Photography News

 

For many of us, when we decide to get out and about with our cameras we automatically turn to the countryside. But with the majority of the population living within easy reach of a major Town or City, is that really the right decision? It’s great fun just walking around a city taking shots of literally everything but if you want to capture great images you need to go with a plan and a bag of kit including a couple of lenses and a tripod.

 

1. Think About Your Equipment

 

Don’t take lots of equipment just in case you might miss a shot, rather modify your subject matter and shooting style to suit the kit you have with you. This minimalist approach to shooting can help improve your success ratio.

2. Don't Get Overwhelmed 

 

Cities have so much variety to offer the photographer that it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the choice. My favoured approach is to pick one or possibly two themes and then explore an area looking to fulfil this self-imposed brief. 

 

3. Stay Safe

 

Where possible I like to shoot with a second person, especially if going out of the main shopping areas. Camera equipment is expensive and pulling out a new DSLR with a huge lens makes you stand out. Whilst I often like to carry my gear in a backpack I will also use a shoulder bag which I always ensure has my head through the strap as well as my shoulder. This makes it easily accessible and less of a target for potential thieves.

 

4. Theme Choices 

 

Dereliction is a popular choice and you don’t always need to leave the main area. The above shot also demonstrates how buildings reflect the way we live with the covering of posters, which is another possible theme.

There are many old and new iconic buildings and these can produce some great images especially if the light is right. Watch out also for the past icons that have become worn and faded. 

Patterns are another great subject. Cities are literally awash with patterns everywhere you look. For example, a simple set of steps and handrails probably won’t win any prizes but it's the perfect example of how patterns can be found in the simplest of objects. 

Follow your common sense and you will have a great day and capture some wonderful images.

 

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

[SECTION]INTRODUCTION[/SECTION]

 

 

Quick Verdict

A big, heavy but keenly designed powerhouse of a camera from Leica. It handles well, produces superb results and should stand up well to the harshest uses and environments.

 

It seems several themes have been emerging in the Leica family. We have the M series rangefinder style, the DSLR/Mirrorless style and cameras with or without that famous Red Dot. The new 44.9MP SL3-P combines the understated (no red dot) and the bold and brash LEICA name emblazoned on what would have been the front of the pentaprism in a DSLR. A hybrid in many senses of the word, let's see if this new Leica hits the spot, not only for photographers but also for videographers.

 

Leica SL3-P Features

First impressions are that this is a large camera/lens combination. Although we start with a reasonable 768g for body only, if we add the battery, an SD card and the Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH lens, we are now wielding a rather heftier 1702g. That does not even include the metal lens hood, which was not sent with the review sample. The size of the camera is part of this bulk, but of course its all metal Magnesium/Aluminium construction clinches it. It may be heavy, but it is solidly made. Leica are confident to offer IP54-rated dust and moisture resistance. Operation is from -10C to +40C, so a wide range of conditions can be handled. Dimensions are 141.2 x 108.0 x 84.6mm.

There is a full-frame 44.9MP BSI CMOS sensor, plus Leica's Maestro IV processor. 5-axis IBIS is improved and now offers a 5 stop advantage. Speed is also increased to 40fps with full AF.

 

 

There are two card slots, one for CF Express Type B (recommended) and one for SD cards. SD/SDHC/SDXC, UHS-I and UHS-II (recommended) SD cards are supported. Connectivity is via the ISO Accessory Shoe, HDMI 2.1 Type A, USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C, plus a communication interface in the baseplate for the multifunctional handgrip.  Bluetooth and WiFi are included. The Leica FOTOS App offers remote control, fast data transfer, geotagging and firmware updates. There is camera-to-cloud with Adobe Frame.io plus native tethering for Capture One and Lightroom Classic. There is also a synch jack/timecode interface.

The top plate carries a small info screen plus two large dials. These actually work extremely well, the left dial controlling ISO and the right dial controlling exposure compensation. Aperture is via a thumb wheel and being able to adjust how the controls operate means matching the direction of travel of the dials with other cameras that might be owned makes for faster and more intuitive handling. There are two small buttons, the first for toggling the info screen display and the second to bring up a menu covering the white balance settings.

 

 

The OLED EVF is simply brilliant, with its 5.76M dots showing masses of detail without any strain on the eyes. Frame rate is 60fps or 120fps, so fast action can be followed. The 100% view has a magnification of 0.76x. The 3.2” tilting monitor is touch sensitive and has 2,332,800 dots.

The back of the camera is also sheer simplicity in its approach. Play, FN and Menu buttons cover most areas, plus the small joystick that is neatly tucked away at the top to avoid accidental operation. The monitor is also touch sensitive.

The large lithium ion battery is housed in the baseplate but only offers 383 shots (CIPA standards), although this is an improvement on the Leica SL3-S.

The camera may be heavy, but there is no doubting the solidity of the construction. However, ergonomically everything is well designed and the working procedures are smooth and efficient. Switching from Photo to Video gives a whole new set of parameters that are video appropriate. The camera temperature may be a limiting factor here as there is no cooling system provided.

