits on the top of your camera or they will be clearly marked on the camera's menu system.

Your camera's manual will give you more details on specific modes but to get you started, here's a quick rundown of what popular modes are available and when you'd use them:

 

Portrait Mode

Portrait mode's obviously for portraits and it tells your camera you're photographing a subject where you want the background to be blurred so all attention falls on them. By selecting this mode, the camera picks a larger aperture (smaller f-number) to throw the background out of focus.

 

 

Sports Mode (Action)

This tells the camera to use a quicker shutter speed so you can freeze the action/movement in front of you. It's designed to be used with moving subjects so try it out when you're by the football pitch or capturing cars at the go-kart track. Having a camera with fast AF, such as those available in the NX series, will also increase your chances of capturing a sharp action shot.

 

 

Beach/Snow Mode

Beach scene shooting mode is as the name suggests a mode to use when shooting pictures on a beach. Sand reflects a lot of light and fools cameras into underexposing so the shot comes out dark. When sand is recorded dark it looks muddy and not the lovely golden yellow depending on the time of day and weather conditions. The Beach scene mode increases the exposure slightly to compensate but also adjusts the white balance to make the sand look more natural. This mode is sometimes combined with a Snow scene mode which causes similar exposure problems for a camera. It's great for quick snaps on the beach when you're out on day trips or on holiday with your family.

 

 

Landscape Mode

This tells the camera you want front-to-back sharpness so it will select a smaller aperture (larger f-number) to give you this. This mode sometimes boosts the greens in an image as you'll tend to be shooting scenes that have more of this shade in it with this mode. Be careful if it's a little dull though as the camera may use a slower shutter speed due to the smaller aperture size which can result in shake if you're not using a tripod.

 

 

Macro Mode (Close Up)

When shooting insects, flowers, coins and other small objects, this is the mode you want. Different cameras will have a different macro focusing distance but all of them do let your camera know you'll be shooting something that's small and fairly close to your lens, with a narrow depth of field. A tripod will be a big help when working in this mode as the tiniest of movements can cause your shot to go out of focus.

 

 

Movie Mode

This mode lets you shoot short videos with sound. Some cameras also capture HD movies. 
 

Other Modes that feature on some cameras include:

• Panoramic – Create wide-screen shots by simply choosing the Panorama Mode while moving the camera in the direction you want. 
• Kids/Pets Mode – This is similar to Action/Sport Mode as it is designed to help you capture fast-moving objects by quickening the shutter speed.
• Fireworks Mode – Obviously, it's for photographing fireworks but it can also be used for light painting too.
• Sunset – to help you capture the colours of a sunset in all its glory
• Dawn – for those photographers who get up early to shoot their landscapes
• Text - photograph text in documents clearly and easily with this mode.