Second Circuit Says You Have a First Amendment Right to Film Police in Public
A federal appeals court has now made it clear that the First Amendment protects people who record publicly visible portions of a police station while standing on a public sidewalk. But the man whose arrest produced that ruling still cannot recover damages from the officers who arrested him.
The ruling came in Massimino v. Benoit, which a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit decided on August 17. The Second Circuit hears federal appeals from New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.
Sony's a7 V Retakes Japan's No.1 Spot as Fujifilm's Supply Crunch Reshuffles the Top Ten
The Sony a7 V is back at the top of Japan's best-selling camera list for July 2026, extending a run that has kept it near or at No. 1 for most of its first seven months on sale. The bigger story sits below it, where a Nikon full-frame body has climbed into fourth and one of Canon's newest cameras is nowhere to be found.
Think More Creatively With A One Colour Photo Challenge
As this is something that can take quite some time to do, it's something you can shoot alongside your other types of photography or you could try working on several different 'colour themes' all at once.
Your subjects don't have to be the same but it's important that the colour is, that way once you have a few images in your collection, you can begin to group them together to create panels and triptychs to hang on walls or post in online galleries.
As you don't know what you'll be photographing until you see it, it's best to take a zoom lens out with you. By doing so you'll have various focal lengths to play with plus if you plan on walking for a while, you won't have lots of kit weighing you down.
You can sit and create a list of items organised into colour groups you can photograph or try visiting a location and wandering around to see which colour would be best to shoot in that particular place.
Do remember that the lack of other colours does mean you'll have to work harder to ensure your composition is interesting. That means you need to pay particular attention to textures, lines, shapes and framing.
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7 Best Video Enhancer Tools Compared
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Capturing the best possible quality of a video in-camera on set is mostly the best approach. Still, there are occasions when post-processing helps rescue low-quality videos or refine HD videos for better visual experiences.
When comparing and testing the best video enhancers, the following aspects are taken into consideration. You can refer to them when picking the best fit for your scenarios.
- Natural look and enhancement strength: Does the output remain realistic? Can users fine-tune the enhancement manually instead of over-processing the footage?
- Temporal consistency: Does the enhanced video remain smooth and free of flickering?
- Noise reduction and detail restoration: Can the video enhancer remove unwanted noise while preserving natural textures and intentional film grain?
- Processing speed: Besides hardware performance, how efficiently does the software utilize available CPU and GPU resources?
- Workflow flexibility: Is it a standalone application, an online service, or a plugin? Can it fit into different editing workflows?
Testing Video Enhancers for Various Scenarios
Bearing in mind these aspects, I evaluated each video enhancement software and online app using footage of various types and with different quality issues.
The tests start with Aiarty Video Enhancer, with comparisons in the case studies below. You can claim a Free License from Aiarty to access the full features and check if it fits your projects.
The same clips were also processed with popular tools, including Topaz Video, DaVinci Resolve, and several open-source models and online video enhancers. Their strengths vary depending on the footage, workflow, and hardware, as summarized in the comparison chart.
Case 1: Enhance Low-Resolution Videos and Restore Skin Details
Portrait videos can appear blurry on a larger screen or when reframed for different platforms. AI-powered video enhancement software helps restore clarity while preserving skin details.
Aiarty Video Enhancer offers both AI-powered automatic enhancement and manual fine-tuning, making it easy to balance detail recovery with a natural output while avoiding an over-sharpened or painterly look. For this clip, I applied the superVideo vHQ model, manually set the enhancement strength to around 0.85-0.9, and slightly adjusted the exposure to better suit the indoor environment.
For the same footage, Topaz Video produced good results with the Iris model, Recover Detail set to 20 to 25, and 2x upscaling for higher output quality.
Case 2: Fix Noisy and Low-light Footage
Below is a mobile recording of a harbor near Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg. It was captured at dawn under limited lighting, and the small sensor of the iPhone 6 makes the footage grainy and noisy.