 

 

Leica SL3-P Key Features

• L Mount
• 44.9MP BSI CMOS sensor
• 40fps with full AF
• 176MP multi-shot mode
• Maestro IV processor
• Shutter speeds 1/8000s to 60m (mechanical shutter)
• Shutter speeds 1/16000 to 30s (electronic shutter)
• 5-axis IBIS 5 stops
• Subject detection: Human eye/face/body; Human eye/face; Animal body; Animal eye/body; Car; Car parts
• ISO range 50-200,000 (Extended)
• CF Express Cards Type B (recommended)
• SD Memory Cards: UHS-II (recommended), UHS-I, SD/SDHC/SDXC
• OLED EVF 5.76M dots
• Tilt 3.2” LCD Touch screen 2,336,800 dots
• Top display 1.28” Mono LCD 128 x 128 pixels
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• Synch jack/timecode interface
• 8K Open Gate video recording
• ProRes
• Leica Content Credentials
• Leica FOTOS App (Remote control, fast data transfer, geotagging and firmware updates)
• Leica Looks presets
• Camera-to-cloud with AdobeFrame.io
• Native tethering for Capture One and Lightroom Classic
• Operating range -10C to +40C
• 141.2 x 108.0 x 84.6mm
• 768g (no card, battery or cover)
• IP54 dust and water sealing
• Battery Leica BP-SCL6, 383 shots

 

Leica SL3-P Handling

There is certainly something to be said for a large, heavy camera. This does tend to equal solidity and stability and it may be easier to handhold such a camera without causing shake. The reverse of this means the irony of a small, light camera being potentially more in need of a tripod than the Leica is. Apart from the test shots and anywhere a consistent composition is needed (such as the series of bokeh shots) there seems little pressing need for carrying a tripod when travelling with the SL3-P.

The camera is a fine example of minimalism, lowering even its obvious credentials by removing the famous red spot. It must be said though that this is undone rather by emblazoning the front of the body with a large, very obvious white LEICA. Subtlety goes out of the window...No matter, nobody commented unless they were just pretending not to notice.

The various controls can be adjusted as to function, direction of travel, and thus the camera can be personalised to suit. Having done this, it really does all fit together extremely well and the ergonomics of the design are solid.

The one thing I might change is the firmness of the small joystick. It did not prove to be a problem, but its gentle resistance could be increased to bring it more into line with the other controls.

 

[SECTION]PERFORMANCE[/SECTION]

 

Leica SL3-P Performance

The performance section is where we look at the image quality performance of the camera. Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.
 

Leica SL3-P Sample Photos Previous Next

 

Lens Performance – The lens provided for this review was the Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH and the full review can be found here. The lens was a superb performer, summarised below:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Leica SL3-P ISO test images Previous Next

 

ISO Performance – Noise levels become lower and lower and the freedom this gives the photographer is a powerful tool. Coupled with image stabilisation, there are many situations where the tripod can almost be banished into the realms of history. Up to ISO 1600 images are clean. ISO 3200 to 12500 are showing slight noise levels but are very usable. Above that, the darker areas of an image merge more and more into the background noise and these highest settings are only really suitable for emergency use. A noisy but sharp image may still be preferable to a low noise mushy effect.

 

Leica SL3-P White-balance test images Previous Next

 

White Balance – There are various white balance presets. On offer are AWB, Daylight, Cloudy, Shadow, Tungsten, HMI, Fluorescent warm, Fluorescent cool, Flash, Greycard Pipette, Grey Card and Manual K setting. All the settings can be tweaked to taste. HMI refers to a specific range of continuous lighting and there is merit in the idea of having this very specific white balance available as a preset. Daylight and Cloudy are useful to preserve unusual lighting effects, the latter especially attractive when warming portraits. The shade setting is ideal for those hunting fungi in dark woodland, thus avoiding the usual purple cast that can be found. All the white balance presets seem to be on the warm side, giving an attractive look to images.

 

Leica SL3-P Digital filters Previous Next

 

Digital Filters – There are few options provided in terms of digital filters, being restricted to a selection of film styles: standard, vivid, natural and monochrome. We can now add to this Leica Looks, a selection of image style "recipes" that can be downloaded via the Leica FOTOS App.

 

Video –  The list of video specs is long, but the basics are:

• 8K Open Gate recording in 3:2 native format
• Vertical formats
• 5.9K 60p
• 4K 120p
• HDMI 2.1 Type A
• USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C
• Synch jack/timecode interface
• Audio output/input 3.5mm jack
• ISO accessory shoe
• Video formats:     MP4 h.265 AAC 48kHz/16-bit

                                                 MP4 h.264 AAC 48kHz/16-bit

• Video colour space: Rec 709/Rec 2020 (HLG/L-Log)

Whilst clearly being video capable, there is no cooling system in the camera, so recording times may be relatively limited to 25 minutes or so.

