Photography News

Today, I decided to try something new. So, join me on a walk through the park with the NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S macro lens. 

[Read More]

The Panasonic Lumix L10 lands in a crowded field of compact everyday-carry cameras, but it takes a noticeably different approach from most of its competition.  

[Read More]

Acapulco at night feels less like a city and more like a stage set designed by a casino architect having a mild nervous breakdown. Palm trees multiply in every direction. Floodlights blast the sand with the subtlety of a prison yard. Massive hotels rise from the coastline pretending time still moves the way it did decades ago, as if glamour could survive indefinitely through architecture and denial alone.

 

[Read More]

Lightroom skin tone editing is one of those things that separates a gallery that looks cohesive from one that looks like a collection of individual images. Get it wrong and even technically sharp, well-exposed portraits look off in ways clients can't always name but will absolutely feel. 

[Read More]

The Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 is a short telephoto portrait lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras, giving you a full frame equivalent of around 113mm. At $329, it sits in a price range where quality can vary wildly, and whether Viltrox has delivered something genuinely worth the money is exactly what this review puts to the test. 

[Read More]

Lighting choices age or youth your subject more than any retouching tool. Three specific decisions, made on every shoot, determine whether someone looks weathered or fresh, and most people make them without fully understanding what they're doing. 

[Read More]

 

1. Camera Choices

If you have one, use an interchangeable lens camera but compact or smartphone users shouldn't think this means they can't shoot good portraits. Select Portrait Mode as this will tell the camera you want to use a wider aperture to throw the background out of focus. It also helps if you use the telephoto end of the zoom, just keep the camera steady as shake can be emphasised when working closer to your subject.
 

2. Lens Options

You want to throw the background out of focus and using a telephoto lens will make this job easier. A telephoto lens also creates a more flattering perspective.

  3. Should I Use A Tripod?

Longer lenses may create a more pleasant and natural-looking portrait but when you're working hand-held shake can be a problem. To combat this, don't let your shutter speed value drop lower than your focal length when working hand-held or just put your camera on a tripod.

 

4. Sun Direction

Soft morning or evening light is good for portraits but sometimes we don't have a choice but to shoot when the sun's more direct and high in the sky. Most people will position themselves so the sun sits behind them, facing their subject but this will only cause them to squint. Instead, position your subject so the sun sits behind them. This will diffuse the light and make yoke subject 'pop' out of the frame by creating a halo of light around their head. Just remember you'll need to meter from your subject's face to get your exposure right as if you meter manually from the background, you'll end up with a silhouetted subject.

 

 

5. Shadows

Shooting with the sun behind your subject can leave unsightly shadows under the nose and eyes. A pop of flash will remove them but this can look a little artificial, particularly if you're using a compact camera where the flash is more direct, so try using a reflector to bounce extra light into the shot. If you're working alone you'll need to compose your shot and set the camera on a self-timer or use a remote release to set the exposure going so you can hold the reflector in place. If your subject's hands aren't going to be in the shot you could get them to hold it or rope a friend into being your assistant if you can. If you do want to use flash, take it off your hotshoe (if using a DSLR) and bounce it off a reflective surface to diffuse it.

 

6. Find Shade

The light in shaded areas is more even and is less likely to have spots of bright light and harsh shadows, making them easier to work with.

 

7. Background

Even though you're outdoors you don't want the background to overshadow your subject so make sure it's not too busy and throw it out of focus. A wider aperture and putting some distance between your subject and the background will help you achieve this.

  8. Natural Props

You're in the outdoors so use the trees, leaves and flowers around you in your portraits. Subjects sometimes don't know what to do with their hands and can look awkward as a result. To stop this, give them something to hold/lean on. Ask them to lean on a tree trunk or hold a branch. How about getting them to blow on dandelions? Or framing their faces with branches and leaves?

 

 

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

Beyond the gesture lies the question of what survives the movement. This part moves from the mechanics of the camera to the discipline of the image, identifying the "points of failure" where structure, color hierarchy, and spatial layers collapse into visual mud. It defines the "indexical anchor" as the boundary between a durable photographic image and a decorative dissolve. 

[Read More]

Over the years, I've looked at a ridiculous number of photography websites. Partly because I'm nosy, partly because I do website critiques, and partly because during lockdown, I worked for a marketing agency and did a lot of UX work. After a while, patterns start appearing. 

Interestingly, most of the problems I repeatedly see have very little to do with photography itself. In a lot of cases, the actual work is great. The problem is how everything is being presented.

[Read More]

Have you ever wanted to run away to a cabin in the woods, live off grid, and just create freely? It sounds like a dream, but modern photo and video workflows require too much power to make it a reality, that is, until now. I traveled to Paris for the global launch of the Bluetti Balco series to find out how its new plug-and-play solar ecosystem lets creators generate and store their own energy on location. 