After processing the clip in Aiarty Video Enhancer, the superVideo model automatically reduces distracting noise, while manually setting the enhancement strength to around 0.9-0.95 helps preserve fine grain and texture for a more natural look.
Case 3: Restore Soft, Old Videos and Enhance Quality
This clip of the Prague Astronomical Clock was shot with Olympus E-M10 II about a decade ago. It was uploaded as a travel memory to share with friends and later downloaded again.
Partly due to digital zoom and partly due to online compression, the old footage now looks somewhat soft and blurry. The intricate structures of the clock and the Gothic sculptures are less clear.
After enhancing it with Aiarty Video Enhancer, both the moDetail-HQ model and the superVideo vHQ model help restore architectural details, fix softness, and avoid a mushy look. Optionally, upscaling the video by 2x to 4K and manually increasing the exposure by +1 further improves the overall video quality.
The above test cases also produced good results in DaVinci Resolve using AI Noise Reduction and Super Scale, and in Topaz Video using the Film 4K Medium model with manual adjustments.
Best Free and Paid Video Enhancers Hands-On
Topaz Video
- Ideal for: Professionals with powerful workstations and videographers already working within the video editing ecosystem.
- Platforms and pricing: Windows, Mac, web, Adobe and DaVinci integration. $59/month for Personal, $69/month for Topaz Studio.
Topaz Video is a widely used AI video enhancer. It pioneered commercial diffusion-based video enhancement with Project Starlight to generate details for videos. Topaz combines several AI models into project-based workflows, including 4K video upscaling, noise removal, SDR to HDR, frame interpolation, video stabilization, motion deblur, and face recovery.
Depending on the video type or quality issue, users can process footage with different models, render previews, and adjust parameters to recover detail, improve sharpness, or restore focus.
Enhancing with Topaz: Proteus or Iris model, AI upscaling, Recover Detail+38, other manual tweaks
Comparing the available models, I recommend using Proteus Natural for overall enhancement and dehaloing, Nyx for noise removal, Iris for face restoration, and Starlight for severely degraded videos or gradual upscaling from 480p to 720p and then to 1440p. With the introduction of NeuroServer, Starlight variants can also run locally on systems with sufficient VRAM and a powerful GPU.
If your local hardware struggles with computationally intensive enhancement tasks, such as Strong Refocus or Starlight restoration, you can purchase cloud credits to process the footage online.
Aiarty Video Enhancer
- Ideal for: Videographers, content creators, and home users seeking a standalone tool and prioritizing natural, realistic video quality enhancement.
- Platforms and pricing: Windows and Mac. $165 Lifetime License, $79 Standard License, free trials available.
Aiarty Video Enhancer is a popular choice for users needing a standalone video enhancer with natural output quality. It avoids an over-smoothed, plastic look by providing tailored deep learning models with manual strength controls.
As shown in the previous tests, it uses AI-powered auto inference to reduce high ISO noise, improve the clarity of soft footage, restore skin details, and preserve natural textures. Optionally, you can upscale low-resolution videos to 2K or 4K, adjust colors, increase the frame rate, and enhance audio quality.
Enhancing with Aiarty: superVideo model, x2 upscale, 0.85-0.90 strength, subtle color adjustments
With the real-time previewer, it is straightforward for users to quickly compare models and parameter settings, helping them find the best combination for a specific video before committing to the output.
With the Step Mode and Turbo speed choices, Aiarty scales well from everyday computers to high-end workstations. Casual users can enhance videos on a general device, while demanding restoration tasks and batch 4K upscaling benefit from more powerful GPUs.
DaVinci Resolve
- Ideal for: Videographers, colorists, and serious content creators.
- Platforms and pricing: Windows, Mac, and Linux. Studio version for $295, Free version without AI tools.
DaVinci Resolve is a fully-fledged video editor and color grading software. With editing features to sharpen videos, fix blurry footage, enhance contrast, and remove noise, you can surely use it as the best free video enhancer for desktops.