 

[SECTION]VERDICT[/SECTION]

 

 

Value For Money

The [AMUK]Leica SL3-P|Leica+SL3-P[/AMUK] is priced at £5150, body only. There are three kit options:

• with 24-70mm, £6480
• with 24-70mm and 70-200mm, £8560
• with 28-70mm, £6100

Competitive mirrorless cameras include:

• [AMUK]Leica SL3|Leica+SL3[/AMUK], £5920
• [AMUK]Leica SL3-S|Leica+SL3-S[/AMUK], £4500
• [AMUK]Nikon Z8|Nikon+Z8[/AMUK], £2749
• [AMUK]Nikon Z9|Nikon+Z9[/AMUK], £4399
• [AMUK]Sony A7 V|Sony+A7+V[/AMUK], £2799
• [AMUK]Sony A1 II|Sony+A1+II[/AMUK], £5699
• [AMUK]Sony A9 III|Sony+A9+III[/AMUK], £5699

Value at these levels is all about perceptions and whether or not a camera fulfils its desired function. If used professionally, then differences in price will soon be forgotten as the kit earns its living.

 

Leica SL3-P Verdict

With its generous 44.9MP sensor, fast operation and encouraging video capability, the Leica SL3-P has much to offer both stills photographers and videographers. There is no doubting Leica's ability to manufacture cameras and lenses of the highest calibre and the expertise as regards the electronics has been equally well mastered. The best of the SL3-P can be realised using the Leica FOTOS App, a sign of the times, but a direction that offers continuing cutting-edge capability.

The price is of course high, but in fact other marques are now pricing their own high end kit at similar levels, so the Leica becomes more affordable compared to its peers. It may be big, it may be heavy but it has many attractive design details that make the Leica experience a very satisfying one. It can be Highly Recommended.

  Leica SL3-P Pros

• Superb manufacturing quality
• 44.9MP CMOS sensor
• Hybrid design
• IP54 Dust and Moisture resistance
• Ultra fast 40fps shooting with full AF
• 8K Open Gate video
• Leica Content Credentials
• Leica Looks
• Leica FOTOS App
• 5 Axis IBIS
• Leica image quality

 

  Leica SL3-P Cons

• Bulk and weight
• Price

 

[REVIEW_FOOTER]R_features=4.5|R_handling=4|R_performance=5|R_value=4|R_overall=4.5|A_level=4.5|A_text=Leica quality with fast and responsive operation for both stills and video.|E_id=8016[/REVIEW_FOOTER]

 

View the Leica SL3-P camera specs in the equipment database.

.borders { border: 1px solid #ccc !important; border-collapse: collapse; } .borders td,.borders tr { border: 1px solid #ccc !impor

A technically fine portrait sits on your screen. Nothing wrong with it, nothing exciting about it either, and that flat middle ground is exactly where most people stop editing. 

[Read More]

Photo by Joshua Waller

1. Start With The Basics

Once you get your camera out of its bag it's easy to keep clicking the shutter button and forget you need to check backgrounds, subject position etc. Always look for shooting locations where the background isn't full of distracting objects that clutter the scene and where possible, put some distance between your subject and the background. This will not only add depth but it'll also make it easier to throw the background out of focus. If you're using a compact this can be done via Portrait mode. For those with more advanced cameras, this means choosing a wider aperture. It's also important to focus on your subject's eyes and even if you're shooting a friend or family member, don't forget to keep giving direction.
 

2. Natural Light Is Free

Where possible it's best to avoid using your camera's built-in flash for portraits as most of the time, the results won't be very professional-looking. Instead, make the most of window light which will help you create portraits to be proud of. North facing windows are perfect but you can use any that aren't in the direct path of the sun. Overcast days are great for this as light is naturally diffused but you can get a similar effect by hanging voile or something similar. 

If your house lights are on, switch them off and do clean the window before you begin!

A reflector will come in handy for adding light to the side of your model's face not next to the window, balancing the exposure in the process. You can buy reflectors but they can just as easily be created from a piece of white card, foil etc.

Try spot metering off your model's face then have fun experimenting with composition. Tight crops on the face work well but do try using the window to help frame a couple of your shots. 
 

3. Want More Impact?

Full-length portraits work well but for something that has more 'Pow' behind it, move in close. If your subject and yourself are comfortable doing so this could mean physically moving closer together or reach for a longer zoom lens if your model feels more comfortable with a wider working distance. Something around the 85-135mm mark is a popular choice for headshots but do be careful with your shutter speeds when using longer lenses if working hand-held.

Photo by Joshua Waller
 

4. Don't Want To Give So Much Direction?

The simple answer is to try a candid approach and shoot often so you don't miss any moments.

Try using a wider lens when working outdoors or at busy events such as a wedding as people won't think you're taking their photo if the lens isn't directly pointed at them so will stay relaxed. Longer lenses will allow you to stay out of sight but still give you the chance to focus on one or two individuals. For compact users, why not switch to P mode so you can focus on getting the shot rather than on what settings you need.

If you're working with children you could give them a task to do such as build a tower with bricks or kick a ball around outside to give you the opportunity to shoot some fun, in-the-moment photos which they won't even notice you're doing as they'll be too distracted with the task in-hand.
 

5. Get Creative

Whether it's adding fun props, creating interesting backgrounds with bokeh or using art filter and frames, there's plenty of ways to get creative with your portraits. Many cameras feature Art Filters which will give your portraits a twist. This could be adding a vignette, changing the images to black and white or simply adding a sepia tone and grain to give it a vintage feel. 