[Read More]

The camera industry is built on a ladder. At the bottom, there is a $600 to $800 entry-level body with a kit zoom, often no in-body stabilization, a single card slot, a plastic build, and a thin lens ecosystem. At the top, there is a $3,000 to $6,000 professional body with IBIS, dual card slots, weather-sealing, a magnesium alloy chassis, and an extensive lens lineup. In between, there are two or three rungs spaced at $500 to $1,000 intervals, each one adding features the rung below deliberately omitted.

[Read More]

The Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary sits in an awkward middle ground that most people dismiss without thinking too hard about it. Street shooters call it too big. Wildlife photographers call it too short. Row thinks they're both wrong. 

[Read More]

Welcome to the June Critique the Community!  For this contest/critique, we are doing another abstract theme that should allow more photographers to enter. For this month we want to see your best photograph that feature "Motion Blur". If you have images that showcase fast moving subjects, camera shake, long shutter speeds, or anything else that epitomizes motion blur, we would love to see them!

[Read More]

 

For good garden photos your garden needs to be looking at its best and the light has to be right. But as you look out of the window at it every day, you'll see when your plants and flowers look their best and you can easily be out there with your camera in minutes snapping that perfect garden shot.

  1. What Gear Do I Need? 

Your standard zoom is fine but if you want to get closer to the flowers to hide the weeds you need a macro lens. If it's very bright attach a polariser to your lens to reduce glare and consider using a tripod that has a centre column that can be used in a horizontal position to get closer to flowerheads. A small reflector will help direct light to where it's needed and you don't even have to purchase one as you can create your own from foil and card. 
 

2. Avoid Bright, Sunny Days 

To be honest, bright days when the sun is high in the sky can be awkward as the colours will be too harsh and you'll have deep, dark shadows. A lot of flower photographers prefer early mornings, but a still evening's just as good. In fact, why not get outside after work and enjoy the warmth of the evening while you take your photographs? Hazy days when it's a little cloudy but the sun's still shining are perfect, though, as the clouds act as a giant softbox, diffusing the light.
 

3. Dealing With Windy Days 

If there's a gentle breeze in the air crank up the shutter speed or stick your camera on a tripod and slow the speed right down if you fancy taking some experimental shots.

 

4. How Green Is Your Garden? 

If your garden's too green you may need to narrow your focus as even though your eyes can see the spots of colour your camera might not. Getting in closer will also hide the weeds and broken shed windows you want to disguise or you could use them as subject as weeds can be just as photogenic as roses.

 

 

5. Create Paths And Frames 

If you have a path use it to guide the viewer's eye from the front to the back of the image, creating depth. A small aperture will give plenty of depth-of-field. Give your garden a 'frame' too as with portraits, they can be improved with one. Entrances, arches, gates, hedges and overhanging trees all work well. Also, look beyond your garden hedge and fence to see if you have a view that can add to your garden landscape.

 

6. Shoot Some Macro Work 

If you do get your macro lens out make sure you fill the frame and blur the background with a larger aperture. Flowers are nice but look for interesting leaves too as these often have textures flowers don't have. Keep your eye out for insects such as butterflies who can be found on a cool morning with their wings open warming up too.

 

7. Make The Most Of Showers 

If a gentle shower's fallen get outside as you can get great images. Close-ups of water droplets on blooms can look great. Of course, if you haven't had any rain for a while, fill a water spray or even a watering can and provide your own 'dew' or 'rain'.

 

8. Take Garden Photos All Year Round 

Don't think this is just a one evening project either as different seasons, mood and light give you endless photographic opportunities right on your doorstep.

 

 

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

Bryce 2 defined the visual language of '90s CGI, and almost nothing in modern 3D software can replicate it. The raw ray tracing engine, the playful UI designed by Kai Krauss, the fog, the chrome, the fractal mountains — modern renderers have layered so many features on top of that foundation that getting back to that specific look is nearly impossible without going back to the source. 

[Read More]

The Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO is the company's latest in its budget-friendly, compact line of lenses for APS-C systems, and it offers excellent image quality and value for the dollar. 

Design and Build Quality  

The 90mm is compact and light, providing a 135mm equivalent focal length in full frame terms. Weighing in around 345 g, one almost forgets that it's a 135mm focal length. I took the lens around for a day of shooting attached to a Fujifilm X-T5, and barely noticed it was there. 

[Read More]

 

An image of a little owl running along a branch has been awarded the Photo of the Week accolade this week.

The image, taken by ePz member sherlob, is titled 'The Trot'. This is a well-timed capture of a wild little owl moving across its perch. The bird is photographed on the move. The feathers show rich brown and white patterns, and the exposure keeps the fine details of the plumage clear and sharp.

A fast shutter speed keeps the owl and the branch sharp and clear. The composition places the bird on the right side of the frame as it moves toward the left. The soft, out-of-focus background ensures the focus stays on the owl and its behaviour.