The free version offers powerful manual tools to improve your footage. You can fix underexposed videos, dehaze mushy footage, recover shadow detail, and pull back crushed highlights. For faithful enhancement, you can rely on traditional sharpening, timeline upscaling with Bicubic algorithms, and color corrections.
Tips: Use shortcut key Ctrl+= to zoom in and inspect details. For full screen preview, press Ctrl+F.
Testing DaVinci Resolve: 2X Super Scale (1080p to 2160p), 0.5 Sharpness
In the Studio version, you can unlock more AI features powered by the DaVinci Neural Engine. AI UltraNR, AI Ultra Sharpen, and Super Scale handle more challenging videos when traditional methods fail.
Since DaVinci adopts a node-based pipeline, you can apply quality enhancements in a non-destructive way and compare the results. A good rule of thumb is to remove noise when necessary, then apply color corrections and sharpening.
TensorPix
- Ideal for: Beginners and casual creators enhancing a few low-resolution videos, without installation.
- Platforms and pricing: Online enhancer. Free trial (1 credit equals roughly 2-min video enhancement), standard plan starts from $12.00/month.
TensorPix is a simple-to-use AI video enhancer online. It supports 2x and 4x video upscaling, artifact removal, FPS boost, and audio enhancement. Once you upload a short video to their server, you can specify whether the video is mainly about portrait, anime, landscape, AIGC, or other types. This gives the AI model better context before processing.
Testing Tensorpix: 960p to 2160p. Parameters: 4X Upscale ultra4, Clear Edge-AI sharpen 2.5
While local tools such as Topaz and Aiarty focus on natural detail restoration and 4K upscaling, TensorPix works for short-form videos and webcam captures. For quality problems such as dust and scratches from digitized 8mm tape, you can enable AI Dust Buster to make the video clearer.
Video2X
- Ideal for: Tech-savvy users and enthusiasts mainly focused on anime restoration and upscaling.
- Platforms and pricing: Windows and Linux (Free, Open Source); Online (Video2X Pro subscription)
Being open-source and free, Video2X wins the love of tech-savvy users to enhance video quality and resolution. Initially built to upscale and sharpen anime footage, most of its baked-in algorithms and models were suitable for cartoons and animations.
The developer of Video2X gradually integrates Real-ESRGAN models for live-action video upscaling and RIFE for frame interpolation. To avoid a cartoonish look on real-world videos, make sure you are using the correct filters and models.
Testing Video2X: source 720x1366; enhanced 2880x5464. Model: realesrgan-plus vs realcugan
Based on my test, here are tips to use a suitable model:
For the Real-ESRGAN processing, go with the realesrgan-plus model for camera-shot footage, and the other two models are for anime. If you prefer to be more conservative and fix soft animation, use Real-CUGAN models. For noisy, old animation, or digitized VHS animation captures, use models-se; for 720p source, use models-pro. If the models somehow smooth out the contrast along lines, you can experiment with the models-nose algorithms for a fix.
As shown in the comparison screenshot above, using Realcugan on real-world video can result in cartoonish lines.
Note for Mac users: Video2X only runs on Windows and Linux for now. You can use it via a browser with Google Colab for free sessions. The Video2X Pro offers online video upscaling and quality enhancement, starting from $14.90/month.
Wink Video Enhancer
- Ideal for: Reels, short-form videos, and social media content in general; Video enhancement on the go.
- Platforms and pricing: Online Video Enhancer, iOS and Android apps. Complimentary 100 credits, standard plan starts from $14.99/month.
Wink Video Enhancer works both as a video enhancer and beautifier via mobile and online. It includes modules for video repair, upscaling, expansion, retouching, denoising, and color correction.
Testing Wink Video Enhancer: Video repair module, auto enhancement, 1080p to 2160p
For video quality fixes, the app prioritizes auto-enhancement over manual editing. During my tests, after uploading this cropped kingfisher video, Wink would analyze and display the quality problems. It then automatically applied enhancement to the clip.