To have fun with bokeh you can head out at night or use some colourful stringed lights (the type you dig out of the loft at Christmas) and drape them over a dark background. You then need to put a few meters between the background and your subject to increase the bokeh effect.

 

You need to use your lens at its widest aperture and focus on your subject. A small portable light is handy for illuminating the front of your subject but do be careful with the positioning of the light as you don't want any light to shine on the background. Watch your white balance then experiment with framing to change the pattern created by the lights in the background. 
 

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

 

Trees are something nearly all photographers use in their images at some point. They add interest to landscapes, are used as backgrounds for fashion shoots and nature photographers get up close to the bark and leaves which are various animals and insects call their home. If photographing a tree's not something you've done before or you're looking for a little inspiration on how you can shoot them differently take a look at our top ten list of effective/interesting ways to photograph trees.

 

1.Include The Foreground

 

Before you head for the centre of the forest take the time to walk around the edge of it to find a good spot where you can capture a few shots that have foreground interest. By adding detail in the foreground you add depth to the image and give the shot a sense of scale which gives the composition more impact.

If you're working with just one tree try positioning it in the left or right third of the frame. As well as using a field as your foreground, which works particularly well in winter when there's a fresh covering of snow, try and find a lake or large pool of water which can add another dimension to the image with the reflection of the forest in it.

 

2. Take A Look At The Roots

 

Look out for patterns created by roots, especially those from beech which are often unearthed from weather erosion of the soil. For a more unusual perspective, use a wide-angle lens as in the shot below to curve the background. You can get colour cast from the green canopy above your head as the image below right demonstrates. If you find a tree on its side try to fill the frame with the patterns created by the overlapping/twisting roots. You may also find insect activity you can photograph in among them.
 

3. Get In Among The Trees

 

Use a long lens in dense wood to create a dramatic perspective, making the tree stumps look as though they are stacked on top of each other. These areas will make interesting patterns just remember to use a telephoto lens to compress the trees. Overcast days when the light is soft are good for this but don't overlook misty/foggy mornings later on in the year. This works particularly well when the wooded area's particularly thick but as fog acts like a softbox and can lower the contrast of your surroundings, you can end up with rather long exposure times. Trees in mist can look great silhouetted too but do take care with your exposure. Try opening up by one stop to prevent a dark grey sky appearing and a complete silhouette forming.

 

4. Add People, Buildings Or Other Structures

 

Give your image scale by adding other objects or people into the scene and look for man-made objects such as benches or even statues as these will contrast well against the soft colours of nature. If you're in a park try shooting a few candid portraits of the people walking through and under the trees. This will add an extra element of interest and get the viewer thinking about who they are, where they're going etc.

 

5. Focus On The Bark

 

The patterns in the bark vary from tree to tree. The smooth grey of beech, to the peeling white of silver birch, the cracked patterns of the pine and the deeply rutted elm. Try framing very tightly so you don't see the edges of the tree stump and use a small aperture to cope with the rounded shape and ensure it's all in focus. Trunks made up of particularly thick bark that has deep lines make interesting patterns when you shoot with a tight frame. Bark also makes great textures which you can overlay with other shots. Finally, if you're using a compact camera remember to switch to Macro mode to get closer to the bark.

 

6. Take A Look At The Leaves

 

From the trunk, move up to the branches and focus on the leaves. Again you could move in really close and create patterns from the veins or step back slightly and record the whole shape. Maple like leaves of trees such as sycamore is the most interesting with their five tips, but great results can also be achieved from more ordinary oval and round leaves.

Try shooting with the sun behind the leaves which will make them glow. Position yourself so the sun is shielded from the camera by a branch to avoid flare or use your hand or lens hood to provide protection. Backlit leaves can look particularly amazing during the autumn months when the leaves take on their yellow and orange shades. Other close-ups that are gagging to be photographed are the fruit, berries and cones.

 

7. Look For A Single Tree

 

 

Trees can be used as points of interest in wide, sweeping landscape shots of fields. They break up long, flat horizons, adding interest and giving scale to the shot. Just remember to keep the space around the tree clean and empty. Vibrant greens or fields of bright flowers or golden crops will give the image more punch while a stormy sky sat behind the lone tree will further enhance the feeling of isolation in the shot.

 

8. Get Up High

 

Gain a high vantage point and shoot a woodland canopy, again depending on the time of year you could either create a lush green spread or a wildly varied collection of browns in autumn. Try shooting from a nearby hillside and use a small aperture to ensure everything from the foreground to the background is sharp.

 

9. Try A Different Angle

 

Some nature reserves with woodland areas have bridges which take you along the top of the trees. Take advantage of this, shooting through the branches and leaves. You can use them as a natural frame to guide the eye to another focus point or just fill the frame with the interesting patterns you find from the branches twisting and overlapping.