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 2027, we’ll crown our 2026 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!

If you've ever wondered whether sticking to one genre limits your growth as a visual artist, this video makes a strong case that it doesn't. 

[Read More]

Finding a great photo isn't always about being in a great location. The ability to see a story or a feeling in whatever's in front of you is one of the most practical skills you can build as someone with a camera. 

[Read More]

 

Music festivals are not only fun, they're great places to capture images of bands performing. Plus, you'll also be able to capture quite a few cracking candids of fellow festival-goers enjoying the music, rides, food and probably an alcoholic beverage or two! For those heading to a music festival this year, here are a few photography tips for you to have a think about before you start setting your tent up. 

 

1. Keep your things safe

You need to know where your camera and bag is at all times. If you don't want to carry your kit and other valuables all of the time, invest in a locker. Many festivals are now offering secure lock-up facilities, for a small fee of course. Even if you do have to pay they are handy things to have, particularly if it rains as you can stick all of your electrical equipment in them. 

 

2. Be ready

When you're squashed in a crowd of people who are trying to get closer to the stage trying to pull a camera out of your bag is really hard work so it's best to have it in your hands ready before the crush begins. Don't be tempted to put it on a camera strap either as even though it will stop it falling onto the floor if it gets tugged while on your neck you can injure yourself. If you want to make sure you're not going to lose it put a smaller strap on it and place it over your wrist.

Alternatively, use your smartphone to capture photos as they're just as good as many compact cameras nowadays and you'll probably have it on you anyway!
 

3. Have a plan

They'll be plenty of information online about who's playing what stage but it's worth buying a programme when you arrive and keeping it with you so you know who's playing when. That way you can circle the bands you'd like to photograph/watch or use is to make your own timetable, showing where and when each band will play. If you don't want to spend money you'll find the line-up posted around the camping areas of the festival which you can snap a photo of or make notes from.

 

 

 

4. Get to the stage well before the band is on

If you're heading for the main stage there's usually quite a big gap between the crowd and the stage so arriving early to get a spot at the front is advised. If you don't unless you have a very long lens, the bands will look a little bit small and you'll have trouble filling the frame when you're shooting individual shots of the band members (as demonstrated in the shot below). You can get closer at the smaller stages but if it's a particularly popular group you're heading to shoot, you'll still need to be there within plenty of time otherwise you'll have rows and rows of heads in front of you. If you intend to stay by the main stage, which is usually out in the open, make sure you take plenty of water with you, as dehydration can be a big problem on hot summer days. It's also a real pain to get back to the front once you leave!

Try to avoid standing where speakers will clip the side of your shots and avoid framing up with cables, monitors and other stage clutter in the background if you can. Sometimes all you have to do is wait for the artist you're photographing to move to a different spot on the stage to get the clutter-free shot you're after.

 

5. Compose your shots

As you won't be able to move very far, the ways you can compose your shots will be limited and you'll just have to rely on the band getting into poses/positions you think are worth photographing. Capturing the guitarist in a mid-air jump or the lead singer leaning over for the crowd are shots everyone's seen a million times before but that's not to say you shouldn't capture them. If you struggle to get the shots you want, head for a band you don't want to photograph but don't mind listening and just watch them on stage. You'll soon be able to pre-empt what they're going to do next so when you do lift your camera up, you'll be ready to take the shot.

 

6. When the sun goes down

As the light fades, getting decent shots of the stage becomes more of a challenge. You really need to be in the few front rows as the sun sets if you want to capture shots where you can see who's on stage. As most compacts try and use flash when it gets dark make sure you turn it off. If you don't turn your flash off you'll probably end up with a shot that shows a few rows of heads and nothing behind them. Your camera will have also picked the settings it thinks are suitable for when you're using flash so a short shutter speeds, small aperture and a low ISO will have further reduced the amount of light in your shot. You can increase the ISO manually but just keep an eye out for noise as some compact cameras struggle with this when you start to use higher ISO settings. If there's a particularly interesting light show happening on stage and you're some distance away try switching to Firework mode to capture it.

 

 

7. Try and standstill

It can be hard to do when you're in a crowd but by doing so you'll reduce the amount of shake in your shot, particularly when the sun's set and your camera's having to use longer shutter speeds when any movement can be easily picked up in your final photograph. If you have a barrier in front of you use it for support or lean on a wall that's behind you. If you're in the middle of the crowd just hug your arms as close to your side as possible and try and keep your hands still.
 

8. Remember the crowd

Try turning around and photographing the mass of people around you. It's not as easy if you're stood low down but get up higher on a slight hill/banking and it's easy to capture a sweeping shot of the festivities. Some compacts have panorama modes which can be handy when you're trying to take wider shots such as this. Do snap a few candids as you walk around as you're guaranteed to find plenty of interesting characters in the three or four days you're there. Plus, there will be plenty of stalls and tents for you to capture shots of as well. 

 

 

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