For portrait videos, Wink also helps smooth skin, whiten teeth, and adjust lighting accordingly. To some degree, the beauty-filter aesthetic is a matter of personal preference.
Tip: If you are looking for granular manual tuning and professional cinematic restoration, Topaz Video and Aiarty Video Enhancer are designed for these scenarios.
Replicate
- Ideal for: Enthusiasts exploring AI models for video enhancement, video face restoration, colorization, and super-resolution.
- Platforms and pricing: Web; pay-as-you-go pricing based on compute usage. Some models also offer free trial runs.
At first glance, Replicate might seem out of place in this list of the best video enhancer tools. Rather than being a standalone app or online video enhancer, it's a cloud platform that hosts AI models for media generation and video quality enhancement.
Replicate has a dedicated collection page of AI models to enhance videos. It hosts video upscalers from Crystal and Topazlabs, a Stable video face restoration (SVFR) tool, a deodify video colorizer, animation video super resolution models, and many others.
Based on my tests, a seamless workflow is to complete the video restoration process first and leave video upscaling as the final step.
For instance, for portrait videos with low-resolution faces, use GFPGAN Video or SVFR for face restoration; for old black-and-white footage, use DeOldify Video for colorization. In the final step, choose Real-ESRGAN Video, Topaz Video Upscale, or AnimeSR based on your video type, desired quality, and budget.
Key Takeaways
For users who have already tried other tools before reading this blog, you have probably experienced some common frustrations: waiting a long time for processing only to get unnatural, over-processed, painterly results; or using a free open-source workflow that comes with a steep learning curve.
Depending on your specific needs, expectations, skill level, and budget, you can choose from the best video enhancement software and web tools below.
Video Enhancer Best For Skill Level Availability Topaz Video Professional AI restoration, detail generation, and Adobe integration Intermediate to advanced
- $59/month for Personal
- $69/month for Topaz Studio.
- Free License for light users and bulk projects
- Lifetime License for $165 with unlimited free updates
- $295 Studio version
- Free version without AI tools
- Starts from $12.00/month
- Free, Open Source
- Starts from $14.99/month
- Pay-as-you-go API
- Free Trials
For first-time users, hobbyists, and content creators who want high-quality results without going through dozens of installations and hours of testing, a practical approach is to start with one or two tools, test them with two or three common scenarios, and pay attention to these aspects:
- All-around video enhancement: Upscaling to 2K and 4K, noise reduction, low-light enhancement, deblurring, compression artifact removal, deinterlacing old videos, audio cleanup, color correction, and frame interpolation for low FPS footage.
- Natural-looking results: Look for tailored AI models and adjustable parameters that enhance different types of footage without creating an over-sharpened or painterly appearance.
Based on the above tests, Aiarty Video Enhancer offers balanced combinations of natural visual quality, enhancement capabilities, ease of use, and hardware compatibility. If you'd like to evaluate it with your own footage, you can start with the Free License from Aiarty Video Enhancer and see whether it fits your workflows and restoration needs.
Master Zoom Burst Outdoor Photography Today With These Tips
Zoom burst photography is a photography technique that is achieved by zooming your lens in or out whilst the exposure is being taken. It's a great technique for exaggerating movement or for just adding an abstract feel to an image. Colourful subjects or scenes with patterns work well as they help create a really striking zoom burst that's full of bright, colourful lines.
1. Equipment Check List
To get the desired effect, you'll need your zoom lens and a tripod, to keep the image steady, plus this will allow you to have your hands free to smoothly control the zoom. A zoom with a good range to play with will mean you can get a really even effect, with some nice long streaks guiding the eye through the image. You'll also need a remote or cable release to eliminate any shake caused by pressing the shutter. If you don't have one, then use the self-timer setting on your camera. Using the flash on your camera or an external flash gun can help to add sharpness and freeze the image too.