If it's safe to do so and you're brave enough, you could try climbing up a smaller tree but don't put yourself in danger. Back on the ground look for trees decorated with dappled light or get low to the ground and shoot up into the canopy. If you have a blue sky, green leaves will contrast well against it and by using a wide-angle lens, the trunks of the trees will look like they're almost falling out of the image due to the effect wide-angle lens have on verticals. Don't think this is a bad thing as actually it can make a really interesting shot.

 

10. Timelapse / Seasonal Shots

 

Capturing the changes in the leaves as we move from season to season is an interesting project that just needs a bit of patience and a spot you can return to again and again to take your shots. It's often easier to focus on just one leaf but you can record more if you so wish. Make sure you use a tripod and try and make a note of the exact point you took your first shot from or, if you're in your own garden, you could always make a mark so you know where your tripod needs to be. It'll also help if the spot you pick is sheltered so the project doesn't come to an end too early if the wind blew the leaf off the tree prematurely.

Once you're set up you can record the leaves changing from the rich green shades we see in summer to the golden shades of autumn before it falls off during the winter months. As spring arrives and the buds break, you could try recording a sequence of photographs showing the various stages of the bud appearing, breaking and the leaf unfolding. Taking things a stage further find a position where you can fill the frame with the whole tree and photograph it as a lush green canopy, then the vivid autumn browns and finally a snow-covered version in winter.

 

A German appeals court has ruled that turning a copyrighted photograph into an AI-generated comic-style image does not automatically infringe the photographer's rights. The decision came out of a dispute over an underwater shot of a dog reaching for a red toy.

 

[Read More]

Apple has launched a leasing program that lets you pay monthly for a Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Apple Watch and return or swap the device when the term ends. The program is backed by Klarna, runs only in the United States for now, and replaces the decade-old iPhone Upgrade Program.

 

[Read More]

The way most photographers talk about sensor size gives the game away. There is a ladder in their heads. Phone at the bottom, then the little compacts, then Micro Four Thirds, then APS-C, then the promised land of full frame, and you climb it as you get more serious, upgrading rung by rung until you arrive. Buying a full frame body is treated as a graduation. You were an enthusiast on a crop sensor; now you are a real photographer. 

[Read More]

AI is not replacing photographers equally. It is changing the market value of every skill the profession is built on, separating those that were tied to the camera from those that will matter even more.

 

Ordinary photographs were always replaceable. Labor just hid it. A competent landscape took skill, time, and equipment, and that effort was treated as value even when the image itself was interchangeable. The market paid for the labor, not the photograph.

[Read More]

Picking between two Canon telephoto zooms for wildlife comes down to a question that sounds simple and isn't: do you want more reach or better glass? One gives you 800mm in a package that's hard to match anywhere else, and the other gives you L-series quality with a wider low end. 

[Read More]

The tragedy is believing that loving cameras is the same thing as loving photography. 

[Read More]

A 12 to 20mm zoom range on a full frame camera pulls in a field of view most lenses can only dream of, and pairing that with a constant f/2.8 aperture opens doors for astrophotography and low-light work. Tamron built its new 12-20mm f/2.8 around exactly that combination, and it arrives with a shorter name and a longer feature list than the brand's older lenses. 

[Read More]

A $275 lens outscoring an $850 one on nearly every practical count is the kind of result that changes how you shop for an 85mm portrait prime. The Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 S built its reputation on being a premium f/1.8 option, and now Viltrox is aiming straight at it with a smaller, cheaper alternative. 

[Read More]

A photographer critiquing a stranger's early work is common enough, but here the images being torn apart turn out to be his own from 15 years ago. The fixes are the same ones any photographer can apply to their own portraits right now. 

[Read More]

Landscapes taken in colour are great but if you convert or shoot your landscapes in mono, textures shapes, patterns etc. appear more prominently and have a stronger impact on the viewer. Mono's not something that works for every shot, as we'll explain alongside a few other tips that'll help make your mono work shine.

1. Depth Of Field

As with all landscape subjects, before taking your shot, know if you want a shallow or wide depth of field. Wider is good when you have several points of interest throughout the image as you need everything in the frame to be sharp.

2. In-Camera Or Conversion?

It is up to you whether you shoot black & white in-camera or make your mono conversions on the computer when you're back home. Just remember if you shoot monochrome Jpegs you won't be able to get the colour back later if you don't like the black & white shot so it's worth considering shooting in raw which takes us nicely onto point 3.

3. Consider Using Raw

Switching to raw from Jpeg will increase the range of tones recorded, plus you can rescue more detail from an under- or overexposed shot when you open a raw file up on your computer.

4. Composition & Shapes

Clean, simple composition is the way to go when you're working in monochrome as the conversion of tones from colour to black & white don't always stand out as well and it can be hard to distinguish between different parts of the shot. If you don't use strong structures and familiar shapes such as trees, rocks and architecture, your shot can lose impact and as a result, not be as interesting.
 

5. Patterns & Lines

Look for repetitive patterns and strong lines that can help draw people into the image while strong foreground interest and lead-in lines will further help guide the eye from the front to the back of your shot.

6. Colour & Tones

Do remember that some tones which can easily be picked out when you're working in colour, such as light blues and yellows, will look almost the same when you convert them to monochrome.

7. Cloud Detail

Skies dotted with white clouds are perfect for black & white landscapes as the contrast between the white clouds and what turns into a dark grey or even black sky creates plenty of mood.

8.Time Of Day

Although black & white shots are slightly more forgiving than coloured shots when it comes to shooting closer to midday, the best time of day to shoot is either is just after dawn or before dusk, to get low angled glancing light. An hour or two before sunset when the sun is slightly lower in the sky will give more definition to the shapes that sit in your foreground.

 

9. Get The Exposure Right

Keep an eye on your meter readings as it's easy to over- / underexpose the shot, losing the mood and detail you're looking for as a result. Your histogram can be a useful tool if you find it tricky to see if a shot is under or overexposed. It's worth turning on your camera's highlight warning option, too so you can see if any areas of your shot are 'blinking' and as a result, you'll know you need to adjust your exposure.

10. Editing Images

Thanks to the digital age, tweaking images so they're a little darker or lighter in places is something we can all do. To add more contrast to your monochrome images make a simple S-Curve adjustment or try to adjust colours individually so you can, for example, darken the blue of the sky but make the grass slightly lighter. Another way to adjust the shadows/highlights in your shot is with the Dodge and Burn tools. The Dodge tool will lighten parts of the image while the Burn tool will darken the shot. You use them just as you do the Paintbrush tool, changing the brushes' strength, opacity and size as needed. Work slowly with these brushes as if you're too heavy-handed the results can be a little too strong.

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

Somewhere in the path from enthusiast to professional, most photographers absorb a belief they were never quite taught directly: that going pro means owning the holy trinity. A fast wide zoom, a 24-70mm f/2.8, and a 70-200mm f/2.8, all at that magic constant aperture, bought as a set, treated as the cost of admission. The gear becomes a credential. You are not a real professional until the trinity is in the bag. 

[Read More]

A few weeks ago, I was preparing a talk about marketing for photographers when I found myself doing some math on my Instagram account. Like most photographers, I have made social media part of my weekly routine. I create content, respond to comments and messages, post recent work, and generally try to keep the account active. When I sat down and estimated how much time I spend on Instagram, I came up with roughly six hours a week. At first, that didn't feel particularly significant.

 

[Read More]

The Excire Foto 2027 interface is dominated by the central area to show off your images in Gallery view shown here. There is also a new feature called Survey view which shows selected images in an uncluttered environment.

 

It doesn’t matter if you're a photo enthusiast or a working professional, your photographs are invaluable and you should take care of them. Part and parcel of this process is rating, filing and culling your output and any software that helps you do this with greater efficiency and minimal stress is worth knowing.

We tested the award-winning Excire Foto 2025 recently and were impressed by its skills. Uniquely, it uses AI technology to analyze, rate and automatically keyword images and boasts a host of powerful search tools. Check out that review here. It’s a standalone app and for those using Adobe’s Lightroom Classic there is the option of Excire Search 2026 which works as a plug-in. 

The big news is the arrival of Excire’s Foto 2027, a software available for Mac and Windows that includes the core capabilities of Excire Foto 2025 but has added even more ways of searching for images and gives an even better user experience.

Excire Foto 2027 is available at a special launch price of £199 / $219 with the standard price being £229 / $249.

 

Quick Verdict

Excire Foto 2027 is an impressive software that is definitely several steps on from its predecessor, Excire Foto 2025. Survey view, Map view and AI text search are more than useful new features while the core search tools such as Find by Text Prompt, Find Faces and Find by Keyword remain central to the core proposition of Excire Foto 2027. For busy image creators, it’s a software that deserves a serious look.

 

+ Pros

• Works quickly even with massive image collections
• The uncluttered Survey view is excellent
• Map view will appeal to travel and landscape photographers
• Excire Foto 2027 runs locally so your data remains safe
• Excire Foto 2027 is a one-off purchase
• Suits stills and video
• Powerful search tools – text prompt, keyword, GPS, faces, people, similarity, duplicate
• Find by Text is a new search tool that works well
• Auto keywording saves time
• AI-assisted culling
• Aesthetic ratings can save time
• Video playback within the app

 

- Cons

• Excire Foto 2027 is a significant investment 
• Initialising large photo collections takes time but it’s a once only job
• Auto keywording works well with people shots but less well with general shots and scenics
• Aesthetic ratings won’t appeal to everyone

 

 

 

 

Excire Foto 2027 is the new kid on the block but that doesn’t mean Foto 2025 has gone. It remains available at the lower price of £159 for an outright purchase which is good value. So, for example, if you don’t need Map view or text search in Foto 2027 you could save yourself money by buying the older software which we know to be a very capable program that works quickly and has excellent search skills.

However, if Excire Foto 2027 appeals, try it before buying; it’s available on a free 14-day trial.

 

The interface’s top section has a new look in Excire Foto 2027. There’s a content search bar with the options of searching by text in photos, content or metadata. There’s also a timeline graph – the blue columns here.

  Excire Foto 2027 Getting started 

Open Excire Foto 2027 and you are greeted with an interface dominated by a large central area to view images or the map in Map view. This is surrounded by tools and icons but the interface is not as daunting as it is in some apps, probably because Excire has no image editing skills so there’s less to fit in.