2. Get The Zoom Right
The key to success with this technique is to get the amount of zoom burst right. If the zoom is too obvious then it may disguise the subject. If you don't zoom enough, then the image won't have the desired effect. You don't want your exposure to be too long, otherwise, your shots will be overexposed, but it needs to be long enough to enable you to create the zoom effect.
To create the effect you can zoom in or out, most people choose to zoom out. Press the shutter and wait for a while, around half to three-quarters of the exposure should do it, and then you need to zoom out in a smooth and fast manner. Leaving the image to develop for half to three-quarters of the exposure beforehand allows some definition to be captured in the image before the zoom is added. Try somewhere between 1-3 seconds for your starting exposure length and extended if it's needed. If you can, it's worth locking the focus, too so it stays constant.
Use a small aperture and an ISO of 100 or 200 for the best results. If you find that your images come out overexposed, it's probably best not to make the exposure time shorter as this will make it more difficult to fit the zoom in. Fit a polarising filter or ND filter instead and try again.
It's then quick and easy to see on the screen if your attempt was successful. If it wasn't, you can try again straight away. Experiment with the shutter speed and zoom timing until you find something that works for you and your subject. You may find you need to crop the shot for better composition but as the vanishing point will be in the middle of the frame, this won't cause any problems.
To be different, why not zoom in, try a shorter zoom, experiment with city lights at night or rotate the lens to add circular shape to your lines? If one idea doesn't work just delete the image and try again.
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How Scientists Photograph the Deep Sea, Miles From Where the Sun Shines
In 2022, a camera on the floor of the Izu-Ogasawara Trench off Japan, 8,336 meters down, filmed a small translucent snailfish drifting through its beam. No fish had ever been filmed so far down. No sunlight has ever reached that trench, and the light that does exist down there, the faint blue flicker of bioluminescence, is nothing like the broad-spectrum white the camera carries. When the lights came on, they almost certainly gave that fish a kind of light it had never seen.
From XQD to CFexpress: Futureproofing Your Nikon DSLR for the Mirrorless Upgrade Ahead
Buying memory cards used to be a simple decision: match the slot, pick a speed class, done. That's no longer the case, and not just because of price. Every memory purchase has become a longer-term investment rather than a one-off consumable buy, and getting that decision right matters more than ever. But what does this mean if you're thinking of upgrading your camera, for example, shooting on a Nikon DSLR with an aging XQD slot now, but with a mirrorless upgrade already on your mind?
Six Life Lessons Hiding in Street Photography
Street photography looks like a hobby about cameras and light, but the habits it builds bleed into how you move through the rest of your day. Watch strangers long enough and you start noticing patterns in yourself, not just in the frame.
The f/2.0 Zoom That Outshines a 24-70mm G Master
A constant f/2.0 aperture across a full zoom range used to sound like a fantasy. Sony now offers it in a body smaller than the Canon equivalent, and the results push the limits of what a standard zoom can do.
Ordinary WiFi Can Now Identify You Without a Camera
Researchers in Germany have shown that an ordinary Wi-Fi network can pick a specific person out of a crowd with near-perfect accuracy, no camera involved. In a test with 197 people, the system recognized individuals in seconds, from different angles, no matter how they walked.
Insta360 Is Building Two Mirrorless Cameras, and One Will Have a Shape You've 'Never Thought of Before'
Insta360 is developing two mirrorless cameras at the same time, and its CEO says one of them will have a shape you have never thought of before. He also says that camera could change the way we take pictures, moving past the old routine of framing, focusing, and pressing the shutter.
This Tiny 28mm Lens Turns Your Leica Into a Pocket Camera
Brightin Star launched a solid brass manual focus 28mm f/2.8 pancake lens last year, painted in gloss black lacquer. My first impression when I saw the publicity photos wasn’t its incredibly small size. It should have been, but I was distracted somewhat by that high-gloss black lacquer with gold and red engraving. It looked a little garish. That aside, a tiny, stealthy lens is what we street and travel photographers love, so I eventually decided I should test it out.