You can’t enjoy the benefits of Excire Foto 2027 until your images are initialised which means images are analyzed by AI and keywords and aesthetic ratings are applied.

With Excire Foto 2027 open, go to File>Add folders or use the + symbol in the top left of the interface and that brings up the Add Folder dialogue box with options including Analyze photos and Include Subfolders. 

With a big collection of images, the initialisation process takes time and Excire suggests running the process overnight. That is advice worth heeding especially as you can’t do much in the software while images are being processed. You could of course have initialisation running in the background while you’re working in other apps. 

With the amount of time needed to initialise images I did it in stages. In one session, 127,614 photos took 31 seconds shy of 12 hours. This is a once-only process so once you have initialised your archive adding new images is much quicker. For example, a day’s shoot of 3884 images took just under 16 minutes.

One thing you need to do at the beginning is select a hard drive for Excire’s database. The options come up under File>Open database>Create Folder for new database. The database will grow as images are added so you need a decent amount of hard drive capacity. During this test my database grew to 439,357 images and that took up 108GB. 

You can have more than one database. For example, have one for personal images and another for commissioned work. In my test, I had one big database, and the software was always quick at producing previews with no time lost waiting for previews to sharpen up or even appear, which happens with large Lightroom Classic catalogues.

In my workflow, I store catalogues on an external 2TB NVMe SSD drive in a fan-cooled enclosure connected to the computer’s Thunderbolt 4 port. For this test, I used a M2 Max Mac Studio 32GB RAM running Tahoe 26.2.

 

Survey view can show from a single or several frames to many images. I selected 150 images and I got a view of 103 thumbnails on my 32in screen (right) with the remainder in a queue. If you have several images on show, the remaining previews grow larger as images are rejected.

 

Excire Foto 2027 Key Features

• One-off purchase, no subscription option
• Selection of search tools: Text in photos, text prompt, duplicate, GPS, people, faces, keyword, similar
• Survey view shows selected images against a plain black backdrop
• Organising tools: AI keywording, duplicate search, face-tagging
• Timeline viewing which goes down to days 
• AI-assisted culling 
• Focus peaking feature
• Map view for images with GPS co-ordinates
• Face-sharpness detection
• AI Aesthetic scores
• Ratings, keywords and aesthetic ratings can taken into Lightroom Classic 
• Fast preview rendering
• Raw, PSD, JPEG, TIFF files compatible with Excire Foto 2027 including large files
• Available for Mac and Windows

 

At a glance: Main updates in Excire Foto 2027 compared with Excire Foto 2025

• Text in photos search tool
• Map view
• Survey view for viewing images without distractions
• New Smart filter bar and Timeline Graph
• Focus peaking feature 
• Improved prompt search capabilities

 

New in Excire Foto 2027 is the ability to check critical using focus peaking which has an adjustable threshold. 

 

Excire Foto 2027 Map view

During initialisation, Excire Foto 2027 takes the GPS data from your images and places them on a map so you can see where you took pictures, how many you shot and clicking on the map point shows what you took at that spot. It’s a cool feature.

However, for this test I was stuck because only my iPhone snaps have GPS data, and I had no camera Raws with GPS co-ordinates. I downloaded the Sony Creator app to my iPhone, linked it with the camera by Bluetooth and went out and shot pictures.

Clicking on the Map view icon, which sits at the bottom left of the interface. Zooming in, I could see I had been photographing in London and the number in the single black dot showed I’d shot 491 photos. I had taken many more but for some technical reason (or user error!) the GPS data had not been recorded. This is not an Excire issue and it shows you need to get the technology set up correctly for reliable results. GPS data can be added in Excire Foto 2027’s metadata editor, which is easy to do in bulk although you won’t get street-level detail.

Zooming in much further into street view and the single black blob became many more and I could see how many shots I had taken and where. Location accuracy seemed pretty good although there were some inaccuracies due to GPS issues, but it was more than good enough for general location details.

 

I did a photo walk around London’s Covent Garden. Clicking on each map point, which shows how many were pictures were taken at that spot, changes it from black to blue and the images are shown along the bottom of the interface.

 

This is the maximum magnification of Excire’s map. Accuracy is pretty good but that of course depends on the GPS recording device rather than Excire.

 

Excire Foto 2027 Find by Text in Photos

A big new feature in Excire Foto 2027 is the ability to search by Text in Photos. If, for example, you were searching for a location you may find it, but you could be looking for a shop name, an event or a sponsor’s logo.

I went to Hong Kong last year and I know where the images are but as part of the test I tried a Text in Photos search looking for the words ‘Hong Kong’. Where text is found Excire places a yellow box over the word/s and hitting the space bar hides the yellow box. This search took a few seconds and Excire Foto 2027 found 277 images with the words ‘Hong Kong’, some were large and obvious, but many were small in the frame or even very faint thanks to poor exposure.

More randomly I tried the word ‘toilet’ and this occasion I got 26 images including the one shown below (which just happened to be in Hong Kong) and Excire Foto 2027 found it even though it was small and dark in the frame.