Create Balance In Landscape Photos With These 5 Top Tips
1. Focal Lengths
Choosing the right focal length is critical to balancing the key elements in the frame of a landscape. Before hitting the shutter button, take the time to think about where you're placing the camera and the focal length you're using. For example, try a longer focal length and step back. This will pull distant objects into the image and create harmony with what's in the foreground.
Another way to balance your landscape shots is with foreground interest. An object placed in the foreground can help guide the eye in the right direction as well as filling in what could be a vast empty space when your attention is on mountains and other background detail. Foreground detail helps give landscapes a sense of depth too. For more information, take a look at this article: Why You Should Look For Interesting Foregrounds For Your Landscapes.
3. Add A Frame
An alternative way to add foreground interest is with a frame. We don't mean for you to go out with a large photo frame in-hand but do be on the lookout for items and objects out in the landscape that can be used to create a frame for your shot. Overhanging branches, doorways and arches are just a few examples of frames you can find when out-and-about.
Don't overlook the basic rules of photography which includes the rule of thirds, lines, shapes and various other elements as these can help you balance your shot. You'll need to use your lens to complement the rule which could mean changing its position or adjusting the zoom. Take a look at these beginner's tips for more information: Beginner's Guide To Composition
As wide-angle lenses sometimes create distortion, an alternative way to shoot photos that have more of the landscape in them is with a panorama. You can shoot panoramas with a short telephoto focal lens and using a tripod helps but it's not essential. The important thing is the choice of scene. Scenes with close to the camera elements will not stitch properly with this method. However, you can buy dedicated panorama heads for scenes that have foreground as well as background interest. More panorama photography tips can be found here: How To Shoot Panoramas and Panoramas Without A Panoramic Head.
More information on lens choices for landscapes can be found in this article: Make The Most Of Your Lenses For Scenics
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Hands On With The FX2 From a Non-Sony User Perspective
The FX2 has been one of Sony’s most discussed cameras since its launch. So today, I got my hands on one and decided to take it for a spin.
The First Photograph of a U.S. President Is a Contested Honor
In October 2017, a silver plate about the size of a paperback sold at Sotheby's in New York for $360,500. It is the earliest surviving photograph of anyone who has ever been President of the United States, and the man staring out of it had been out of the office for fourteen years by the time the lens cap came off. The question of who was photographed first is messier than a single plate suggests, and every leading candidate carries an asterisk.
The Darkroom Skill That Changes How You Shoot Digital
Modern cameras can produce a stunning image in minutes, which makes the darkroom look like a relic worth skipping. That assumption deserves a second look, because the skills a darkroom demands carry straight back into the field, whether you shoot film, digital, or both.
Five Habits That Separate Good Landscape Photos From Forgettable Ones
Light shapes every landscape photo you take, whether the sun is blazing or hidden behind heavy cloud. Getting a handle on how it falls on your subject is the difference between a flat frame and one with real depth.
Who Should Actually Buy Micro Four Thirds
The Micro Four Thirds crowd doubles your depth of field on every shot, and depending on what you shoot, that either ruins the image or saves it. That single trade-off decides whether this system belongs in your bag or stays on the shelf.
8 Top Ways To Use A Telephoto Lens For Photography
The longer reach of telephoto lenses is a brilliant thing for photographers who want to photograph shy wildlife, pull far away subjects closer or simply want to fill the frame to create an attention-grabbing shot.
To show you just how versatile a telephoto lens can be, we've got a top list of 8 ways these long lenses can be used. Plus, should you be in the market for a new telephoto lens, we have quite a few top telephoto lenses featured in our top lists which include both Telephoto Prime Lenses and Telephoto Zoom Lenses.
If you're not sure if you should purchase a zoom or prime lens, have a read of this tutorial: Prime Vs Zoom Lenses
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Here Are Our 8 Top Ways To Use A Telephoto Lens:1. Bring Far Subjects Close
© Joshua Waller
The telephoto effect these lenses have make objects, that may actually have quite a lot of distance between them, appear as if they're sat close together. The longer your focal length, the more obvious the effect will be. It's useful when you have a city skyline or mountains in the background which will give you a more interesting and pleasing shot if they're pulled a little closer to the object closer to your lens e.g. the bridge, building or boulder that's your main point of focus.
2. Fill The Frame
© Joshua Waller
When you want to exclude some part of what's in your frame e.g. a boring grey sky that's in the background of your landscape shot, use a telephoto lens to focus in on the colourful tree line rather than having the trees and sky in shot. It'll also pull a distant subject closer to you, which means you can get frame-filling shots of shy wildlife or of a particular aspect of the landscape that's too far for you to get to.
3. Pick Distant Subjects Out
© Joshua Waller
If you want to draw attention to a particular aspect that would be lost if shot with a wider focal length, use a telephoto lens to isolate your subject. You can do this with shorter focal lengths, but the longer reach of a telephoto means you can isolate a subject that's some distance away from where you're shooting from.
4. Capture Shots Of Wildlife
© Richard Hanson
As a telephoto lens closes the distance between you and whatever you're photographing, it's an ideal lens for photographing wildlife. With a telephoto lens you'll be able to take shots that look like you were just a few steps away from your subject when really you were some distance away. This distance means your subject won't be scared off and if you're shooting what could be considered as a dangerous animal, the distance makes it safer for you.
5. Photograph The Moon© Joshua Waller
Your shots won't be as good as those who use telescopes, but you can still get excellent shots of the moon with a long telephoto lens. As well as a very long lens you also need a tripod, clear skies, good weather, remote/cable release, a few hours to spare and good technique. You can even take a number of shots, and combine multiple shots to produce a sharper image.
© Joshua Waller
Shooting head or head and shoulder shots with a longer focal length can give a better perspective and allows for a tighter crop when working further away from your subject. This distance also means you don't have to work too close to your subject and as a result, they'll be more comfortable, and you'll have more natural-looking portraits. You'll also be able to capture shots without any distortion and backgrounds are more easily thrown out of focus, even when they are just a couple of meters behind your subject, meaning all focus falls directly on your subject. Just keep an eye on your shutter speed if working hand-held, though, as you don't want shake spoiling your shot. Find more tips on shooting portraits.
© Joshua Waller
As mentioned above, telephoto lenses make it easier to get the blurry backgrounds in photos that isolate your subject and really make them the focus of your shot. You don't want a distracting background detail competing for the viewer's attention and a shallow depth of field will make sure this doesn't happen.
8. Capture Action
© Joshua Waller
For fast-paced action that you can't get close to e.g. motorsport and flying events, you'll need the longer focal lengths telephotos give you as most of the time, it'll be impossible to get close to the action. To create a sense of pace, use your telephoto lens to shoot a few shots where your subject is sharp but the background is nicely thrown out of focus. How good you are at panning, what shutter speed you use, how fast your subject is moving and how much light's around will make this task harder / easier every time you head to the track, but do it a few times and you'll soon perfect your technique.
More Top TipsHow about picking up some top composition tips that will help you perfect the shots you capture with your telephoto lens? There are also hundreds of top tutorials to read in our 'How To' section of the site.
Flying Owl Photo Wins 'Photo Of The Week' Award
A photograph of an owl captured in flight has won ePHOTOzine's 'Photo of the Week' accolade this week.
The shot, titled 'Chaco Owl', was taken by Mike_Smith during a visit to the Bird of Prey Centre in Helmsley, North Yorkshire. The head-on angle gives you a proper look right at the owl, and the detail in the wings really brings out that sense of movement. A soft, plain sky behind it keeps all the focus on the bird.
It's a lovely capture with great detail and a brilliant subject, making it a fine example of bird photography.
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!
Want to be our next POTW winner? Just upload an image to our gallery where you'll also find all of our past POTW winners.