Searching by visible text showed itself to be a welcome addition to Excire Foto 2027’s search armoury with plenty of potential.

 

Searching for the words ‘Hong Kong’, Excire Foto 2027’s Text in Photos found them even when they are overexposed in the image. The inset shows how faint the original word was.

 

Showing what Text in Photos is capable of, a search for the word ‘toilet’ found it in this image even though it was tiny and in the shadows. The inset shows how small the original word was.

 

Excire Foto 2025 Find tools and the Timeline Graph

Excire Foto 2027 sees the arrival of the Timeline Graph. Checking out what you shot by date is possible with the Timeline/People icon on the left of the interface and this works down to days. The other option is to click on the Timeline Graph button in the top bar and zooming into the graph again means you can view what you shot by month, week and day.

The Find by text prompt we tested in Foto 2025 but for those who didn’t read that review (click here to see it) it’s worth a recap. Basically, when using Find by text prompt just type what you are looking for and Excire searches your database for images conforming to what you asked for. The search can be narrowed or broadened, and you can choose to limit the number of images to view.

You might search for a specific subject such as bridges, black cabs or airplanes but you can also search for photos that depict an emotion and a mood you want photos to illustrate. 

In another search, I needed some photos that showed creative use of depth-of-field, so I searched for ‘images that show the use of depth-of-field’ and in my database Excire Foto 2027 found 19,930 images in around 30 seconds, mostly showing selective focusing at wide lens apertures. You can see a sample of what was found in the screenshot below.

As with all the searches in Excire Foto 2027, the results can be rated or flagged, and searches are saved as collections that you can revisit later.

 

Using Text in photos, I searched for ‘images that show the use of depth-of-field’ and got 19,930, mostly viable, candidates.

 

 

Two examples of Excire Foto 2027’s automatic keywording and Aesthetic rating capabilities. It’s interesting that Excire gave the portrait of the blond model Dolly the keywords of Bride and Wedding. Incorrect in both cases but you can appreciate why those keywords were added. With Big Ben it was correctly identified.

  Excire Foto 2027 Keywording and more

During the initialisation process, Excire Foto 2027 gives your shots an Aesthetic rating and adds keywords. Hit the Excire icon on the right side of the interface and you can view ratings and keywords for each image.

How deep Excire’s keywording goes depends on the subject. Often, with people shots there is much more detail with keywords so for a portrait of a woman you might get eyes open, face, female, smiling and hair colour and more. The keywords applied to an architecture shot can also be useful and might include window, skyscraper and city. You’ll probably get fewer keywords with scenic, nature and location shots although it‘s the case that famous sites and birds such as kingfishers are recognised and keyworded accurately. For example, for photos of Big Ben it was correctly keyworded and additional keywords include clock, travel, tower, sight, city and building.

 

Excire Foto 2027 Verdict

Excire Foto 2027 is an excellent image management program and its new headline features – Map view, Survey view and Text in photos search tool – work well and add even more functionality to what was already an awesome package. 

How you would work with Excire Foto 2027 is obviously your call but having one huge database with powerful search tools is a seriously big benefit that could save you a lot of time. The same applies to Excire’s ability to efficiently rate and cull shoots before taking the ‘keepers’ into Lightroom or any other post-processing program for editing. 

For busy image creators, Excire Foto 2027 is definitely worth serious consideration.

 

Excire Foto 2027 Pros

• Works quickly even with massive image collections
• The uncluttered Survey view is excellent
• Map view will appeal to travel and landscape photographers
• Excire Foto 2027 runs locally so your data remains safe
• Excire Foto 2027 is a one-off purchase
• Suits stills and video
• Powerful search tools – text prompt, keyword, GPS, faces, people, similarity, duplicate
• Find visible text in photos is a new search tool that works well
• Auto keywording saves time
• AI-assisted culling
• Aesthetic ratings can save time
• Video playback within the app

 

Excire Foto 2027 Cons

• Excire Foto 2027 is a significant investment 
• Initialising large photo collections takes time but it’s a once-only job
• Auto keywording works well with people shots but less well with general shots and scenics
• Aesthetic ratings won’t appeal to everyone

 

 

 

[REVIEW_FOOTER]R_features=4.5|R_handling=4.5|R_performance=4.5|R_value=4.5|R_overall=4.5|A_level=4.5|A_text=Fast, easy to use and offering plenty of search methods, Excire Foto 2027 is a powerful workflow software with much to recommend it.|E_id=8016[/REVIEW_FOOTER]

Brandon Woelfel, a New York-based portrait photographer and newly appointed Nikon ambassador, became known through constant experimentation with lo-fi props and effects posted daily on social media. His consistent behind-the-scenes posts amassed two million followers on Instagram and a reputation for dreamy, otherworldly images. Here he dishes on what he wishes he'd done differently, team building, and on letting embarrassment hold you back.

 

[Read More]

Most people reach for a wide angle the moment they step into a city center, cramming as much of the skyline into the frame as they can. A long telephoto flips that instinct, letting you pull out single details and stack layers of a city in ways a 24mm never could. 

[Read More]